Materials for educators
Curriculum
Fight for the Stars: Be a Knight for the Night
A light pollution curriculum developed the by DarkSky Texas chapter, with videos and activity sheets for two levels: 1) elementary students and above, 2) middle school students and above.
Workbooks
Wildlife Workbooks
Games and activities about wildlife and light pollution.
Individual activities and games from the Wildlife Workbooks
Ages 5–9
- Animals of the Night Word Search (PDF)
- Lost Moth Dot to Dot (PDF)
Ages 5–12
- Owl Coloring page (PDF)
- Sleep Tight Maze (PDF)
- Turtle Maze (PDF)
Ages 6–12
- Light Pollution and Wildlife Crossword Puzzle (PDF)
- Wildlife_Word_Search (PDF)
- Wildlife_Connect_the_Dots (PDF)
NSF’s NOIRLab resources
NSF’s NOIRLab is the U.S. national research and development center for ground-based, nighttime astronomy. NOIRLab is managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.
- Dark Skies Rangers: Dark Skies and Energy Education Ages 11-13
- International Year of Light Quality Lighting Teaching Kit Focus Group Files Ages 12-18
- Globe at Night Citizen-Science Campaign All ages
Other resources
- Protect our Night Sky/Reduce Light Pollution Ages 11-15 (12-page PDF of information and activities from the Bush Telegraph, published by the nonprofit NaDeet, the educational core of NamibRand International Dark Sky Reserve, Africa’s first International Dark Sky Reserve
- Save_the_Stars_Ages 4-8
- Diorama of the Night Art Project Ages 6-12
- Mini Page on Light Pollution Ages 8-10 (four-page PDF about light pollution and good lighting)
- Outdoor Lighting Audit Lesson Plan Ages 14 and older
- Introduction to Lighting PowerPoint Presentation Ages 14 and older
Book
Skywatcher
by Jamie Hogan
Ages 5–8, Grades K–3
Tamen aches to see the stars, but none are visible in the light-polluted sky above the fire escape of his urban building. Even in the local park, the stars are hidden by city lights. Tamen’s mom, a nightshift nurse, takes him camping. For one magical night on the shore of a wilderness pond, the Milky Way in all its glory belongs to them.
Purchase: AbeBooks | Amazon
Learn more at jamiehogan.com
Watch an interview with the author/illustrator
Download masks to color and cut out to wear at your own Star Party! (PDF)
DarkSky News posts
Tagged: education, education resources, astronomy education, outdoor education, kids, children’s books
