A constellation is a group of stars that forms a pattern when viewed from Earth. The Big Dipper is not its own constellation but is part of the larger constellation Ursa Major, also known as the Great Bear. Constellations are created by connecting the dots between bright stars using imagination to see figures like dogs, cats, or other shapes.

1. CONSTELLATIONS A PATTERN OF STARS Miss White, Miss Becker, and Miss Butler

2. What is a Constellation? A b

3. B! The Answer is…

4. A Constellation is: A group of stars that, when seen from Earth, forms a pattern.

5. The Big Dipper Is it a constellation?

6. It is actually not its own constellation but part of a constellation called Ursa Major or The Great Bear

7. Can you find the Big Dipper in the Great Bear?

8. Connecting the Dots Constellations are pictures made up of bright stars which appear close to each other in the sky. Like a game of connect the dots, if you use your imagination when you look at the stars, you may see a dog or a cat or some other interesting figure.

9. Works Cited http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/prod/dialspace/town/drive/gdn08/jungle/junglephotos/fullsize/ursamajor.jpg http://my.execpc.com/60/B3/culp/astronomy/fig/BigDipper.gif http://www.physics.csbsju.edu/astro/constellations/images/ursa_major_l.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/pages/2975/orion_constellation_small.jpg http://homepage.ntlworld.com/c.rogers/howto/Mintron-Betelgues.jpg http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/the_universe/Constellations/north_constellations.html&edu=elem http://www.astropix.com/HTML/C_SPRING/URSAS.HTM http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/stars/constellations.shtml