What age level is most appropriate for Signs & Seasons?

Signs & Seasons was especially designed as a self-directed program for highschoolers, with the field activities especially for producing high school work hour credit. However, we recommend the curriculum for students 13 and up. Since it is heavily illustrated and light-hearted, Signs & Seasons can also be suitable for any younger age under adult guidance. Signs & Seasons can be the basis of a family unit study.

What is the term for this course? A semester? A whole school year?

Signs & Seasons could be read quickly by older students, probably in a couple weeks or less. A casual, adult-led plan with small kids could be dragged out for perhaps a whole school year. However, the substance is in the field activities. If a student was to collect and analyze all the indicated data, it would likely take three to six months. It takes at least a year – a full annual cycle of the Sun – of consistent observing to really learn your way around the night sky. Also, many places have cloudy weather in the cold months which makes sky observing a challenge. For these reasons, it is difficult to break up this course into a “one size fits all” lesson plan. However, it is a self-guided course that a motivated highschooler can finish early, or complete over the summer without a significant burden.

Can readers in the southern hemisphere use Signs & Seasons?

The illustrations and descriptions in Signs & Seasons present the sky as seen from the mid-northern latitudes – North America, Europe and Asia. Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to present a “generic” astronomy lesson that works for both northern and southern hemispheres. Plans include creating a southern hemisphere supplement or edition to Signs & Seasons that would make the lessons of each chapter relevant to the southern skies, for the benefit of homeschoolers especially in Australia and New Zealand. In the meantime, Signs & Seasons would be helpful to readers “Down Under” as an informative, edifying curriculum that would add Biblical balance to a secular astronomy program. Signs & Seasons would also help in understanding the historical influence of astronomy in western culture, such as “why clocks move clockwise” and other aspects that do not line up with the appearances of the southern sky.

Is Signs & Seasons a “young earth” or “old earth” curriculum?

Signs & Seasons is directed to teaching how to observe the sky in the “here and now.” Signs & Seasons does not delve into the subject of origins one way or the other. However, the book is heavily Biblical and quotes Scripture throughout, as had been historically done in science books in the era prior to Darwin. The author holds to a literal reading of Scripture, which he understands to be “young earth.”

Will I need a telescope for this course? If so, what type of telescope?

No, a telescope is not needed for this course. All the subject matter in Signs & Seasons is “classical” in that it teaches the historical, pre-telescopic techniques for observing the sky, particularly for telling time and navigating by the Sun, Moon, and stars. We do not advocate telescope ownership and our position on the subject of telescope ownership can be found in the article, Before You Buy a Telescope. The only materials you will need for Signs & Seasons are craft materials, a notebook or the Signs & Seasons Field Journal and Test Manual for certain field activities, and optionally a 12-inch world globe.

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Learn more about the benefits of Classical Astronomy and our Signs & Seasons curriculum, especially for these areas of interest:

Homeschool Students and Families

Signs & Seasons was originally created as a homeschool curriculum, though it has garnered an adult readership as a popular introduction to visual astronomy. Our philosophy is that a lesson in a science or nature curriculum should not consist solely of reading a book, and then closing it with a sense of having obtained a complete lesson. Such an approach is not a useful method to experiencing God’s creation or appreciating scientific methodology.

Rather, a meaningful lesson in science and nature is only obtained by direct observation and interaction with the natural world. Thus, it must be understood that the essence of Signs & Seasons is the outdoor Field Activities, shown in the Appendix and in the Field Journal workbook. Families who have not diligently performed outdoor observations have struggled and have not been satisfied with the course. Conversely, families who have conducted regular observations have reported satisfying and rewarding experiences through the Signs & Seasons course.

Homesteaders

You’re keeping chickens and canning your own jelly, just like the pioneers who tamed this continent. Your family is reviving all manner of forgotten arts which were once commonplace in American life. So what about the traditional methods of timekeeping? A properly designed and aligned sundial can tell time accurately to within ten minutes, which is close enough for most common purposes. Who cares what exact minute it is anyway? The Moon can help you count the days and the weeks, and the shifting constellations can measure the passage of seasons. Signs & Seasons can help you reconnect with the original homesteaders by learning how they told time.

Preppers

You’ve taken care to prepare yourself and your family for a grid failure. When the lights go out, you’re ready. But have you thought how you will set your watch? And if things are really bad for a long time, how will you keep track of longer intervals like weeks and months? Are you familiar with the traditional methods of marking the passage of weeks, months and seasons, from observing the Sun, Moon and stars? This information will be very important for reestablishing agriculture in a post-energy world, and those who understand these techniques will have a survival advantage over those who do not. Signs & Seasons can help you get started with learning timekeeping and navigation from the sky.

