Calendars in Space. Grade 3. by Oren Bendavid-Val. About the Museum

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1 Calendars in Space Grade 3 by Oren Bendavid-Val About the Museum The Museum of Russian Icons was founded in 2006 as a non-profit educational institution by Massachusetts industrialist Gordon B. Lankton. The collection includes more than 500 Russian icons, the largest collection of its kind in North America, and one of the largest private collections outside Russia. The collection spans six centuries, and includes important historical paintings dating from the earliest periods of icon painting to the present. The Museum is a fascinating place for teachers and students to explore. It offers discussion-based tours that engage students of all ages. The study of icons and Russian culture yields rich connections to a wide variety of curriculum areas, including history and social studies, art and art history, and English Language Arts. We can customize your classroom visit to meet your instructional goals and curriculum needs. About This Lesson This lesson is one of a series developed by graduate students in Tufts University s Museum Studies program as assignments for the course Curriculum Development for K-12/Museum Collaborations. Special thanks to the students who created them. These lessons are works in progress intended to show educators the scope of educational opportunities that the Museum can create for students. Some lessons are designed to take place at the Museum, while others were created for teachers to use in the classroom. They can be printed out and used as is, or they can serve as a starting point for other lessons. The Museum looks forward to working with educators to tailor the experience for their students. If you have written or developed a lesson plan about icons, the Byzantine Empire, Russian history or culture, or any other relevant subject and you d like us to post it on this website as a community resource, please send it to the address below and we will be in touch to follow up. If you have questions or feedback about these lessons, or if you d like to make arrangements for your students to visit the Museum, please contact Tara Young at tyoung@museumofrussianicons.org or call (978) x 13. Content I. Pre-Visit Lesson Calendars in Space: The Sun II. In-Gallery Lesson Calendars in Space: Calendars, Minyeias and the Solar System III. Gallery Workshop Lesson Calendars in Space: Phases of the Moon Page Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 1

2 I. Pre-Visit Lesson Calendars in Space: The Sun Age Group: Grade 3 Time Required: 50 minutes (one class period) Subject: Science (earth and space), English Language Arts, Visual Arts The Big Idea Cultural objects, even practical ones, can tell us about the values of individuals and communities that use them. Calendars combine a cyclical idea of time based in nature with our historical sense of linear time. Both are central to our needs and our understanding of time, nature, and ourselves. Overview In this lesson, designed to precede a visit to the Museum of Russian Icons, students will briefly survey a variety calendars from various cultures, focusing on minyeias (the liturgical icon calendars of the Russian Orthodox Church). Many calendars are based on the orbit of the Earth, the orbit of the moon, or some combination. Minyeias, as well as the standard modern calendar, are based on the Earth s revolution around the Sun. Students will discuss the implications of features of the Earth s year-long orbit around the Sun for the seasons and the calendar. In a creative activity, students will build a paper model of the Earth s orbit around the Sun. They will then convert it into a calendar (a flattened orbit, ) underscoring the direct relationship between the orbit and the calendar, and the dual conception of time as cyclical (or repeating) and linear (non-repeating). Materials Needed Images of calendars from various cultures (see appendix 1, pages 27-35) Diagram showing orbit & axial tilt (see appendix 2, page 36) one per student Scissors Scotch tape Standard 22 x 28 poster board one per student Styrofoam spheres 3 inch diameter ones work well, but they can be larger (representing the Earth) one per student Paper clips (opened up and inserted through the Earth spheres to serve as an axis) one per student Clay/modeling compound (to use as a base for the Earth sphere) one ball per student Larger Styrofoam spheres 4 inch diameter ones works well, but they can be larger (representing the Sun) one per student Season stickers (these can be purchased or create homemade decals with the name or symbol of each season) one set per student Overhead projector Crayons or markers, or other art supplies to decorate a calendar Optional: A standard calendar Preparation required (See Appendix 3, page 37-40, for explanatory pictures) Poster Board Cut standard 22 x 28 inch poster board into 4 strips. Cut across the 22-inch width (the short way). Dimension of the strips should be about 7 X 22 inches. With a pencil or pen mark off each strip into 3 sections. Draw two lines across each strip (the short way) to form 3 sections or boxes. Each section/box should be about 7 X 7 1/3 inches (with most rulers it s necessary to mark off the lines at 7 5/16 inches). Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 2

3 Styrofoam Earth Spheres These are easy to find at craft and art supply stores. Draw a line around the circumference of the Earth to represent the equator. Most Styrofoam spheres have a seam around them you can use as a guide. Use a permanent marker or felt-tip pen. Straighten out a paper clip and insert it through the Earth sphere to serve as an axis. It may take a couple tries to get it centered correctly. Divide the clay/modeling compound into balls, a couple inches in diameter one per student. These will serve as stands for the Earth. The Plasticine kind works best. Season Stickers Each student receives one set of 4 stickers. Each sticker should be small (an inch or so across). Each of the four stickers represents one season. You can buy stickers pre-made with the names or symbols for each season. If you wish, you can use plain round stickers in different colors and write the names or symbols for each season. Diagram showing orbit & axial tilt Print out one diagram for each student. Calendars from Different Cultures If you don t have access to an overhead projector, print out copies for students to look at. Vocabulary Axial tilt: The angle by which the rotational axis of the Earth differs from a right angle to the orbital plane Axis: an imaginary central line about which a rotating body, such as the Earth, turns. Cycle: a complete round or series of occurrences that repeats or is repeated. Hemisphere: one half of the globe (usually Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western hemispheres). Linear: resembling, represented by, or consisting of a line or lines; having one dimension or direction Liturgical: of or pertaining to formal public worship or liturgies. Lunar: of or pertaining to the moon; measured by the moon s revolutions. Lunar Calendar: a calendar based on the cycles or revolutions of the moon Lunisolar Calendar: a calendar based on the cycles or revolutions of both the Earth around the Sun and the moon around the Earth Minyeia: an icon serving as a Russian Orthodox liturgical calendar. Orbit: the curved path, usually elliptical, described by a planet or satellite around a celestial body, such as the Sun. Phase: a stage in a process of change or development Revolution: a complete turn of the Earth around its orbit. Rotation: a complete turn of the Earth around its axis. Solar: of, pertaining to, or determined by the Sun. Solar calendar: a calendar based on the revolutions of the Earth around the Sun Solar system: the Sun together with all the planets and other bodies that revolve around it. Tropical year: time between successive vernal equinoxes; also called a solar year. The tropical year is the basis of the year used in the Gregorian calendar. Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 3

