Lesson Plan

National Park Legacy - Light Right at Night!
Grades 7 - 8

An image from space of light pollution of North America
Grade Level:
Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
Subject:
Literacy and Language Arts,Math,Science
Lesson Duration:
60 Minutes
State Standards:
MS-LS2-4
MS-PS4-2
Thinking Skills:
Understanding: Understand the main idea of material heard, viewed, or read. Interpret or summarize the ideas in own words. Applying: Apply an abstract idea in a concrete situation to solve a problem or relate it to a prior experience. Analyzing: Break down a concept or idea into parts and show the relationships among the parts. Creating: Bring together parts (elements, compounds) of knowledge to form a whole and build relationships for NEW situations. Evaluating: Make informed judgements about the value of ideas or materials. Use standards and criteria to support opinions and views.

Essential Question

What are the ecological impacts of light pollution and efficiency of night lighting fixtures?

Objective

Students will be able to compare the results of experimentation observing bat feeding behavior in dark/light night conditions and wild/caged settings.
Students will be able to determine four specific wildlife impacts as a result of light pollution which are listed in the body of a scientific report.

Background

  1. The National Parks consider a dark night sky a natural resource, valued for its importance to wildlife and overall ecological health. Darkness provides predator protection and sleep benefit for some species, but for nocturnal species, darkness is necessary for feeding, navigating, nesting, mating, and protection.
  2. Too much or mis-directed artificial light primarily disrupts wildlife foraging and breeding rituals and increases prey vulnerability. Scientists are learning that light pollution’s effect on ecosystem health is quite pervasive however: Fireflies flash less, birds sleep less, fish delay migration, and moth pheromones chemically change!
  3. A local NPS initiative, SMMNRA Nature Neighbor Project, seeks to inform people living adjacent to the Santa Monica Mountains about reducing urban impacts on habitats and ecosystems located in proximity to neighborhoods. One Nature Neighbor emphasis is reducing unnecessary use of lights that contribute to “light pollution”. Wildlife survival and decreasing sleep rhythm disruptions in humans that affect overall health are important benefits of this initiative. It is encouraging that light pollution is the easiest pollution problem to solve!
  4. There are three terms that are often used to describe light that is excessive or unnecessary: Sky Glow- light that escapes into the sky rather than illuminating the targeted area, causing urban skies to have a glow/haze. Glare- light that is misdirected in ways that shine into peoples’ eyes and prevent them from seeing an intended area. Trespass- light that is unwanted and shines into natural areas, neighbors’ property etc.
  5. International Dark Sky Association is a conservation group that promotes stewardship of the dark sky. Their award program has recognized 65 places worldwide, extending more than 21,000 miles. Eight National Parks are awardees! IDSA informs citizens about acceptable light fixtures, appropriate color and type of light bulbs, shielding light to target specific areas and identifying only necessary lighting needs.
  6. The night skies division of the National Park Service promotes 6 practices that everyone can adopt and make a difference in reducing light pollution: light only where needed, light only when needed, use less light, use warm colored light, use energy efficient lamps, shield and direct lights downward.

Preparation

  1. Day one lesson- copy for students or ask them to download the IDA Light Pollution and Wildlife Brochure that introduces general light pollution impacts on mammals, amphibians, insects, birds and reptiles.
  2. Day two lesson- provide student groups with two 16-ounce foam cups and a small (six inch) flashlight. Copy for students or ask them to download pp 7-8- section 3.6- of this scientific report opposing a school expansion project. Citations include the negative impacts on wildlife due to excessive lighting

Materials

International Dark Sky Association Brochure on Light Pollution and Wildlife.

Download IDA Light Pollution and Wildlife Brochure

The scientific report on the "Adverse Biological Impacts of Proposed Harvard-Westlake School Parking Garage and Rooftop Sports Field". Download and provide students with pages 7-8, section 3.6.

Download Scientific Report

Lesson Hook/Preview

Light Pollution Awareness in Santa Monica Mountains Helps Restore Natural Ecosystem Patterns.

Two 50-minute lessons.

Procedure

Day One, 50 minutes

“Losing the Dark” is a six-minute video produced by International Dark-Sky Association that serves as a good introduction to a type of pollution students make not have thought about before- especially students who are living in an urban/suburban setting. Students can make the ecological connections about populations of sea turtle hatchlings and migrating birds which are decreasing as a direct result of light pollution.

A one-minute video describing lighting impacts on wildlife can be used to focus lesson discussion. “Help Protect Wildlife”

Ask students to share wildlife behaviors they have observed at night such as feeding, avoiding predators, mating, nesting, etc. Explain that National Parks strive to protect dark skies so that natural ecosystem patterns can be maintained. Emphasize that changes in physical components of an ecosystem- such as lighting- can disturb population patterns. Using the Globe at Night/IDSA brochure resource (see lesson preparation) divide the class into five groups and assign an animal category to each- mammal, amphibian, insects, birds, and reptiles. Challenge groups to find information that specifically describes any population impacts due to light pollution. Ask each group to summarize and share one population fact with the class Reemphasize the pervasive impact of light pollution on wildlife. Sample responses: mammal-exposed to predators, amphibian-weight loss because less time spent foraging, insects- use too much energy staying near lights, birds- off course on migrations, reptile- decline in mating.