Navigators

For centuries, navigators relied on the stars to guide their ships across the oceans of the world. Navigational works such as the Nautical Almanac and American Practical Navigator (a.k.a. Bowditch) have been mainstays aboard ship for centuries. The celestial techniques for finding longitude and latitude have long been used by others, including cartographers and surveyors. While most navigation today is done with electronic instruments, such technology is known to fail. A prepared navigator should at least understand the elements of finding direction from the stars, in the event of an instrument failure. For these reasons the U.S. Naval Academy has resumed lessons in celestial navigation.

Like most landlubbers, many sailors today are unfamiliar with the constellations, and are unequipped to find direction from the sky. Signs & Seasons can help. This course is only an introduction to the elements of visual astronomy and detailed lessons in celestial navigation will follow in subsequent volumes. But it can be an excellent starting point for the interested novice.

If nothing else, the starry sky is dazzling out on the water (and above it), far away from the city lights. Signs & Seasons can help boaters and pilots appreciate the glory that is declared by the heavens above, to enhance the experience of themselves and their passengers.

Outdoorsmen

Those who enjoy hunting and fishing in the great outdoors are often outside at night under a pristine dark sky. The hunters of years gone by understood how to tell time and find their direction just by looking at the sky. The Sun, Moon and stars are still overhead today, just as they were in the old days. It’s still possible to measure accurate time by the Big Dipper and the other stars at night, and by the motion of the Sun by day. Signs & Seasons can help you rediscover these ancient techniques, just as our forefathers had done in a bygone era.

Nature Lovers

Many people simply want to learn more about the LORD’s creation, and to understand the beauty and wonder. However, in our generation, the sky is Terra Incognita. Most people, including Christians, have no idea what’s going on overhead. Signs & Seasons can get you started toward understanding the amazing celestial order established in the sky.

Other who would benefit from Classical Astronomy and our Signs & Seasons curriculum include:

Youth Camps

Many Christian camps are located in remote rural locations, far from the bright lights of the city. The night skies at these camps are very dark and starry. Some kids have never seen such a dark sky in their lives. And they might not see one again for a long time. A night sky astronomy program can be a wonderful addition to a youth camp and can help these kids learn even more about the wonderful things the LORD has placed over our heads in the sky above. Signs & Seasons can help you learn your way around the night sky.

Amateur Astronomers and Planetarians

The author is an amateur astronomer, a telescope maker, and a friend of planetarium directors. Signs & Seasons originally grew out of his involvement in amateur astronomy. Upon researching this project, the author read many primary sources of astronomy, and discovered that the techniques of spherical astronomy are very ancient, and that the horizon, meridian, equator and ecliptic were known to the Greeks centuries before Christ. These ancient traditions were practiced down through all history and were preserved in the almanacks used by farmers and sailors up through the 19th century.

These techniques are mostly forgotten in the general population today. Amateur astronomers and planetarians are the primary individuals keeping these traditions alive in the 21st century. Amateur astronomers use the techniques of spherical (i.e., classical) astronomy to point their telescopes, and Classical Astronomy is the entire basis of a standard planetarium program.

Since Classical Astronomy is so poorly understood today, a steep and difficult learning curve awaits the novice amateur astronomer or planetarian. Signs & Seasons is specifically designed to present the principles of Classical Astronomy in a methodical fashion, building concepts from familiar basics, in increasing complexity. In this manner, a straightforward approach is presented to becoming an outdoor visual observer of the sky, rather than the random, haphazard learning experience typical of astro-newbies. For this reason, Signs & Seasons has been popular with amateur astronomers.

With its Biblical foundation, Signs & Seasons is welcome and appreciated by Christian amateur astronomers. However, this course is also potentially useful to those in the mainstream who do not share the Christian faith. Some in secular astronomy have objected to the Biblical emphasis of Signs & Seasons. However, the astronomical tradition passed through centuries of Christendom, and this is abundantly reflected in the literature quoted in Signs & Seasons. An atheistic presumption is a relatively recent development in the history of astronomy, measured only in short, recent decades. Thus, Signs & Seasons can help open-minded non-Christians appreciate aspects of the western astronomical tradition that are neglected in the current generation.

Signs & Seasons

Understanding the Elements of Classical Astronomy

Detailed Description:

Signs & Seasons is an evolution-free astronomy curriculum that teaches the traditional, historical basis for timekeeping and navigation, as understood throughout history, and also as described in the Bible.

Topics include:

The Phases of the Moon and the Passage of the Seasons;

Finding the Traditional Constellations and identifying the Visible Planets;

How our Calendar is based on the Sun and Moon;

How the times of Passover and Easter are derived from their cycles.

In particular, Signs & Seasons explains the basic units of timekeeping, the Day, the Month and the Year, and how these are found from the cycles of the Sun and Moon. Signs & Seasons points out the signs of the passing seasons, and how these are found from annual variations in the positions of the Sun and stars.

Signs & Seasons is lavishly illustrated, with over 400 images that depict the appearances of the night sky, to prepare you for what you can see outside on any clear night, at home or anywhere you might travel.

