Your Name: Jill Peer

Laboratory Title: Constellations Your Name: Jill Peer Lab Goals (identify the underlying concepts of this lab): Constellations are patterns of stars found in the sky. The Earth’s equator divides the planet in two halves so those in northern hemisphere see different constellations than those in the southern hemisphere. Constellations were created by ancient people and can vary upon cultures. Each constellation has a myth or story to explain their shape/pattern. Constellations have been used to tell time, the season, or as a compass. Polaris, the North Star, never changes its place while other constellations continue moving, this is due to the Earth’s axis.

Lab Objectives (list the tasks students will accomplish to meet the goals of this lab): Students will: . Gain background knowledge on constellations and why they are used/created . Create their own constellations and stories to support them . Use a star chart to locate constellations in the sky. . Be able to locate and name several common constellations . Investigate the open sky during the night as a class

Benchmark(s) Addressed: Kindergarten K.1 Structure and Function: The natural world includes living and non-living things. K.1P.1 Compare and contrast characteristics of living and non-living things. K.2 Interaction and Change: Living and non-living things move. K.2P.1 Examine the different ways things move. K.2E.1 Identify changes in things seen in the sky. K.3 Scientific Inquiry: Science explores the natural world through observation. K.3S.1 Explore questions about living and non-living things and events in the natural world. K.3S.2 Make observations about the natural world. Grade 1 1.1 Structure and Function: Living and non-living things have characteristics and properties. 1.1P.1 Compare and contrast physical properties and composition of objects. 1.3 Scientific Inquiry: Science explores the natural world using evidence from observations. 1.3S.1 Identify and use tools to make careful observations and answer questions about the natural world. 1.3S.2 Record observations with pictures, numbers, or written statements. 1.3S.3 Describe why recording accurate observations is important in science. Grade 2 2.3 Scientific Inquiry: Scientific inquiry is a process used to explore the natural world using evidence from observations. 2.3S.1 Observe, measure, and record properties of objects and substances using simple tools to gather data and extend the senses. 2.3S.2 Make predictions about living and non-living things and events in the environment based on observed patterns. 2.3S.3 Make, describe, and compare observations, and organize recorded data. 2.4 Engineering Design: Engineering design is a process used to design and build things to solve problems or address needs. 2.4D.1 Use tools to construct a simple designed structure out of common objects and materials. 2.4D.2 Work with a team to complete a designed structure that can be shared with others. Grade 3 3.1 Structure and Function: Living and non-living things vary in their characteristics and properties. 3.1P.1 Compare and contrast the properties of states of matter. 3.3 Scientific Inquiry: Scientific inquiry is a process used to explore the natural world using evidence from observations and investigations. 3.3S.1 Plan a simple investigation based on a testable question, match measuring tools to their uses, and collect and record data from a scientific investigation. 3.3S.2 Use the data collected from a scientific investigation to explain the results and draw conclusions. 3.4 Engineering Design: Engineering design is a process that uses science to solve problems or address needs or aspirations. 3.4D.2 Describe how recent inventions have significantly changed the way people live. 3.4D.3 Give examples of inventions that enable scientists to observe things that are too small or too far away. Grade 4 4.1 Structure and Function: Living and non-living things can be classified by their characteristics and properties. 4.1P.1 Describe the properties of forms of energy and how objects vary in the extent to which they absorb, reflect, and conduct energy. Grade 5 5.3 Scientific Inquiry: Scientific inquiry is a process of investigation based on science principles and questioning, collecting, describing, and examining evidence to explain natural phenomena and artifacts. 5.3S.1 Based on observations and science principles, identify questions that can be tested, design an experiment or investigation, and identify appropriate tools. Collect and record multiple observations while conducting investigations or experiments to test a scientific question or hypothesis. 5.3S.2 Identify patterns in data that support a reasonable explanation for the results of an investigation or experiment and communicate findings using graphs, charts, maps, models, and oral and written reports. 5.3S.3 Explain the reasons why similar investigations may have different results. 5.4 Engineering Design: Engineering design is a process of using science principles to make modifications in the world to meet human needs and aspirations. 5.4D.3 Explain that inventions may lead to other inventions and once an invention exists, people may think of novel ways of using it.

