Polaris does not move in the sky (well, it rotates just a little, as it isn't exactly North, but close enough), and is always there--it does not set. Polaris is also the tip of the handle of the Little Dipper. The orientation of the Little Dipper will rotate as Earth rotates (so our view changes), so sometimes the bowl of the dipper will be higher than the handle, and sometimes lower. Also, the orientation will be usually the opposite to the Big Dipper--so if the bowl of the Big Dipper is higher than its handle, the bowl of the Little Dipper will probably be lower than its handle.
The Big Dipper will be rotating as well--sometimes you'll see the bowl higher than the handle (as if liquid in the bowl would pour out), sometimes level, and sometimes lower (to hold the liquid in). The two stars defining the outer side of the bowl of the Big Dipper (away from the handle) will always point to the tip of the handle of the Little Dipper. As you've done, you need to draw the line from the bottom of the Big Dipper bowl to the top of the bowl, and extend it further about 5 times out to find Polaris. Sometimes this line is drawn down (or south) in the sky if the Big Dipper is on top of the Little Dipper at that point, as both rotate around Polaris. The direction of that line drawn may move downward, or southward, from Big Dipper to Little Dipper, but its stopping point, Polaris, in relation to where you are on the ground, is north (you'll be facing north to see it). Could that be the confusion?
How high above the horizon that you can see Polaris will depend on your latitude. It's about on the horizon at the equator. As you move northward, Polaris will be seen higher in the sky, until at the North Pole, it is directly overhead. At, say, 42 degrees north latitude, Polaris will not be overhead, so drawing a line to it down from the Big Dipper, if it was "above" Polaris at that point, would seem to be going southward (even though the line would be going to the north point).
Hope this helps!
Polaris does not move in the sky (well, it rotates just a little, as it isn't exactly North, but close enough), and is always there--it does not set. Polaris is also the tip of the handle of the Little Dipper. The orientation of the Little Dipper will rotate as Earth rotates (so our view changes), so sometimes the bowl of the dipper will be higher than the handle, and sometimes lower. Also, the orientation will be usually the opposite to the Big Dipper--so if the bowl of the Big Dipper is higher than its handle, the bowl of the Little Dipper will probably be lower than its handle.
The Big Dipper will be rotating as well--sometimes you'll see the bowl higher than the handle (as if liquid in the bowl would pour out), sometimes level, and sometimes lower (to hold the liquid in). The two stars defining the outer side of the bowl of the Big Dipper (away from the handle) will always point to the tip of the handle of the Little Dipper. As you've done, you need to draw the line from the bottom of the Big Dipper bowl to the top of the bowl, and extend it further about 5 times out to find Polaris. Sometimes this line is drawn down (or south) in the sky if the Big Dipper is on top of the Little Dipper at that point, as both rotate around Polaris. The direction of that line drawn may move downward, or southward, from Big Dipper to Little Dipper, but its stopping point, Polaris, in relation to where you are on the ground, is north (you'll be facing north to see it). Could that be the confusion?
How high above the horizon that you can see Polaris will depend on your latitude. It's about on the horizon at the equator. As you move northward, Polaris will be seen higher in the sky, until at the North Pole, it is directly overhead. At, say, 42 degrees north latitude, Polaris will not be overhead, so drawing a line to it down from the Big Dipper, if it was "above" Polaris at that point, would seem to be going southward (even though the line would be going to the north point).
Hope this helps!