4 Objectives/Assessment Criteria By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: Name some advantages and disadvantages to basing a calendar on the cycles of the moon and the Sun. Describe the two equinoxes and the two solstices in the context of the Earth s orbit around the Sun. Describe and contrast the concepts of linear and cyclical. Background and Introduction The basic elements of the calendar are the day, the week, the month, and the year. Of those four elements, only the week is based on custom rather than natural events (Richards 1998, 101). A day (the time from one sunrise to the next sunrise) is one complete rotation of the Earth. A year (approximately days) is one complete orbit of Earth around the Sun. A month (approximately days) is one complete orbit of the Moon around the Earth (Calendars Through the Ages, 2008). None of those three elements are divisible into the others. Some calendars attempt to remain true to both the orbit of the Earth around the Sun and the moon around the Earth, like the traditional Jewish and Chinese calendars (lunisolar calendars). Those calendars require many complicated rules to achieve this. (Richards 1998, ; ). Other calendars prioritize one or the other events and are essentially solar or lunar based. The traditional Islamic calendar is lunar. The Christian calendar which has evolved into the modern standard international calendar is solar. It is based on the Earth s orbit around the Sun. Some of the earliest calendars are believed to have been based on the phases of the moon. It is tempting to measure the passing of time against the phases of the moon, because unlike the Sun, the changes in the moon s appearance are readily observable, and completely consistent and predictable (Duncan 1998, 8-10). The drawback to basing a calendar on the moon, however, is that the phases of the moon have relatively little to do with many of the events on Earth. Certainly the moon has effects life on Earth in important ways. At a minimum it creates the ocean tides, it lights the night according to its phases, and many believe it affects animals behavior (Green, Jen, 2008, 143). But the moon, unlike the Sun, has nothing to do with some of the Earth s most important events like seasons and the intensity and duration of daylight. The modern calendar has gone through many changes, reflecting an ongoing attempt to standardize a calendar that accurately reflects the Earth s orbit (the seasons and the tropical year ). The two historically predominant standard western calendars are the Julian calendar (introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BCE) and the Gregorian calendar (introduced by Pope Gregory XII in 1582). The latter is the basis for today s standard international calendar (Clark 2009, 99; Richards 1998, ). Each has gone through various changes. The Julian calendar is still used by Orthodox Christians for some liturgical purposes (Clark 2009, 99). Regardless of their exact form, solar calendars can be thought of conceptually as segments of the Earth s rotation around the Sun, with each element day, month or year as one small section of the orbit. An interesting thing happens, however, when we divide the orbit into segments and lay it flat, as it were, as represented in a calendar. The cyclical process of the orbit takes on a linear characteristic. This reflects our dual conception of time as both cyclical and linear. We require a calendar that gauges where we are in the repeating cycles of nature. But we also need a calendar that reflects our understanding that time stretches from the remote past into the unforeseeable future (Richards 1998, 42). One of the common misconceptions about the seasons is that they are an outcome of the shape of the Earth s orbit. It is often wrongly believed that summer is the outcome of the Earth moving closer to the Sun on its orbit of the Earth. In fact, it is the tilt of Earth s rotational axis that causes us to have winter and summer. (The tilt is defined as the difference in angle from 90 degrees from the orbital plane). The result of the axial tilt is that when one hemisphere say the Northern Hemisphere is angled towards the Sun, the Sun s rays hit it much more directly. The Southern Hemisphere gets the Sun s rays much more indirectly, at an angle, causing the rays to be more diffuse. In that position, the Northern Hemisphere experiences summer, with much more heat and longer days relative to the night; the Southern Hemisphere experiences winter with much less heat, and much longer nights relative to the day. On the opposite side of the orbit, of course, the reverse is true. The Northern Hemisphere, angled away from the Sun, experiences winter, and the Southern Hemisphere, angled towards the Sun, experiences summer. In the spring and fall, neither the Northern or the Southern hemisphere is tilted more towards the Sun, causing those seasons to be more moderate, and the length of day and night to be similar (Green 2008, 12-14). Instructional Steps PART ONE: Calendar Comparisons (10 minutes) 1. Tell students we are going to look at some calendars from different cultures. Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 4

5 2. Using an overhead projector, show and discuss a variety of calendars (See Appendix 1, pages 27-35) Bahai, Chinese; Hindu; Jewish; Mayan; Muslim; Russian Orthodox Ask students to describe things that strike them about the calendars. Ask what looks different and what looks similar to calendars they re familiar with. 3. Point out that calendars may differ from culture to culture. But they all do the job they were meant to do: Keeping track of time Marking important times of year 4. Explain that different calendars are based on different things. For example: The traditional Islamic calendar is based on the phases of the moon a lunar calendar. The calendar we use is based on the Earth s orbit around the Sun a solar calendar. The traditional Jewish and Chinese calendars combine the cycles of the Sun and the moon they are lunisolar calendars. 5. Point out some calendars including some of the calendars we were looking at show the year in the form of a circle. Ask, Does anyone have any ideas why that might be? 6. Introduce the words cycle and cyclical. Ask, Does anyone know what a cycle is? Ask, What are some examples of cycles? Life cycles of butterfly Bicycle: wheels go around and around Point out that even when calendars aren t in a circle, they still represent the same cycles. 7. Spend some time looking at various forms of minyeias. Give some basic information about minyeias: They are religious calendars of the Eastern Orthodox Church They can cover a week, a month or a year. They are a form of icon they are considered holy. Like other icons, the lack of realism (like three-dimensionality) is partly because the images aren t meant to imitate the physical world, but to bring forth the spiritual (Clark 1994, 142). They use images of saints to mark different days in the Eastern Orthodox Church each day has a saint or saints associated with it. Many start the year with the month of September, which was an older form of calendar. It is a solar-based calendar, like our calendar, and it contains all twelve of the same months as our calendar. PART TWO: Examine And Discuss Orbit Diagram (10 minutes) 1. Pass out the orbit diagram. [Or project it on an overhead projector] 2. Ask all the students to look at the diagram. Ask them, What do you see? Make sure the following are mentioned: the Sun the Earth the Earth s orbit the tilt of the Earth s axis 3. Draw students attention to the Northern Hemisphere s summer solstice. Ask, Can anyone guess what happens when we are at this place in the Earth s rotation? If a student knows that we experience summer at that position, prompt students to explain why (the Sun s rays hit it much more directly) Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 5

