ASTRO-Tucson Director's Corner
Project and Family Astro at Work
So many local Project ASTRO and Family ASTRO events happened this Spring. Many thanks to those of you who hosted events on behalf of your students (and their families), Project ASTRO and Family ASTRO. Several of you have shared your fun-filled, astronomical experiences here. A prime example made the local newspaper.
Anna Warmbrand, Matthew Hough, and Joan Regens, third grade teachers at Esperenza, with their astronomer partner, Kerri Donaldson Hanna and Irene Gonzales-Hernandez, on January 21, 2004, had rotating sets of astronomy activities, one of which was the Earth as a Peppercorn or the Thousand Yard Model.
Agnes Aquayo, 4 th and 5th grade teacher at Joe Carlson, and her astronomer partner, Frank Zizza, on January 23 had their students make comets and hear an inspiring talk by astronomer partner and comet discoverer, Doug Snyder.
Project ASTRO astronomer partner, David Garza assisted Elizabeth Guevara’s team of five students to win the Arizona Regional Science Bowl. This was an academic and hydrogen fuel cell car race that they competed in at the University of Arizona. They will represent Arizona in the national competition in June in Golden, Colorado. David was instrumental in helping the students with the hydrogen fuel cell car and assisting with preparing the students academically. He also helped several students with their science fair projects, who won 2nd place at Southern Arizona Regional Science and Engineering Fair in March and one of the students was nominated for the Discovery Challenge Award. The Project ASTRO collaboration between David and Ms. Guevara has benefited Doolen Middle School greatly.
Karen Brady, 6th grade teacher at St. Joseph’s, and her astronomer partner, Chuck Dugan, had a day at the Challenger Experience on March 24 as well as a star party and an Astronomy Day later in the Spring!
Terry Kennedy, Dianna Hill, Trisha Miller and Lorelei Barrett, 6 th grade teachers at Twin Peaks, and their astronomer partners, Chuck Dugan and Tom Rolfsmeyer, hosted a star party for 200 students and their family members on March 24. A dozen members from the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association brought 8 telescopes, in addition to other long-time Project ASTRO astronomers, such as Larry Behers. There was a binocular station, a planisphere station, an Astronomy Treasure Hunt, a prize drawing, Astronomy handouts, and a movie. In preparation for this capstone event, the astronomer partners helped students observe sunspots through telescopes and taught them about the phases of the moon, the Spirit and Opportunity rovers on Mars, and constellations and their orientation in the sky. The extremely successful event made the Arizona Daily Star.
Family ASTRO event leader, Michelle Higgins, and her co-Girl Scout troop leader, Harriet Matiatos, held a star party for their troop and family members on April 16 as a fun-filled finale for the Night Sky Adventure kit. Project ASTRO astronomer, Chris Walker, talked to the Girl Scouts about night vision. On April 19, Family ASTRO event leader, Lolita Levine, also held a similar Family ASTRO event and star party for the families of her students from Pueblo High School.
On April 26, Marta Spears, a Project AND Family ASTRO 7th grade teacher at Amphi Middle School, and her astronomer partner, Robert Reynolds, conducted a Family ASTRO event with activities from the Night Sky Adventure kit and a star party. Long-time Project ASTRO astronomer, Paul Olson, was among the many volunteers that helped out. An additional star party at one of the University of Arizona Steward Observatory telescopes took place on May 7. Again Project ASTRO astronomer partner, Robert Reynolds and teachers and students from Amphi Middle School as well as Project ASTRO teacher, Suzanne Smith and teachers and students from the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind, were in attendance.
An extraordinary Family ASTRO situation involves a community of home-schooled families involved with Family ASTRO. Their Family ASTRO events led to a capstone trip to Flandrau Planetarium and Science Center on April 30. Rebecca Swegle from the Arizona Virtual Academy led this effort.
