The Let There Be Night program is a combination of activities that will be part of the 2008-2009 Penn-Harris-Madison (PHM) curriculum. Students will be introduced to dark-sky issues during a regular visit to the PHM Planetarium. In March 2009, students will observe Orion from their respective back yards and judge how many stars they can see within the constellation. Then in the classroom they will analyze and discuss their results. Additionally, from each school we will seek a handful of students who can take readings with a Sky Quality Meter (SQM) every night for two weeks from their respective schools.
With guidance from the National Optical Astronomy Observatory in Tucson, AZ, all students in grades 3-8 will quantify the limiting magnitude of the stars by comparing their backyard observations of Orion with seven star charts that having increasing numbers of visible stars. Small student teams from each of PHM elementary and middle schools will concurrently measure sky glow throughout the district using hand-held SQMs.
Students in grades 5 and 8 will correlate the sky glow observed with the naked eye with sky glow measured by the meter. In the classroom, teachers will guide students in analyzing the data and discussing the side effects of lighting technology. A representative group of students will present and defend their overall findings and suggest solutions for the school district.
Globe at Night: Students will view sky charts at and send their results to www.globe.gov/GaN/.
Family packets (in English and in several other languages) can be downloaded from the Globe at Night Parent Information Page. There you can preview Orion star charts, which you will compare to the view outside your backyard.
Recommended Reading
The PHM Educational Foundation has purchased one copy of these two books for each school's library.
Sky Lore from Planet Earth: stories from around the world...Orion from local author/illustrator Dayle Brown. PTO's that have Meet the Author programs or similar visits by authors can contact Dayle Brown directly to arrange a visit by her.
There Once Was a Sky Full of Stars, written by Bob Crelin and illustrated by Amie Ziner.