6 If students do not know the answer, explain the reason, pointing out the part of the diagram (inset) that shows the Sun s rays hitting the Earth. 4. Be sure to specify that the seasons are NOT caused by how close the orbit brings the Earth to the Sun. This is a widespread misconception. 5. Go through each of the four seasons how the axial tilt means that the position of the Earth relative to the Sun results in the winter solstice, vernal (spring) equinox, summer solstice, and fall equinox, and the corresponding seasons. 6. Ask, What makes summer different from winter? It is much warmer. The days are much longer compared to the nights. Students may point out many things that are related to this snow, blooming plants, etc. Other differences are not directly related to the Sun. Different holidays occur on different seasons, for example. The school year is in the winter, but not in the summer. 7. Discuss how the calendar is a cultural document that combines natural elements like the seasons with cultural or traditional or practical elements. PART THREE: Flattened Orbit Calendar Activity (30 minutes) 1. Explain to the students that in this activity we are going to show the connection between the Earth s orbit and the things we discussed, and calendars. 2. Pass out orbit diagram and supplies. 3. Lead the students to follow the procedure described below (it will be helpful for the instructor to prepare by first looking at the pictures in the appendix to get a sense of all the elements): 4. Tape together the 4 strips to make one long strip. Put the tape on the back side of the strips (the side without lines) 5. Point out that the long strip of poster board is divided into 12 boxes. Ask, Can anyone think of a way that the number 12 relates to a calendar? (The 12 months) 6. Put an X or a mark on a box at the end of the strip 7. Tape the two ends of the strip together, so it makes a big circle. The boxes should be on the INSIDE of the circle. Tape the ends together to the right of the X. The X should be to the left of the end of the strip (now taped together). If the circle is too big to sit on a desk, students may need to work on the floor. 8. Hold up the Sun sphere. Tell the students that this is the Sun. Demonstrate that it should be placed in the middle of the circle 9. Explain that the paper strip in a circle represents the path of the Earth around the Sun. Does anyone remember what that is called? (the orbit) Of course the real orbit isn t an actual thing, it is just the path the Earth follows. There isn t anything like this paper actually in space. We are just using it to show what the orbit looks like and to keep track of where the Earth goes. 10. Point out the tilt of the Earth in the diagram. The Earth is tilted in this way, in relation to the Sun 11. Ask, Does anyone remember what happens as a result of that tilt? When we are tilted towards the Sun, the rays hit us more directly, and it is summer. When we are tilted away from the Sun, the rays hit us less directly, and it is winter. The same with the other hemisphere, but at the opposite times. Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 6

7 This is called the Summer Solstice and the Winter Solstice. When the Earth is in the vernal and fall equinox positions the tilt doesn t affect the angle of the rays, so at those times it is neither extremely hot nor extremely cold. 12. Show the Earth sphere Tell the students that this sphere represents the Earth. Remind the students that we live in the Northern Hemisphere. 13. Demonstrate how to place the Earth in the clay to show axial tilt Make some clay into a ball. Flatten the bottom of the clay ball so it can serve as a stand. Stick the axis into the clay at an angle so the Earth sphere is tilted (see picture in appendix). 14. Show how to place the Earth with our hemisphere tilted away from the Sun. Use the box with the X on it to position the Earth for Northern Hemisphere winter solstice. For best results, winter should be on the left side of the circle (orbit), when you are facing it, to match the orbit diagram. The direction of the orbit should be COUNTER CLOCKWISE, as in the orbit diagram. 15. Ask, What season do you think it is? It s winter. Place the winter sticker (for winter solstice) on the corresponding square. 16. Do the same for winter, spring, and fall, simulating and re-explaining axial tilt and the seasons. Point out each solstice is 6 squares apart. Each equinox is also 6 squares apart. Each season is 3 squares apart. 17. NOTE: Make sure you DO NOT fill in all the months at this point in the activity. If you do the months will be out of order later in the activity. Remember, as step number 10 points out, this is a conceptual version of the orbit. The actual orbit path isn t three dimensional like a piece of paper. 18. Holding the Earth sphere above the paper orbit, demonstrate the Earth revolving around the Sun, showing how it traces the path of the orbit by moving it around the orbit in a counter-clockwise movement. Be sure to keep the tilt of the axis consistent. Point out that the Earth is passing the vernal equinox, summer solstice, fall equinox, and winter solstice, and that the seasons pass in that order spring, summer, fall, winter, spring, summer, fall, winter, over and over again. 19. Discuss how the calendar is in the same order regardless of what month you start with, because it is cyclical. Ask, Does anyone remember what cyclical means? 20. Explain to the students that we are now going to take apart the orbit and make something new. Untape the orbit circle so that it is again 4 strips of poster board. 21. Have students put the strips together in the right order and tape them together in a rectangle shape (essentially forming a poster board again). 22. Have them fill in the names of the months (taking cues from the seasons) to make a conventional-looking calendar. Optional: show the students a standard one year calendar (with all the months on one page) to show how their flattened orbit calendar looks like an actual calendar. 23. Point out that even though it isn t in a circle, it still is read in the same order, and the months and seasons repeat the same way year after year (in a sense, it still goes around and around). Discuss how the calendar can be thought of as flat/linear and round/cyclical. Life cycle of a caterpillar/butterfly repeats but is linear. Same with seasons it repeats but you change get older, for example. Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 7

