Fall Finds

Materials

paper bags

fall nature items (leaves, pinecones, acorns)

magnifying glasses

water table

Instructions

1. Take a full-length photograph of each child. When printing or developing the
photos, make them as large as possible (8" x 10").
2. Ask the children if they have ever looked up at the stars when outside at
night. Explain that years ago, people who studied the stars (astronomers)
decided that some stars made the outline of people or animals. These
groups of stars are called "constellations."
3. Show the children some constellation charts. (You can obtain these at your
local planetarium or online.)
4. Give each child her photo, a clear plastic sheet, and a sheet of star stickers.
5. Ask the children to place the clear plastic sheet on top of their photograph.
Then have them outline their pictures using the star stickers.
6. When finished, the child removes the plastic sheet from the photo. She now
has a personal "Me Constellation."
7. Help the children think up names for their constellations. For example, The
Big Alex (Big Dipper) or Rachelopeia (Cassiopeia). Write the names under
each child's constellation.
8. Tape the constellations to a window.
9. If desired, let the children use the
plastic sheets and star
stickers to make
constellations of
other familiar items
they find in
magazines or
catalogs.