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Coldplay Sky full of Stars is popular in my room and we use boomwhackers to the music which is very effective also.
1. Songs connecting us with the Night Sky: There are so many songs inspired by the beauty of the night sky
“Starlight” by Muse
“Stargazing” by Kygo “All of the Stars” by Ed Sheehan. “Written in the Stars” by Tinie Tempah. “Dark sky Island” by Enya “Rule the world” by Take that“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” (Traditional Nursery Rhyme): While simple, it’s perhaps the most iconic and universally recognized song about stars
“Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra: A classic romantic song.
“A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay: An uplifting modern song that uses the metaphor of stars to express overwhelming love and connection.
“Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)” by Don McLean: A tribute to Vincent van Gogh, directly referencing his most famous night sky painting.
“Rocket Man” by Elton John: Explores the isolation and beauty of space travel, with the night sky as the ultimate destination.
“Counting Stars” by OneRepublic: While more metaphorical, the title and some lyrics evoke a sense of ambition and dreaming under the vastness of the night.
“Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Orchestra
“Pink Moon” by Nick Drake:2. Poems That Connect Us with the Night Sky:
“Stars” by Robert Frost: A poem that reflects on the indifferent beauty and vastness of the stars.
“The Star” by Jane Taylor (often attributed to “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”): The original poem from which the song derives.
“Bright Star, would I were steadfast as thou art” by John Keats: A sonnet that uses the image of a star as a symbol of unchanging love and longing.
“When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer” by Walt Whitman: A powerful poem that contrasts the dry scientific lecture with the profound, intuitive experience of simply gazing at the stars.
“The Darkling Thrush” by Thomas Hardy:
“Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley:
“Ah moon and star” by Emily Dickinson“The Night Sky” by Mary Webb
3. Art That Connects Us with the Night Sky:
“The Starry Night” by Vincent van Gogh: Perhaps the most famous depiction of the night sky in art, with its swirling, vibrant brushstrokes conveying a sense of awe and spiritual connection.
“Starry Night Over the Rhône” by Vincent van Gogh: Another iconic work by Van Gogh, capturing the reflection of stars on water and the peaceful beauty of a night scene.
“Nocturne in Black and Gold – The Falling Rocket” by James Abbott McNeill Whistler: beautiful fireworks exploding.
Boulevard Montemarte. Camille Pissarro Night effect Fishermen at Sea. JMW Turner. Moonlight by Winslow Homer. Vesuvius in eruption by Joseph WrightPhotography: Babel Tafreshi Echiwile Arch by Vikas Chandler. Winter Fairy Tale by Fink. Evolution of Stars by Kavan Chay.
Sculpture: Anish Kapoor’s “Sky Mirror” Dan Flavin’s “Light Installations” “Canopy” by Jacob Nash
President Michael D. Higgins’ poem “Stardust” is a beautiful poem that connects us with the night sky The poem emphasizes the scientific fact that we are literally made of stardust. This idea is incredibly profound, as it blurs the line between the human and the cosmic. Higgins uses the night sky not just as a backdrop, but as an integral part of our very being, inviting contemplation on our origins, our place in the universe, and the interconnectedness of all things.
How would you engage your learners to explore biodiversity in your local area and the possible impacts of light pollution on local biodiversity.
In advance I would provide a bird , insects, wildflower, animal spotting chart for the pupils. We would take our magnifying glasses and explore the grounds of the school to see what we could discover and discuss which would be active during the day or night.We would also discuss how bright lights can confuse, scare or displace animals.Another nice project could be to research bats and make bat boxes and bug hotels to encourage biodiversity in the school. We would section of an area nearby for a wildflower meadow. Making wildlife habitats out of recycled materials would be a fun project for the children to explore. I would also invite guest speakers from Irish wildlife trust to do a workshop with the pupils.
I would then explore the topic of light pollution using resources mentioned in the module showing the diagram of the insects around light and the effects of light pollution on insects and moths as they are drawn to light and can sometimes end up scorched.
A great way to get grandparents perspectives and incorporate it into Grandparents Day as part of Catholic Schools Week
Love the idea of using the shoebox or diorama for children to get creative and use their imagination…tealights, glow in the dark paint or stars or fairy lights. How wonderful they would look as a class display
That’s really wonderful to have the cameras installed to explore nocturnal wildlife. I would definitely think about looking into that idea
Love the nature walk or audit of school friends. We are in a rural school and are lucky to have zoned areas…grass, mini woodland , vegetable garden and lots of trees and hedges so it’s great to get children exploring what’s on their doorstep
I must check out that David Attenborough documentary, that video sounds a very effective way of getting te point across
Hi Ellen
Involving the Green Schools committee is a great way of raising awareness using poster competitions and information leaflets for initiatives such as Lights Out !
Light pollution is the inappropriate or excessive use of artificial light. This is a growing issue across Ireland and indeed where I live and teach. More housing developments,more streetlights and commercial lighting are making it harder to see stars which limits our ability to connect with nature and astronomy. Light pollution disrupts wildlife,nocturnal animals and leads to energy wastage.
I would begin by showing the children what we can and can’t see due to Light pollution (star walk or sky view apps). Do a walk around the school and village grounds noting necessary and unnecessary lights. We would engage our green schools committe to undertake an energy usage project and to monitor lights, checking that all lights are switched off as kids go out for lunch break.
In Art we could do diorama projects with shoeboxes- one with star filled sky and one full of artificial light sources using glow in the dark stickers or paint. Or look at Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night and do a modern day version, how it would look.
The Green schools committee could have a Lights Out campaign creating posters and parent information sheets promoting change in homes. The school could participate in Earth Hour.
It really is a lovely way to get parental involvement in fun lessons like this or as a family to get out the blankets and hot chocolate and observe the moon or the planets together.
These apps are amazing . I had never heard of Stellarium or Sky view before. What a lovely way to spend an evening with a blanket and hot chocolate and using these apps to do some Star Gazing!!
My school is in County Meath and I would love to focus on an autumn planetary observing plan. We would begin with an introduction to planets and perhaps drawing the solar system, learn some fun facts about the planets. We would talk about conditions or factors influencing visibility- clear skies ,minimal cloud cover, weather conditions, light pollution. We would then talk about equipment- if children are afraid of the dark they could wear a head torch, using binoculars or a telescope,. I would give the children a child friendly star map. We would get some prior knowledge by using Stellarium so that the children could explore this on nights when its too cloudy and perhaps introduce a Planet Passport idea where the children get a sticker each time they spot a new planet. Parents support is vital also. Pupils will be invited, with support from parents, to observe the evening sky at home around 7.30 facing south or southeast and looking out for planets (like stars but they don’t twinkle, shine steadily)pm, An information sheet on what to look out for will be sent home along with the Star Map. In school, we’ll record their sightings using a sky journal.
Hi Gráinne
I hope that you are enjoying the course so far. I too loved the idea of making a sundial for the school garden. Our children love to do seasonal gardening and take part in biodiversity projects so I think the sundial would be a really fun colourful activity to get the children to design