Overview
The sun and other stars slowly move around the sky throughout each day. This is due to the earth’s rotation. The stars we can see at night also change from one season to the next. We notice this by observing certain constellations. This yearly change in the stars is due to the earth’s revolution. Myths and legends about the stars help us remember their positions and motions.
By examining starlight we can learn that stars differ from each other in significant ways. They are different in color, size and distances from the earth. The sun is a yellow, medium hot star. The sun is an average sized star and is by far the closest star to earth. How bright a star appears depends on a combination of its temperature, size and distance.
Scientists believe that stars form from giant gas and dust clouds. They usually form in groups called clusters. After shining for a long time, stars use up their fuel and may even explode. We can see these various stages in the star’s life by looking into outer space. Our sun is aa middle age star and should continue to burn for another 5 billion years.

Objectives
• The students will be able to observe and describe how the stars move throughout the day and year.
• The students will be able to describe stars by color, temperature, size, distance and brightness.
• The students will be able to describe how star characteristics are interrelated.
• The students will be able to name some important constellations. (The Dippers, Orion, Scorpius, Taurus, Canis Major)
• The students will be able to name several important stars. (Polaris, Betelgeuse, Sirius, Antares)
• The students will be able to relate a constellation to mythology.

Science Standards
• Location and motion of objects in the sky
• Earth’s motion
• Objects in the solar system
• Constellations
• Scale of the universe

Vocabulary
Temperature, Constellation, Star, Cluster, Distance, Brightness, Myth/Legend, Sunspots, Light Year, Rotation, Revolution, Nebula

Activity Book (Table of Contents)
• Solar Viewer: craft activity
• Pinhole Projector: craft activity
• Sky Wheel: paper craft activity
• Star Color and Temperature: worksheet
• Size of Stars: worksheet
• Acrostic Poem: worksheet
• Constellation Shapes: dot-to-dot worksheets
• Seek and Find: Star names
• Word Puzzle: worksheet
• Orion: Greek Legend