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Hi Shane
That’s a great range of Satellites you found there all involved in monitoring Climate Change and pollution and other environmental changes. As you said, satellites like these give us the information we need to monitor the changes to our planet so that we can see the effects of climate change and create models for future change. Tools like the Satellite Tracker app can help us to understand what Satellites are there and a little bit of research can tell us more about them and help to understand what goes into predicting what will happen with our climate.
Hi Deirdre
That sounds like a lovely plan for studying and making maps. I love how you start with the guided activity of creating a classroom or playground map as a whole class on the whiteboard and then use that map as a basis for the children creating their own 3D models which reinforces the learning. Following on with Google maps is a great way to continue the learning. Going outdoors to follow simple maps of the school yard and find hidden objects or participating in some orienteering activities would a great way to follow this up and give them some experience in using and following maps
Hi Roisin
I’m glad you found the pollinator plan website so useful and that you have pledged your own garden for pollinators and got started straight away by planting a pot. Having a new house and garden is exciting and I’m sure you will love planning your planting scheme around pollinators and watching the results as your garden develops over time. I have a large garden with wild meadow, native hedgerow, a planted mini forest, an area of lavenders and other pollinator friendly shrubs and 2 mini ponds but I love picking out new projects and new areas to develop. I am currently planning for a small area in the front garden where I hope to plant a succession of pollinator friendly perennials using the guidelines from the Pollinator Friendly Planting Code https://pollinators.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Pollinator-Planting-Code-Guide-2022-WEB.pdf. I have learned a lot from my own garden and everything you learn from your own garden can be used in your plans to make your school garden more pollinator friendly.
Hi Donnacha
I like the way you are broadening out the topic to include a study of the moon landings and the explorations in space travel which led to the first moon landing. This historical research will tie in very nicely with the scientific study of the phases of the moon and the physical observations. The focus on the visibility of the moon and the factors which influence when we can see it are a nice aspect too. Your mention of viewing the moon around the time of the winter solstice could be another link to folklore and traditions around the moon.
Hi Aisling
It is such a pity that we have lost so much because of light pollution. As you are living in Cork city, I assume that you are also teaching in the city and that many of your pupils may not have shared experiences like yours of looking up at the stars. I think the solution to the problems of light pollution is questioning how much of it is as you say a “necessary” evil. It is certainly not necessary for shops and businesses to be completely lit up at night or for private houses or gardens to be lit up with bright spotlights. Once businesses are closed, low level security lights on sensors should be enough to protect them and low level sensor lights are enough to provide security for houses and and gardens don’t need to be lit up all night. Also, while a certain amount of street lighting is necessary, it is not necessary for streetlights to be as numerous or as bright as they are.
Hi Hannah
Welcome to the course. I’m glad you like this resource so much and that you have ideas for adapting the resource for all class levels. Using pictures, art and craft and the Sun Earth model are all really great ways of explaining the differences between the seasons. As you said younger classes can concentrate on exploring and discussing the differences between the seasons and what happens with light levels and the amount of darkness and also with studying what changes occur in nature in the different seasons and how these changes are related to the amount of daylight and the changes in temperature and moisture levels, while older classes can start to explore why these changes occur and what causes the seasons. Of course no lesson on the seasons with any class level would be complete without going outside in each season to observe seasonal changes first hand.
Hi Amy
Your approach to studying the moon with your class is great as you are allowing the children autonomy in what they study. From class discussion and their brainstorming activity, the children will have identified what they know about the moon and if they have some misconceptions, not only will you have identified them, but they themselves may have started to question their own misconceptions through discussion with their peers. Throughout their discussion period, you can move between the groups adding a prompt question here or there if discussions have stalled or if a particular group need a little guidance to get started. Allowing them to choose which questions to research, will as you said mean their research is more pupil directed and they will be more likely to retain that information than if they were simply handed the information. Making models of the moon phases will then help to illustrate what they have learned.
