Winter Sky & Nature Study Lesson 224: The Two Dippers; A Year Long Study

"For many reasons aside from the mere knowledge acquired, children should be taught to know something of the stars. It is an investment for future years; the stars are a constant reminder to us of the thousands of worlds outside our own, and looking at them intelligently lifts us out of ourselves in wonder and admiration for the infinity of the universe and serves to make our own cares and trials seem trivial...Perhaps nothing (can be such a) constant source of satisfaction and pleasure as this ability to call a few stars by the names they have borne since the men of ancient times first mapped the heavens.
-Anna Comstock, Handbook of Nature Study, page 815

"The way to begin star study is to learn to know the Big Dipper and through its pointers to distinguish the Polestar; for whenever we try to find any star we first so as to have some fixed point to start from." -Anna Comstock, Handbook of Nature Study, page 818

"Draw upon the blackboard... the Big Dipper and the Polestar with a line extending through the pointers. Say to the pupils that this Big Dipper is above or below or at one side of the Polestar, and that you wish them to observe for themselves...." -Anna Comstock, Handbook of Nature Study, page 820

The boys went out for two nights and looked for these constellations, but after that the skies became too cloudy for stargazing. We plan to continue our star studies as soon as the skies get clearer. Meanwhile First Student has been enjoying watching the sunrise with all its beauty. This is the view from her bedroom window.

Fourth Student follows his Dad outside to stargaze.

The sky was clear of clouds last night so we got a chance to see if the boys could find the two Dippers that they had drawn in their nature journals last Wednesday.

My husband points out some stars.

They found the two Dippers, and the North Star. First Student also found and showed us Cassiopeia. The boys will draw this in their nature journals this week.