Updated:
O,Westchester Elementary
2nd Grade – 2014/2015
Moving From ME to WE at Westchester (School Wide Expedition)
*Kickoff: November 12, 2014 Agnes Scott Observatory
Shira will create a note catcher “4things we noticed when there” and “4 things we still wonder after the field experience
Team Members Wayne Cordy, Celeste Howard, Shira Burns
Guiding Questions 1. How do individuals play a part in the community?
2. How do we build community?
Title Case Study #1
What is a star?
Timeline November 12-December 18
Day 1:
Kick-off: Agnes Scott Observatory Field
Study.
- Students will complete note
catcher. Students will write 4
wonders and 4 questions.
- TT and TSW discuss their
wonderings and not icings upon
return.
- Read “Me and My Place in
Space”
Day 2 :
- Draw and color three kinds of
stars and write three sentences
describing the stars drawn.
- KWL Chart or Chalk Talk about
the stars whole group.
- Read “Stargazers” by Gail
Gibbons.
Day 3:
- Pose the question, “Are stars
small or do they appear to be
small? Why are some stars bright
*Celebration of Learning: All-star Night December, 2014
Case Study #2
Life Cycle of a Star
Day 1:
- Pose the following questions:
“What is a life cycle?” “What life
cycles do you already know?”
- TSW watch TLC Elementary
School: Exploring Stars:
Segment 2, Understanding Stars
@ because of the way they look.)
http://app.discoveryeducation.co
m/player/view/assetGuid/44E050
76-EC97-487D-9DFD-
60FE3FECE97C twice.
- As students watch the video the
second time have them to
complete the 3-2-1-note catcher
sheet. (3 things that I learned
about the life cycle of a star, 2
vocabulary terms I didn’t know,
and 1 thing they found
interesting or still have a
question about.)
Day 2:
- TSW watch Brainpop video
Case Study #3
Constellations
Day 1:
- Pose the question, “What are
constellations? (a group of
stars, that when seen from earth,
form a pattern; a grouping of
stars which have been given
names by ancient astronomers
- Read ”Zoo in the Sky: A Book of
Animal Constellations” by
Jacqueline Mitton or
“Constellations: A Glow-in-the-
Dark Guide to the Night Sky” by
Chris Sasaki.
Day 2:
- Remind students of what
constellations are and how they
came to be.
- TSW recreate a constellation of
their choice from the cover of the
books read on day one and
creatively write about how their
chosen constellation came to be.

and some stars appear to be
dimmer?”
- Have the students to graph their
response on a bar graph.
- TSW will demonstrate being a
star using a flashlight and while
other students will move further
away in the opposite direction to
demonstrate that stars appear
small only because they are far
away from earth and that stars
are brighter the closer they are to
earth.
Day 4:
- Read “Stars” by Steve Tomecek.
- Flipchart-stars and their
characteristics.
- TSW complete partner activity
sorting stars by temperature.
Day 5:
- Pose the question, “What three
characteristics of stars do
astronomers study to learn about
stars?”
- TSW list what a star is and what a
star is not.
- TSW will create a scientific
drawing of stars versus an
imaginary drawing of stars (five
pointed stars).
- TSW write an
informative/explanatory text that
explains the differences between
the star shape and an actual star
(size, stars, brightness, and color)
Standards: S2:E1, SL2.3, S2CS1, S2CS5, S2CS6
S2CS7
Standards and
Learning Targets LT: I can explain how astronomers learn about
stars.
LT: I can make observation and form questions to
investigate the stars
LT: I can compare and contrast stars based on
their brightness, color and size
LT: I can recreate constellations
about the life cycle of a star.
- Show and discuss the Life Cycle
of a Star flipchart focusing on the
life cycle of the red giant stage
(the cycle our sun is going
through).
Day 3:
- Show and discuss the Life Cycle
of a Star flipchart focusing on the
life cycle of the red super giant
stage.
Day 4:
- TTW review the life cycle of a
star’s stages using cards on
chart paper.
- TSW work with a partner to
recreate the life cycle of a star
using stage cards and correct
vocabulary with a partner.
Day 5:
- Explain Life Cycle of a Star
Project to students in detail.
- Send home project explanation
and rubric.
Standards: S2:E1, SL2.3, S2CS1, S2CS5, S2CS6
S2CS7
LT: I can explain how astronomers learn about
stars.
LT: I can make observation and form questions to
investigate the stars
LT: I can compare and contrast stars based on
their brightness, color and size
LT: I can recreate constellations
Updated:
Day 3:
- Read an informational text
and/or watch a informational text
about how to locate
constellations.
- Explain to students that we can
also use technology to locate
constellations, such as the app
Sky View.
Day 4:
- Project the northern winter night
sky on the Activboard.
- TTW guide students in locating
the following constellations: Ursa
Major, Ursa Minor, and Perseus.
- TSW draft an explanation of how
to locate the three constellations.
Day 5:
- Project the northern winter night
sky on the Activboard.
- TTW guide students in locating
the following constellations:
Orion, Canis Major, and Taurus.
- TSW draft an explanation of how
to locate the three constellations.
Day 6-10:
- TSW edit and revise their
explanation of how to locate all
seven constellations.
- TSW complete the final copy of
their how to locate all seven
constellations explanations.
Standards: S2:E1, SL2.3, S2CS1, S2CS5, S2CS6
S2CS7
LT: I can explain how astronomers learn about
stars.
LT: I can make observation and form questions to
investigate the stars
LT: I can compare and contrast stars based on
their brightness, color and size
LT: I can recreate constellations

Essential Question
Activities/Projects and
Learning Experiences
Formative Assessments
Culminating Activity/
Final Product/
Summative Assessment
Field Studies
Experts
Design Principles
Special Area
Connections:
Art, Media Center, Music, P.E.,
and Spanish
Parental Involvement
Resources, Weblinks,
etc.
Service Learning
(optional)
Updated:
How can we as Astronomers share what
we have learned with our community?
Life cycle of a star project, Constellation
Informational Star Chart, black out room,
rotation of classroom activities
Rubrics/Checklist (pre and post)
Star gazing night and presentation to
teach the community how to identify
constellations in the winter night sky (star
chart).
Agnes Scott Bradley Center
Tellus Center (Celeste will schedule)
Atlanta Astronomers Club
Wayne Contact Atlanta Astronomers Club
 Responsibility of learning
 Primacy of self discovery
 Empathy and caring
Possible Ideas: Spanish book (Mrs.
Garcia),),song (Mrs. Williams),
Informational Fan Book (Mrs. Howarth)
All-Star Gazing Night Commercial (Sandi)
Email to parents asking for experts
David Taube
Solicit parent volunteers to help students
type up their constellation location
explanations.
Science kits, Pebble Books
Ask parents to donate hot chocolate that
will be sold for $1.00 during our All-Star
Gazing Night. Community members must
BYOM (bring your own mug). All
proceeds collected will be donated to the
 Updated:
Atlanta Astronomers Club.