Stellar scintillation

In this module, teachers and students will learn ways Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people observe the twinkling of stars to predict weather and seasonal change. Students will learn the science of scintillation (twinkling) and see how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander understood and utilised this principle long ago. The accompanying activity involves watching a video of an elder playing a Meriam star song and learning about the scientific information it describes. It will help students learn how scientific information is developed in situ from the local environment and ecology. Students will hear the song, learn the translation, and describe the scientific information it describes by examining weather patterns in the Torres Strait and how twinkling stars are used to predict this seasonal change. The song Wer Naskaisreda (The Twinkling Stars) was originally composed by Meriam man George Passi in the 1960s, and is a more contemporary song. It is sung in the Meriam Mir language.