Department of Education

Region III
DIVISION OF MABALACAT CITY

Name: __________________________________ Grade & Section: ________________

School: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________

LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET

Science 5 (Q4 – Lesson 5)
Characteristics and Patterns of Stars

I. Introduction

A clear night sky offers an ever-changing display of fascinating objects

to see – constellations, bright planets and thousands of stars. Stars are among
the most interesting objects that we see in the sky from Earth. Stars can only
be seen on a clear dark sky. As you gaze at the stars, you will observe some
interesting things about them.

Do you still remember the lullaby? “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”! Do you
know that stars do not really twinkle? Stars like the sun shine with steady
glow. We see them twinkle because their light bends several times as it passes
through layers of dust and moving air.

You will learn more about stars in this Activity Sheet. You will be
familiarized with the different characteristics of stars and their names as well
as the patterns they form.

II. Learning Competency

Identify the characteristics and patterns of stars that can be seen at

particular times of the year. (S5FE-IVi-j-9)

III. Objectives
At the end of this learning activity sheet, you are expected to:
1. identify the characteristics of stars;
2. identify and describe some common constellations seen in the
night sky;
3. describe how constellations are useful to people.

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IV.Discussion

STARS

Stars are giant ball of gases. They differ in color, brightness and size.
They shine day and night, but we see them only during the night like tiny dots
because they are far away from us. The sun is an example of a star. The sun
appears so big because it is the nearest star from earth. The Sun is an average
star, it is not hot or cool, it is not large or small.

Color and Temperature of Stars. The color of a star helps astronomers

determine the temperature of the star.

Color: Stars range in color from red-orange-yellow-white-blue. Red being

the coldest stars and blue being the hottest.

Temperature: Stars range in temperature from 2000°C – 50 000°C. The

2000°C stars are red in color while the 50 000°C are blue in color.

Study the table

Class Color Surface Temperature Example of Stars

O Blue Above 30,000 10 Lacertae

B Blue-white 10,000-30,000 Rigel, Spica

A Blue-white 7,500-10,000 Vega, Sirius

F Yellow-white 6,000-7,500 Canopus, Procyon

G Yellow 5,000-6,000 The sun, Capella

K Orange 3,500-5,000 Arcturus, Aldebaran

M Red Less than 3,500 Betelgeuse, Antares

Brightness of Stars. Brightness is related to the distance from the earth

and the age of the stars. Some stars are brighter than others. A star which is
too far away may look dim when actually it is very bright.

Apparent magnitude is a measure of the brightness of a star as seen

from Earth. It is used to describe the estimated brightness of a star. Stars that
appear to be the brightest have an apparent magnitude of 1 while the dimmest
stars that can be seen without the help of a telescope on a clear night have an
apparent magnitude of 6.

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 The table shows a list of stars and their apparent magnitude.

STAR APPARENT MAGNITUDE

Aldebaran .85

Rigel .12

Capella .08

Sirius -1.46

Pollux 1.14

Dhube 1.79

Shaula 1.62

Sun -26.74

Polaris 1.97

Light year is the distance travelled by light (at the speed of (300 000 km/s) for
a period of 1 year. Light travels about 10 trillion km in one year. The second star
closest to Earth is Proxima Centauri, which is 4.3 light-years away.

The table shows the distance of some stars in light-years.

Star Distance from Earth (in light years)

Sirius 8.5

Vega 26.5

Antares 390

Betelgeuse 300

Polaris 680

Rigel 900

Proxima Centauri 4.3

Deneb 1600

Sizes of Stars. Stars have different sizes. They are measured in diameters.
Diameter is a straight line that cuts a circle passing through the center point. The
smallest known star has a diameter of about 20 kilometers while the largest known
star VY Canis Major has 1 975 000 000 kilometers. This is more than 100 times that
of the sun. Some stars are so large, yet they cannot be seen by the naked eye because
they are so far away. The sun is the average size star, it is the star closest to earth,
that is why we can see it.
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 The table below shows the size of some stars

STAR SIZE (Diameter in Kilometer)

Sun 1 392 000

Capella 16 704 000

Arcturus 36 000 000

Antares 1 200 000 000

Betelgeuse 1 400 000 000

The earth is so small compared to the sun. The sun is more than one
million times larger than earth. It will take about 108 earths arranged in a row
to fill the diameter of the sun.