8 This corresponds to how we think of the year, the day time in general. In a sense a calendar is like cutting up the Earth s orbit around the Sun and laying it flat. 24. With the remaining time, students can decorate their calendars. Lesson Extension The World Calendar is a proposed reformed calendar that its proponents say is far more consistent and easy to use than the current standard calendar, while remaining accurate. What are the features of this proposed calendar, and how does it work? The World Calendar Assessment (See Appendix 4, page 41 for assessment rubric.) By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: Name some advantages and disadvantages to basing a calendar on the cycles of the moon and the Sun. Describe the two equinoxes and the two solstices in the context of the Earth s orbit around the Sun. Describe and contrast the concepts of linear and cyclical. Massachusetts Curriculum Standards MA Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework (Grade 3-5) Earth and Space Science Strand (Earth in the Solar System) 13. Earth is a part of the solar system that includes the Sun, planets, and many moons. Earth is the third planet from the Sun. 14. Earth orbits the Sun in a year s time and rotates on its axis in approximately 24 hours. The rotation of the Earth, day/ night, and apparent movements of the Sun, moon, and stars are connected. MA English Language Arts and Literacy Curriculum Framework (Grade 3) (Adopted March 2011) Speaking and Listening Standards strand Topic: Comprehension and Collaboration 1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly. a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion. b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion). c. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others. d. Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion. 3. Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail. Topic: Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas 6. Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. MA Arts Curriculum Framework (K-4) Visual Arts Strand Standard 1: Methods, Materials, and Techniques Students will demonstrate knowledge of the methods, materials, and techniques unique to the visual arts. By the end of grade 4 Students will: 1.1 Use a variety of materials and media, and understand how to use them to produce different visual effects 1.2 Create artwork in a variety of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) media Standard 10: Interdisciplinary Connections Students will use knowledge of the arts and cultural resources in the study of the arts, English language arts, foreign languages, health, history and social science, mathematics, and science and technology/engineering. By the end of grade 4 Students will: 10.1 Integrate knowledge of dance, music, theatre, and visual arts and apply the arts to learning other disciplines Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 8

9 Suggested Resources for Educators Websites 1. Calendars Through the Ages (Web Exhibits) 2. NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Learning Center for Young Astronomers 3. NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory Solar System Simulator Books 1. Bell, Trudy E Earth s Journey through Space. New York - Chelsea House Publishers. 2. Green, Jen, Children s Planet Earth Encyclopedia. London, U.K.: Parragon. 3. Miller, Ron Worlds Beyond: The Sun. Brookfield, CT: Millbrook Press. Bibliography 1. Calendars Through the Ages Web Exhibits: (accessed April 22, 2012). 2. Clark, Katherine The Orthodox Church. London, UK: Kuperard. 3. Duncan, David Ewing Calendar: Humanity s Epic Struggle to Determine a True and Accurate Year. New York: Avon Books. 4. Green, Jen Children s Planet Earth Encyclopedia. London, U.K.: Parragon. 5. Miller, Ron Worlds Beyond: The Sun. Brookfield, CT: Millbrook Press. 6. Richards, E.G Mapping Time; The Calendar and its History. New York: Oxford University Press. Appendices 1. Calendars from Different Cultures (Appendix 1, pages 27-35) 2. Orbit Diagram (Appendix 2, page 36) 3. Orbit Model/Flattened Orbit Calendar - photographs (Appendix 3, pages 37-40) 4. Assessment Rubric (Appendix 4, page 41) Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 9

10 II. In-Gallery Lesson Calendars in Space: Minyeias, Geometry, and the Solar System Age Group: Grade 3 Length of Lesson: 50 minutes (one class period) Subjects: Math (geometry); Science (earth and space), English Language Arts, Visual Arts The Big Idea Cultural objects from the past, like calendars, can tell us about the ways that people and communities organized information. Calendars in particular link the processes of nature to important personal, cultural, and community events. Overview Through discussion, an art project, and a game, students will learn about minyeias, the icon-based Russian Orthodox liturgical calendars, and how they relate to other calendars. Both our standard calendar and the Russian Orthodox liturgical calendar are solar calendars. In discussing this, students will think about what the uses of a calendar are, and what some of the main features of both our calendar and the minyeias are. Through an art project and a game, students will more closely investigate features of the 12-month minyeia, particularly the geometric features. Materials needed Printouts of the solar system illustrating axial tilt and the seasons (see Appendix 2, page 36) List of Eastern Orthodox feast days with seasons (see Appendix 5, page 42) Minyeia configuration example sheet (see Appendix 6, page 43) Rulers Colored pencils Clipboards Standard white 8.5 x 11 size paper one for sheet for each student, plus extras Minyeia playing cards (see Appendix 7, page 44) Preparation required Precut game squares if the number of students calls for it. Read background section Review vocabulary words Vocabulary Axial tilt: The angle by which the rotational axis of the Earth differs from a right angle to the orbital plane Axis: an imaginary central line about which a rotating body, such as the Earth, turns. Hemisphere: one half of the globe (usually Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western hemispheres). Liturgical: of or pertaining to formal public worship or liturgies. Lunar: of or pertaining to the moon; measured by the moon s revolutions. Minyeia: an icon serving as a Russian Orthodox liturgical calendar. Orbit: the curved path, usually elliptical, described by a planet or satellite around a celestial body, such as the Sun. Revolution: a complete turn of the Earth around its orbit. Rotation: a complete turn of the Earth around its axis. Solar: of, pertaining to, or determined by the Sun. Solar system: the Sun together with all the planets and other bodies that revolve around it. Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 10

11 Objectives and assessment criteria By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: Demonstrate understanding of the basic design and function of a minyeia. Demonstrate understanding that the Earth orbits the Sun and that our calendar is based on the position of the Earth in relation to the Sun on that orbit. Show understanding of geometry and geometric measurement skills by correctly creating a minyeia diagram and using it in the game. Background and introduction Minyeias, the liturgical calendars of the Russian Orthodox Church, are, like our standard calendar, both essentially functional and deeply formalized. Like other icons, minyeias use pictures to link people to the spiritual world. The flatness, two dimensionality, lack of shadows and so on are intended to signal that the images aren t concerned with merely depicting the physical world, but with bringing forth the spiritual (Clark 1994, 142). Originally made mainly for churches, calendar icons can be weekly, monthly or yearly, and use pictures to indicate feast days of the saints, in alternation with the moveable feasts (Tradigo 2006, 24). Calendar icons are believed to derive from miniatures painted in manuscript collections of saints lives (Tradigo 2006, 24). Saints celebrated on the same day may be grouped together, or only the first one may be depicted. Most saints are depicted standing, but martyrs are shown in their moment of martyrdom. (Tradigo 2006, 24). In this lesson we will visit different minyeias, focusing on a 12-month minyeia (Minyeia, 1995 in the Museum of Russian Icons collection, ). Orthodox Christians celebrate twelve Great Feasts, or holy days, throughout the year, relating to the number of apostles (Yevtushenko 2011, 58). Easter, the holiest celebration of all, is counted separately (Clark 1994, ). Nine of the feast days have fixed calendar dates. They occur on the same dates each year, and they are referred to as fixed feast days. However, Easter is based on a combination of solar and lunar cycles (it is the first full moon after the Spring Equinox). Because the calendar is solar based, and the cycles of the moon are not synchronous with those of the Sun, the date of Easter changes from year to year. The remaining three feast days are timed in relation to Easter, and therefore also have variable dates. Because of the variability of their dates, these holy days are referred to as moveable feasts (Clark 1994, ). Like many cultures, the Orthodox Christians use a different calendar for secular and religious purposes or more accurately the two are used in combination. While the secular year starts in January, the liturgical year starts with Easter (March or April). Traditionally, however, the church calendar starts in September. For this reason the first month listed in the minyeia is September (Yevtushenko 2011, 58). The Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar is based on the Julian Calendar for Easter. Introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C., the Julian calendar was at the time a great improvement in accuracy, in that it changed from a lunar-based year to a solar-based year, and included leap days (Richards 1998, ). However, the Julian calendar itself is not perfectly accurate. Mainly, it represents the average length of a year as days, when it is actually about days. This begins to matter over many years when the calendar date (as opposed to the actual event) of the spring equinox, and eventually Easter, begins to drift. Every 128 years the Julian calendar slips one day ahead of the actual position of the Earth, with respect to the Sun (Richards 1998, 239). Today s standard calendar, which is based on the Gregorian Calendar, introduced by Pope Gregory XII in 1582 (Clark 1994, 99) remedies this error. Other than starting in September, the minyeia is similar in format to our standard calendar (in fact, some later minyeias start in January). Like our calendar, the minyeia is a solar calendar. Being a Julian calendar doesn t affect the basic arrangements of days and months. It is based on the Earth s position with respect to the Sun. Historically, not all calendars have followed this strategy. Some of the earliest calendars seem to have been based on the cycles of the moon (Duncan 1998, 8-10). Unlike basing a calendar on the Sun, following the phases of the moon allows one to mark changes day by day. But the cycles of the moon, unlike the Sun, are not directly related to length of day or year, or to seasons. For example, the seasons are determined by axial tilt. Axial tilt causes the Sun s rays to hit the Earth more directly in one hemisphere than the other for parts of the year, determining the season. Like all icons, the minyeias adhere to prescribed guidelines for composition and content, and even color (Tradigo 2006, 24). One of the typical twelve-month calendars is based on a rectangle divided into 16 (4X4) equal smaller rectangles. The outer 12 rectangles become the months. The inner four become a new rectangle, also divided into 4X4 rectangles. Again, the outer 12 become images (of feast days or stages in Jesus life, for example), and the inner four become a new rectangle, used for a religious image. Whatever the formal differences in different types of calendars, whether solar or lunar, our calendar or the minyeia, calendars link the processes of nature to the important personal and community events of our lives. Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 11

12 Instructional Steps PART ONE Discussion about Minyeias and other calendars (15 minutes total) A. Calendars are a way to keep track of time (days, seasons, years) and events (4-6 minutes) 1. Bring the group to the triptych-style minyeia (Minyeia, circa 1860, ) and introduce it in the context of the icon museum. Explain that an icon is a picture used by Orthodox Christians for prayer. Explain that the minyeia is a slightly different kind of icon. Ask the students to look at it and see if they can determine what it is, or what it s used for. For a hint, you can point out that it is divided into 12 sections (you don t need to tell them they are months right away). Point out that each square features different images. Ask, What do we sometimes have hanging on our walls at home or school with important things written in little boxes? 2. Tell the students that this kind of icon is called a minyeia. It is a religious calendar from the Russian Orthodox religion. Introduce the phrase liturgical calendar. This one was made in Russia in 1860, but some of the earliest ones still in existence are kept in the Monastery of Saint Catherine in Sinai, Egypt, and are around 1000 years old (Tradigo 2009, 24). 3. Point out that there are miniature images of saints for each day. Ask, Why do you think the images are there? Explain that in the Eastern Orthodox religion, different days are associated with different important people and events. Minyeias tell what is important on each day and month using pictures instead of words. 4. Ask the students what kinds of things you see on calendars (at home, or school or anywhere else). They can list things like personal events, holidays, natural events like phases of the moon or constellations, and so on. Ask the students to think of different calendars people use that might have specific kinds of information. They might mention school calendars (start in September and end in June, and have all the school holidays on them); a baseball calendar (starts in March and ends in November, and shows the different parts of the season, the all-star break, home and away games, etc); astrological calendars, showing the different signs. Ask students to describe other kinds of calendars. 5. Ask the students what they think must be important to people who use this calendar (the minyeia) given what they see on it. B. Our Calendar is based on where the Earth is in relation to the Sun (4-6 minutes) 1. Bring the group to the two 6-month minyeias ( & , circa 1680). Explain that this pair serves the same purpose as the previous minyeia we visited. Ask, What do you see that is different from the last minyeia we saw, and what is similar? 2. Hand out to the students the diagram of the Earth s path around the Sun (in appendix). Ask, Can anyone explain what this is? (It shows the orbit of the Earth around the Sun over the course of a year.) Have students point out the Earth, the Sun, and the path of the orbit. 3. Briefly compare the minyeia with the Earth-Sun diagram. Ask students, Can anyone tell me what the similarities are between these two pictures? Point out that while the two look very different, are used for different things, and have some very different information, both depict time passing through a year, including the seasons of the year. Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 12

