Constellationis WebQuest

*CONSTELLATIONS*

*Constellations*

ngc3603.jpg - Nebula

www.pics4learning.com

*Constellations*The iTThe F

A WebQuest for 4th Grade (Science)

Designed by

Overview (for teachers)

This lesson is intended for fourth grade students. This activity will cover the different patterns of stars that can be found in the night sky; major constellations will be highlighted.

GPS standards covered:

S4E1- Students will compare and contrast the physical attributes of stars, star patterns, and planets.

a. Recognize the physical attributes of stars in the night sky such as number, size, color, and patterns.

Black construction paper and pictures of constellations.

Introduction

You are going to be amateur astronomers. It is your job to locate and identify a constellation in the sky and reproduce a model of this constellation. For your assignment, you will be given a constellation to research and study. You will be required to reproduce this constellation as a group. For this, you will use black construction paper, a flashlight and a cardboard box or shoebox to present your constellation to the class. You will work in groups of 3 or 4. Each member of the group will be responsible for one section of the constellation. You must also list major stars in each section.

Task

The day before I will assign students to their groups. Each group will be assigned a constellation and expected to come prepared with knowledge about their constellation the following day. The next day each constellation will be divided into major parts, and the different parts will be distributed to the group members. After each student receives their part of the constellation, they will be responsible for reproducing their specific part. The group will then have to combine their parts and form the constellation. You will present your constellation to the class with background information and legends associated with your constellation.

The Process

The day before:

You will be assigned to a team of 3 students. Your team will be assigned a constellation.

Research the major facts about your constellations (major stars, pattern, legends and myths, etc.)

This site will give you information on star placement, size, brightness, and constellation composition-

http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/constellations.html

This site will find information on each constellation and where they can be found in the sky-

http://www.dibonsmith.com/constel.htm

This site will show you photographs of each constellation and how the stars are linked together to form the constellations-

http://www.slivoski.com/astronomy

This site gives you a background on the legends behind the constellations-

http://www.comfychair.org/~cmbell/myth/myth.html

The day of:

Each student will be assigned a specific part of the constellation.

You are to reproduce your section through the following process:

Take a black piece of construction paper, a pencil, and the picture of your assigned part of the constellation.

Place the picture over the piece of construction paper and poke through both sheet of paper following the pattern with your pencil.

Remove top sheet of paper (picture) and wait for teammates to finish.

When all teammates have finished, work together to realign your group’s constellation.

Evaluation

This is the standards you will be evaluated by:

	Beginning -1	Developing - 2	Accomplished - 3	Exemplary - 4	Score
Neatness	Unsatisfactory in areas of neatness and clarity.	Sloppy display of work.	Good in terms of project display, yet lacking in creativity.	Excellent both in display and creativity.
Accuracy	Showed no knowledge or expertise of constellation reproduction.	Insufficient accuracy in the area of placement.	Accurate, but lacking in detail.	Detailed accuracy and precision.
Ability to work with others	Incompatible with teammates.	Poor teamwork skills.	Ability to share information, but lacking in the ability to collaborate and problem solve.	Exceptional in cooperative teamwork skills.
Presentation	Showed no understanding of constellation and poor delivery.	Lack of understanding and organization of constellation.	Showed interest and knowledge of constellation and fair presentation skills.	Excellent in terms of both knowledge and presentation.

Conclusions

Through this activity you have learned how to be amateur astronomers by locating and reproducing a constellation found in the night sky. You have also learned how to work together with teammates to further your understanding of the constellations. Furthermore, you have learned the history behind your constellation, and the myths and legends associated with them.

How has this assignment affected the way you interpret the night sky?

Are you now able to locate certain constellations?

Was it helpful to work with teammates for this activity?

What new questions do you have about the stars in our galaxy?

Did you find the history of your constellations interesting? What was your favorite part?

Credits & References

http://www.pics4learning.com

http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/constellations.html-

http://www.dibonsmith.com/constel.htm

http://www.slivoski.com/astronomy/

http://www.comfychair.org/~cmbell/myth/myth.html-