Beacon Lesson Plan Library
Starry, Starry Night
Becky Peltonen
Bay District Schools
Description
In this hands-on lesson, students make their own night sky (full of stars) that can be seen in the middle of the day!
Standards
Florida Sunshine State Standards
SC.E.2.1.1.0.1
The student knows some of the objects seen in the night sky (for example, stars, Moon).
Florida Process Standards
Information Managers
01 Florida students locate, comprehend, interpret, evaluate, maintain, and apply information, concepts, and ideas found in literature, the arts, symbols, recordings, video and other graphic displays, and computer files in order to perform tasks and/or for enjoyment.
Materials
-2 Black construction paper square for each child
-Empty black film canister, with no lid, for each child (donated by commercial film developers)
-Glue stick (one per number of students in small group)
-2 Corrugated cardboard squares (one per number of students in small group)
-Push pins (one per number of students in small group)
-Song sheet for each child (See Attached File)
-Crayons
-Large teacher chart with printed song
-Hot glue gun (teacher use only)
Preparations
1. Make large song chart with song written in large print.
2. Make copies of individual song sheets for students. (See Attached File)
3. Cut black construction paper squares for students.
4. Cut corrugated cardboard squares.
5. Press tip of heated hot glue gun onto bottom of each film canister to make 2-3mm viewing hole.
6. Have crayons readily available.
7. Put straight pins, glue sticks, black paper, canisters and cardboard squares on worktable.
Procedures
Note: This lesson teaches stars only as things viewed in the night sky.
1. Ask children what they see when they look in the sky during the day. Allow for discussion.
2. Ask children what they see when they look in the sky at night. Allow for discussion.
3. Show children large song chart and tell them that they are going to sing a song about something they can see in the sky at night. Point to each word as you sing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
4. Pass out individual song sheets for children to read. (See Attached File) Sing song again and have children point to words on their own song sheets as they sing along.
5. Pass out crayons and instruct children to illustrate song sheet with a starry night sky.
6. As children draw, call either small groups or individual children to a separate table to make their own night sky.
7. Model first, then allow children at table to put construction paper square on top of corrugated cardboard square and carefully poke holes in black paper with push pin. (The corrugated cardboard squares are for working purposes only. They allow the push pin to go through the black construction paper.)
8. Model first, then allow children to rub glue stick on the open end of film canister. Adhere rim of film canister to the center of the black construction paper (not the corrugated cardboard square) and allow glue to set for a few seconds.
9. Tell children to hold their canisters up to the light and look through the hole on the bottom of the canister and describe what they see. The end result will be star constellations made by the children. A larger hole could represent the moon or a planet.
10. Give corrective and affirmative feedback as you remind students that stars are objects that can be seen in the night sky.
Assessments
1. On each song sheet, students draw a night sky. Their picture should include stars and should not show daytime objects such as the sun and rainbows. These sheets are collected for formative assessment.
2. During hands-on activity, corrective and affirmative feedback is given during questioning.
Extensions
1. Older students can poke actual constellations onto black construction paper squares.
2. Safety pins or small-tipped nails can be used in place of straight pins, if needed.
Web Links
This Website describes 88 constellations and their stars. It also provides links to sky maps and guides for amateur astronomers. Constellations
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