13 4. Remind the students that like the Earth-Sun diagram, these minyeias (like any 12-month calendar) are a depiction of one year. 5. Briefly discuss the idea of a solar system. Ask students to explain what a solar system is. (Simply, it can be described as a system made up of a star and the planets orbiting around it.) Ask questions around these ideas: Are we part of a solar system? What do we call our star (the Sun)? How many planets are in our solar system (nine)? Which planet are we on (Earth, the third planet)? 6. Using the Earth-Sun diagram, remind students about the basic path of the Earth s orbit. Introduce the terms rotation, revolution, and axial tilt, showing on the diagram each of these ideas. 7. Explain that much of what we mark on a calendar has to do with where the Earth is in relation to the Sun. Ask, Who can explain how we get day and night? (Night occurs when our side of the Earth faces away from the Sun during rotation). Point out that one full rotation of the Earth is one calendar day. Ask, Who can tell me how we get one year? Explain that one full revolution of the Earth around the Sun is one calendar year. 8. Ask, Who can explain why we have different seasons? (This concept may be a little tricky for students, and the educator may want to try to explain as simply as possible.) Using the diagram, show that the Earth is tilted on its axis relative to the Sun. Show how for some months each year, one hemisphere of the Earth receives the Sun s rays more directly (thus experiencing summer), while the other hemisphere receives them less directly (thus experiencing winter). At the other side of the orbit the Earth is tilted the other way, with each hemisphere experiencing the opposite season. Use the diagram to show how spring and fall are experienced when the tilt of the Earth leaves neither hemisphere more directly in the rays of the Sun. C. Minyeias Recap (4-6 minutes) 1. Bring the group to the last 12-month minyeia (Minyeia, 1995, ). Ask, What do you see that is different from the last two minyeias we saw, and what is similar? 2. Remind the students that minyeias mark religious information that is important to Orthodox Christians, including saints days and major feast days. 3. Tell the students to listen closely because they are soon going to be using the information we are about to discuss in a short art project. Point out some of the features of the minyeia that are not common to all calendars. As with our calendar, you read a minyeia from left to right and from top to bottom. But many minyeias, like this one, start with the month of September (the traditional first month of the Orthodox Church calendar). 4. The top left rectangle represents the month of September and the bottom right rectangle is August. This doesn t mean that their September is during our January, only that the calendar starts on a different month just as the school calendar starts in September, or the baseball calendar starts in March. Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 13

14 5. Direct the students attention to how the minyeia is organized geometrically. It is essentially a rectangle, divided into16 rectangles, with the months comprising the outer 12 rectangles. The inner four rectangles are combined as an inner pictorial area that is further divided. Have a student use his or her finger (without touching the minyeia) to show how the large rectangle of the minyeia can be divided into 16 equal segments using 3 lines running from top to bottom, and 3 lines from side to side. PART TWO Configure your own Minyeia (20 minutes) Guide the students through making their own geometric calendar design (or minyeia diagram). 1. Tell the students it s time for a short art project. Have them spread out on the floor. 2. Pass out supplies: clipboards, paper for each student, rulers, pencils, erasers, colored pencils. 3. Tell the students they need to divide the paper into the pattern just discussed 4 by 4 rectangles of equal size, for a total of 16 rectangles. 4. Remind the students they are dividing the page into 4 columns down intersecting with 4 columns across. 5. Remind them that this means drawing 3 lines down and three lines across, each the same distance apart. 6. Divide your own paper step by step, talking through the process, while the students follow along. 7. Have students begin drawing out their own minyeia diagrams. 8. Discuss the fact that the paper is 8.5 x 11 in size, and this means the following measurements for the lines: Down: The center line is 4¼ inches across The other two lines are 2 1 /8 inches from the sides. Across: The center line is 5¼ inches across. The other two lines are 2¾ inches from the sides. 9. After students have finished dividing their sheets into 16 rectangles, discuss further the way the page is divided, exploring the mathematics implications. Ask students to describe aspects of how the diagram is laid out and organized: How many columns and rows are there? (The page is divided into 4 rectangles down, by 4 rectangles across.) What is the total number of rectangles and how would you calculate using addition? (Add = 16.) How would you translate that into a multiplication equation? (4 x 4 = 16) Thinking of the rectangles of one unit of measurement, what is the area of the page? (16 units) What fraction of the area of the page is each unit (small rectangle)? ( 1 /16 the area of the page). 10. Have the students write each of the twelve months in the correct rectangles. 11. Tell students to fill in any other days that are important to them: birthdays, holidays, or any other events that they want. Students should draw pictures to represent their events wherever they can. They can use words if they need to. 12. Pass out the sheets with the seasons and the Orthodox feast days. Encourage them to write in the seasons in the correct months. They may write in the feast days if they want. 13. For as much time as remains, students can decorate the months appropriately and fill in the middle four rectangles with a picture. Encourage students to use pictures to symbolize important days. For example they can draw a picture of candles on their birthday month; or an image of their friends or their school on the month of September; or a picture of a sand castle on the month of June. Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 14

15 In the middle section they can draw their house; the elements of a flag; or anything they feel is important to who they are, or that is an important event for them. 14. Ask the students what it s like for them to try to draw in such small spaces. Is it hard to draw the details you need? Can you simplify your images and still get your idea across? The spaces on the minyeias are even smaller. Imagine what it must be like to paint in a space that small. PART THREE Minyeia game (15 minutes) Play a Calendar Game with Minyeias 1. Tell the students that for the last activity they will play a game using the minyeias they just made. 2. Have students come together in groups of 3 or Each student uses his or her own calendar as a game board. 4. Hand out one set of game cards for each student in the group (see Appendix 7, page 44). A set of game cards consists of 16 identically sized cards that overlay the game board (one card per month, plus the image in the middle of the icon, divided in quarters). The set of 16 cards are essentially the same image as the icon, divided into sixteen rectangles of equal size. The cards all have month names, and numbers for the center rectangles, to make it easier for players to identify their correct placement on the board. 5. Students proceed to play the game similarly to playing the card game Go Fish, but with variations as follows: The goal is to get all 16 cards (12 months and the 4 center image rectangles) laid out correctly over one s game board (each student s own minyeia diagram). Each group selects a dealer (it doesn t matter who it is). The dealer combines and shuffles all the cards, of all players in the group, together. That is, if three students are playing, they will be shuffling together 48 cards as one deck. The dealer gives each student 4 cards to start the student s hand. The rest of the cards are stacked in the center. The student to the left of the dealer goes first. He requests a card from one of the other students (for example, Do you have April? ). If the requestee has the card, he gives it to the requester. If the requestee does not have the card, the requester takes a card from the top of the center pile he now has 5 cards. (So far, just like Go Fish. ) If a student has 3 or more month-cards that are in a row on the game board (adjacent to each other, including around a corner), he or she lays the cards down on the game board. However, in the case of the center image, which is made up of 4 cards, the player must have all 4 cards in hand before laying them down on his game board. After the player finishes receiving/ laying down cards, it is the next player s turn. A player doesn t lay down any cards until it is his or her turn. The student who covers all 16 rectangles in his or her minyeia first wins. Remember, the all the rectangles (cards) must be in the right places the proper months and the right pictures. Additional rules If fewer than 3 adjacent cards are left on the board, the player can put down whatever total number there are left. That is, if the only empty spaces on the board have 1 or 2 adjacent months, a player doesn t need 3 adjacent month cards to lay them down. He or she can lay down the one or two month cards needed. If a player runs out of cards before filling his/her board, he or she takes four cards from the stack. Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 15

16 Assessment (See Appendix 8, page 45 for assessment rubric.) By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: Demonstrate understanding of the basic design and function of a minyeia. Demonstrate understanding that the Earth orbits the Sun and that our calendar is based on the position of the Earth in relation to the Sun on that orbit. Show understanding of geometry and geometric measurement skills by correctly creating a minyeia diagram, and using it in the game. Massachusetts Curriculum Standards MA Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework (Grade 3-5) Earth and Space Science Strand (Earth in the Solar System) 13. Earth is a part of the solar system that includes the Sun, planets, and many moons. Earth is the third planet from the sun. 14. Earth orbits the Sun in a year s time and rotates on its axis in approximately 24 hours. The rotation of the Earth, day/ night, and apparent movements of the Sun, moon, and stars are connected. MA Mathematics Curriculum Framework (Grade 3) (Adopted March 2011) Measurement and Data Domain (3.MD) Cluster: Geometric measurement: understand concepts of area and relate area to multiplication and to addition. 7. Relate area to the operations of multiplication and addition. a. Find the area of a rectangle with whole-number side lengths by tiling it, and show that the area is the same as would be found by multiplying the side lengths. d. Recognize area as additive. Find areas of rectilinear figures by decomposing them into non-overlapping rectangles and adding the areas of the non-overlapping parts, applying this technique to solve real-world problems. Geometry domain (3.G) Cluster: Reason with shapes and their attributes. 2. Partition shapes into parts with equal areas. Express the area of each part as a unit fraction of the whole. For example, partition a shape into 4 parts with equal areas and describe the area of each part as ¼ of the area of the shape. Supplement To The Math Standards Geometry Strand Students engage in problem solving, communicating, reasoning, connecting, and representing as they: 3.G.1 Compare and analyze attributes and other features (e.g., number of sides, corners, diagonals, and lines of symmetry) of two-dimensional geometric shapes. Measurement Strand Students engage in problem solving, communicating, reasoning, connecting, and representing as they: 3.M.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the attributes length, area, and weight, and select the appropriate type of unit for measuring each attribute using both the U.S. Customary (English) and metric systems. MA English Language Arts and Literacy Curriculum Framework (Grade 3) (Adopted March 2011) Speaking and Listening Standards strand Topic: Comprehension and Collaboration 1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly. a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion. b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion). Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 16

