Submitted by: Stephanie Sellers Mazzon

Subject and Grade Level: Earth and Space

Overview: I teach night classes (6-10 p.m.) at community schools. I would like to take students to the football stadium to view the night sky with binoculars and red filter flash lights.

Purpose: To introduce students to stargazing, to introduce students to common bright stars, to incorporate writing and presenting ideas.

Objectives: To make students aware of winter skies. To help students locate and name common star and star formations (Orion, Dippers, Palaris, Sirius, Twins)

Resource Materials: Star gazers chart, Feb/March evening sky worksheets, binoculars, flashlights (red filters), Internet, compass

Activities and Procedures: Begin Class-2 current event articles are stars-Planet Location. Get on class computer- check: sky and telescope sights, http://www.skypub.com/sights/sights.shtml-this site tells what we will see each night., go over how to use a star gazing chart, go over Feb evening sky sheet, head outside to stadium, explain importance of red filters/night vision, gaze at stars-Help all students to identify dippers Polaris, Sirius, Orion, - Any planets out that night., come in and discuss all stars and constellations discovered, get on windows to the universe-http://www.skypub.com/sights/sights.shtml-look up mythology of constellations

Tying it all together: The winter sky in the northland is beautiful and full of stars (visible) and Constellations. We are lucky we live so north (kids do not appreciate the northland that much)

Assessment: Design a pamphlet, cover: Name of star or constellation Illustration, inside must be full of information of the history and or mythology of star. All websites and books must be cited, each student will be presenting pamphlet to class. Each pamphlet will be displayed in hallway.

Standards Addressed: Students learned how to investigate and learn about our world (sky) in winter, students use star charts, worksheets, internet and texts to create a pamphlet (inquiry and research), students communicate findings using appropriate technology, students will be able to explain how we learn about the winter sky (use red filter flashlights, etc)

Subject and Grade Level: 1st grade

Overview: Students will discuss the constellations and the night sky. They will know 1. Polar Star, 2. Big Dipper, 3. Cassiopeia

Purpose: To show that the sky rotates, but the stars stay the same. The Big Dipperıs pointers always point to the Polar Star and Cassiopeia is always opposite the Dipper.

Objectives: They will be able to identify the Polar Star as the star that doesnıt move. The students will know the name of 1 (other than the Big Dipper) Constellation

Resources/Materials: 1. Large Umbrella 2. Pencil, paper, markers, scissors, tape, straw, 3. Web sites-windows to the universe, sky and Telescope sights.

Activities and Procedures: What is a Pole? Do you know where any poles are located? (South/North Pole) If we look at the sky where is North? (North Star). The north star can be found if you can see the Big Dipper. Put a diagram of the Big Dipper on the board. Show how it points to N.S. N. Star is called Polar Star-it doesnıt move. It is always in the same spot. Open an umbrella-show the center point as the Polar star. Spin the umbrella-it doesnıt move. Add Big Dipper to umbrella. (everyone can make their own) Spin Umbrella. What moves? What happened to the Polar Star (doesnıt move) What moves if the stars donıt (the whole sky rotates, the earth turns.)

Tying it all together: What other constellations do you know the names of? (Cassiopeia) Lets look for it in the computer in tonightıs sky. Make Cassiopeia out of paper and add to the umbrella-Spin Again.

Assessment: Each child should cut out a large circle for their sky. Make their own Big Dipper and Cassiopeia. Put a straw through the center of circle as the Polar Star, add constellations to their sky. For the next several days we will look up several other constellations (they can choose them) on the web sites to get the myths for each one. When they get to Star Lab, they shall know the names and find the constellations.

Standards Addressed: V. Using Scientific Knowledge in earth Science. 4. The Solar System, Galaxy and Universe