Family ASTRO News
About Family ASTRO
With support from the NSF, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific has created a new twist on the ASTRO concept designed to bring hands-on astronomy activities and astronomy events to families of all backgrounds. Seven “Family ASTRO” sites have started nationally within the last two years, with NOAO Tucson being the newest addition. The heart of this project is a series of new astronomy kits designed to be both educational and fun for children ages 8 and up (and for the adults who work and play with them).
Families get recruited via invitations to evening or weekend events, where they can have fun doing astronomy activities together. The program helps parents and caregivers get more involved in their children’s science education, and it offers a way for them to spend more time together in active experiments, observations and discussion. At the events, families get to try some activity stations as well as a number of facilitated activities, and then receive a kit to take home. Each event is led by one or more Project ASTRO partners, or by staff from a school, local museum, planetarium, or community group. All event leaders are trained in how to organize Family ASTRO programs and do astronomy activities at regional workshops organized by Project ASTRO sites, such as Project ASTRO-Tucson.
In particular, Family ASTRO-Tucson is reaching a variety of underserved groups in the Tucson area including the Tohono O’odham Indian Nation, the Hispanic community of the Sunnyside School District, and the Girl Scouts of America. The Family ASTRO program as a whole can be adapted to address the needs of a diverse audience, as well as diverse circumstances.
