Don’t close this browser tab!

This Mystery is being downloaded to your device so you can play it at home without an Internet connection.

Keep this tab open once it's downloaded in order to play the Mystery.

If you experience problems, please talk to your teacher.

0% Cancel
Why do the stars come out at night?

Why do the stars come out at night?
Lesson narration:
English Spanish
Scroll for prep
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?

Stars in the country vs city

Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen

Why`do`you`think
stars`come`out`at
night?`Why`can’t
you`see`them`during
the`day?

Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?

Search for Big Dipper

Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen

Big Dipper revealed

Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Slide Image
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

day


1 of 11

the time when the Sun is in the sky
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

night


2 of 11

the time when the Sun is not in the sky
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

Moon


3 of 11

a large, round object that you can usually see in the night sky
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

star


4 of 11

a bright light that can be seen in the night sky
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

astronomy


5 of 11

the study of outer space
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

constellation


6 of 11

a group of stars that form a pattern
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

observe


7 of 11

to pay close attention to something
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

telescope


8 of 11

a tool used to make very distant objects look closer, often used to look at outer space
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

model


9 of 11

a pretend version of something that scientists use when the real thing is too big, small, or complicated to work with
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen

sunrise


10 of 11

when the Sun appears in the morning
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?

sunset


11 of 11

when the Sun disappears in the evening
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Lesson narration:
English Spanish

Activity Prep

Print Prep
In this lesson, students use a model to investigate why the stars are visible at night but disappear when the Sun comes out during the day. In the activity, Star Projector, students use paper cups to project stars onto a sky picture, and observe what happens to these stars when a flashlight acts as a model of the Sun.
Preview activity
Number of students:

I have a Mystery Pack

Big Dipper Star Pictures printout 1 per 12 students
Sky Sheet printout 1 per pair
Scissors
1 pair per student
Dot Stickers
We prefer stickers because they are easier to distribute in a classroom. Tape will also work.
Details
1 sticker per student
Paper Cups (8 oz)
1 cup per student
Push Pins
1 pin per student
LED Flashlights
2 flashlights per pair
Prep Instructions

You will need to do part of this activity in the dark with the lights off and curtains drawn.

We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students will need two flashlights and a partner to help with a few steps.

Prepare Big Dipper Star Pictures

Each printout has 12 Big Dipper pictures. Cut up enough Big Dipper sheets to provide each student with one star picture.

Set Up Activity Stations

Set up activity stations by posting Sky Sheets on walls that will be dark or dimly lit when you pull the shades and turn out the lights. We recommend that each pair of students works at an activity station. If classroom space is limited, we’ve found that one station can comfortably accommodate up to 8 students taking turns.

Exploration

11 mins

Hands-On Activity

25 mins

Wrap-Up

4 mins

Extend this lesson

Vocabulary

Video

Activity

Mini-lessons

Transcripts

Credits