Activity set – Stars
I would start by asking the children what they know about stars. We only see them at night, stars look like they twinkle, some stars seem brighter than others, they are very far away.
We can then create some star art activities such as – Use star cookie cutters to dip in paint on paper plates and stamp on paper for beautiful star print art. Use cookie cutters with play dough for a fun shape lesson. Try cutting cheese slices into star shapes for an exciting star-themed snack time.
Questions the children may have will be noted such as – Where do they come from? How do they shine? Are stars all the same? How long do they live for?
We will then examine some night sky images and describe what we see and record anymore questions that arise. The children can then watch the Stars in the solar system clip – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07sMjGQasJM which explains what a star is and the lifecycle of a star.
We will then look into the Lifecycle of a star i greater detail using print outs of the stages and a powerpoint presentation explaining these stages.
Birth – Stars start out in giant clouds of dust called nebulae. Gravity forces the dust to bunch together.
Main Sequence Star – Once a star, it will continue to burn energy and glow for billions of years. . The star will remain this way until it runs out of hydrogen.
Red Giant – When the hydrogen runs out, the outside of the star expands and it becomes a red giant.
Collapse – Eventually the core of the star will start to make iron. This will cause the star to collapse.
As a conclusion the children in groups will sequence the images of the lifecycle 4 stages and discuss what they have learned.