Constellation PowerPoint Project

Requirements

Constellations

Looking up at the night sky we see our moon, planets, and many, many stars. It has been this way for thousands of years. In ancient times, people named planets and star formations after mythological gods, people, and creatures.

Today we are not as familiar with those stories. It is difficult for us to find constellations and understand how exactly they are supposed to look. In this assignment you will develop an understanding of constellations and the myths behind them.

You are responsible for bringing us up to date on these beautiful formations.

Task:

For this project, you will be an investigator researching a particular constellation. You will select a constellation and use electronic (computer-based) and print (books, periodicals, etc) resources to do the following:

· Find out who or what particular group of people identified and named the constellation.

· Find the myth behind the constellation.

· Learn the Location (What season, which horizon, where it is right now in our sky and when)

· Complete worksheet of questions

Some of the Constellations to choose from:

Red: I have provided the websites. Green: You will need to search on your own.

Andromeda
Cassiopeia
Cancer
Hercules
Hydra
Orion
Pegasus
Scorpion (Scorpio)
Pisces
Aries
Twins (Gemini)
Cepheus
Pleiades

Centaur (Sagittarius)
Dolphin
Eagle
Goat (Capricorn)
Lyre
Perseus
Peacock
Taurus
Leo
Virgo
Libra
Cygnus

Process:

Create a PowerPoint presentation that is accurate and informative about the constellation you have selected to report on.

· Your presentation should have at least 6 slides: including the title slide.

· Each slide should have an illustration on it of a character or a symbol.

Your 6 slides are:

o Title and Author’s name

o The myth/story/legend and history of the constellation (probably 2 slides)

o The location of the constellation: The sky image with the stars

o An artistic rendition "Picture" of what the Constellation represents within the Stars

o The Resources (list the site addresses) used

Additional information or connections you find are encouraged

Oral Presentation

You will use the PowerPoint to present your findings to the class.
You will use the white board to draw and explain the arrangement of stars in your constellation.

Resources: You may find the following resources useful in your research. You must use a total of at least 3 sources. You need to learn how to find information that is accurate and reliable on the internet.

Here are some tips for this:

· Use the sites provided below and look for links to other sites. If the original site is well-researched, the creator of the site should provide resources for further study.

· Look for sites that contain .edu These sites are maintained by educational establishments.

Verify the information you find with other similar sites.

Rubric

Constellation PowerPoint
Name: ________________________________ Grade: ___________

Requirement	Unacceptable- 4 pts	Acceptable- 6 pts	Excellent- 8 pts
Sources	Fewer than 3 sources or Sources not cited or Did not cite any sources.	Used 3 sources, minor mistakes in citation.	Used at least 3 sources, all of which were cited correctly.
Power Point Content	Power Point had less than 4 slides or did not present the myth or did not present any context for the myth or did not include works cited.	Power Point had at least 5 slides, presented the myth, discussed the context of the constellation, and had a works cited.	Power Point had at least 6 slides, presented the constellation and the myth accurately and interestingly. Excellent presentation of all required elements.
Visual	Project did not include a visual representation of the constellation.	Presentation included a visual of the constellation, but was not explained.	Presentation included a visual of the constellation and was explained well,
Background	Background makes it difficult to see text or competes with other graphics on the page. Font formatting makes it very difficult to read the material.	Background does not detract from text or other graphics. Font formatting has been carefully planned to complement the content. It may be a little hard to read.	Background does not detract from text or other graphics. Choice of background is consistent from card to card and is appropriate for the topic. Font formats (e.g., color, bold, italic) have been carefully planned to enhance readability and content.
Spelling/ Grammar	6 or more errors	Less than 6 errors	3 or less errors
Presentation	Did not present a Power Point or did not include elements required.	Presentation was accurate and utilized Power Point.	Presentation was interesting, entertaining and informative. Students utilized Power Point in order to make presentation stronger.
		Grade:	Total Points: + ___________ 48

Notes: