INTRODUCTION
I was a new first grader when the Soviet Union put Sputnik, the first human-made satellite, into orbit. It happened on October 4, 1957. At first we were scared of something flying around the world; we thought it might fall on us at any moment. We could not have imagined the world being as it is today with hundreds of communications, weather, and spy satellites orbiting above us. Sputnik began a new interest in science in general, rocketry and astronomy.
I was a new first grader when the Soviet Union put Sputnik, the first human-made satellite, into orbit. It happened on October 4, 1957. At first we were scared of something flying around the world; we thought it might fall on us at any moment. We could not have imagined the world being as it is today with hundreds of communications, weather, and spy satellites orbiting above us. Sputnik began a new interest in science in general, rocketry and astronomy.
POEM
Skywatch
By Douglas Florian
On a clear night you might try
To gaze upon the starry sky.
A telescope or binoculars are
Great aids to observe a star.
To find your way it's good to sight
Upon a star that's very bright,
Like Sirius or Canopus,
Alpha Centauri or Arcturus.
You may see a planet or
A flash of light from a meteor.
Use a constellation chart
To help you tell the stars apart.
Start out when the day is done.
Most of all: Have lots of fun!
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Florian, Douglas. 2007. COMETS, STARS, THE MOON, AND MARS. New York: Harcourt. ISBN 978-0-15-205372-7
EXTENSION
Show the group pictures of constellations, and explain how ancient people played connect the dot with the stars, and visualized different pictures. Then give each child a paper with sparse dots scattered on it. Ask them each to draw a picture by connecting some of the dots. Explain they may choose any dots and connect them in any order. Then have them make sentence poems that describe their picture.
Photo courtesy of http://images.search.yahoo.com/.
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