Download star signs - Museum of the Rockies

 STAR SIGNS
An Original Taylor Planetarium Production
EDUCATOR GUIDE
600 W. Kagy Blvd.
Bozeman, MT 59717
406-994-2251
museumoftherockies.org
[email protected]
Updated August 2011
STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR August 1, 2011 Dear Educator,
Thank you for choosing to bring your students to the Taylor Planetarium at the Museum of the Rockies
(MOR), where our mission is to inspire visitors to explore the rich natural and cultural history of America’s
Northern Rocky Mountains. A planetarium show is a great way to help your students visualize concepts
and spark their curiosity about a new topic.
Studies have shown that learning in museums is not limited to the time spent within their walls, but is
heavily influenced by prior knowledge and experiences and continues long after the visit has ended. For
these reasons, preparing your students for their planetarium visit and then extending their experience
afterward will enhance the educational aspect of the field trip experience.
To aid you in linking this planetarium show to your curriculum, the Museum of the Rockies’ Education
Department has created this guide. Inside, you will find details on the Star Signs planetarium show,
including vocabulary and state science standards addressed. We have also assembled complementary
classroom activities for various grade levels. We hope that these resources will help you prepare pre- and
post-visit activities for your students that tie into your curriculum.
MOR is committed to providing the richest possible learning experience for your students and welcomes
your questions and feedback. We look forward to seeing you at the Taylor Planetarium at the Museum of
the Rockies soon! Sincerely, Claire Thoma
Angie Hewitt Astronomy Education Intern
Education Director, Early & Elementary Programs Museum of the Rockies
Museum of the Rockies
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STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR OVERVIEW
Grades: 3-12 (Recommendation based on length, but show could be adapted to other ages. This show
lacks a story line, is lecture-based, and does not include many special effects.)
Length: 50 minutes
Show Brief: What are constellations? What’s up now? Find out about the stories different cultures have
told about the stars in a recorded show and then learn about what is up in the current night sky in a livenarrated segment.
Themes: constellation myths, role of night sky in culture and navigation, seasonal sky changes, current
visible constellations
Program Description: Alternating between a narrator and various storytellers, the first half of this show is a recorded explanation
of the constellations and the way different cultures viewed the night sky. The importance of the night sky
to ancient Babylonians and Greeks is described in turn. The significance of the zodiac is explained, and a
brief version of each zodiac constellation’s myth is told. The narrator also explains that the zodiac
constellations no longer correspond to the “signs” that people look up in horoscopes. The show moves on
to cover the constellations and myths of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the Big and Little Bears, and their
various forms according to various cultures. The concept of circumpolar constellations, and their
importance for Native Americans is recounted. Moving beyond the moral power of the stories in the stars,
the stars have also been used for navigation and time-telling in both ancient and modern times. The
narrator explains why the constellations visible in the night sky change from season to season. Finally, the
narrator shares a view of the constellations from somewhere else in the galaxy, demonstrating that the
star shapes are not fixed and that, in fact, the stars are moving slowly.
The second part of the show is a live-narrated explanation of the constellations currently visible in the
night sky, as well as some of the deep-sky objects visible with binoculars or a telescope in those
constellations.
Vocabulary: constellation
North Star/Polaris
Zodiac
myth/mythology
vernal equinox
polar precession
astrology vs. astronomy
Mercury/Gemini/Apollo
programs
Voyager spacecraft
Cassini spacecraft
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STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR OBJECTIVES
Students will: 1.
Explain that constellations are patterns of stars that have different meanings to different cultures.
2.
Explain why the constellations visible at night change with the seasons.
3.
Explain the significance of the zodiacal constellations.
4.
Identify practical ways in which stars have been used to navigate and tell time throughout history.
