MOON UNIT Lesson 11- Constellations –Star Patterns

MOON UNIT Lesson 11- Constellations –Star Patterns

Standard:

Earth and Space Science. Students will gain an understanding of Earth and Space Science through the study of earth materials, celestial movement, and weather.

ObjectiveObserve, describe, and record patterns in the appearance

and apparent motion of the moon in the night sky.

Observe and describe the number, arrangement and color/brightness of stars in the night sky.

Vocabulary sun: the star that gives us light

and heat constellation: a group of stars

forming a pattern astronomers: people who study

stars

Have you ever noticed that some stars

are brighter than others?

Have you noticed groups of stars?

Have you played connect the dots with

the stars? Or made up stories about

them?People who study stars are

called astronomers. People have been observing the stars for a

long time.

Star Patterns Long ago, though,

people thought some stars looked like pictures. They imagined that these stars were outlines of animals, objects, or people.

You may have seen clouds or sailing ships or something else. But cloud shapes change quickly. Star shapes have not changed much since people looked at them long ago.

They seem to form a picture in the sky.

People use them to find their way around the sky like someone using objects to get from place to place.

The constellation looks flat but all the stars are at different distances from us.

So again, the stars that appear close in the sky may not actually be close in space:

STARS IN THE DURING DAYTIME? When you look at the

sky at night you can see stars. Did you know that when you look at the night sky during the day you can see a star too? can you remember the name of that star?

Click here to see stars in the daytime

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pgOBoM6WSKU/UjNZYCg27JI/AAAAAAAAaVA/ri9nzY2qw5k/s1600/sunsigns.gif

WHY DO THE STARS MOVE?

Polaris – the North Star

WHY DO THE STARS MOVE?

The Stars don’t actually move… It is the Earth that is moving (spinning).

The spinning Earth makes it seems like the stars move.

Polaris (north star) – Earth’s northern axis points at this star so its movement is not affected by Earth’s Rotation.

THE STORY OF ORION THE HUNTER

Read the Story of Orion the Hunter http

://www.nmm.ac.uk/stories-of-the-skies/orion/story/the-story-of-orion-the-hunter

THE STORY OF PERSEUS & ANDROMEDA

Read the story of Perseus and Andromeda

http://www.rmg.co.uk/stories-of-the-skies/perseus-andromeda/story/the-story-of-perseus-and-andromeda

Star Patterns You have learned about

constellations, and now it’s your turn to make some.

You will use the “Take a Guess” section to guess what the pattern will look like.

After you have guesses all 6 constellations you will use the “The Constellation Guide” to trace the actual constellations.

Materials pencil the “Take a Guess” paper the “The Constellation Guide”

What your journal should look like glue in constellation in your science

journals

Video and Songs

Outer Space: "I'm A Star," The Stars Song by StoryBots

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t3aXb3LpWg

Star Maps

http://archive.fossweb.com/modules3-6/SunMoonandStars/activities/starmaps.html