Children are especially aware of the night at this time of year. The topic starts on a personal level with bedtime and bedtime fears and moves on through the exploration of night lights, night skies, and nocturnal animals that live in the woods. Students will understand there is no need to be afraid of the dark and will also realize the importance of getting enough sleep. It is darkness that makes things scary, not the things themselves. By exploring the night sky, an introduction of the sun, moon, and stars is given.
Students read and write about stars.
Constellations are introduced and students create their own. A field trip to a planetarium along with Internet accessibility concludes the discussion of stars. Changes in the day and night take place constantly. By observing varying lengths of day and night, shadows, and seasonal changes, students discover why such events occur and the effects they may have on the environment. By exploring life at night, an introduction of night time community helpers and transportation is given.