Stars according to Size

1. Super giants are the largest stars, and may have diameters several
hundred times the size of the Sun.
2. Giants are more common than Supergiants, and have diameters 10 to
100 times as large as the Sun.
3. Red Giants have cooler temperatures than giants, and are thus less
bright, but their size is still massive.
4. Medium-size or dwarf stars are about as large as the sun.
5. White dwarfs are small stars (smaller than the distance across Asia).

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 CONSTELLATIONS

If you are going to observe the sky on a cloudless night very keenly, you
will notice the patterns formed by groups of stars. The groups of stars that form
distinct patterns in the sky are called constellations.

The ancient people first observed these groups of stars as outlines of

animals, mythological heroes, gods and other objects. They found it easier to
locate and remember constellations when they try to find a distinct and
particular pattern the way a group of stars are engaged. For example, in the
Northern Hemisphere, they have observed a group of stars which they thought
look like a dragon, and so they named this group as Draco. In the Southern
Hemisphere, they noticed a group of stars that seemingly form a cross and so
called it as Southern Cross. Some other popular constellations are the Ursa
Major (Big Bear), Ursa Minor (Little Bear), Orion and Cassiopeia.

Star Maps

The 88 different constellations divide up the entire night sky as seen from
all around the Earth. This included 48 ancient constellations listed by the Greek
astronomer Ptolemy as well as 40 new constellations. Star maps are made of the
brightest stars and the patterns that they make which give rise to the names of
constellations. The maps of the stars represent the position of the stars as we
see them from earth.

Hemispheres and Seasons

Not all of the constellations are visible from any one point on Earth. The
star maps are typically divided into maps for the northern hemisphere and
maps for the southern hemisphere. The season of the year can also affect what
constellations are visible from where you are located on Earth.

Some of the Known Constellations and Stars

Ursa Major resembles a big bear and is the

third largest constellation in the night sky. It
includes the Big Dipper, which is composed of
the nearest seven stars, Alkaid, Alcor and Mizar
(appear as one), Alioth, Megrez, Phecda, Merak
and Dhube.

Ursa Minor or the little bear contains a group of stars

known as the Little Dipper. The handle of the dipper
serves as the little bear’s tail and the dippers cup, is
the bear’s thigh. The most famous star in Ursa Minor is
Polaris. It is called the North Star, since its position
always points to the earth’s north pole.

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Cassiopeia consists of five stars that seem to
form the letter W. It represents the queen
Cassiopeia of the mythical kingdom of Ethiopia.
Cassiopeia consists of five stars that seem to
form the letter W. It represents the queen
Cassiopeia of the mythical kingdom of Ethiopia.

Orion is one of the most recognizable

constellations in the night sky and is visible
throughout the world. Three of its stars form
its belt. Orion’s belt is also an asterism. On
Orion’s right shoulder is a red super giant star
called Betelgeuse. A Bluish-white star called
Rigel is found on Orion’s left knee.

The Polar Constellation

There are some constellations that can be seen only during certain
seasons of the year. These are called North Polar Constellations and South
Polar Constellations. The constellations nearest the center of the circle can be
seen throughout the year.

The people living in the Northern Hemisphere see constellations different

from those living in the Southern Hemisphere.

Constellations in the Zodiac

The Zodiac is an imaginary belt or path in the heavens that includes the path of
the planets. The belt is 16 degrees wide and the path the sun seems to follow as viewed
from the earth moves along its center. Therefore, the path of the moon and those of the
planets are within the boundaries of the zodiac. The Zodiac contains twelve
constellations. They are the Aquarius (the Water Carrier), Aries (the Ram), Cancer (the
Crab), Capricorn (the Goat), Gemini (the Twins), Leo (the Lion), Libra ( the Balance),
Pisces (the Fishes), Sagittarius (the Archer) , Scorpio (the Scorpion), Taurus (the Bull),
and Virgo (the Virgin). Each constellation is represented by a sign or symbol.

