It’s been a big firefly summer in Minnesota this year, and we’ve been watching their lights flicker each night in our back garden. Summer is always a time to linger outside in the warm and long nights, look up, and see what you can see. Close to the city, the stars are hard to see though. So, we go up north to see the stars, and they are dazzling.
Here are some activities to try with your kids now or when school is back in session to illustrate how light pollution not only blocks stars, but can upset the natural balance of our days and nights. I’ve curated this list of activities that could easily go with the books from this mont’s Stem Tuesday list. Read a book, try an activity, and enjoy the summer nights!
How Light Pollution Affects Animals
Dark Matters: Nature’s Reaction to Light Pollution by Joan Marie Galat
A blend of science and memoir that focuses on the environmental consequences of increasingly artificially lit night skies. She describes its impact on sea turtles, fireflies, birds, and bats and provides basic steps to address light pollutio
Follow the Moon Home : a Tale of One Idea, Twenty Kids, and a Hundred Sea Turtles by Philippe Cousteau and Deborah Hopkinson
Informational fiction inspired by the student-initiated Lights Out for Loggerheads program in South Carolina. The story presents a model for community engagement, and back matter outlines actions appropriate for preteen environmentalists.
Activities
- Dark Sky: Resources for Educators
- Great Basin Observatory: Darkness Matters
- AstroEDU: Let There Be Light. . . but not too much!
Citizen Science to Reduce Light Pollution
Who Hid the Stars? How Light Pollution Changes Our World by Danio Miserocchi & Maciej Michno; illus. by Valentina Gottardi, and translated by Sylvia Notini
This well-documented book examines how city lights affect birds and bats, reptiles and insects – even trees and flowers. It also provides hope, sharing things cities and people can do to minimize light pollution. Back matter includes ideas for bringing back the stars (dark skies) and resources.
Saving the Night : How Light Pollution is Harming Life on Earth by Stephen Aitken
Full of fascinating photos and facts, this book examines many interactions creatures and plants have developed with light, the differing effects of various sources of light pollution on land and in our waterways, conservationists working to preserve the night, and successful projects. It includes suggestions for reducing our individual light pollution.
Activities
- Globe at Night: a citizen science campaign to raise awareness about the effects of light pollution inviting people to measure the brightness of their night sky and submit their observations
- ASTROPHOTOS – Measuring Light Pollution: Make your smartphone measure the light in the night sky with this app and activity.
- Audubon Lights Out Program: Survey where you live or your school and look for ways to help reduce light pollution with the useful list of actions on this site.
Karen Latchana Kenney is a children’s author and editor who loves creating all kinds of STEM books and classroom content. Find her at https://www.karenlatchanakenney.com/.
