790 



Home Nature-Study Course, 



useful: The Friendly Stars, Martin (Harper Bros., $1.25) and Whit- 

 taker's Planisphere (Thos. Whittaker, 203 Bible House, New York, price 

 eighty-three cents). The book is simply and delightfully written, giving 

 interesting information about the stars. The planisphere is an ingenious 

 device which enables the observer to ascertain which stars are in sight 

 and in what part of the heavens, at any hour of the night and on any 

 night of the year. 



Lesson XXIX. 



THE BIG DIPPER. 



Purpose. — To teach the pupils to know this constellation and how to 

 identify the North Star by it. 



Method of giving the les- 

 son. — Choose a time when 

 the moon is in its last quarter, 

 so that the stars will not be 

 obscured by moonlight in the 

 early evening. Draw the ac- 

 companying figure on the 

 blackboard and allow it to re- 

 main there until the pupils 

 have made their observations. 

 Tlie pupils will naturallv do 

 their observing when they are 

 at home and report to the 

 teacher the next day. 



Observations for the pupils: 



The Big Dipper and North Star as seen about ( i ) . Can ^•ou find the 



8 p. m., January i ';th. The dotted line r>- t\- i.i 



shows the '-pointers- P"? Dipper among the 



stars ? 



(2). Is it in the north, south, east or west? 



(3). Which stars are the pointers in the dipper and why are they' 

 called so? 



(4). ]\Iake a drawing showing how you can always find the Pole Star 

 if you can see the Big Dipper. 



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



(6). How many stars in the handle? 



(7). Is the handle straight or is it curved? 



(8). Does the Dipper open toward the Pole Star or away from it? 