*Several other benchmarks in Writing can be used throughout this activity as well.

Materials and Costs: List the equipment and non-consumable material and estimated cost of each Item: Black Umbrellas($3.75 x 10)...... $37.50 CKB Products http://www.ckbproducts.com/60-black-umbrella-p-2308.html Flashlights ($7.50x15)...... $112.50 Hardware and Tools.com http://www.hardwareandtools.com/Industrial-Stand-Safety-Flashlight-1259-1259-by-Eveready- Energizer-Battery-6400956.html Constellation Creations/Glow in the dark stars ($6.99 x 15)...... $104.85 Gadgets and Gizmos http://www.shopgadgetsandgizmos.com/product/1541/ Books on Constellations...... Free at library Red transparent wrap paper-Target...... $11.99 Rubber bands- Target...... $0.69 Estimated total, one-time, start-up cost:...... $267 .63

List the consumable supplies and estimated cost for presenting to a class of 30 students Item: White chalk- Office Depot ($1.09 x 2)...... $2.18 Black construction paper- Office Depot (50 sheets)...... $1.49 Star stickers- Office Depot...... $1.69 Pencils...... Supplied By School Lined paper to write on...... Supplied By School Star Match Assignment...... Supplied by School ...... Star Chart...... Supplied by school Print from: (http://www.jagowds.com/_jap/gfx/misc/summer-chart.jpg)

Estimated total, one-time, start-up cost:...... $5 .36 Time: Preparation time: 45 minutes three weeks in advance, 1 hour one week in advance, and 2-4 hours a few days before. 1.) Order: Flashlights, black umbrellas, and constellation/glow-in-the-dark star kits 3 weeks in advance from online. (45 minutes) 2.) Reserve: library books from school library or through public library on constellations for students to gather information and ideas do this one week in advance. (1 hour) 3.) Purchase: Red transparent wrap paper, rubber bands, white chalk, black construction paper, and star stickers from Office Depot and Target. (1 hour) 4.) Prep: the black umbrellas with constellations on the underside. Attach with material provided in kit or use double stick tape. Cover flashlights with red transparent wrap paper and secure with rubber band. (1-2 hours) 5.) Print off copies for each student of the star chart and star matching sheet(30). 6.) Gather all materials. (30 minutes)

Instruction time: (Allow at least 5 hours for lecture and activities) 1.) Lecture: on background information on constellations. What is a constellation, why are there constellations, reference a few common myths, what a star map is, how to use it, Northern constellations, Polaris, etc. (1 hour) 2.) Activities: a. Constellation Myths: allow students about 30-45 minutes to work in pairs to create their own constellations and myths. Allow 30-45 minutes to share as a class. b. Using Star Maps: allow students 45-1 hour to investigate constellations under the black umbrella. Allow students to use their maps to recognize and discover common constellations. c. Star Party: encourage families to participate in a local Star Party hosted by OMSI. Time and location will be announced closer to the date. Students are encouraged to bring star charts and investigate the open sky as a class. Allow 1-2 hours. Discussion to follow next school day.

Clean-up time: 1.) 5-10 minutes to gather materials, place umbrellas carefully away for future use.

Assessment (include all assessment materials): 1.) Students will be observed throughout activities. Teacher will observe students working in groups as they create myths and locate constellations under umbrellas as well as under the open sky. 2.) Students will write myths on paper and turn in which teacher will check before students will re-write for class Constellation book. 3.) Teacher will observe students using star charts and assisting as needed during activity. 4.) Discussion with class during and after Star Party at Night. Students will use star charts in discussion. 5.) Students will need to correctly match name of constellation with star pattern on worksheet. 6.) Students will keep a journal with data, observations, questions, thoughts, and notes that teacher will collect daily. Background material that you will need to read before presenting the class to prepare for teaching it:

