Reinventing the Night: A Star Chart/Constellation Collaboration

star chart
With the theme of light this week at the Making Learning Connected MOOC, I have launched an invitation to people to help me create a new set of constellations, and origin stories, in the night sky by opening up four “star charts” that I have created in Google Drawing.

Anyone can come on in and add some star clusters and then write a short origin story. I hadn’t thought about it until Amy did it, but adding the story right into the Google Drawing as a comment makes great sense. I wrote out instructions and the four star charts (north, south, east, west) are open and editable by anyone.

Check out the instructions on how to add to the star charts

Or go to the charts:

You come, too. Add some stars. Make a constellation. Write your story. Collaborate with points of light.

Here is mine:

clmoocius spelledoutius

In the north sky, in mid July of 2014, the giant Makers of the Universe gathered together and noticed that on the small planet below, the Earthians had relied so much on consuming that they had forgotten creating. The Makers of the Universe decided to send a sign to the Earthians, something to help them remember that their hands were designed to make things and their minds were designed to invent things and solve problems, and the #CLMOOC constellation was born. The Makers of the Universe moved the stars into a cluster, confident that with the light of the CLMOOC shining down on the planet, a movement would be born and inspiration would be found. And it was so.

 

Peace (in the sky),
Kevin

2 Comments
  1. Thanks Kevin for spurring me forward. Writing an origin story was hard for me and I immediately thought of my own students who sit in front of a blank piece of paper, not knowing where to start. I added my story to the southern sky. After I got going, I found I was having fun writing in this new genre. 🙂

  2. This is such a great application…theory with reality.
    I found your blog through the link at Chibitronics. I just got my Circuit Stickers packages and I am working on text to teach my robotics students about circuits. I also teach astronomy and flashed on allowing my students to create their own constellations using paper circuits!
    I am so excited about school starting, we are going to have a blast!!!

Leave a Reply to Margaret Whitaker Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *