Unit 4: Nighty Sky.(science)(Brief Article)

Background Information

The Milky Way is making news in the world of astronomy. Astronomers say the Milky Way galaxy may be swallowing two smaller galaxies. The Milky Way galaxy is made up of a large collection of stars (including our sun) and Earth and the other planets in our solar system. New findings show that it is also made up of a vast amount of mysterious and invisible matter, and that in another 20 billion years, this mysterious matter will have eaten the neighboring smaller galaxies. Then the band of light that we see in the sky will be even wider than it is today!

 
                    Unit Concepts: Students learn 
                     that myths are stories about 
                     constellations, that people 
                     can navigate by the stars, 
                     and that constellations 
                     appear in different positions 
                     in different seasons. 
 
                    The activities listed below 
                     suggest ways of presenting 
                     and enriching the content 
                     and skills in Unit 4. The 
                     activities correspond to 
                     days 17 through 20 on the 
                     page 2 calendar matrix. 
 
                    ORION, THE MIGHTY HUNTER 
 
                    Begin the unit by reading 
                     aloud the story of Orion 
                     on page 26. Ask if any 
                     students have ever gone 
                     out at night and looked at 
                     the stars. Have any ever 
                     seen Orion--with his 
                     spectacular belt-in the 
                     sky? Have students 
                     complete the experiment 
                     on page 27. Make sure they 
                     make larger holes for 
                     Orion's belt. 
Literature          Enrichment. Gather a variety 
                     of books with myths about 
                     the stars and constellations. 
                     Read several myths aloud to 
                     students, then pass out the 
                     books. Have each reader write 
                     the name of a favorite myth 
                     on the chalkboard before passing 
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