Prior to this lesson, students should have been taught about life cycles of stars and types as well as on galaxies. Thousands of years ago, our ancestors began to recognize patterns, or groups, of stars in the sky at night. Year after year, they could see the patterns rising and setting. These star patterns are called constellations. Today our entire sky is divided into 88 constellations. Different cultures around the world have different amounts and names for constellations. Earth’s equator is an imaginary line that divides the planet in two halves, the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere. You will see a different set of constellations depending on if you live north or south of the equator. Ancient people formed the shapes of animals or creatures out of the star patterns. They imagined lines drawn between a few stars to make shapes from stories in their myths. They were playing connect-the-dots with the stars. For hundreds of years, astronomers used the positions of the stars and constellations to find out the exact time. They used special telescopes that could not be moved from side to side. Every time Earth completes one turn on its axis, the same stars appear in front of the telescope. Astronomers can use stars to tell time, just like we can read numbers on a clock. Ancient people used constellations to tell the time of year. They noticed where groups of stars were at different times of the year. Since different constellations can be seen during the year, they can be used to tell what month it is. This was helpful to farmers because they then knew if it was time to plant the crops or harvest them. Polaris (North Star) is the only star that never changes its place in the sky while the other stars and constellations continue moving. If you face the Pole Star you are facing north, your right is east, and to your left is west and right behind your back you have south. Similar to the Moon and Sun, stars appear to rise in the east and set in the west. The stars are not really traveling east to west every night, they only seem to move because of the Earth spinning on its axis. To locate Polaris, use the big dipper and draw a line

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/skytellers/polaris/about.shtml from the two stars in the bowl, Polaris is located at the end of the handle on the Little Dipper. See image on side.

Cassiopeia: The constellation of Cassiopeia is said to look like the queen sitting in her throne or that of a crown. Through Greek Myth, Cassiopeia, the wife of King Cepheus, ruler of Ethiopia, was beautiful, arrogant and vain, and it was these latter two characteristics which were to lead to her downfall. Her continual boast that both she and her daughter Andromeda were more beautiful than the sea nymphs, brought the wrath of Poseidon, ruling god of the sea, upon the kingdom of Ethiopia. Poseidon releasing Cetus, the sea monster, and trying to avert such a fate, Cepheus and Cassiopeia consulted a wise oracle, who told them that the only way to appease the sea gods was to sacrifice their daughter. Accordingly, Andromeda was chained to a rock at the sea's edge, and left there to helplessly await her fate at the mercy of the sea monster. But Perseus arrived in time and saved Andromeda. Poseidon considered that Cassiopeia should not escape punishment entirely, and placed her in the heavens in such a position that she circles the celestial pole in an upside-down position for half the time. In northern hemisphere is able to be seen all year long.

http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/upload/2009/08/get_up_early_this_wednesday/Cassiopeia.gif

Draco: Draco, the Dragon, is a constellation made up of fifteen or so stars. It is a long figure covering a large part of the northern sky. The Greeks named it Draco the dragon. In one of the more famous European myths, Draco represents Ladon, the dragon sometimes depicted with one hundred heads who guarded the golden apples of the Hesperides. The eleventh of the Twelve Labours of Heracles was to steal the golden apples. He put Ladon to sleep with music, which enabled Heracles to freely take the golden apples. According to the legend, Hera later placed the dragon in the sky as the constellation Draco. In another Greek legend, Draco represents the dragon killed by Cadmus before founding the city of Thebes, Greece. In a third legend, it represents the dragon that guarded the Golden Fleece (occasionally revealed as the sleeping or nearly dead figure of Ladon) and was killed by Jason. This constellation is best seen from late May to early November.

http://starryskies.com/The_sky/constellations/draco02.jpg

Big Dipper/Big Bear: The Big Dipper appears as a part of the Big Bear, either at the end or as a saddle depending on which Big Bear image you construct. Little Dipper/Little Bear: Constellation appears opposite of the Big Dipper/Little Bear.

The constellations of Big Bear and Little Bear through Greek myth is that Zeus, King of all gods in the heavens, was walking through a wooded area on Earth, he came upon a young beautiful huntress Callisto. Hera, Zeus’s wife, became jealous and used her goddess powers to turn Callisto into a big bear as well as leaving Callisto with her human feelings. So Callisto roamed the forest day and night being in constant fear of being hunted. One day she found herself face-to-face with a young hunter and recognized him as her son, Arcas. She raised herself up to embrace him but feeling he was being attacked Arcas raised his spear. Zeus could see what was happening and instantly turned Arcas into a bear. Zeus then grabbed them by their tails and threw them into the sky by their tails resulting in the long tails. Both these constalltions appear throughout the year.

