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Description

Make this simple star clock to tell the time or conversely find key constellations in the night sky. By learning the stories behind the constellations the Cubs can remember them better and then finish with a run around game using the star images on the walls and facts about the constellations.

Resources

Copy of clock image for each Cub
Cardboard (old cereal boxes)
Scissors
Glue
Paper fasteners

Game: Image of each constellation
Information on each constellation

Instructions

Explain to the Cubs that Constellations are stars in the galaxy that appear to be close together and so ancient people, particularly the Greeks though that they formed images from stories that they knew. Many of the stories involved Greek gods. These constellations stay in the same place but appear to move around to new places in the night sky as the earth revolves and as the earth moves round the sun (explain this using a globe spinning). The star clock will show us where a constellation can be found throughout the year and at different times.

Give each Cub a copy of the star clock image and ask them to carefully cut them out and stick them to the card - then Cut out the card (or stick to the car first and then cut out). Then help the Cubs to pierce a small hole through the centre of each circle, place the black outline on top of the white circle and fasten together with a paper fastener.

Follow the instructions printed on the clock to find the time (or set the clock time to find which way up the constellations will appear).

When everyone has found the time and identified the big dipper tell the story of The Great Bear and Cassiopeia.
Then to find Orion's belt face the opposite direction to the big dipper on winter's evenings and look for the line of stars forming the belt just appearing over the horizon).

You can then go inside for a run around game. Place an image of the four contellations on each of the four walls of the room and yell out a fact about a constel(alternative names, stars found in it, something from the story, where it is found) asking Cubs to run to the image of the constellation that is the answer (good to warm up after being outside).

Tags

• astronomer
• Clock
• constellations
• scientist
• scientist - constellation
• stargazing
• stars

Badge Links

• Astronomer - Identification