الأسبوع 9 · المحور 2 «العالم من حولي»، الباب 1 «ماذا في سماء الليل؟» (أ): النجوم والشمس · 3 دروس
2
Star shapes and patterns
Discover P2 Term 1: Axis 2, Chapter 1
GoalJoin stars into a shape, meet Orion and Sirius, and spot a pattern over time.
New words
constellation · a group of stars that we join in our minds to make a shapepattern · something that repeats or changes in the same way again and againSirius · a very bright star
Explanation
If we join some stars with lines in our minds, they make a shape. A group of stars that makes a shape is called a constellation. People gave constellations names a long time ago. One is Orion the Hunter. In Orion, three stars sit in a short row, like a belt. The three belt stars point towards Sirius, a very bright star. Long ago, people in Egypt noticed Sirius rising just before sunrise at about the time the Nile flood came. Scientists also look for patterns. A star rises a little earlier each night. That is a pattern!
Worked examples
Salma joins four stars with her finger. They look like a kite. She calls it her kite constellation.
To find Orion, look for the three belt stars in a row. They point towards Sirius.
Night
Star rises
Sunday
9:00 p.m.
Monday
8:56 p.m.
Tuesday
8:52 p.m.
Wednesday
8:48 p.m.
Karim sees a star rise at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday. Each night it rises 4 minutes earlier: 9:00, then 8:56, then 8:52. On Wednesday it will rise at 8:48 p.m.
Class activity
Make your own constellation. Stick six to eight yellow stickers (or draw dots with a light crayon) on dark paper. Join some of them with lines. What shape do you see? Give your constellation a name and show it to your family. In winter, with a grown-up, look for Orion’s three belt stars on a clear evening.
Practice
1
Karim joins some stars with lines in his mind and sees a kite shape. What is a star group like this called?
A constellation.
2
How many stars are in the belt of Orion the Hunter?
3
3
Nour sees a star rise at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday and at 8:26 p.m. on Sunday. It rises 4 minutes earlier each night. When will it rise on Monday?
