Space Art Session – Dalí
Space Art is back! This year Donna and Danielle are exploring space and time using the art of Dalí as inspiration.
Because the theme of Space Week 2024 is Space and Climate change we’ve chosen projects that can easily use recycled materials from home.
We have two art projects – Melted clocks and an International Space Station model using recycled materials.
Equipment List: Download here
Notes for teachers:
-If you choose to use Papier Maché in the project it may be best to do the project over 2 days to allow for drying time. If you wish to complete the project in one day, modeling clay will work very well.
-PVA Glue will hold the final details of the Space Station together, but be sure to allow those components to dry before working with them further.
Curricular Alignment:
Primary Visual Arts – Content Objective(s) / Learning Outcome(s):
- Developing Form in Clay
- Explore and discover the possibilities of clay as a medium for imaginative expression
- Explore some of the essential characteristics of three-dimensional work
- Use clay to analyse and interpret form from observation
- Work inventively and expressively with papier maché
- Making Constructions
- Make imaginative structures
USEFUL LINKS
The Persistence of Memory: See a photo of the original painting and learn more here.
Build an International Space Station: Craft Resource is available here.
Don’t forget to send us pictures of your class’ artwork and we’ll add it to a gallery on the Space Week website! Email us at info@spaceweek.ie
Space and Climate Action
The theme for Space Week 2024 is Space and Climate Change. We hosted a discussion on how these two topics intersect to help you and your class to join in this timely discussion.
Our Education Officer, Frances McCarthy has compiled a list of excellent resources that help you delve deeper into these topics, as well as identifying curricular alignment opportunities. This document contains resources for both Primary and Secondary level students. Download here.
Additional 2nd Level Resource: CliCPoLiT Student Parliament Activity – Host a student parliament to encourage your students to debate the issue of light pollution before proposing actionable solutions. Resource available here.
The Blackrock Castle Observatory Podcast features an episode on Light Pollution that teachers may find interesting (Features brief discussion of animal reproductive strategies that may be unsuitable for younger students). Access it here: BCO Podcast
Colourful Space
All of Ireland was transfixed by the Aurora Borealis in mid-May. We thought you’d appreciate a better understanding of this phenomenon to better engage your students. That’s inspired us to take a deep dive into the role colour plays in astronomy. Colour can tell us the elemental make-up of deep sky objects, it can tell us how fast objects are approaching or moving away from us, and it can even tell us what the atmospheres of distant exoplanets are like. To help us better understand the role colour plays in astronomy our Education Officer Frances McCarthy was joined by very special guest Prof Jayanne English.
Second Level Resource: Make your own Solar System Images – Download here
Moon Calendar
Keep track of the phases of the Moon every day with our annual Moon Calendar: Download here
Space Week Poster
Mark Space Week in your classroom with the Space Week 2024 poster: Download here
Library SWAG
Libraries throughout Ireland are taking part in Space Week with many offering bookmarks, activity sheets and posters while stocks last. Some will even be hosting special Space Week events. To see what’s happening at libraries near you, check the Libraries Listings regularly as we approach Space Week.
A Space Week display from Thurles Library
Further Resources
There is an abundant back-catalogue of Space Week Resources available for both Primary and Secondary Teachers at the Space Week Teacher Resource page.
ESERO Space Goes To School Program
The popular ESERO Space Goes To School Program is recruiting speakers for Space Week 2024. The program pairs your class with a speaker from the space industry for FREE and lets them share their story with your students via videoconference before taking student questions. The program is always oversubscribed, so to be in with the best chance of securing a speaker for your school we encourage you to join the waiting list today. Learn more here.
Space Week Raffle
Congratulations to Clooney NS on winning the Space Week raffle prize for early registrants! The prize pack has been donated by the gift shop at MTU Blackrock Castle Observatory.
