Teacher's Guide for:
Sun, Moon, and Stars
OBJECTIVES:
- To introduce the planetarium and the night sky to the young learner.
- To determine what we receive from the Sun.
- To see that the other stars are like our Sun, but farther away.
- To observe why the Moon appears to change shape and "visit" the
Moon to see how it is different from the Earth.
- To observe the Earth from space and see that it really moves, despite the
fact it looks like the Sun and stars are moving.
This show conforms to the following state science standards: 12.F.1a,
12.F.1b, 12.F.2a, 12.F.2b, 12.F.2c, 12.F.3a, 12.F.3b
BRIEF SHOW DESCRIPTION:
"Sun, Moon, & Stars" is a live show for the youngest stargazers.
We do a lot of pretending in the show, first by seeing what the Sun might look
like both up close and from far away, and then taking an imaginary adventure
to the Moon. We see the changing Moon in the sky and see how the stars in the
sky make strange shapes when you connect them together. The planets can be
inserted at the request of the instructor.
PRE-VISIT ACTIVITIES/TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:
- For the young ones, just being in the planetarium is a different
experience they should "prepare" for. Discuss what it's like in a
movie theater with the lights low. That's how we introduce the place. The
screen goes all the way around though!
- Discuss the importance of the Sun. What does the Sun provide? Should we
look at the Sun?
- What are the stars? Discuss how things that are farther away seem smaller.
A demonstration of that can be done by looking out your classroom window.
- What does the Sun seem to do in the sky? Is it really moving? How could we
find out?
- Discuss the concept of "near" and "far" and the fact that distant things can look smaller. You could do the same thing with "less" and "more."
POST-VISIT ACTIVITIES/TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:
- Take turns playing on a merry-go-round. While on the merry-go-round, what
does it look like your surroundings are doing as you spin around?
- Some see the Earth as a spherical globe but have problems relating to the
seemingly "flat" environment. Have students pick up larger and
larger spheres, from a BB, to a marble, baseball, softball to beach ball.
What are their palms doing as they progress to larger spheres? The Earth is
so large that it looks flat to us.
- Construct a travel brochure for a holiday trip the Moon. What would we
find there?
- Use a ping pong ball mounted on a golf tee and a light source to show Moon
phases. The student's head is the Earth. As you move the ball around your
head, you can see the ball change phase.
- Punch holes out of black construction paper and use an overhead machine to
project the constellations. Have students make up their own constellations
and even a story that they devise on their own.
VOCABULARY LIST:
| Constellation |
Moon |
Rotate |
| Horizon |
Orbit |
Star |
| Meteor |
Phase |
Sun |
| Milky Way |
Planet |
Sunspot |
INTERNET RESOURCES: