In this Form 2 (grade 4-6) study guide, students will be introduced to the universe and its stars, including the concept of star constellations. They will also become familiar with the observable patterns of motion of the sun, moon, and stars, and the brightness of the sun compared to other stars.
The study guide includes reading assignments from the spine text, narration prompts, and open discussion questions. Experiments related to the reading are also included. Optional supplemental activities, such as current events, videos, and article suggestions when there is time, are also included. Finally, you will find a link to an exam for each course in the introductory material.
- Pages: 75
- Prerequisites: none
Spine Text
This study guide accompanies the living book Find the Constellations by H.A. Rey (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2016 or before), which must be purchased separately. The updated second edition is suggested but not required.
- 72 pages
- Reading Level: 4-7 grade
- Prerequisites: none
Hans Augusto Reyersbach or H.A. Rey (1898-1977), grew up in Hamburg, Germany. Little Hans always had a sketchbook and pencil in hand, visiting the zoo so often that he was “more familiar with elephants and kangaroos than with cows or sheep”.
When 18, H.A. was drafted into the German army serving in the infantry and medical corps during World War 1. Throughout the dark nights of the war Hans furthered his interest in astronomy, studying the stars with using a pocket guidebook. This would become foundational for his later inventing a new system of star identification.
After the war Hans studied natural science, language, and philosophy. He married an artist, Margret, and they became the creators of a most beloved storybook character: the fun-loving, mischievous monkey, Curious George. After a suspenseful escape from the onslaught of Hitler and WWII, the Reys settled in the United States. Here Hans used his skills as an illustrator and amateur astronomer to write Find the Constellations, a book “written so simply that even adults can understand it.” —Michele Jahncke (source)
Other Necessary Items to Complement This Course
- Review the Supply List for this course.
- Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock
Schedule:
This study guide includes 33 morning lessons, three per week, each requiring approximately 20-30 minutes. Each week will include the following science lessons:
- Weekly Lesson 1: Nature Lore
- Weekly Lesson 2: Natural History Science Reading and sometimes an activity
- Weekly Lesson 3: Special Studies Reading or Natural History Activity
Other necessary science and nature study should be done during afternoons or evenings, and may include the following:
- Daily work outside exploring and investigating, making notes or drawings of their observations. Due to the subject matter of this study guide, some of this daily work will need to be done after sunset.
- Additional reading on this science topic and nature topics according to individual desire and interest.
My Form 2 student and I had so much fun learning as we went through the Astronomy Guide lessons. Nicole does a great job laying out all the different pieces of Charlotte Mason science and helping the teacher scaffold the lessons. She makes it easy!
—Sarah S.
Sample Lessons:
A digital version can be purchased below, but the paperback copies of this study guide must be purchased on Amazon.
Neither the study guide nor the accompanying spine text includes religious content. Therefore, a separate secular version is not available.
SMH offers discounted prices for Co-Op and Schools. If you are purchasing for Co-Ops, please refer to this page. For School License, please refer to this page.
Reviews
Studying the Stars!
Great curriculum for my form 2 students. Each day (3 days a week) is laid out nicely. Day one – Reading Nature Lore (the guide gives loads of suggestions). Day two-Reading from the Astronomy text. The book that goes along side the guide is playful, has fun illustrations and is easy to read and understand. Day three- an experiment, star gazing activity or suggested that we read a special studies text. Again, the guide provides loads of ideas. Note that this text has more information about stars and highlights the constellations. There is less information and focus on the planets.
So much fun!
We loved this study and spent many nights laying in the driveway looking at the stars. The kids and I still point out stars frequently that we learned in this course.
Wonderful Introduction
Our family has been through this Astronomy guide twice so far and it has turned us into stargazers. I’m still floored by the connections my children made reading the assigned text, note booking, and getting outside to find what they had just studied in the stars above.
Oh my stars!!
Who knew the author of Curious George knew so much about astronomy! We happened to also be studying WWII for history last year with my Form II student and learned about the Reys’ narrow escape from France. Knowing their story made this subject come even more alive. What a treat to get out at night with my daughter and look up at the skies and actually find some of the constellations in the book! Now every season we can look for them and know their names and know what time of year each of them will come around. I look forward to doing this study with my other two children in years to come.
Greatly enjoyed
My daughter loved learning about the stars. She found the book very easy to follow (and her comprehension tends to be on the low side). We’re 2 years out from using it and she still remembers some constellations and looks for them at night in the winter. The only real downside was that it didn’t really cover our solar system very well, so she’s still pretty murky on planets and moons.
Perfect Introduction to Astronomy
I loved doing this astronomy study with my 9yo and 6yo kids. The main text was engaging and the study guide was so helpful for me as a mother-teacher. We particularly enjoyed the projects, like drawing constellations inside an umbrella and building a 3D model of Orion. And we actually got out on educationally productive stargazing walks! Thank you for a well organized and inspiring product.
The Heavens Declare!
My son and I really enjoyed doing this study together. I had very little experience identifying stars and constellations prior to this study (ahem, our first night out I couldn’t even figure out where North was!). But as the term progressed so did our knowledge and even a year later we are still joyfully identifying the constellations we learned about last year. This was a perfect beginner study in Astronomy and one that gave me the confidence to teach and learn alongside my son. We have some beautiful memories of our time looking at stars together, including a real gift of a meteor shower! I highly recommend this study and the book that goes along with it.
Shoot for the moon…
As the stars themselves, the study of them seemed beyond my reach to teach. This guide literally opened up the heavens for my son and I. It is a perfect beginner guide to astronomy. It can be done without fancy equipment and has simple and effective hands on activities. The book by Rey used for the guide is accessible, entertaining, and gives excellent cartoon-type ways to help memory. I can’t wait to repeat it with my younger daughters.
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