17 c. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others. d. Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion. 3. Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail. Topic: Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas 6. Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. Massachusetts Arts Curriculum Framework (K-4) Visual Arts Strand Standard 1: Methods, Materials, and Techniques Students will demonstrate knowledge of the methods, materials, and techniques unique to the visual arts. By the end of grade 4 Students will: 1.1 Use a variety of materials and media, and understand how to use them to produce different visual effects 1.2 Create artwork in a variety of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) media Standard 10: Interdisciplinary Connections Students will use knowledge of the arts and cultural resources in the study of the arts, English language arts, foreign languages, health, history and social science, mathematics, and science and technology/engineering. By the end of grade 4 Students will: 10.1 Integrate knowledge of dance, music, theatre, and visual arts and apply the arts to learning other disciplines Suggested Resources for Educators Websites 1. Calendars Through the Ages, 2. Encyclopaedia of Calendars, 3. Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church, 4. Museum of Russian Icons, Books 1. Coomler, David The Icon Handbook; A guide to Understanding Icons and the Liturgy, Symbols and Practices of the Russian Orthodox Church. Springfield Illinois: Templegate Publishers. 2. Richards, E.G Mapping Time; The Calendar and its History. New York: Oxford University Press. 3. Tradigo, Alfredo (Sartarelli, Stephen, translator) Icons and Saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Los Angeles: Getty Publications. Supplemental Materials Appendix 2, page 36. Seasonal Chart Appendix 5, page 42. List of feast days and seasons Appendix 6, page 43. Sample minyeia configuration Appendix 7, page 44. Minyeia card sets Appendix 8, page 45. Assessment Rubric Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 17

18 Bibliography 1. Clark, Katherine The Orthodox Church. London, UK: Kuperard. 2. Duncan, David Ewing Calendar: Humanity s Epic Struggle to Determine a True and Accurate Year. New York: Avon Books. 3. Richards, E.G Mapping Time; The Calendar and its History. New York: Oxford University Press. 4. Tradigo, Alfredo (Sartarelli, Stephen, translator) Icons and Saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Los Angeles: Getty Publications. 5. Yevtushenko, Marina. Twelve Great Feasts: Journeys in Time. Splendor and Glory: Art of the Russian Orthodox Church. Hermitage Amsterdam, 2011: Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 18

19 III. In-Museum Workshop Lesson Calendars in Space: Phases of the Moon Age Group: Grade 3 Length of Lesson: 50 minutes (one class period) Subjects: Science (Earth and space), English Language Arts, Visual Arts The Big Idea Many cultures and civilizations measure both public and private events according to natural processes like the phases of moon. Most calendars are based on the cycles of the moon or the Sun, and each has advantages and disadvantages. Short description/overview This lesson is designed to take place during a visit to the Museum of Russian Icons, in parallel to an in-gallery lesson. Students will discuss how many calendars are based the cycles of the Sun, of the moon, or some combination. Students discuss the way that the Eastern Orthodox calendar incorporates the cycles of the Sun and the moon. The advantages, disadvantages, and obstacles inherent in creating a consistent calendar based on these natural processes are explored. Students will then focus on the phases of the moon, and how the relative positions of the Earth, the Sun, and the moon are the source of lunar phases. Students will then engage in a creative activity exploring the phases of the moon. Materials needed 4 or 5 paper plates per student (use the thin white paper kind) 1 brad fastener per student Black crayons (at least one per student). Alternatively you can use black construction paper, or black paint if you have the time and space. You may also eliminate the step of covering or painting the white plates by purchasing black paper plates at a party goods store or website. Magic markers or crayons Scissors Hole punches Moon phases diagram (see Appendix 9, page 46) Images of calendars from various cultures (see Appendix 1, pages 27-35) Optional: Black construction paper and glue sticks Black spray paint Computer with internet access Preparation required Read background section Review vocabulary words Print out calendars from different cultures (see appendix, pages 27-35) Optional: spray paint one paper plate black for each student participating in the Moon Phase Book activity Vocabulary Crescent: a shape like a tapered segment of a circle Cycle: a complete round or series of occurrences that repeats or is repeated. Hemisphere: one half of the globe (usually Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western hemispheres). Linear: resembling, represented by, or consisting of a line or lines; having one dimension or direction. Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 19

20 Liturgical: of or pertaining to formal public worship or liturgies. Lunar: of or pertaining to the moon; measured by the moon s revolutions. Lunar calendar: a calendar based on the cycles or revolutions of the moon Lunisolar calendar: a calendar based on the cycles or revolutions of both the Earth around the Sun and the moon around the Earth Minyeia: an icon serving as a Russian Orthodox liturgical calendar. Orbit: the curved path, usually elliptical, described by a planet or satellite around a celestial body, such as the Sun. Phase: a stage in a process of change or development Revolution: a complete turn of the Earth around its orbit. Rotation: a complete turn of the Earth around its axis. Solar: of, pertaining to, or determined by the Sun. Solar calendar: a calendar based on the revolutions of the Earth around the Sun Solar system: the Sun together with all the planets and other bodies that revolve around it. Tropical year: time between successive vernal equinoxes; also called a solar year. The tropical year is the basis of the year used in the Gregorian calendar. Waning: decreasing (in size, quantity, or extent) Waxing: increasing (in size, quantity, or extent) Phases of the Moon, in order New Moon: no moon is visible Waxing Crescent: the moon appears as a crescent facing left (right side of moon) First Quarter: A half circle is visible (the right side of the moon) Waxing Gibbous: between one half and all the moon is visible (the right side of the moon) Full Moon: the moon appears as a complete circle Waning Gibbous: between one half and all the moon is visible (the left side of the moon) Last Quarter: A half circle is visible (the left side of the moon) Waning Crescent: the moon appears as a crescent facing right (left side of moon) New Moon: no moon is visible Moon-related expressions (just for fun) Once in a blue moon : Very rarely. (When two full moons occur in a single month, the second full moon is called a Blue Moon. ) Over the moon : extremely pleased. Promise the moon : make extravagant and unrealistic promises. Moon about (or over) someone or something : to pine for someone or something. Many moons ago : a long time ago. Objectives/assessment criteria By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: List the four elements of calendars, and explain which three are based on natural processes. Explain the causes of the phases of the moon. Name the phases of the moon in order and describe how they look. Background and introduction If we observe the moon over the course of a month it appears to change in constant, regular, and predictable ways. For this reason, the moon is frequently used to gauge time. The change the moon goes through is of course an illusion. What Museum of Russian Icons 203 Union Street Clinton, MA For Educational Use Only 20