Earth and Sky

Activities

Shine On
This activity was designed to accompany the Magic School Bus video, "Sees Stars."  You can probably find Magic School Bus videos at your local library.
Materials Needed
Copies of SHINE ON page
Pencils or pens
Bright flashlights

Instructions
Dorothy Ann has a nifty new telescope, but she still enjoys looking at the stars with eye power alone. You kids report star counts and explore why we don’t see stars during the day. Ask: Do stars shine during the day? (Yes, but atmospheric gases, dust, and water vapor scatter sunlight passing through. This veils stars until the sun sets.) Record girls’ ideas. After kids punch out the Astro-Liz “constellation,” have them cut out the foldover. Fold the white flap over the dark Astro-Liz flap. Ask: What do the holes represent? (stars) The flashlight? (sun) The cover flap? (atmosphere) Tell kids to pretend it’s nighttime. Hold up Astro-Liz to a bright window, white flap facing them. Do they see “stars” through the “atmosphere” (cover flap)?  Ask: When the sun comes up, do you see stars? Let kids shine the flashlight on the coverflap “atmosphere.”  Ask: Why don’t we see stars during the day?
idea courtesy of Scholastic's Magic School Bus

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