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The night sky has inspired so much creativity, leading to inspirational art. When thinking of art related to the night sky, the first song that comes to mind is Don Don McLean’s Vincent (Starry, Starry Night). This is one of my favourites, as it shows how van Gogh expressed his feelings through his art. I would like to use this with the children to explore the idea that the night sky can reflect our emotions. We could look closely at van Gogh’s Starry Night painting, noticing the movement and energy in the swirling skies.
In contrast, songs like Levitating by Dua Lipa and Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay use imagery of space and movement through the skies to express joy, connection, and love. I would like to use this with children to show that the imagery of the night sky isn’t only for older, traditional songs — it’s still alive and inspiring artists today.
By linking Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra with contemporary songs, children would see how the night sky continues to influence music across generations, giving them a sense of timeless wonder that they can express in their own creative work.
A poem I love is ‘When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer’ by Walt Whitman. This poem contrasts scientific study with the emotional experience of looking at the night sky. It shows that both science and wonder are valuable ways of connecting with space. I love the final line ‘Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.’ There is something so magically peaceful about looking up at the stars. Giving children the opportunity to appreciate this will greatly influence their motivation to protect the dark skies.
I really like the topic of this module. Biodiversity is generally well accounted for in primary schools, certainly in the school where I teach. However, the needs of nocturnal species are not usually addressed in a school’s biodiversity plan.
In my school, I would begin by reviewing the existing plan with the children. They would then research local nocturnal species such as bats, owls, and moths, exploring how these animals rely on natural dark skies for hunting, navigation, and safety. Together, we would discuss how artificial light disrupts these species and impacts wider ecosystems.
The children would carry out a simple survey of the school grounds to identify sources of artificial light and suggest practical ways to reduce unnecessary lighting. I would guide them in developing solutions, such as motion-sensor lights, light shielding, or creating “dark zones.” These actions would be integrated into the biodiversity plan to ensure nocturnal wildlife is supported.
Having grown up in the countryside, a starry night is something I have always both adored and taken as a given on a clear night. Moving to the city, I missed it. However, my awareness of light pollution was only truly highlighted when I first moved to Vancouver. I was shocked at the lack of street lights in suburban areas, with my concern being safety. When I discussed this with Canadian colleagues, they were quick to mention light pollution – something I had never heard in general discussion in Ireland. The stark impacts of it are highlighted in this module.
I love the Globe at Night programme. It will appeal to children both in terms of using a device to record the data and in terms of feeling like they are actually contributing to making a change to the environment. I find that students are acutely aware of environment issues and would love to take action to change it but feel powerless.
When teaching it, I would introduce the topic of light pollution by showing the children images of a dark sky compared with a city sky. I would ask the children to think about the stars they can normally see from home and discuss why some are harder to see.
I would then introduce the Globe at Night programme and explain how citizen scientists around the world contribute by recording star visibility.
I would guide the children in uploading their data to the Globe at Night database. The children would then compare their results with those of other schools and countries, discussing how light pollution varies with place and season.
I would then teach children the ways that lighting can be improved as outlined in this module. We would investigate if these could be applied to our area and the children could write to the local council about it.
This year I plan to engage my class in observing the Moon as part of our SESE curriculum. I think the Moon is a wonderful focus for children because it’s so easy to see, and it changes often, which keeps it exciting. We’ll begin by chatting about what shape the Moon is, and I’ll guide the children to realise that the Moon doesn’t really change shape—it just appears to, depending on how sunlight falls on it. We’ll watch a short Paxi video to introduce the lunar cycle in a fun and clear way, then explore the Earth–Moon–Sun system with a hands-on activity so they can see how the phases happen.
To make our observations meaningful, we’ll focus on the waning crescent and third quarter phases, as these are the best for morning viewing before school. For the 2025–2026 school year, these phases will be visible around October 6–11, November 4–9, December 4–9, January 3–5, February 2, and March 3. During these weeks, each child will keep a Moon diary, sketching what they see in the sky before class. We’ll also incorporate art activities such as lunar paintings. I’m really looking forward to doing this project with the children—it feels like a calm, hands-on way to connect science, creativity, and the wonder of the natural world.
I teach sixth class and the theme of Space is a strong feature in both SESE and in the stories within our English programme. I am particularly drawn to the lesson One Year on Earth, as it introduces pupils to the concept of the seasons in an age-appropriate, engaging, and hands-on way. This lesson provides children with a memorable, concrete understanding of why the Earth experiences seasonal change, rather than relying solely on abstract explanation. To build on this, I would like to assign my pupils a project that involves analysing satellite data at a deeper level. This would allow them to make real-world connections and to think critically about how information is gathered and used. I would also give students the chance to investigate the climate of a chosen country and link this to its location on the globe, using the 3D Earth model for meaningful visual support.