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Project Astro in Tucson |
Astronomers and Teachers as Partners for
Learning
A STELLAR OPPORTUNITY FOR TEACHERS
A program to match 4th-9th grade teachers with amateur and
professional astronomers in Tucson Area schools and community
organizations.
Join a coalition of local astronomy
resources including The University of
Arizona: Steward
Observatory, Lunar and Planetary
Lab, and Flandrau Science Center; Tucson Amateur Astronomy
Association; Smithsonian Institute: Whipple Observatory; Mt. Graham Base
Camp: Discovery Park;
and the National Optical
Astronomy Observatories (NOAO): Kitt Peak National
Observatory,National
Solar Observatory, and U.S. Gemini Program.
In this innovative project,developed by the Astronomical Society of
the Pacific (ASP), 25 fourth to ninth grade teachers and youth
educators from around the Tucson Area will be paired with visiting v
olunteer astronomers who have an interest in working with local schools
and community organizations. Together, teachers and partner astronomers
will participate in a hands-on training workshop, receive astronomy
resource materials, and develop a strategy for working together in and out
of the classroom. The goal of the project is to form ongoing partnerships.
Teachers and Youth Educators should have an
interest in teaching astronomy and hands-on science but do not need to
have astronomy experience to participate.
Partnerships will involve more than just
one-time visits. Astronomers and teachers commit to at least four school
year visits. These may include hands-on activities, evening observing
sessions, creating an astronomy club, going on field trips, doing science
fair projects, and more!
Project ASTRO, developed by the Astronomical
Society of the Pacific as a 3-year pilot program in the San Francisco Bay
Area, is now expanding to several new sites around the country with
support of the National Science Foundation and NASA.
Project ASTRO experiences:
- Be matched with a volunteer astronomer from your local area and
together plan visits for the school year
- Learn how to use astronomy and space science activities to
engage and motivate students
- Attend a 2-day, hands-on astronomy workshop.
- Become part of a growing network of Project ASTRO partners and join in
school-year workshops and events
- Receive follow-up support and assistance from Project ASTRO staff
- Receive helpful materials and activities:
- The Universe at Your Fingertips: An Astronomy Activity and
Resource Notebook
- Tips addressing students' misconceptions and learning
styles
- Astronomy background materials
- Resource lists
- Materials for hands-on activities
Project ASTRO teachers commit to:
- Attend a two-day training workshop
- Teach astronomy, either as a unit or throughout the year
- Arrange a minimum of four visits by a local astronomer during
the next school year
- Obtain the support of their school or district administrator, or
Executive Director
- Help evaluate Project ASTRO activities and project materials
(through collecting student work and participating in interviews,
surveys, focus groups, and site visits)
Project ASTRO'S goals are to:
- Enhance astronomy and science education in schools and community
organizations
- Encourage on-going partnerships between teachers and visiting
astronomers
- Offer training for teachers and astronomers in the use of hands-on
astronomy materials with students
- Provide activities and resources that reflect science education
reform goals and strategies
- Assess the best ways for astronomers and teachers to work together
Project ASTRO teacher selection will be
based on:
- Interest in astronomy education (experience in astronomy is NOT
necessary) and commitment to teach astronomy during the school year
- Commitment to work in partnership with a volunteer astronomer
- Interest in and experience with hands-on science
- Support from school or district administrator or Executive Director
to participate in the project
- The availability of a volunteer astronomer in the teacher's area
- Ethnic and gender diversity among students, teachers, youth educators, and astronomers
- Balanced representation of grade levels and geographic areas
Teams of two from the same school or district are welcome to apply.
All teachers must submit an application form.
Important Note:
Partnerships work best when astronomers work with a limited number of
students. This allows students to develop a personal relationship with
"their" astronomer, and places less of a burden on astronomers who take
time off from work to participate in Project ASTRO. For this reason, plan
that the astronomers will visit no more than two self-contained
elementary classrooms (2 teachers), two middle/high school science
class periods (1-2 teachers), or one science club. During the
workshop we will give you ideas about how to involve more students.
Application Materials for 2002 workshop are available via:
Downloading:
Teacher Application Form [66 KB pdf file]
or Writing:
Project ASTRO, Teacher Applications
NOAO Educational Outreach Office
P.O. Box 26732
Tucson, AZ 85726-6732
FAX (520) 318-8360
or Contacting:
Connie Walker, Project ASTRO-Tucson Coordinator
(520) 318-8535
Internet: cwalker@noao.edu
Return to Project Astro-Tucson.
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