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Usefulness of Constellations

Since ancient times, constellations are always helpful to people. They

used the appearance of certain stars to forecast the weather. When stars are
visible, they expect fair weather. But, when stars are hidden behind the
clouds, the next day may be cloudy or rainy. By looking for patterns, the
stars and locations can be much easier to spot. The constellations were also
used to help keep track of the calendar.

Constellations are helpful to navigators, too. Navigators use their

knowledge in astronomy in the conduct of their work. When the navigators
are lost in the sea, they refer to Polaris, which is in Ursa Minor. They use
Polaris as their guiding star. Polaris is a fixed star. It is located at the north.
By using Polaris, it is easy to find south, east and west directions.

Activities

Activity # 1:
Write the answer on the blank for the riddle statement given and choose the
answer in the word bank.

5000-6000 Sun Sirius orange

Betelgeuse Proxima Centauri medium
No Polaris brightest

___________________ 1. I am a star. I have 11 000 surface temperature; could

I be a red star?
___________________ 2. My temperature is 4 000 °C. What color do I have?
___________________ 3. I am the sun and my color is yellow. What is my
surface temperature?
___________________ 4. My apparent magnitude from earth is 1.97. You see
me as the brightest star towards north, who am I?
___________________ 5. It will take about 108 earths arranged in a row to fill
my diameter, who am I?
___________________ 6. I have an apparent magnitude of 1, am I the dimmest
or the brightest star?
___________________ 7. Who am I, if I have a brightness of -1.46?
___________________ 8. They say I’m the second star closest to Earth.
___________________ 9. I am the sun, what is my size?

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___________________10. I am known to be one of the biggest star.
1 400 000 000 is my diameter in kilometer.

Activity #2:

Identify the word/words being described in every number. Choose your

answer on the box below.

Sun Canis Major 1 light year blue apparent magnitude

Proxima Centauri star brightness light year red

_________________ 1. It is the color of the coolest star.

_________________ 2. The size of this star is 1 975 000 000 kilometers in
diameter. What am I?
_________________ 3. It is a giant ball of hot gases.
_________________ 4. It is the color of hottest star.
_________________ 5. It is the brightness of a star as seen from Earth.
_________________ 6. This is equal to about six trillion kilometers.
_________________ 7. It gives an idea of the size of a star.
_________________ 8. It is the star nearest to Earth.
_________________ 9. It is the distance light travels in one year.
_________________10. It is the second star nearest to Earth.

Activity # 3:

Draw a star if the constellation can be useful to people and ☼ if it

is not.

________ 1. Finding the directions when at sea

________ 2. Predicting the coming season
________ 3. Predicting the world events
________ 4. To make a wish come true
________ 5. It helps track of the calendar.
________ 6. To locate certain stars or galaxies
________ 7. Guide in their daily life.

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________ 8. To track artificial satellites
________ 9. Studying how plants grow
________10. It forecasts the weather.

Activity # 4

A. Identify some of the commonly known Constellations. Write your answers

on the blank.

1. __________________________ 2. __________________________

3. _________________________ 4. _________________________

5. _______________________
___

B. True or False – Write T if the statement is true and F if false.

__________ 6. Ursa Minor forms a pattern W in the sky.

__________ 7. The Zodiac forms twelve constellations.
__________ 8. Three of Orion’s stars form its belt.
__________ 9. One symbol of Zodiac is Pisces which forms the goat.
__________10. A Bluish-white star called Rigel is found on Orion’s left knee.

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V. Assessment

Choose and encircle the letter of the correct answer.

1. Which of the following stars is the biggest?

A. Arcturus C. Capella
B. Betelgeuse D. Sun

2. Which of the following shows the relationship between the brightness and
distance of stars?
A. The nearer the star the brighter it appears as we see it.
B. The nearer the star the dimmer it appears as we see it.
C. The farther the star, the brighter it appears as we see it.
D. Distance has nothing to do with the apparent brightness of the star.

