Teacher's Leaelet. 



793 



Observations: 



(i). Is the Little Dipper nearer or farther from the Pole. Star than the 

 Big Dipper? 



(2). How many stars in the handle of the Little Dipper? 



(3). How many stars make the bowl of the Little Dipper? 



(4). Which of these stars are the brightest? 



(5). Is the bowl of the Little Dipper above or below the Pole Star? 



(6). Does the Little Dipper extend in the same direction in relation to 

 the Pole Star all night ? 



(7). Make observations on the relation to each other of the two dip- 

 pers at eight o'clock in the evening in January, February, March and 

 April. 



English lesson. — In ancient times the Big and Little Dippers were 

 named the Big and Little Bears, and that is their Latin name to this day. 

 Write a story about what the ancient Greeks told about these bears and 

 how they came to be in the sky. 



References. — " Stories of Starland," pp. 117-121 ; " Storyland of Stars," 

 p. 75 ; " Child's Study of the Classics," p. 33. 



Facts for the Teacher. — The Little Dipper lies much nearer the Pole Star than 

 does the Big Dipper; in fact the Pole Star itself is the end of the handle of the 

 Little Dipper. Beside this Pole Star 

 there are two more stars in the handle 

 of the Little Dipper, and of the four 

 stars which make the bowl the two 

 that form the outer edge are much the 

 brighter. The bowl of the Little Dip- 

 per is above or below the Pole Star 

 according to the hour of the evening 

 or the night of ihe year, as it appar- 

 ently revolves about the Pole Star as 

 does the Big Dipper. The two Dip- 

 pers open toward each other and some 

 one said " they pour into each other." 

 There is an ancient myth telling the 

 story of the Big and Little Bears: A 

 beautiful mother called Callisto had a 

 little son whom she named Areas. 

 Callisto was so beautiful that she 

 awakened the anger of Juno who 

 changed her to a bear, and when her son grew up he became a hunter and one day 

 would have killed his transformed mother, but Jupiter seeing the danger of this 

 crime caught the two up into the heavens and set them there as shining stars. But 

 Juno was still vindictive as she wrought a spell which never allowed these stars to 

 rise and set like other stars, but kept them always moving around and around. 



The Pole Star and the Big and Litlle 

 Dippers 



