Astronomy Teaching Module
Trial Version 3.21 [14 February, 2001]
What's missing from this "trial version"
Combining multimedia (from the WWW, CD-ROMs, and video) with traditional and "hands-on" materials
Aimed at all K-12 students and teachers
This astronomy teaching module has been written to meet two broad goals:
1. to show how multimedia materials, including CD-ROMs and the WWW, can be combined with traditional resources; and
2. to provide a self-contained teaching module, appropriate to both Southern and Northern Hemisphere teachers and students.
It does not attempt to repeat information available in textbooks and traditional sources; rather it provides a rich package of multimedia materials, learning activities and hand-on (or perhaps I should say "eyes-on") observation...
The emphasis is on seeing and doing. In addition to provide the truly excellent Starry Night (demo) software, I've included detailed observation notes, guides and maps for all of the planets and more than 100 star clusters, nebulae and galaxies visible from anywhere on the planet. Many of these are within the reach of small telescopes or even binoculars (if you know what you are looking for, and where to look -- we we'll show you what, and where...).
I picked this topic because:
Our changing ideas about the universe
Selecting optical aids for school use (binoculars, small telescope)
Star maps (entire sky -- you'll use them throughout this module)
Musical interlude:
The Galaxy Song (from Monty Python's The Meaning of Life)
The Planets Suite (Gustav Holst)
Reviews of recent educational videos
Recommended astronomical educational software
Locating objects for observation (VERY comprehensive material)
Observing the solar system (VERY comprehensive material)
Observing deep space (VERY comprehensive links)
Introduction to astrophotograpy
Astronomy Links Page -- lots and lots of useful WWW sites
Detailed observing guides for deep space objects (star clusters, nebulae and galaxies) [VERY comprehensive databases]
A few suggestions on how students and teachers can use these materials
Additional Resources
Using Starry Night planetarium CD as a GREAT teaching tool[I am using Starry Night daily in preparing and illustrating this module, and I use it prior to every observing session. I think it is one of the most remarkable pieces of software ever written ! You will find it invaluable in teaching this material !]
A complete set of comprehensive learning materials are provided on the CD-ROM, including detailed Starry Night sequences to illustrate a range of neat events (using Starry Night). They are located at:
WIN Starry Night free demo/Learning Materials
and
MAC Starry Night free demo/Learning Materials
The sort of neat movies you can make with Starry Night:
Comet Hale-Bopp's orbit (6 MEG)
Earth's rotation and revolution (3.5 MB)
Alignment of the planets this autumn (sadly not visible from earth) (2 MB)
Orbits of Mercury and Venus as seen from earth (1.5 MB)
Orbits of Mars' moons (184 KB)
Revolution of the inner planets (1.1 MB)
Revolution of the outer planets (943 KB)
Total solar eclipse of 20 July 1963, as I saw it from Maine USA (2.2 MB)
Sample Teaching Module in Exobiology (life beyond the earth)
Other neat activities and materials for younger students
The Nine Planets for Kids Modified for about years 2-6
KidsAstronomy (Online Astronomy Academy) -- ages 7 - 18 -- activities, links, free online classes, teachers' corner, and more
Space Kids (from www.space.com) -- large range of activities for primary students
Astronomy for Kids! (planets, puzzles, facts, sky maps, links and more... Leave it to adults to take something as exciting and beautiful as the sky and make it booooooring! )
Virtual Solar System (years 3 - 9) [requires (free download) viewer]
StudyWeb Astronomy for Kids links
NASA's Project Athena (space and earth science)
New TeachSpace module from http://www.space.com/
Footnote:
** In my younger days, I built several telescopes, including a 33 cm (13 inch) mirror reflecting telescope, now housed in a proper observatory, and still in use at my old high school -- I won several state and regional science fairs using these, and majored in astronomy for two years at uni (before switching to biology, due to interest in exobiology)...
I am having a lot of fun doing this -- my kids are fascinated, are we keep getting strangers dropping by to look through the telescope...
I am happy to bring the telescopes to Perth metro area schools for observing evenings... lots of notice please !
Written by Stephen R. Kessell
Updated 14 February, 2001