OBJECTIVES:
Students will understand that constellations are groupings of stars.
Students will identify constellations – Orion, Lepus, and Canis Major.
RELATION TO MISSOURI FRAMEWORKS:
K-4: VA3
Constellations are patterns of stars.
District Competency Strand: The Universe
#7 Students will explain the importance of the different bodies of
the universe and predict the effects on the Earth and its inhabitants.
D. Explain and identify different constellations and how they
appear at different seasons.
CONTEXT:
Grade Level: 2-4
Group of 25 – 30 for StarLab presentation
PREREQUISITE:
Students should be aware that our solar system is made up of
nine
planets, the sun, and many other stars. They should know that
constellations are patterns of stars, and be able to recognize a few of
them.
MATERIALS:
StarLab Portable Planetarium
Constellation Cylinder
Urban Starfield Cylinder
Arrow pointers
Red flashlights
PROCEDURE:
1. Seat students and get them ready. Remind students of the rules
concerning the StarLab, and assure them that they will be asked to leave
if they misbehave. As students’ eyes adjust to the darkness we will
sing our Planets and Stars song.
2. Put on the Constellation Cylinder.
3. Remind students that we have been learning about the Solar System.
Ask students “ What is at the center of solar system? And what is
the sun? The sun is a star. Does anyone remember what we call
groupings of stars that make up a picture in the sky?”
4. Review the concept that constellations are groupings of stars.
Remind students that long ago people did not have a TV or VCR or movies
or Gameboys to entertain them so they looked up at the night sky as a form
of entertainment. They imagined that they saw certain figures made by the
patterns of the stars, just like we look up at the clouds and imagine
that we see certain things. These figures were sometimes used in
stories to try to explain why certain things happened in their lives.
Practice locating the constellations that we have already located:
Big Dipper, Little Dipper, Draco, Cygnus, Cepheus, and Cassiopeia.
5. Using pointer, locate the constellation Orion. Stop rotation.
6. Explain to students that Orion was a hunter. He was called
the master of the winter sky. He reigns the sky in late fall to early
spring. His hunting dog is trailing behind him at his feet.
Tell students that the constellation Orion is fairly easy to recognize
because of the three stars that make up Orion’s belt. Trace the stick
figure.
7. Explain to students that one of the things that Orion hunted was
a rabbit.
8. Demonstrate to students how to find Lepus the rabbit by looking
directly under Orion. Trace the constellation Lepus.
9. We’ve already seen that Orion had his bow or some people looked
at it as a club and a shield. “Can you think of an animal that he
might have taken with him to hunt? Orion had a hunting dog.
He actually had two of them, a big one and a little one. Today we’re
going to focus on the big dog. He can be found chasing Lepus the
rabbit across the sky. Show students how to locate the Big Dog and
explain that this is also called Canis Major. This dog of Orion’s
had a very large and bright dog tag on his collar. This star that
you see is called Sirius. It looks like a very fancy dog tag.”
Trace this constellation. Demonstrate for the students that if they
have difficulty finding the Big Dog, they can follow the slant of the three
stars in Orion’s belt and they point to the dog.
10. Review locating all three constellations.
11. Remove the Constellation Cylinder and replace it with the Urban
Cylinder.
12. Remind students to locate Orion by finding the three stars that
make up his belt. As the cylinder rotates, have students look for
the other constellations that we have learned and when they see Orion,
they can whisper “Orion”.
13. Show students that Lepus is a rabbit that Orion is hunting, and
he is directly under Orion’s feet. Trace this constellation.
14. The Big Dog appears to be found chasing Lepus across the sky.
To find the Big Dog, students must look behind the rabbit.
15. Have students use the pointer and attempt to locate the three new
constellations that we have discussed.
16. Turn the sidelights up and have students carefully exit the StarLab.
They can sing the Planet song as they do.
17. Distribute the chip cans with the hole already punched in the bottom.
Give students the copy of the constellations and black paper. Have
students make their STARGAZER in small groups.
REFERENCE:
Find the Constellations by H.A. Rey
KSAM Earth Science – Star Gazer Activity
http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/constellations/Orion.html
http://www.astronomical.org/constellations/images/lep.gif
EXTENSIONS AND/OR ADAPTATIONS: After exiting the dome, students will do the STAR GAZER Activity on the attached activity sheet.
CONTENT BACKGROUND:
Constellations are groupings of stars. Many, many years ago,
people would look at the stars for entertainment and also to try to explain
and understand things that happened in their lives. Greek mythology
is full of characters and things that were imagined to be seen in the star
patterns.
Orion was perceived as a hunter. He appears to be fighting Taurus the bull and Lepus the rabbit. Trailing behind him at his feet is his hunting dog ( Canis Major). He also has another hunting dog, Canis Minor. The legend of Lepus has been lost, but he is believed to be the prey of Orion.
The constellation of Orion is easily identified by locating the three stars that make up his belt. Lepus is directly under his feet, and Sirius is behind Lepus as though he is chasing the rabbit through the sky.
APPENDIX:
STAR GAZER Activity sheet.
Star Chart Activity sheet.