3. Which of these stars is the hottest?

A. Bluish white star C. Red star
B. Orange star D. Yellow star

4. Why are constellations important?

A. They are used for relaxation.
B. They are used to brighten the sky.
C. They are used to tell directions.
D. They are used to beautify the sky.

5. Which star has the biggest diameter?

A. Antares C. Capella
B. Arcturus D. Sun

6. What can you conclude about the color and temperature of stars?
A. The higher the temperature of a star, the dimmer it is.
B. The higher the temperature of a star, the brighter it is.
C. The lower the temperature of a star, the brighter it is.
D. The lower the temperature of a star, the bigger it is.

7. Why is Polaris a useful star?

A. It can be used to find directions.
B. It can be used by fortune tellers to predict the future.
C. It can be used to determine which period of the year is good for
planting crops.
D. It can be used to predict the weather.

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8. It is a measure of brightness of star as seen from Earth.
A. Apparent Brightness C. Brightness
B. Apparent Magnitude D. Light years

9. The size of the sun is

A. Medium star C. Supergiant star
B. Red Giants D. White dwarfs

10. What is constellation?

A. a group of stars forming patterns
B. a group of stars close to each other
C. a group of stars bigger than a galaxy
D. a group of stars smaller than galaxy

V. Reflection

Draw one pattern of stars in the sky tonight. Tell what pattern did you draw
and tell something about it.

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

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 RUBRIC

CRITERIA POINTS SCORE

Presentation of Ideas 3
Content Organization 2
Creativity and Skill 3
Neatness 2
Total 10

VII. References

Coronel, Carmelita C. et. Al. 1999 Science and Health 6. (Textbook); Copyright 1999 by SD
Publications Inc.

Cruz, Juanita M. et. Al 2003 Into the Future: Science and Health 6. (Textbook); Copyright
2003 by DIWA Scholastic Press Inc.

Sarte, Evelyn T. et. Al. 2016 Science Beyond Borders 5. (Textbook); Copyright 2016 by
Vibal group, Inc.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SVVjFsxs-c

www.slideshare.net/leahburbos/characteristics-of-stars-34418617

www.slideshare.net/winga1sm/star-powerpoint-3308182?next_slideshow=1

www.ducksters.com/science/physics/constellations.php

www.texasgateway.org/resource/components-universe

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 13
1. B
2. A
3. A
4. C
5. A
6. C
7. A
8. B
9. A
Answers may vary 10. A
Reflection Assessment
1.
2.
3. ☼
4. ☼
5.
6.
1. Red
2. Canis Major
1. Cassiopeia 7. 3. Star 1. No
2. Orion 4. blue 2. orange
3. Ursa Minor 5. Apparent 3. 5 000 – 6 000
4. Libra 8. ☼ Magnitude 4. Polaris
6. Light Year 5. Sun
5. Cancer
7. brightness 6. brightest
6. F
9. ☼ 8. Sun 7. Sirius
7. T 8. Proxima
8. T 9. 1 light year
10. Proxima Centauri
9. F 9. medium
10. Centauri
10. T 10. Betelgeuse
Activity 4 Activity 3 Activity 2 Activity 1
VIII. Answer Key
IX. Development Team

Development Team of the Learning Activity Sheets

Writer: Shirley D. Flores

Editor: Cristina L. Dizon, PhD
Reviewer: Ala M. Elagio, Maricel I. Santos, Leny L. Taoto
Illustrator: Shirley D. Flores
Layout Artist:
Management Team: Ericson Sabacan, PhD,CESO V
Leandro C. Canlas, PhD, CESE
Elizabeth O. Latorilla, PhD
Sonny N. De Guzman, EdD
Cristina L. Dizon, PhD
Elizabeth C. Miguel, EdD

For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Department of Education – Division of Mabalacat

P. Burgos St., Poblacion, Mabalacat City, Pampanga

Telefax: (045) 331-8143

E-mail Address: mabalacatcity@deped.gov.ph

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