The
Cowboy Astronomer
Teacher’s Guide for:
The
Cowboy OBJECTIVES:
·
To see how the temperature of a star can be measured by its color
·
To show how the sky can be used like a calendar
·
To observe why the North Star is so important
·
To introduce star birth and death
This show conforms to the following state science
standards:
BRIEF SHOW
DESCRIPTION:
Cowboy Baxter Black is known for his unique (and
humorous) storytelling abilities on National Public Radio.
Mr. Black narrates this look at stargazing through the eyes of a cowboy.
Several constellations are explored (Ursa Major, Pegasus, Orion, Leo,
Gemini, Canis Major) but our cowboy storyteller tells a few tales that most
won’t be familiar with. We also
see how Native Americans saw the sky through legends and lore, but also how they
used the sky to determine the times for planting and harvest.
PRE-VISIT
ACTIVITIES/TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:
·
Research how Native Americans saw the sky through the library or
internet. Maybe adopt a Native
American story to present to the class, including drawings.
How were Native American constellations different from the ones we know
today?
·
Sometimes we look at the sky for fun.
How can we use the sky to help us with our daily activities, especially
if we don’t have a wrist watch, calendar or compass?
·
Discuss why the North Star (Polaris) is so important.
A common misconception is that it is the brightest star in the sky, when,
in actuality, it isn’t even in the top 30 stars rated by brightness.
Why doesn’t Polaris move from our point of view?
For that matter, why are the other stars moving?
[Earth’s rotation] Have
a student stand up and slowly spin. The
room will appear to move to them but there will be a point above their heads
that doesn’t seem to go anywhere. That’s
where their North Star would be.
·
Where in American and in other countries are there devices to help
determine the date? Include the Big
Horn Mountain Medicine Wheel, Stonehenge, Woodhenge, Chaco Canyon to name a few.
Why not get permission from your school to erect some kind of monument
outside to determine the first days of each of the seasons.
How would you proceed (assuming you don’t have a calendar)?
·
Look in the night sky for stars that are colored.
In the winter, notice how Betelgeuse (Orion) and Aldebaran (Taurus) are
both very red. Antares (Scorpius) is a distinct red star in the summer
sky. Compare them to blue
stars like Rigel (Orion) and the Pleiades in the winter sky and Spica (Virgo) in
the spring sky. Arcturus (Bootes)
in the spring sky has a orange hue.
·
Devise your own constellation from a random set of dots and then
make up your own story to share with the class.
VOCABULARY LIST:
Nebula
Constellation
Medicine Wheel
Black
hole Temperature
Galaxy
Supernova
INTERNET RESOURCES:
·
Sources of Native American stories: http://www.kstrom.net/isk/stars/starmenu.html
or http://www.ilhawaii.net/~stony/loreindx.html
or http://multimedia.tamu-commerce.edu/Library/nat.htm
·
Baxter Black’s homepage: http://www.baxterblack.com
·
Constellations: http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations
·
Astronomy Society of the Pacific:
http://www.astrosociety.org
·
Calendars: http://www.calendarzone.com
or http://astro.nmsu.edu/~lhuber/leaphist.html
·
Observing Earth satellites: http://www2.satellite.eu.org/sat/vsohp/satintro.html
·
Reason for the seasons: http://www.astrosociety.org/html/tnl/29/29.html