Professor Bothun and his JAVA crew are working to re-establish the U of O JAVA LABS that got hacked several weeks ago, these should be back online shortly. Observing and learning about the constellations is an interesting introduction to astronomy, I'll comment on some scientific angles and also on some of the major misconceptions that students unfortunately readily acquire that should be promptly addressed. The 88 current constellations are formally areas of the sky, decided upon by an astronomical conference in Europe back in 1930. They are just man-made names of areas, there isn't any scientific significance nor use at all. In the true Background lie billions of other galaxies, the entire depths of the Universe, behind the constellations, normally too dim for us to easily explore.
Common literature helps mislead the students.
Simultaneously, introduce students to the ideas of what types of objects are in the sky, and the respective distances to these objects, particularly the vast differences amongst stellar distances within a constellation, not to mention the inter- galactic distances of the background. Make a three-dimensional model of Orion or of the Big Dipper. The mythology is certainly interesting and fun, but take the opportunity to also introduce the ideas of the structure and distances of deep space. First Quarter, perpendicular to Sun-Earth line. The constellation, Auriga is high overhead late currently at night.