Native American Astronomy Lesson Plans

The Sun The Moon The Stars The Constellations

The Sun Lesson #1: The Sun

Amount of time required to complete lesson: Approx. ½ period

Reference/Instructional Materials Utilized: "Storm Makers Tipi" by Paul Goble

Objectives:

Students will understand that the sun rises in the east.
Students will observe, describe, and predict the changes in the sun’s rise and position.
Students will utilize their Native Language and Native symbols representative of celestial bodies.

Curriculum Standards Addressed: Objects in the Sky – Students Describe observable objects in the sky and their patterns of movement.

Physical Phenomena: Students investigate physical phenomena encountered in daily life, including light, heat, electricity, sound, and magnetism.

Connection to Culture:

Making of tipis
Setting up tipis
Importance of easterly direction in Native Culture
Use of language and native symbols.

Activities:

Begin by reading "Storm Maker’s Tipi"
Discuss with students how Storm Maker made his tipi and where he decided to put it.
Ask them what direction the door faces and why?
Have students complete the Tipi worksheet that utilizes native language for basic materials involved in building a tipi.

Lesson #2: The Moon

Amount of time required to complete lesson: 1 hour/period

Reference/Instructional Materials Utilized: "Traditions of the Arapaho" By George A. Dorsey and Alfred L. Kroeber

Curriculum Standards Addressed: Objects in the Sky – Students Describe observable objects in the sky and their patterns of movement.

Connection to Culture: Each moon in Arapaho is given a different name. Students will be taught how the tribes lived by each moon.

Activities:

Read The Porcupine and the Woman who climbed the Sky to students. From this they will have an understanding of the importance of the moon.
Students will be given the words for each month’s moons in the native language. Students will take the language, and create a calendar with pictures using Microsoft paint or by hand and the language.

Materials:

Arapaho months
Construction paper
Jan – December Months Templates
Microsoft Paint or blank paper
Colored markers or crayons
Month Template for Relations
Moon Phase Worksheet

Assignment(s): Students will take home a template. 5 relations will be interviewed as to what month they were born in. Students will take that information, and write what “moon” these relations were born under both in English and in the native language.

Assessment(s): 6 trait writing rubric.

Extension: Students will complete a “moon phase” worksheet and color.

The Pleiades

Lesson #3: The Stars

Amount of time required to complete lesson: 1 hour/period

Reference/Instructional Materials Utilized: "Star Boy" by Paul Goble

Curriculum Standards Addressed: Objects in the Sky – Students Describe observable objects in the sky and their patterns of movement.

Connection to Culture: Relationship of tribe(s) to certain stars. Native language in relationship to star identification. Native “stories” that relate to stars.

Activities:

Read "Star Boy" by Paul Goble.
Students will then discuss the story.
Show the Star Boy story from the “Dream Keepers” series on Video or DVD.
Students will be given a “star” of their own and its location, north or south, and will write their own picture book story about their star.

Materials:

"Star Boy" by Paul Goble
"Dream Keepers" Video or DVD
List of Stars & location in sky

Assessment(s): 6 trait writing rubric.

The Constellations

Lesson #4: The Constellations

Amount of time required to complete lesson: 1 hour/ Period

Reference/Instructional Materials Utilized:

"Her Seven Brothers" by Paul Goble
"The Stars We Know: Crow Indian Astronomy and Lifeways" by Timothy P. McCleary

Curriculum Standards Addressed: Objects in the Sky – Students Describe observable objects in the sky and their patterns of movement.

Connection to Culture: Native language and oral stories relating to the constellations.

Activities:

Read "Her Seven Brothers" by Paul Goble.
Discuss the story.
Read "The Seven Brothers" from Chapter 6 of "The Stars We Know" by Timothy McCleary.
Compare and contrast similarities and differences between the two stories.
Locate Ursa Major in the northern skies and the little sister and brother/mountain lion from the stories.
Interactively write the main points of the story with your students. Then choose groups of students to illustrate various parts of the stories.

Materials:

"Her Seven Brothers" by Paul Goble
Chart paper
markers