MONTANA SCIENCE STANDARDS ADDRESSED
End of grade 4
1.6 Identify how observations of nature form an essential base of knowledge among the Montana
American Indians
4.6 Identify objects (e.g., moon, stars, meteors) in the sky and their patterns of movement and explain
that light and heat comes from a star called the Sun
4.7 Identify technology and methods used for space exploration (e.g., star parties, space shuttles,
telescopes)
6.2 Describe how scientific inquiry has produced much knowledge about the world and a variety of
contributions toward understanding events and phenomenon within the universe
End of grade 8
1.6 Compare how observations of nature form an essential base of knowledge among the Montana
American Indians
4.5 Describe and model the motion and tilt of Earth in relation to the sun, and explain the concepts of
day, night, seasons, year, and climatic changes
4.6 Describe the Earth, moon, planets, and other objects in space in terms of size, force of gravity,
structure, and movement in relation to the sun
4.7 Identify scientific theories about the origin and evolution of the Earth and the solar system
End of High School
1.6 Explain how observations of nature form an essential base of knowledge among the Montana
American Indians
4.6 Describe the origin, location, and evolution of stars and their planetary systems in respect to the
solar system, the Milky Way, the local galactic group, and the universe.
4.7 Relate how evidence from advanced technology applied to scientific investigations (e.g., large
telescopes and space-borne observatories), has dramatically impacted our understanding of the origin,
size, and evolution of the universe
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STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR WHAT IS THE NORTH STAR?
Grades 3 — 8
BOZEMAN SCIENCE
CURRICULUM STANDARDS
ADDRESSED:
8th Grade
ESP.3.2 Students describe
the Earth, Moon, planets, and
other objects in space in
terms of relative size,
composition, location, and
movement.
RESOURCES AND MATERIALS:

1 copy of the Star Chart
for each student 1 copy of the Horizon

Template for each student 
1 brad for each student PURPOSE:
Students gain an understanding of why Polaris is known as the North
Star, why its position in the sky changes with the observer’s latitude,
and why there is no South Star.
OBJECTIVES:
1.
Students will understand that the North Star (Polaris) is a
normal star that happens to be directly aligned with the North Pole.
2.
Students will be able to explain why Polaris is not visible from
the Southern Hemisphere.
3.
Students will understand that there is no South Star.
PROCEDURE:
Distribute Star Charts and Horizon Templates (attached at the end of
this guide) to each student. Have each student cut out the star map
and the horizon template.
Have students punch a small hole through the “X” on the map and the
horizon template and fasten the horizon template on top of the star
map with a brad.
Have students align the horizon so that Polaris is directly above the
observer’s head (see Figure 1). Explain to your students that the observer is standing on the North Pole.
Now, align the horizon so that observer is at the students’ latitude by moving the observer to about halfway
between the North Pole and the Equator (for North Americans near latitude 45). Rotate the unit so that the
horizon is horizontal. (see Figure 2). Ask students to make observations of how the position of the North
Pole has changed.
Have students move the observer to the Equator by placing the observer over the Equator line. Rotate the
unit so that the horizon is horizontal. (see Figure 3). Ask students where Polaris is now.
Continue leading the students in moving the observer around the globe and discussing the following
questions: what happens if the observer is in the Southern Hemisphere? Move the observer to the South
Pole. Is there a South Star visible?
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STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:
Understanding why Polaris is the North Star is integral to understanding sky motions and why certain
constellations are only visible during certain times of year, as discussed in the Star Signs planetarium
show. Many students do not realize, however, that the North Star is not visible from the Southern
Hemisphere. This activity helps students gain an understanding of how position on the earth dictates an
observer’s view of the sky.
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STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR THE CONSTANT NORTH STAR
Grades: 3 – 12
From Janice VanCleave’s Astronomy for Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments that Really Work, 1991
BOZEMAN SCIENCE
CURRICULUM STANDARDS
ADDRESSED:
8th Grade
ESP.3.2 Students describe
the Earth, Moon, planets, and
other objects in space in
terms of relative size,
composition, location, and
movement.
High school
PM.3.2 Students graph
circumpolar constellations
and nearby objects on a
celestial sphere graph by
plotting each star and
celestial object’s right
ascension and declination
coordinates.
PURPOSE:
Students gain an understanding of star motions and circumpolar
constellations through a visualization of stars spinning around Polaris.
OBJECTIVE:
Students will be able to describe the movement of the stars around
Polaris.
PROCEDURE:
Use chalk to draw the stars of Ursa Major (the Big Dipper), Cassiopeia,
and Ursa Minor (the Little Dipper) on the panels of the umbrella. Polaris,
the last star in the handle of the Little Dipper, should be on or right next
to the pole.