Explain to students that scientific claims like the ones described in the brochure need the support of evidence such as patterns in data in experimental studies. Ask students to identify the data evidence in the 2014 bat feeding study in Costa Rica described by a Behavioral Ecologist in the following article. The description is in the “Altered Behavior” section of the article. Ask students to organize their notes/ results as the scientist did: experiment in a cage, and experiment in the wild. Students can include duration of experiment, environmental conditions during experiment, sequence of bat behaviors during the experiment, percentages of food eaten, etc. Ask students to write a summary statement that includes an analysis of the experimental data.

Remind students that scientific explanations and arguments must be based on evidence, not opinion. In the case of wildlife impacts due to light pollution, it is complicated by the fact that experimentation must be done in the dark!

Day Two, 50 minutes

“The Day the Lights Went Out” is a two-minute video linked to the NPS Night Sky media resources produced in poetic format and detailing the inspiration that is lost when night skies are obscured due to urban sky glow

Discuss the meaning of “sky glow” and “light trespass” and explain that light travels in waves in all directions from its source. Point out that the National Parks provide six suggestions to prevent light pollution and ask students to discuss their solutions with a partner and list their ideas.

he effectiveness of shielding light so that light waves are reflected downwards can be demonstrated in a darkened classroom. Tear the top portion off a foam cup, leaving 2-3 inches at the base. Invert the base and make a small hole in the cup bottom so that a small flashlight can be pushed through and mounted to rest upright on the desk. Turn the flashlight on and note the light trespass and general sky glow in the room. Use a second foam cup and hold it first above the lit flashlight, then slowly lower it at various heights over the bulb to model shielding and a focused light on the desk below.

Point out to students that excess reflected/scattered light can affect the behavior of wildlife. Scientists opposed a recent improvement proposed at Harvard-Westlake School located in the Santa Monica Mountains for that very reason! The school hoped to build a parking garage with an athletic field on the rooftop that would be lit using fourteen poles- thus the light would be shining 84 feet above the street and adjacent open space habitat for a variety of wildlife. Explain that a group called “Save Coldwater Canyon!” and backed by Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy responded to the school’s DEIR (Draft Environmental Impact Report) pointing out that tree removal, added noise, and light pollution would all negatively impact wildlife. Using the scientists’ negative response to the school’s DEIR report in Section 3.6 on pp 7-8, ask students to read and note one fact/ main idea from scientific studies information about light impacting:
1) small mammal foraging
2) bird songs
3) bird nesting
4) insect attraction

Students will note that the language used in these reports is complex, evidence-based, and scientists names are listed. Excessive light studies have shown: 1) rodents reduced their time foraging, 2) birds waste energy and sing in the middle of the night, 3) birds decrease nesting time, and 4) insects are preyed upon at lights, and insects leave natural areas where their prey depend on them for food.

Students may enjoy knowing that Harvard-Westlake School abandoned the proposal and bought a different athletic facility located where a section of the LA River was under consideration for low income housing!

Vocabulary

  1. Sky Glow- light that escapes into the sky rather than illuminating the targeted area, causing urban skies to have a glow/haze.
  2. Glare- light that is misdirected in ways that shine into peoples’ eyes and prevent them from seeing an intended area.
  3. Trespass: light that is unwanted and shines into natural areas, neighbors’ property etc.

Assessment Materials

Experimental Evidence Notes

The students compare the results of experimentation observing bat feeding behavior in dark/light night conditions and wild/caged settings.

The students determine four specific wildlife impacts as a result of light pollution which are listed in the body of a scientific report.

Additional Resources

  1. This four-minute NPS video includes night images from Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles and the closest National Park for viewing dark skies- Joshua Tree. Descriptions of improvements being made by Los Angeles Street Department to minimize excess lighting is also discussed.
  2. “Reflections on Night” This NPS site posts images of the dark night sky and poetry it inspires. Students can appreciate the mystery of the night skies in an artistic venue.
  3. NPS Junior Ranger Night Explorer Book is designed for ages 5-12, but students may enjoy mentoring young students using these resources. Activities include exploring night environments, tracking moon phases, and learning about constellation mythology.
  4. The annual International Dark Sky Week was started in 2003 by a high school student who hoped to provide resource support for others who share her interest in preserving the wonder of dark night skies.
  5. Day one lesson: The Dark Skies Ranger activity “The Night You Hatched” is a simulation game showing light pollution’s effect on sea turtle hatchlings. Mapping and critical thinking experiences are emphasized.
  6. Day two lesson: This link provides additional light pollution classroom demonstrations using flashlights, with an emphasis on the usefulness of shields on light fixtures.

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Last updated: January 20, 2022