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1. Gravity/Weight – Assemble an Earth Tube and one other planet tube – decorate in a suitable manner.
To get my students engaged, I’d start by asking a fun, imaginative question like “If you could jump on the Moon, how high would you go?” This always grabs their attention and gets them thinking straight away. I’d then show them a quick demonstration using a small object to explain how gravity pulls things down on Earth, and introduce the idea that gravity is stronger or weaker on different planets. To make it personal, I’d let the children work out what their own weight would be on the Moon, Mars, or Jupiter, which always leads to lots of surprise and excitement.
Once they’re curious, I’d move into the hands-on activity. In pairs or groups, the children would create and decorate an Earth Tube and a Planet Tube, using colours, drawings, and labels to show how gravity works there. This mix of science and art makes the learning both fun and memorable. We’d finish by sharing the tubes and chatting about what life might be like with different gravity.
There are some really nice ideas here and a comprehensive list of songs. I will definitely be taking inspiration from your list!
Describe how you could implement a version of “Design Your own Dark Sky place” in your school/classroom?
To implement a version of “Design Your Own Dark Sky Place” in a primary school classroom in Ireland, I would create an engaging, cross-curricular project that combines science, art, and environmental awareness. First, we would explore what a Dark Sky Place is: an area with minimal light pollution, where the night sky can be clearly observed. Using videos and images of Ireland’s own Dark Sky Reserves, like those in Mayo and Kerry, pupils would learn about the importance of reducing light pollution for wildlife, human health, and stargazing.
Pupils would then work in groups to “design” their own Dark Sky Place, choosing a location, creating a map, and writing a simple plan to protect the night sky. They could build models, draw posters, or even create a class booklet.
We’d also include a hands-on element, such as a nighttime stargazing activity or a classroom blackout experiment to show how light affects the visibility of stars.This project would foster creativity, teamwork, and environmental stewardship, while linking to SESE, Visual Arts, and SPHE curricula in a meaningful way.
I like how you’ve brought the children’s attention to ‘Irish’ nocturnal animals. It would be interesting to see whether they are familiar with the nocturnal species that live in their locality!
How you would engage your learners to explore biodiversity in your local area, and the possible impacts of light pollution on local biodiversity.:
I believe the best way to get primary learners interested in biodiversity is to let them experience it for themselves. If I were teaching this, I would start by taking them outside into the school grounds or a nearby park. I feel that when children see birds, insects, and plants up close, their curiosity naturally grows. I would encourage them to keep simple nature journals, drawing what they notice or making tally charts of the species they find. I think activities like building a bug hotel or setting up a bird feeder would give them something to return to, helping them feel a sense of connection and responsibility for the creatures that visit.
At the same time, I believe it’s important to help them reflect on the ways people affect local biodiversity. Light pollution is an issue that children can easily relate to, since many of them have noticed bright streetlights or the lack of stars at night. I would want them to see how artificial light can confuse bats, moths, and even migrating birds. A simple activity like counting insects around a lamp could make this impact real. For me, it’s about showing children that small choices—like turning lights off—can help protect the living world around us.
Jennifer, I like how you have encouraged student autonomy here while providing an opportunity for them to contribute to the Globe at Night database!
1. Detail how light pollution is impacting your local area and how you would engage your learners to explore this.
I was curious after completing this module yesterday and so I sat out my back last night looking up at the sky. Apart from the few very bright stars, the sky was a navy blue. Upon reflection, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a true night sky. I grew up in an urban town and now live in a village that is well lit up. It inspired me to visit one of the dark sky places in Ireland as part of my bucket list!
I would do a lesson on light pollution, beginning with a KWL chart to elicit prior knowledge. I would discuss the topic of light pollution with the class and draw their attention to the video produced by the Mayo dark sky park. After consolidating the learning with a written activity, I would have the children observe the night sky from their homes and ask them to sketch what they see. I would ensure to give specific instructions to include stars, clouds, the moon, and particularly colours. The next day, we would compare and contrast the sketches and draw conclusions based on whether the children were situated in a rural or urban area – linking it back to light pollution. To extend this activity into SPHE, we could come up with a class action plan as to how we can combat light pollution in our school and at home, with the children giving examples of actions we can take from the learning they experienced in the previous lesson. This could be part of a thematic plan and could link to drama – ‘imagine you are an astronomer and light pollution is affecting your view of the stars’; and music – David Bowie’s ‘star man’ comes to mind!
Hi Linda, I like how you have adapted this to suit children who may not have access to technology at home. Great idea!
1. Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be in 2024- 2025?
I would plan to observe the moon once per week at different times of day with my class. Some observations will take place during school hours and some observations will happen at home, before or after school. The children will have a recording sheet stuck into their SESE copy where they must record the date, time (I will aim to have children do their observations at the same time) and draw a sketch of the moon as observed by them. This process would continue for the entire academic year, and we would then compare our observations at the end of the year. In doing so, we will have a chance to observe most, if not all, phases of the moon as they occur at different times. I would use ChatGPT to create the worksheet for me and to create a calendar of the 25/26 moon phases in advance so that I can strategically choose the times for observation. We would begin our observations on September 14th 2025, around 11:35, when the moon is in the last quarter, which is easier to see during daylight.