Goals:

To plot constellations on a grid map.

To discuss the various ways early explorers planned their travels.

To recognize major constellations.

Content Areas:

Social Studies - mapping skills

History - discussion of early explorers and their navigation techniques

Language Arts - reading maps

Art - drawing the constellations

Math - measuring distance and angles

Materials:

Completed map of the constellations on a grid

Grid paper

Rulers

Protractors

Pencils and erasers

Pictures of the constellations

Fuson, Robert H. (translated). (1987). The Log of Christopher Columbus. Camden, Maine: International Marine Publishing Company.

Procedure:

1) Discuss how early explorers used to navigate their journeys. Refer to The Log of Christopher Columbus - Chapter Three "The Ships and Their Navigation." Mention the instruments called the sextant and compass. Discuss the fact that the explorers used the stars to navigate their travels.

2) Show pictures of some important constellations like the Big Dipper, Little Dipper, Belt of Orion, etc.

3) Show the class your completed chart of the stars and explain that the sky looks different in different places at different times. Tell them the time of year that your map is depicting.

4) Label the lines with latitude and longitude degrees. Give students main points to plot and then tell them other points that must be plotted are specific distances and degrees away from the given point. This encourages more critical thinking on the part of the students.

5) After plotting all of the constellation points, connect the lines so the constellations are visible.

Assessment:

Students will be assessed based on the completion of their constellation map. Criteria for success: Students should have placed 80% of their points in the correct position; however, this activity will be more challenging for some students than others. The teacher can help students during the work session, so that everyone creates a usable map. These maps can be used in the next activity which is a trip to a planetarium.

Extensions:

Encourage students to color the map and make it even easier to recognize each constellation.

Encourage students to find other constellations the class did not plot and figure out their placement on the map.

Encourage students to take the map home and try to find various constellations from their map in the evening

Making Waves - written by Jennifer Cannistra, Jamie Hanna, Michael LeRoy, & Kim Mongoven

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