Learning About the Stars

Purpose

Help children feel Heavenly Father’s love for them by teaching them about one of His creations: the stars.

Description

Invite someone who knows about stars to come talk about stars, what they are, the different types of stars, and how stars form constellations.

• Form a constellation:

  • Choose a constellation you know. Help the children to physically
    form that constellation pattern by directing each child to stand in
    the place of a star.
  • Consider tracing the shape of the constellation on the floor with
    string so the children can see the shape they made.

• Conduct the following experiment to show why stars appear to twinkle.

  • Supplies: sheet of metal foil, large glass bowl filled with water, flashlight or other portable light, pen.
  • Fold the foil in half. With the pen, randomly poke holes in the foil.
  • Mold the foil around the outside of the bowl on one side.
  • Turn down the lights. Shine the flashlight through the foil and into
    the water in the bowl.
  • Stir the water a little. It should look like the “stars” (holes in the foil) are twinkling, even though the holes are in fact not moving. The moving water, representing Earth’s atmosphere, is moving, and that is why stars look like they twinkle.

Discussion Idea

Psalm 147:4 tells us that Heavenly Father knows the name of every star. If He cares that much about the stars, how much do you think He cares about you, His child?