RESOURCES AND MATERIALS:
 Umbrella (dark color)
 White chalk
Hold the umbrella overhead. Turn the handle in a counterclockwise
direction.
Lead students in a discussion addressing the following questions: Which stars move, and which stay put?
Have students describe the motion of the stars. (The end of the handle of the Little Dipper will stay put
while all other stars circle around it.) Discuss why the stars appear to circle Polaris and why it is called the
North Star.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:
Understanding the significance of the North Star is integral to understanding sky motions and why certain
constellations are only visible during certain times of year, as discussed in the Star Signs planetarium
show. This activity helps students understand how stars move over the course of a night.
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STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR CIRCUMPOLAR CONSTELLATION GRAPHING
Grades 8—12
BOZEMAN SCIENCE
CURRICULUM STANDARDS
ADDRESSED:
High school
PM.3.2 Students graph
circumpolar constellations
and nearby objects on a
celestial sphere graph by
plotting each star and
celestial object’s right
ascension and declination
coordinates.
RESOURCES AND MATERIALS:
 1 copy of Circumpolar graph
for each student
 1 copy of Horizon sheet for
each student
PURPOSE:
This lesson will help students gain an understanding of circumpolar
stars and the coordinate system used on the sky.
OBJECTIVES:
1.
Students will be able to explain why some stars are
circumpolar.
2.
Students will be able to navigate using the celestial
coordinate system.
3.
Students will be able to model the movement of stars over
the course of a night.
BACKGROUND:
The coordinate system used to designate points in the sky looks the
same as that of longitude and latitude that we use on the Earth, but the
lines corresponding to longitude are known as Right Ascension and
those corresponding to latitude are called Declination. If you imagine
trying to locate a point in the sky above you, Right Ascension indicates
the direction (N, S, E, W) that you should face, and Declination indicates
how high above the horizon the object appears.
Declination is measured in degrees, with 90° corresponding to the
North Celestial Pole, -90° to the South Celestial Pole, and 0° to the
Celestial Equator. RA is measured in hours, with each hour divided into 60 minutes, and there are 24
hours of RA corresponding to the 24 hours of the day. If you go outside at 10:00pm, choose a bright star
near the horizon, and make a note of a landmark on your horizon that it appears above, you will have to
wait 24 hours for that star to appear again above that landmark.
Because all stars appear to rotate around the North Celestial Pole, the stars between the pole and the
observer’s horizon are known as “circumpolar constellations” because they never rise or set.
ACTIVITY:
This activity relates to coordinate systems and graphing and has a direct relationship to the
longitude/latitude system that we use to designate points on the Earth. Follow up with “The Constant
North Star” demonstration (above) to reinforce student understanding.
Have students plot stars on the Star Map (Figure 1, attached at the end of this guide) using the listed
coordinates. Have them plot the stars of one constellation at a time and then help them connect the stars
in the general shape of the constellations using the Teacher Key (Figure 2, attached at the end of this
guide).
After they have plotted all of the stars, have students cut out the star chart and place it on top of the
horizon sheet, without attaching it,(Figure 2, attached at the end of this guide) so that the outer circles are
aligned and the star chart is free to move. Align the starred hour of Right Ascension with 9:00pm. This is how the
circumpolar stars appear at 9:00pm on September 1st (see Figure 4). An hour later, the starred hour will be at the
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STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR 10:00pm mark. Turn the star chart to show how the stars move over the course of the night. Have students follow
the instructions and answer the questions on the horizon sheet individually, in small groups, or as a class.
Figure 1 – Star Map
Figure 3 – Horizon Sheet Figure 2 – Teacher’s Key
Figure 4 – Assembled, 9:00pm on September 1st Museum of the Rockies • museumoftherockies.org • 406-994-2251 • [email protected]
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STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:
Understanding the significance of the North Star is integral to understanding sky motions and why certain
constellations are only visible during certain times of year, as discussed in the Star Signs planetarium
show. This activity helps students understand how stars move over the course of a night and why some
stars never rise or set.
Museum of the Rockies • museumoftherockies.org • 406-994-2251 • [email protected]
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STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC
Grades 3–8
BOZEMAN SCIENCE
CURRICULUM STANDARDS
ADDRESSED:
4th Grade
EI.1.1 Students demonstrate
how the relative positions of
the Earth and Sun account for
the changing seasons and the
changing lengths of day and
night (the four seasons, the
solstices and equinoxes).
EI.5.2 Students explain that
constellations are groups of
stars and that often reflect
differing cultural beliefs.
RESOURCES AND MATERIALS:
 Sun object
 Zodiacal constellation
signs (with or without
illustrations)
PURPOSE:
Students gain an understanding of the meaning and importance of the
zodiacal constellations and why those visible at night change
throughout the seasons.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Students will be able to explain the significance of the zodiacal
constellations
2. Students will be able to model and explain why some
constellations are only visible during certain seasons.
PROCEDURE
Set signs around the room in a circle indicating the positions of the
zodiacal constellations. The constellations should be in the following
order as you walk around the circle clockwise: Leo, Cancer, Gemini,
Taurus, Aries, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Scorpio, Libra,
Virgo.
Have students stand in a circle around you, or an object representing
the “Sun.” The constellation signs should be in a circle outside of the
circle of students. Have each student pretend they are the earth.
When they are facing the sun, the front part of their body is
experiencing day and their back is experiencing night. Students should
practice rotating from day to night. Review why we have the day-night
cycle. Ask students to notice which constellations they can see during
their “night.” (It is different depending on where they are standing in
the circle.) Lead a discussion about this.
Have students march once around the “Sun” (a revolution) to represent an Earth year. At each quarter of a
revolution, they should pause to rotate and notice which constellations they can see.
Explain that a person’s “sign of the zodiac” is the constellation in which the Sun appeared when that
person was born (not the constellation that was up at night). Ask each student to walk to the approximate
point that the Earth was at in its orbit when s/he was born (should be directly across the circle from their
“sign” so that the Sun is between the student and his/her “sign.”
Have students draw pictures, write illustrated stories, or build dioramas to explain why the visible zodiacal
constellations change throughout the year.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:
The Star Signs planetarium show explains the importance of many constellations, especially the zodiacal
constellations, and why the visible constellations change throughout the year. This understanding has both
cultural and scientific importance.
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STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR CREATE A CONSTELLATION
Grades 3 — 8
BOZEMAN SCIENCE
CURRICULUM STANDARDS
ADDRESSED:
4th Grade
EI.5.2 Students explain that
constellations are groups of
stars and planets that often
reflect differing cultural
beliefs.
RESOURCES AND MATERIALS:
 Copy or copies of the Create
A Constellation
worksheet(s), 1 per student PURPOSE:
Students understand that constellations are patterns of stars in the sky
and that different cultures told different stories about the same stars.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Students will be able to define a constellation.
2. Students will understand that different cultures have different
understandings of constellations.
3. Students will be able to invent their own constellations and
stories.
ACTIVITY:
Students learn about different stories involving the stars of Ursa Major
(the Big Dipper), then they create their own constellation and story
using the same stars.
Lesson available from the Pacific Science Center’s “Astro Adventures”
curriculum (Lesson 1 – Create a Constellation). Accessible online at:
http://www.bubblers.k12.pa.us/webpages/slockhart/files/astro_ad_c
onstellation.pdf
Variations from MOR of the Create-A-Constellation Worksheets from the Pacific Science Center (the
second option uses the constellations Cygnus and Lyra rather than Ursa Major) available at the end of the
guide.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:
The concept of a constellation and the idea that the same stars can look different to different cultures is
presented in the Star Signs planetarium show.
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STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR 3-D CONSTELLATION
Grades 3 — 8
from Out of This World Astronomy: 50 Amazing Activities and Projects, Joe Rhatigan & Rain Newcomb, 2003
BOZEMAN SCIENCE
CURRICULUM STANDARDS
ADDRESSED:
4th Grade
EI.5.2 Students explain that
constellations are groups of
stars and planets that often
reflect differing cultural
beliefs.
