Shooting stars
Sometimes a bright streak of light zooms across the night sky. People call it a shooting star. But it is not a star at all!
- Say what a shooting star really is.
- Know the word meteor.
- Count shooting stars in a picture.
Links to: Working scientifically: observing closely; maths: counting.
Not really a star
Space has lots of tiny bits of rock and dust in it. Some are as small as a grain of sand.
When a tiny bit of space rock zooms into the air around Earth, it goes very, very fast. It gets so hot that it glows. We see a quick streak of light in the sky.
Its real name
Scientists call a shooting star a meteor. Say it: MEE-tee-or.
Most meteors last for less than one second. Then they are gone. The tiny rock has burned up high in the sky, so it cannot hurt anyone.
Lots at once
On some nights each year, you can see lots of meteors. This is called a meteor shower. One of the best is in August, in the summer holidays.
Counting meteors
Sam saw 3 meteors before bedtime. Mia saw 5 meteors. How many did they see altogether?
- Start with Mia's 5.
- Count on 3 more: 6, 7, 8.
Answer: They saw 8 meteors altogether.
Make a shooting star picture. Use black paper and draw a white or yellow streak with a dot at one end. Add a tail that gets thinner. Count the shooting stars in your picture and write the number at the bottom.
Quiz
5 questions. Choose an answer to see whether you are right and why. Finish the quiz to complete the lesson.
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Question 1What is a shooting star really?
A shooting star is a tiny bit of space rock that glows as it zooms through the air.
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Question 2What do scientists call a shooting star?
The streak of light is called a meteor.
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Question 3How long does a meteor usually last?
Most meteors flash across the sky very quickly.
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Question 4What is a meteor shower?
On some nights each year, lots of meteors can be seen. That is a meteor shower.
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Question 5Sam saw 2 meteors and Mia saw 4. How many altogether?
2 and 4 make 6.