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Goals
Resources
Time Required
Procedure
Assessment
Subjects and Major Concepts Studied
Extemsions and Other Resources

Goals:

1. Students will develop an understanding of the practical uses of astronomy as well as its aesthetic value.
2. Using the astronomical coordinate system and an understanding of how stars are plotted in this system, students will determine approximate positions on Earth.
3. Students will identify several major constellations.

Resources:

1. Copies of the poem "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer" by Walt Whitman
2. Blank star charts to plot stars
3. Information on coordinates of stars and how to plot them (For example: Robbins, Jeffreys, & Shawl. [1995]. Discovering Astronomy Activities Manual Kit. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.  Activities 4-1 & 4-2)
4. Information on constellations (For example: Morrison & Wolff. [1994]. Frontiers of Astronomy. [2nd edition]. Philadelphia: Saunders College Publishing.)
5. Rulers (or any straight edge)
6. Internet access
   possible sites (others listed in extensions section)
   http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Larry_Freeman/astro.htm
   http://www.ras.ucalgary.ca/~gibson/pleiades/pleiades_myth.html
   http://pubpages.unh.edu/%7Ecbsiren/myth.html
7. A celestial sphere
8. A large wooden protractor

Time required for lesson:

10 hours  (Part I [1 hour]; Part II [2 1/2 hours]; Part III [2 1/2 hours]; Part IV [2 hours]; Part V [2 hours])

Procedure:

Part I
 
1. Read the poem.
2. Divide the students up into teams of four.
3. Each team will discuss the ideas they think the author of the poem is trying to get across and how it makes them feel.  This activity should lead to a class wide discussion in which groups volunteer the ideas they came up with.

   
    

    
    
    

   Note:  The poem describes two different ways of looking at astronomy:  analytically and aesthetically.  The next three parts of the lesson deal with the calculations and practical uses of astronomy.  The final part incorporates the beauty of the heavens into the study of astronomy.

   Due to the relatively complex nature of the following sections, the teacher should be prepared to spend extra time with students who do not immediately understand the concepts presented.  It may be helpful if students who do grasp the concepts assist those who do not.
    

Part II
 

1. The teacher defines the terms latitude, longitude, right ascension and declination and discusses the differences between the two coordinate systems and their uses. (see definitions).
2. The teacher models how to plot a star's position given its right ascension and declination (see description).
3. Divide the students into teams of two.
4. Each team is given blank charts and the coordinates for a set of stars in a particular region of the world at the current time of the year.  Different groups are given different sections.  The students should each plot the stars whose coordinates they have been given.


Part III
 

1. The teacher makes copies of the star charts constructed of each section by the different groups and distributes them to each team.  Using the celestial sphere, the teacher points out different constellations as seen from different parts of the globe.  The students can follow along on the charts.
2. Each team picks a different constellation and researches the myth/origin behind it using the Internet and/or library resources.  Internet search techniques should be introduced in this step.  See extensions section for possible resources and sites.
3. Each team reports their findings to the class.  The report should include various historical details and stories that the team discovered about their constellation.


Part IV
 

1. Each team is given a position on Earth that is unknown to them.  They are given a set of clues describing the location.  For example, a clue might be, "You see a bright star approximately forty degrees above the horizon."  Using their knowledge of the celestial coordinate system, the constellations, the charts they have constructed, and the celestial sphere, each team will determine where on Earth they are.

Part V
 

1. The students will take their charts home and identify as many stars and constellations in the night sky as they can.  They will write personal reflections in their journals describing how they felt while doing this activity.  In the reflection, the students should compare this experience with the analytical activities completed thus far.
2. Volunteers will share with the rest of the class which stars they were able to identify and their reflections of the experience.
3. The teacher leads a discussion/review of the different uses/values of astronomy.

Assessment:

Part I
 
The teacher observes the small group discussions. (Criteria for success: Each team member contributes to the small group discussion of the poem, by listening to others' ideas and adding at least one thought of his or her own.)

Part II

 
Each team turns in a copy of the star chart they have constructed. (Criteria for success: The chart contains approximately 70% of the stars of each constellation correctly plotted.)

Part III

 
Each team turns in a summary of the information they found on their constellation.  (Criteria for success: The summary includes an X# of historical details about the constellation and sites the resources used.)

Part IV

 
Each team hands in a copy of their findings on their location.  (Criteria for success: 100% success would be a correct pinpoint of the location with a declineation of each step taken to reach that conclusion.)

Part V

 
Students will hand in a list of the stars identified and a personal reflection on the experience.  (Criteria for success: The students identifies several stars and constellations  in the night sky and completes a personal reflection.)

Subjects and Major Concepts Covered:

1. Language Arts

   
    

    
    
    
    
    

   - the poem is used as an introduction to the different sides of astronomy
   - inquiry into the myths behind various constellations
   - large and small group communication skills
   - narrative writing
   - expression of personal point of view in a written form

2. Science

   
    

    
    
    
    
    

   - astronomy (star plotting, constellations and the history behind them)

3. Social Studies

   
    

    
    
    
    
    

   - geography (latitude and longitude)
   - history of the constellations

4. Mathematics

   
    

    
    
    
    
    

   - geometry (angles)

Possible Extensions and Other Resources:

1. Have the students construct a cross staff with which they can measure the angles between objects in the sky.
2. Have the students construct a quadrant with which they can measure the declinations of celestial objects.
3. Internet Sites
   - history of astronomy
   http://www.astro.uni-bonn.de/~pbrosche/astoria.html
   http://www.gamma.mpe-garching.mpg.de/~hcs/history.html

   - astronomy questions and answers

   http://www2.ari.net/home/odenwald/qadir/qanda.html

   - observing (backyard astronomy, introduction to the hobby, sky events)

   http://www2.astromony.com/astro/
   http://www.skypub.com/

   - image galleries

   http://www-hpcc.astro.washington.edu/picture.html
   http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/photo_gallery/PhotoGallery.html

   - astronomy links

   http://www.calweb.com/~dmurry/
   http://ecf.hq.eso.org/astro-resources.html

   - astronomy education

   http://www.w3.org/hypertext/DataSources/bySubject/astro/educational.html
   http://earth.ast.smith.edu/ED/ed.html
   http://www-hpcc.astro.washington.edu/scied/astro/astroindex.html

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Life as a Sailor- developed by Tina Huss, Alenne Grabowski, Mike Pable, & Francis M. Redmon

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