Home/Curriculum resources/Seasonal foods and Aboriginal astronomy/Activity 1 – Examining the role of star positions and seasonal change
Learning Area:
Science
Year levels:
Level 5, Level 6
Suggested timing:
30-45 minutes, including class discussion
Activity 1 – Examining the role of star positions and seasonal change
This activity is a part of the Seasonal foods and Aboriginal astronomy resource.
The Milky Way galaxy arches over Lake Mungo, Mungo National Park. Barkandji/Paakantyi, Mutthi Mutthi and Ngiyampaa country. Photographer: Peter Lieverdink. Source: Flickr. License: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Step by Step guide
Step 1: Watch video
Watch the Emu in the Sky by Ben Flick 0 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzFYFutiwoA
Step 2: Begin Stellarium
Download and open the Stellarium program Desktop version: https://stellarium.org
Step 3: Explore the following settings
Set the date to the beginning of March and move the time to just after sunset.
Find the Emu in the sky.
Gradually move the date forward, keeping the time to just after sunset. How is the Celestial Emu changing over time?
What does the emu look like in April? June? August?
Discuss how this can signal the behaviour patterns of the terrestrial emu.
Related activities within this resources:
What is Stellarium?
Discover Stellarium, a digital planetarium that offers a vivid depiction of the night sky worldwide, showcasing the celestial dance of the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars in real-time.
Activity 2 - Dark Emu explorations
This activity will engage students in thinking about the Dark Emu and engaging with Indigenous knowledge related to the changes within seasons indicated by this dark constellation.
Suggested timing:
2 lessons