Big Bear: Fig 1: http://www.redorbit.com/modules/reflib/article_images/10_ef34821be588c74b91a771fc0819cc8f.jpg Fig. 2:http://www.relia.net/~thedane/constellation_ursa_major_dipper_REY_full1.jpg

Little Bear:

Fig 1:http://my.execpc.com/60/B3/culp/astronomy/fig/LittleDipper.gif Fig. 2:http://www.ursaminorlodge.com/images/umain/ursaminor-bear-photo2.gif

Resources: Stars and Constellations by Dr. Raman K Prinja, The Stars and Find the Constellations by H.A. Rey, The Constellations: How They Came To Be by Roy A. Gallant

Activity 1: Students will create their own constellation with a partner by dropping star stickers on a black piece of construction paper. Students will then connect stars using chalk to create an image, title the constellation, and create a short story/myth to explain their constellation. Students will then have a chance to share to the class their constellation.

Activity 2: Students will become familiar with the star maps by practicing with them while looking under a black umbrella that has constellations placed under the umbrella. Students in groups of 3-5 will have a chance to locate as well as become more familiar of their placement in the sky.

Activity 3: Have a class Star Party through OMSI. Encourage families to attend one of the Star Parties thrown by OMSI. Allow students to view the constellations in the real night sky. IMPORTANT: print star charts that correlate with the given time, location and season.

Activity 1: Make Your Own Constellation  Chalk (1 per group)  Black Construction Paper (1 per group)  Star Stickers (8 per group)  Pencils  Lined Paper for writing myth 1.) Give each pair of students the necessary materials. 2.) Instruct students to take the star stickers and standing above the black paper to drop one by one onto the paper. Have students decide if one will drop or will split stars. How stars land on paper is their constellation. 3.) Instruct students to then decide on a design using the formation of stars on their paper. Have students connect stars using chalk to make that design. 4.) Name your constellation. 5.) Have students create a myth to explain their constellation.

Extensions: If students are younger, have them create myths with phonetic spelling and revise with them afterward. Class can create a Class Constellation Book for class library. For older students, teach about myths and what 3 characteristics can be associated with myths. Have students follow those guidelines when creating their stories.

Activity 2: Using Star Maps

 Black Umbrellas w/ constellations underneath  Star Maps  Flashlights w/ red transparent wrap paper covering  Journals  Pencils

Purpose of activity: To model the daily movement of circumpolar constellations. The center of umbrella serving as Polaris, include Little Dipper on one side and Cassiopeia on the other side. Have students turn umbrella slowly counterclockwise to observe positioning of constellation in relation to each other as well as naming the star pattern. Teacher can place more constellations depending on grade level. Include constellations that will be seen during this time, location and season that will be able to be found during Star Party.

1.) Handout a star map to each student 2.) Have students get in groups of 3-5. 3.) Hand out flashlight one to each group. 4.) Have groups lay under one umbrella per group 5.) Turn lights out and have students view constellations under umbrellas 6.) Students are encouraged to see which constellations they can find, locate both on star maps and on umbrella. 7.) OPTIONAL: students use journal to write questions, observations, draw pictures, etc. to assist with their learning of the constellations.

Extensions: For younger students, teacher might have students look for particular constellations at a time, include only 2 constellations on each umbrella, or go to each group and point one constellation out to help their discovery of the others. For older students, teacher can put different constellations under each umbrella since some do not appear throughout the entire year. Students could then switch and see what they can find. Lesson plan was adapted/inspired by H.A. Rey’s The Stars- Umbrella Planetarium.

Activity 3: Star Parties

 Star Charts  Flashlights w/red transparent wrap paper covering  Hot Cocoa/Popcorn (Optional)

1.) Look up dates, locations, and time through OMSI: http://www.omsi.edu/starparties 2.) Send home flyers with information on Star Party held through OMSI 3.) Encourage families to attend or see if school is able to create own star party if necessary 4.) Discussion on Star Party to follow in class.

Extensions: For students of all ages, have students look for and circle the constellations they are able to locate. Star Chart:

http://aurorahunter.com/images/science/Star-Chart-Black.gif Homework/Practice: