Teacher: Peter Kane
School: Kilglass National School
Location: County Galway, Ireland
As part of National Space Week in Ireland, 3rd/4th class at Kilglass National School planned and delivered a two-hour “Space Fun” afternoon for 2nd class using the resources, activities and games on The Schools’ Observatory website.
The first event took place on Wednesday, October 8 2025 and was also featured on the Events section of spaceweek.ie 2025.
The 3rd/4th class pupils had already built up lots of experience using the website — logging in and out, booking observations, exploring the different sections, and trying out the Things To Do activities — so they were able to choose a selection of favourites that would work well for their younger “space-partners” in 2nd class. The afternoon was designed to be fun and collaborative, and it gave the older pupils a chance to communicate clearly, support younger learners, and introduce a new class (and teacher) to the website. In total, there were over 50 children learning together that afternoon.
A wide range of activities from the Things To Do section were used, with the older pupils acting as facilitators and helping when needed. The session began with a whole-group activity for all 54 pupils and teachers: Cosmic Yoga, which was a big hit and helped set a relaxed tone.
Pupils then rotated through a mix of online activities, physical activities and quieter tasks. Some of the most popular were:
- Gravity Simulator
- Order the Planets
- The Space Age calculator
- Moon Jigsaw
- Pair the Planets
- Colour Your Space
The impact was really positive across the afternoon. Pupils enjoyed a session of space learning while having fun, and the older children in particular developed a strong sense of responsibility as they planned the activities, collaborated with younger pupils, and shared their knowledge and technical skills. With so many children involved, there was a real buzz in the room and lots of excitement throughout.
Feedback from pupils was very positive, and teachers were also very positive about the event. In total, over fifteen different activities from The Schools’ Observatory were used, and log-ins were created so pupils can continue using the website in school and at home in the future.
The learning impact was especially significant for the younger classes who were engaging with space themes for the first time — the hope is that this will spark a lasting interest in space and inspire future learning.
Because the Space Week afternoon was such a success, it was repeated with a younger 1st class on Friday, January 16th 2026, and this was equally successful, with younger pupils and teachers feeling very enthusiastic about taking part. To add to the excitement, the event also included a VR headset with an ISS programme, and Mr. Kane even dressed up in his Space Camp space outfit. The children had a great laugh, and some even wore space t-shirts to mark the occasion.
These kinds of collaborative space activities are becoming increasingly relevant in Ireland. Planets Earth in Space is currently a strand in the Geography curriculum, but with the onset of the new Irish primary curriculum there will be a stronger emphasis on STEM education, featuring space and planets within the “Natural Environments” strand of Geography and Science.
As Irish primary schools place an increased focus on STEM subjects, events like this help pupils build enthusiasm, confidence and curiosity in science in a way that feels exciting, social and memorable.