Created By: Jared Brown

Grade Level: 6th-8th

Content Area: Science/Astronomy

The goal of this project is for students to see that the earth is both rotating on its axis and revolving around the sun. This project should be done through a collaborative platform, like ePals, Skype, or Google Hangout, and with classes that are in different locations; for best results, use locations on opposite sides of the globe. Each person in the class will be corresponding with another student from the other class. Each week the student will make star maps of their night sky, their ePal will do the same on the corresponding night where they live. Part of their responsibility is to collaborate to make sure they do it on the same day and around the same time of night. The aim is to take notes so that it is easy to distinguish which star formations are in the night sky and where they are located in the sky. They will then compare the two pictures and determine what is different about them. They will also learn about each others cultures because different countries may have different names for the same constellation. To overcome this obstacle, they will do a little research on common names for constellations so they know they are comparing the same things. The constellations that show up in both locations, those that are only in one, as well as similar constellations that are located in the same area. After comparing and contrasting, they will then hypothesis why there are differences between the two locations even though they are looking up at the same sky.

This activity meets EALR 1.2 Collaborate because it requires students to work with another student using the technology at hand. Along with comparing the information that they both have to come up with the final answer. The success of the assignment is dependent upon each ePal. This also meets EALR 1.3: Investigate and Think Critically. The students will have to take the knowledge they have of the star maps they have made and try and figure out why it is different. This requires higher level thinking because after comparing and contrasting the two star maps, they have to come up with a hypothesis of why the maps are different. Then in our astronomy lessons we can go to further explain why the maps differ.