Hi Deirdre
Your plan here shows the value of inquiry based STEM teaching. This is a very simple activity but by taking the approach of guiding the children in their research and allowing them autonomy in what animals they choose to research, how they will carry out their research and how they present their projects, you are fostering a range of scientific skills and incorporating the use of technology to support the learning needs and styles of each child. I would suggest setting the condition that the animals researched should be Irish animals or those who migrate to Ireland to mak eit more relevant to their own experience.
Hi Cora
I’m glad you found the topic so interesting and plan to teach it this year. You are so right. The excessive use of light makes no sense and is harming ourselves and nature in so many ways. The more awareness we can spread, the better it will be, because light pollution is much easier to fix than most of our environmental issues if we only have the will to do it. You have oputlined a great plan there which involves Citizen Science through the Globe at Night programme, mapping of light pollution sources, discussion on solutions and an engineering project to design shielded lights.
Hi Geraldine
It is a great idea to revisit the information you gained from your visitor talking about butterflies. Butterflies are a great indicator species for the health of a habitat. Numerous reports from both Ireland and the UK and my own observations from my garden butterfly count have indicated that their numbers are very low this year, so everything you can do to create suitable habitat for butterflies and especially caterpillars will be very helpful. Also, by focussing on increasing butterfly numbers, you will also improve the habitat for lots of other wildlife. Perhaps you could invite that visitor back to the school for additional guidance once you have started planning for wildlife and implementing your plan.
Hi Caolan
You make a great point there about the need for understanding nocturnal creatures as part of a holistic approach to learning about Biodiversity. Often, people focus on the needs of a particular species or group of species, which is important, but it is also important to look at the interaction between species and the environment in which they are living. For example, bats, birds and many other groups of both animals and plants rely on insects and both plants and animals rely on darkness at night to flourish. A recent study in China found that in some situations, excess light can affect leaf growth on plants making the leaves inedible to insects. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/05/all-night-streetlights-make-leaves-inedible-to-insects-study-finds?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawEmxF1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHSTKlEkQCFx3Z4qOOeYAMhihmmxDXIztzViJYXHJ7e-k28rsN7loSPEDmg_aem_xt3y9UJ_V0uQX4IIy8YuNg#Echobox=1722838112. Working on shielding and restricting lights in school could have a positive impact on wildlife and I love the idea of dark sky zones. While you may not be able to control all of the light sources affecting your yard, you can work on creating areas where that light doesn’t penetrate as much.
Hi Annette
I love the idea of the tent and getting the children to come up with ways to make it darker. The constellations added to the roof and the torches are a great way to do a range of investigations on light pollution and reducing its effects and I’m sure the children will love taking turns to enter the tent to try out their investigations. This classroom investigation and the group research and discussion are a great lead up to the mapping exercise in the yard as the children will already be tuned in to the effects of light pollution and what to look out for.
Hi Alannah
Your experience of growing up in Donegal and being able to experience the stars and especially the Northern Lights is something you can share with the children ion your class as a great way of illustrating the problem of light pollution. I’m sure the children will connect with your personal story so that when you show them pictures of the night sky over Donegal, they will identify with them more than if you were just showing them pictures without the accompanying personal story. Some of the children may have seen darker skies while visiting relatives or have spent holidays in more rural parts of the country but some may not have experienced a truly dark sky at all so that connection is important. Getting them to observe the night sky from their own homes in the evening time will provide a good contrast and is a good way to introduce the topic and your classroom activities will help to reinforce the idea to children who may not be able to observe the stars on a regular basis.
Hi Edele
That is a great plan that looks at the problems that light pollution causes for nocturnal animals from a number of perspectives: learning and researching and taking action. I love that you plan to involve the local community and engage with the local authority to look at reducing light pollution and that you plan to spread the word about the dangers of light pollution as well as working to provide shelter for nocturnal creatures who might visit your school.
Hi Sarah
Putting a focus on the needs of bats is a lovely idea for your school biodiversity plan. I’m not sure why bats being out would be a problem for the children, as the whole point of learning about bats and undertaking a project to look after their needs is to show children how beneficial bats are and how there are no reasons for anyone to be nervous around them. Changing the lighting and planting night scented flowers is a great idea. Bat Conservation Ireland are currently working on a series of videos on gardening for bats which might be of interest to you when they are finalised.