Learn astronomy through the quoted words of Scripture and many authors – ancient, medieval, and modern, Christian and secular alike – from Aristotle and Cicero, Augustine and Basil the Great, Martin Luther and John Calvin, to Shakespeare and Leonardo da Vinci.

Importantly, Signs & Seasons sets the record straight about supposed “pagan influences” in astronomy, and offers challenging explanations that distinguish the legitimate science of astronomy from the ancient superstition of astrology.

Signs & Seasons also includes an extensive Glossary, a Biographia of Quoted Authors, and Astronomical Tables to assist the reader in finding the constellations and planets. Read Signs & Seasons and rediscover your forgotten astronomical heritage!

(Recommended ages – 13 and up but usable by all ages. Please read the FAQs.)

Signs & Seasons Field Journal and

Test Manual

Detailed Description:

The Signs & Seasons Field Journal and Test Manual is the companion workbook to the curriculum textbook Signs & Seasons: Understanding the Elements of Classical Astronomy. This workbook is especially created for highschoolers to establish 120 hours of field work for a full high school astronomy credit with a final letter grade. Time sheets are provided to enable students to record work hours and thereby document their time spent working on the course and the related activities.

Field Journal Section

The Field Journal section is designed to promote field observations of the topics in the curriculum. The Field Journal section includes all the field activities from Signs & Seasons, along with handy tables and sketch boxes for recording observations of the night sky and sketching the appearances of the Sun, Moon, stars, and planets.

Also included are maps for recording the movements and positions of the celestial bodies. A separate volvelle section is included for creating pre-made, copy-and-cut-out “volvelles” — traditional astronomical calculating instruments for modeling the motions of the celestial bodies.

Test Manual Section

The Test Manual section includes eight tests for the chapters in Signs & Seasons. The tests are designed to measure the student’s progress in observing the sky as described in the curriculum. An Answer Key is included with handy blanks for each question, for recording point values and tabulating test scores.

The Signs & Seasons Field Journal and Test Manual is designed to help your highschooler rediscover the forgotten secrets of Classical Astronomy while earning a full high school science credit.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age level is most appropriate for Signs & Seasons?

Signs & Seasons was especially designed as a self-directed program for highschoolers, with the field activities especially for producing high school work hour credit. However, we recommend the curriculum for students 13 and up. Since it is heavily illustrated and light-hearted, Signs & Seasons can also be suitable for any younger age under adult guidance. Signs & Seasons can be the basis of a family unit study.
What is the term for this course? A semester? A whole school year?

Signs & Seasons could be read quickly by older students, probably in a couple weeks or less. A casual, adult-led plan with small kids could be dragged out for perhaps a whole school year.

However, the substance is in the field activities. If a student was to collect and analyze all the indicated data, it would likely take three to six months. It takes at least a year – a full annual cycle of the Sun – of consistent observing to really learn your way around the night sky. Also, many places have cloudy weather in the cold months which makes sky observing a challenge.

For these reasons, it is difficult to break up this course into a “one size fits all” lesson plan. However, it is a self-guided course that a motivated highschooler can finish early, or complete over the summer without a significant burden.
Can readers in the southern hemisphere use Signs & Seasons?

The illustrations and descriptions in Signs & Seasons present the sky as seen from the mid-northern latitudes – North America, Europe and Asia. Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to present a “generic” astronomy lesson that works for both northern and southern hemispheres. Plans include creating a southern hemisphere supplement or edition to Signs & Seasons that would make the lessons of each chapter relevant to the southern skies, for the benefit of homeschoolers especially in Australia and New Zealand.

In the meantime, Signs & Seasons would be helpful to readers “Down Under” as an informative, edifying curriculum that would add Biblical balance to a secular astronomy program. Signs & Seasons would also help in understanding the historical influence of astronomy in western culture, such as “why clocks move clockwise” and other aspects that do not line up with the appearances of the southern sky.
Is Signs & Seasons a “young earth” or “old earth” curriculum?

Signs & Seasons is directed to teaching how to observe the sky in the “here and now.” Signs & Seasons does not delve into the subject of origins one way or the other. However, the book is heavily Biblical and quotes Scripture throughout, as had been historically done in science books in the era prior to Darwin. The author holds to a literal reading of Scripture, which he understands to be “young earth.”
Will I need a telescope for this course? If so, what type of telescope?

No, a telescope is not needed for this course. All the subject matter in Signs & Seasons is “classical” in that it teaches the historical, pre-telescopic techniques for observing the sky, particularly for telling time and navigating by the Sun, Moon, and stars. We do not advocate telescope ownership and our position on the subject of telescope ownership can be found in the article, Before You Buy a Telescope. The only materials you will need for Signs & Seasons are craft materials, a notebook or the Signs & Seasons Field Journal and Test Manual for certain field activities, and optionally a 12-inch world globe.

Make this the year that your family studies astronomy!

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