Skywatcher: Night Sky STEM & Social Action Activities

SKYWATCHER: ACTIVITIES

Best Users: Educators, Public Librarians, School Librarians, Outdoor Education, Home Learning
Best Audience: Children Grades 02-06

ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES

In the picture book Skywatcher, Tamen and his mother go on a camping trip to see the stars for the first time. Free from his city’s light pollution, Tamen’s eyes and heart are opened to the Milky Way and all the animals that thrive in true night. Author and illustrator Jamie Hogan has created several activities to celebrate and defend the dark.

Nocturnal Animal Masks
On the book’s endpapers we see Tamen and his friends celebrating the night with nocturnal animal costumes. Jamie has created a series of masks for your story time night creatures.
DOWNLOAD Skywatcher: Nocturnal Creature Masks (PDF)

Defend the Dark
Tamen is awakened to light pollution and how our lighting habits are blocking our access to the sky and harming animals and birds. In the back of the book we see him designing a “Defend the Dark” zine. Share his zine with readers or use it as a model for them to create their own.
DOWNLOAD Skywatcher: Defend the Dark Zine (PDF)

Tell Your Neighbors
Once you begin to explore light pollution, you may come to recognize the overuse of lights in your own neighborhood. How do share the knowledge that there are financial and environmental benefits to reduced nighttime lighting? Jamie Hogan and Curious City created this letter to help spread the word to neighbors.
DOWNLOAD Skywatcher: Light Pollution Letter (PDF)

Images © Jamie Hogan.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Skywatcher
By Jamie Hogan
Illustrated by Jamie Hogan
Published by Tilbury House Publishers
ISBN-13: 9780884488972
Age Range: 6 – 8 Years

Tamen longs to see the stars, but none are visible in the light-polluted sky above the fire escape of his urban apartment building. Even in the neighborhood park, the stars are hidden by city lights.

This is a story about love and sacrifice: Tamen’s mom, a nightshift nurse, finds a way to take him camping. For one magical night on the shore of a wilderness pond, the Milky Way in all its glory belongs to them.

“Beautifully illuminates the importance of our children experiencing the wonder of the night sky, and our responsibility to preserve it.”
—Charles Fulco, NASA Solar System Ambassador
.
“Hogan’s illustrations use pastels with a blue and yellow palette to create the feeling of glowing lights in the night…what makes this story stand out is the relationship between a boy and his hardworking mother, who works the night shift at the hospital, and a special night they share together outside of their usual busy routine. Tamen sees a new side of his mother; together, they feel at one with the universe…Touching.”
—Kirkus Reviews

GIVEAWAY WINNERS

These FIVE institutions won these starry-eyed contents:

• Giclee Print of the Constellation Endpapers
• Glow in the Dark Stickers
• Signed Book
• All of the Activities
• And More!

.