Lesson 1: Introduction

Textbook:

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Introduction:

These lessons are geared for younger students. Many lessons will, however, include activities for the older student. Parents/teachers will easily find the answers to questions in the text, and should prepare themselves by reading the stated pages prior to having the student read the weekly assignment. If a child is not able to read yet, parents may wish to read the text to the student.

Read:

Introduction, page 5
Glossary, pages 77-78
How can we see distant stars in a young universe?
Moving with the planets
Are stars forming today?

Scripture:

Genesis 1:1-19
Psalms 147:4

Questions to answer:

1. On which Creation day did God create the sun, moon, and stars?
2. In Astronomical Insights the author describes the Pleiades and Orion. Have the student write a brief research paper on these constellations. Younger students may draw these constellations.
3. What is a ‘constellation’?
4. In How can we see distant starlight? we read about stars being many light years away. What is a light year?
5. In Moving with the planets, the author discusses several astronomers. Have the student write a short essay on the contribution of each astronomer (Ptolemy, Copernicus, Kepler, Newton, Brahe, Einstein).
6. In Are stars forming today? three types of nebulae are discussed. What are they? Give a short description of each one.

Words/phrases to know:

Nebula
Light-year
Constellation

Activities:

• Have student draw a picture of Day 4 of creation.
• You might want to take your child/student to a planetarium to get an overall view of the stars, planets, constellations. Caution: We know of no planetarium that presents the development of the lights in the heavens as recent (less than 10,000 years ago).