Name That Constellation
- Objective:
- To learn some of the constellations
- To learn some of the myths of the constellations
- Activities:
- The students will:
- Study maps of well-known constellations
- Hear some of the myths that deal with the constellations.
- Make up their own constellation using a sky map.
- Make up a myth to go with their constellation.
- Materials:
- For each student:
- 1 star map (one copy each of the stars of the winter sky and summer sky are included in this packet)
- Pencil
- For lesson:
- Book with some of the constellation myths
- Drawings of some of the major constellations (A few are included in this packet.) Image One, Image Two, and Image Three.
- Procedure:
- Explain that a constellation is an arbitrary group of fixed stars usually named after a mythical being.
- Show some maps of the major constellations to the students. Tell them the name, and give them some information about the constellation (such as what culture named the constellation, the myth behind the constellation, etc.)
- Give each student a star chart. Have them "connect the dots" between some of the stars so that they form a constellation. It can resemble a person, animal, shape, common object, etc. Have each child name her constellation and write a myth about it. These drawings and myths can be shared with classmates.
- The lesson may be continued by reading, or having the students read, some of the myths that go with other constellations. Many constellations, such as the Big Dipper (Ursa Major) have many differnt myths from different cultures associated with them.
- Remind the students that not all the stars can be seen every night because
- the earth's rotation and
- street lights dim the stars.
return
