Create Flashlight Constellations
Whether viewing them in the night sky, at a planetarium or as projections onto your bedroom ceiling, looking up at the stars can be relaxing. Not just beautiful, stars and groups of stars have long kept their place in history and mythology. These star pictures, called constellations, have played key roles across cultures, from helping sailors navigate the oceans to helping storytellers craft traditional myths and folklore. In this activity, your child will observe stars and see how these points of light can be grouped together to form pictures. Your child will also hear and retell a few traditional constellation stories while shining an image of a constellation on a dark wall.
Materials
Directions
Begin by asking your child, “When is the last time you looked at stars? Did you see individual stars or group them together to form pictures?”
Together with your child, read the four constellation stories in the attached printable. Which story did your child like best?
Use scissors to cut out each of the circles showing the constellations.
Glue the circles to cereal box cardboard to make them sturdier. Once the glue is dry, use scissors to cut out the constellation circles again.
Carefully pierce a hole in each star spot on the constellation circle. (An adult should complete this step using a pair of scissors or a push pin.)
Place the circle inside the front edge of the flashlight so that the light shines through the pierced points on the paper. Make sure the picture is facing the flashlight so that is shows correctly on the wall.
In a dark room, shine the flashlight onto a wall so that you can see the points of light creating the constellation.
As each constellation is shown on the wall, have your child retell the corresponding constellation stories you read together earlier.
For each flashlight constellation, talk about what other shapes or animals that constellation could represent. Can your child make up a new story to go with that constellation?
If possible, go outside and observe stars in the night sky or use the free Ready Jet Go! App Space Explorer. Ask your child, “Is it easier to see pictures from groups of stars?” Encourage your child to group together stars and make up a new constellation story.
Science