Group Members:
Sabra Caldwell
Isaac Gooden

Big Science Ideas/Concepts:
1.  Constellations are man-made, totally imaginary star patterns.
2.  Constellations were made over the past 6,000 years by farmers, poets, and others.
3.  The purpose of constellations is to help us tell which stars are which.
4.  If a person views a constellation from somewhere else in space, it will not     appear the same.

Possible student misconceptions:
1.  The night sky would look the same regardless of a personís location.
2.  A person may view a different picture than the one assigned to that particular     constellation.

Measurable objectives:
The learner will be able to
1.  create a three dimensional model of a constellation.
            2.  discover if the appearance of the arrangement of  stars in a constellation depends on                      the position from which they are viewed.
3.  write a myth about a constellation s/he creates.

Material required:
3-D Model of Constellation
extra rigid 2-ply oval platters (such as Chinete)
copies of Orion constellation on white paper
small nail
aluminum foil
metric ruler
string
transparent tape

Constellation/Myth Creation
copies of ìCreate a Constellationî activity sheet

Lesson Extension
copies of ìConstellationsî word search

Intended audience grade level/age:
Day camp children at Highland Road Park Observatory, approximately 16 students, ages  11-13 years.
Description of Lesson:
(Including an elicitation of student prior knowledge, a blank student worksheet, an annotated teacherís version and connecting dialogue)

Before lesson
Give pretest to students.

Warm-up
The teacher will ask questions such as:
Have you ever heard of Hercules? (possible responses:  TV show, comic books, etc.)
What do you know about him? (possible responses:  he was a strong man; he was the son      of Zeus and was half mortal; he was forced to perform 12 dangerous tasks; the                  Herculesí constellation shows him battling a serpent)
Is the story about him true?  (answer:  No)
What is another name for a story?  (answer:  a myth)

After responses, teacher will ask:
What is a constellation?   (answer:  a pattern in a group of stars when you look at them                       from here on Earth)
What do you know about constellations?  (possible correct response:  Twelve of the               constellations are signs of the zodiac.  There are 88 recognized constellations.)

The Lesson
The teacher will say:
There are three objectives for todayís lesson.  First, you will construct a three-dimensional model of the constellation Orion.  What is another name for Orion?  (answer:  The Great Hunter) (teacher shows sample model)

Next, you will discover if the appearance of the arrangement of stars in a constellation depends on the position from which they are viewed

Finally, it will be your turn to write a myth about a constellation you create.

The 3-D Model Activity
The teacher will say:
Although you will be working with a partner later, first each of you will make your own 3-D model of the constellation Orion.  After you have completed the model, you and your partner will take turns viewing the model from different angles.  One of you will sit or lie on the floor while your partner will hold the model directly above you.  Then you will stand up and view the model from the side.  You will discover if the foil stars appear the same or different as you change your position.

The teacher will give students the materials for 3-D Model of Constellation.

The teacher will say:
1.  Glue a copy of the constellation onto the center of  the white side of the platter.
2. Next, make small balls out of aluminum foil to represent the stars in Orion.  The balls should match the sizes of the circles on the pattern.î
3. Third, you will carefully use a small nail to poke a hole through the platter in the center of each circle.
4. Next, you will thread your string down through each hole to hang the foil balls the correct distance below their circles on the pattern. You may need to use tape to attach the foil balls to the string.  (The number next to each circle shows the length of the string in centimeters.)
5. Next, you will use a piece of tape to attach the ends of the string to the platter .
6. Finally, you will have your partner to hold the platter so that the foil balls hang down.  You will sit or lie down on the floor and look directly up at the model, to see the way that Orion looks from Earth.  Then you will stand up and view the foil balls from the side, to see the way Orion looks from somewhere else in space.
7. After you finish viewing the model, itís your partnerís turn to view it.
 

After viewing the model student is asked the following questions: Does the pattern still look the same?  Can you think of an animal or object from the way the pattern looks now?

Conclusion for 3-D Model
The teacher will ask:
Does the pattern of the stars still look the same from both positions? (correct response:  no)
Why not?  (correct response:  apparent arrangement of the stars depends on the position from which the stars are viewed)

The Mythology Activity
The teacher will say:
 Now it is your turn to create your own constellation and write your own myth about it.

Teacher will distribute a copy of ìCreate a Constellationî activity sheet to each student.

Teacher will say:
You will use the activity sheet ìCreate a Constellationî and connect the dots to make a picture of an animal, person or object.  After you have done this, name the constellation.  Then write a myth about it.  It should be at least one paragraph.  After you have completed your drawing and myth, you will share it with the class.

Closure for Lesson
 Teacher will ask the students:
1. What have you learned today?
2. How can this activity relate to their every day life?  Then we will do a summary of todayís lesson.
Teacher will say:
 Take your 3-D model of Orion home with you.  Show your parents, brothers, sisters, etc. what you have learned about constellations.  See if they will discover that if they view a constellation from somewhere else in space, it will not appear the same.

 When you created your own constellation and myth, you repeated the same process that farmers, poets, and others did thousands of years ago.  Just as you may have difficulty seeing the ìGreat Hunterî in the constellation Orion, others may see some other person, animal or object in the constellation you created.

A possible extension:
Word search containing 25 constellations as a review for those students who have prior knowledge or to stimulate those who are unfamiliar with constellations.
 

A relevant internet (or other) resource(and a brief description of how it could enhance the lesson):

http://ofcn.org/cyber.serv/academy/ace/sci/cecsci/cecsci012.html

Since students have become familiar with the knowledge that constellations have mythical stories attached to them, the ìMapping Constellationsî activities 2. and 3. to fulfill objectives 2. and 3. will further their knowledge about constellations.

End of lesson assessment:
Post Test
1.  List five constellations.
2.  Would all constellations appear the same at any location in space?  Why or why not?
3.  How does a myth relate to constellations?
4.  How can you use constellations?

3-D Model of Constellation
Did the student follow directions in making the model?

Constellation/Myth Creation
Did the student create a myth about a constellation?