Why`do`you`think
stars`come`out`at
night?`Why`can’t
you`see`them`during
the`day?
stars`come`out`at
night?`Why`can’t
you`see`them`during
the`day?
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| Big Dipper Star Pictures printout | 1 per 12 students |
| Sky Sheet printout | 1 per pair |
|
Scissors
|
1 pair per student |
|
Dot Stickers
We prefer stickers because they are easier to distribute in a classroom.
Tape will also work.
|
Details
1 sticker per student
|
|
Paper Cups (8 oz)
|
1 cup per student |
|
Push Pins
|
1 pin per student |
|
LED Flashlights
|
2 flashlights per pair |
You will need to do part of this activity in the dark with the lights off and curtains drawn.
We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students will need two flashlights and a partner to help with a few steps.
Each printout has 12 Big Dipper pictures. Cut up enough Big Dipper sheets to provide each student with one star picture.
Set up activity stations by posting Sky Sheets on walls that will be dark or dimly lit when you pull the shades and turn out the lights. We recommend that each pair of students works at an activity station. If classroom space is limited, we’ve found that one station can comfortably accommodate up to 8 students taking turns.
Student slideshow: English | Spanish
Teacher printout: English & Spanish
This video from National Geographic shows how the night sky looks from places with different levels of light pollution.
What gets hidden by light pollution? In this video, a professional astronomy photographer takes you out of the city to see the stars.
This news report from The Today Show shows how a small mountain town redesigned its lights to cut down on light pollution.
Create your own star clock with these instructions so you can tell the time at night and predict when different constellations will be visible!
Note: This star clock was designed for use in the Northern Hemisphere. It uses Standard Time, so you should subtract 1 hour if you are on Daylight Savings Time. If you live in a country farther north or south than the United States, you may need to adjust the star clock based on your location.
You can elaborate student learning and engagement with Mystery Science mini-lessons.
If you are in an NGSS state, this mini-lesson supports the DCI ESS1.A: The Universe and its Stars
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