CU 3.04Stars and Constellations

1. 1

   Show the photograph of the sun: 'The sun is a star. It is the closest star to us, so it looks big and bright.'

2. 2

   Show the night sky photograph: 'These are stars too. They are so far away that they look like tiny dots.'

3. 3

   Hold the Big Dipper card up to the light. Say: 'People long ago saw shapes in the stars. A group of stars with a name is a constellation.'

4. 4

   Show the matching card with the lines joined and name it: 'This shape is the Big Dipper. It is part of a constellation called the Great Bear.'

5. 5

   Repeat with Orion and Cassiopeia.

6. 6

   Invite the child to match the hole cards to the line cards.

7. 7

   Find the same shapes on the star chart. Send home the night sky watching sheet.

What catches the child’s eye

• Points of light shining through the holes in the black card
• The bent handle of the Big Dipper and the three stars in a row on Orion's belt

Extensions, easiest to hardest

1. Find the North Star by following the two end stars of the Big Dipper
2. Notice that stars are different colors and brightness
3. Hear that Utah has many dark sky parks where the Milky Way can be seen
4. Draw a constellation seen at home on the watching sheet