To discuss the use of stars and planets with regard to the development

Natural sciences

The earth and beyond

The stars

Educator section

Memorandum

1. Star: Heavenly body that emits light. Consists mainly of burning helium and hydrogen.

Planet: Lifeless heavenly body that gets light from the sun.

2. Look at page 2 in the module.

Leaner section

Content

EARLY MAN TRIED TO EXPLAIN THE MOVEMENT OF THE STARS AND PLANETS BY MEANS OF MYTHS AND LEGENDS. THE ANCIENT GREEKS TOOK A MORE SCIENTIFIC VIEW, BUT EVEN THEY BELIEVED MISTAKENLY THAT THE EARTH WAS AT THE CENTRE OF THE UNIVERSE.

FOR A FEW HUNDRED YEARS ONLY HAVE WE KNOWN THAT THE EARTH IS A VERY SMALL AND INSIGNIFICANT DOT? OUR SMALL PLANET ORBITS THE SUN, WHICH IN TURN IS MERELY ONE OF APPROXIMATELY 100 000 MILLION STARS IN OUR GALAXY AND WE NOW KNOW THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST 1 000 MILLION OTHER GALAXIES AS WELL.

Activity: to discuss the use of stars and planets with regard to the development of calendars [lo 2.1]

THE CHRISTIAN CALENDAR

• This calendar uses the sun as the main means of keeping time. One year therefore measures 365¼ days - the exact duration of one of the earth's orbits of the sun. The beginning of the Christian calendar is the birth of Jesus Christ. The years preceding this event are referred to as before Christ or BC, and the years following it are spoken of as anno Domini (the year of the Lord) or AD.
• This calendar is the most commonly used calendar throughout the world (also by non-Christians).

THE MUSLIM CALENDAR

• People in the Muslim community use the moon to keep time. (The moon, being still and lifeless, has no light of its own but merely reflects the light of the sun. The moon therefore is not a star.)

THE JEWISH CALENDAR

• Jews use a calendar that refers to the moon for counting the months and the sun for determining the length of the years. This calendar is dated from the time of the Biblical creation of the world.

• Although the Jewish and Christian calendars use the sun to determine the length of a year, the dates of the Christian and Jewish New Year do not coincide.

THE CHINESE CALENDAR

• The sun and the planet Jupiter are used by the Chinese to calculate time. Jupiter takes about 12 years to complete an orbit of the sun. The Chinese calendar is therefore based on a cycle of twelve years. Each year is named after an animal.
• Each of the animals have particular characteristics, which, according to Chinese belief, are transferred to the people who are born in the particular year.

FIND OUT

1. Consult a dictionary or any other dependable source to find out what the difference between a planet and a star is.

2. Explain how the calendars of Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Chinese people differ.

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Assessment

Learning Outcome 2: The learner will know and be able to interpret and apply scientific, technological and environmental knowledge.

Assessment Standard 2.1: We know this when the learner recalls meaningful information.