[Shane O Connell]

I had no idea that we have three dark sky reserves here in Ireland. It would be great to show this to the kids in school to show them the importance of protecting our natural environment – I’m not sure if many kids will have even thought about Light pollution being a factor today.

[Shane O Connell]

It’s amazing to see how Stellarium allows kids to simulate the night sky from any location and time, I think the kids in my school would absolutely love it.

We would begin by downloading and installing Stellarium on the school iPads. Once installed, set the date to an autumn evening and adjust the time to just after sunset and the location has to be set also. I’d start the lesson by demonstrating how to use Stellarium’s search function, e.g. to locate Venus, which appears brightly in the western sky shortly after sunset. Next, we could find another planet such as Jupiter and highlight how its moons can be viewed with binoculars. Then, we could see Saturn in the southern sky, discussing the visibility of its rings through a small telescope. Examples of same could be brought up on Google images for the kids. Finally, Mars could be identified, pointing out its distinctive reddish hue which a lot of kids would know from its nickname.

I would then students to interact with Stellarium independentlt, practicing finding these planets and noting their positions and visibility times. This hands-on approach, combined with real-life observations, would definitely aid understanding and would in turn foster a deeper appreciation for the world around them.

[Shane O Connell]

I love the idea using the lampshades. It’s very practical and simple but for a very effective result.

[Shane O Connell]

How I would create a sundial with a primary school class:

Get a straight stick or rod, flat board or cardboard, a compass, a ruler, protractor and permanent markers. Choose a sunny location where the sundial will not be obstructed by shadows. Ensure the location is safe and accessible for students. Attach the stick upright in the middle of the flat board. This stick will cast the shadow. Use your compass to find true north. Showing this and explaining to any kids who may be unsure. Align the base so the stick points towards the north where the compass has shown.

Starting in the morning, mark the tip of the shadow every hour with a permanent marker, noting the time beside each mark. Continue marking at regular intervals throughout the day, preferably from the start of the school day to when the kids to finish school. Explain how the shadow moves with the sun and how ancient civilizations used sundials to tell time. When finished, encourage the students to observe the sundial regularly and compare the times with their watches.

I think kids would really enjoy this and it would be perfect to integrate across other curricular areas such as art, maths, history.

[Shane O Connell]

Thanks Patrick – so many fantastic ideas here. There is huge potential for integration, for example with the Sundial Activity, which could span across Maths, History, Art to name a few.

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