RESOURCES AND MATERIALS:

Scissors 
Ruler 
Fishing line or string 
7 star cutouts Tape 
PURPOSE:
To demonstrate that although the stars in a given constellation appear
to be aligned on a plane, they are actually different distances from the
earth and would create a different shape from a different perspective
in the Milky Way galaxy.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Students will be able to define a constellation.
2. Students will understand that the stars in a constellation only
appear together from our perspective.
3. Students will be able to invent their own constellations and
constellation stories.
PROCEDURE:
Cut strings to the following lengths and attach a star cutout (attached
at the end of this guide) to the end of each string:
a.
Saiph-1in
b.
Alnilam-3in
c.
Alnitak-3.5in
d.
Mintaka-5in
e.
Rigel-6in
f.
Bellatrix-9in
g.
Betelgeuse-10in
Use the diagram to tape the strings to the ceiling in the proper
configuration.
Have student look at the stars from different angles. Ask them to find the angle at which it looks like Orion.
Have students make up other constellations by looking at the stars from different angles.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:
The concept of a constellation and the idea that the same stars can look different to different cultures is
presented in the Star Signs planetarium show. The show also explains that the stars of a given
constellation are not bound together and would appear different from another perspective. This activity
encompasses both of these ideas.
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STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR FEEDBACK
Please contact the Education Department with any questions, comments or suggestions regarding this
curriculum.
600 W. Kagy Blvd.
Bozeman, MT 59717
406-994-2251
museumoftherockies.org
[email protected]
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STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR HANDOUTS
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STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR Orion Cassiopeia Canis Major Triangulum Crux South Pole X Equator North Pole Polaris Ursa Major Virgo STAR CHART Museum of the Rockies • museumoftherockies.org • 406-994-2251 • [email protected]
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STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR HORIZON TEMPLATE
X Museum of the Rockies • museumoftherockies.org • 406-994-2251 • [email protected]
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STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR Circumpolar Constellation Graphing Teacher Key
10h 22h 16h 4h Are the stars moving clockwise or counter-clockwise? Clockwise
Around which coordinates are they moving? (0h, 0°)
Is there a star near that point? Yes, the last star in Ursa Major (the Little Dipper). This is the North Star or Polaris.
When the starred hour of Right Ascension is at 3:00am, what constellation Is just above the Northern Horizon? Ursa
Major
What is the relationship between hours of Right Ascension and hours of time? One hour of RA corresponds to one
hour of time. The sky is divided into 24 hours of Right Ascension. Museum of the Rockies • museumoftherockies.org • 406-994-2251 • [email protected]
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STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR Circumpolar Constellation Graphing
16h 10h 22h 4h Graph these stars’ coordinates. The points (stars) in each column make up that constellation.
Ursa Minor
Ursa Major
Cassiopeia
Cepheus
Draco
0h, 90°
13h45m, 50°
2h, 65°
0h, 78°
11h30m, 72°
17h, 85°
13h25m, 56°
1h30m, 60°
23h, 66°
14h, 67°
16h, 80°
12h50m, 58°
1h, 61°
22h40m, 58°
16h, 60°
16h20m, 77°
12h10m, 59°
0h45m, 57°
21h40m, 72°
17h15m, 67°
15h20m, 74°
11h50m, 55°
0h15m, 59°
21h30, 63°
18h30m, 75°
15h, 76°
11h, 58°
20h, 72°
11h, 64°
18h, 57°
18h, 52°
17h30m, 53°
17h30m, 56°
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NAME:
9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am 1:00am 2:00am 3:00am Northern Horizon Align the starred hour of Right Ascension with 9:00pm. This is how the circumpolar stars appear at 9:00pm on
September 1st. An hour later, the starred hour will be at the 10:00pm mark. Turn the star chart to show how the
stars move over the course of the night.
Are the stars moving clockwise or counter-clockwise?
Around which coordinates are they moving?
Is there a star near that point?
When the starred hour of Right Ascension is at 3:00am, what constellation is just above the Northern Horizon?
What is the relationship between hours of Right Ascension and hours of time?
STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR CREATE A CONSTELLATION
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STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR CREATE A CONSTELLATION
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STAR SIGNS Educator Guide
MOR 3-D CONSTELLATION
STAR CUTOUTS
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