Teaching Guide: The Night Sky by Another Name Grades 1-3
Students will learn about myths and constellations, and how different cultures have used them to understand the natural world.
Star formation in the constellation Orion as photographed in infrared by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. Wikimedia Commons.
In this lesson, students will learn about myths and constellations. They will create their own constellations out of the stars in Orion and they will learn how different African cultures have understood what we know as the Orion constellation.
Grade level(s): 1-3
Guide subjects: Astronomy, History
Minority Group(s): African-American
In-class time: 30-60 minutes
Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Technology Requirements: Student web access not required, Audio not required, Audio/Video not required
Common Core Standards: Reading: Literature, Speaking & Listening
Next Generation Science Standards: Earth and Space Sciences, Earth’s Place in the Universe, Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science, Links Among Engineering, Technology, Science and Society