IDEAS 96 abstracts

Integrating Astronomy Into High School Non-Science Curricula: A Teacher Workshop
Principal Investigator: Matt Bobrowsky, CTA Incorporated and The University of Maryland

Category: Curriculum Development/Teacher Workshop

Amount Awarded: $5,484

We propose to enhance students' understanding of astronomy during their high school years by incorporating astronomy into a wide range of non-science curricula. Using techniques shown to be successful in our IDEA workshops from the past two years, educational material will be developed for teachers and students, and training will be provided for the teachers in the form of a workshop where both information and hands-on activities will be distributed. In addition, we will disseminate a video tape from the workshop which will be available not only to those who attended the workshop but to other teachers as well. A superb "multiplier effect" in this project comes from our focus on a school that is hosting a group of teachers in training. After these teachers receive certification, they will end up working in all different schools, thereby reaching large numbers of students for many years. The non-scientific subjects that we will connect to astronomy include history, music, art, language arts, social studies, mathematics, economics, political science, and African-American Studies, as well as health and public safety. With only 2% institutional overhead, we will derive a very high educational benefit from this project.

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Introduction To Astronomy and Space Science For DC Public Schools Students and Teachers
Principal Investigator: George Carruthers, Naval Research Laboratory
Category: Curriculum Development
Amount Awarded: $19,916

We propose to continue and broaden our program of space science and astronomy education, for pre-college students and their teachers. Program components are 1) continued development of a series of videos in Astronomy and Space Science, intended as a component of Earth & Space Science or general science courses at the middle school through high school levels; (2) development of associated "hands-on" activities, including use of an observatory and a planetarium on the campus of Howard University as well as classroom-based activities; and (3) providing a two-week teacher training session in Earth & Space Science (first given August, 1996) again in the summer of 1997, intended to prepare teachers to implement the video curriculum and hands-on activities in their schools.

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The Sky's No Limit
Principal Investigators: Jiahong Juda, Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory
Dr. Stephen S. Murray, Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory
Category: Curriculum Development; Teacher Resources and Training
Amount Awarded: $5,388

We propose to develop and pilot a Middle School integrated Math and Science Curriculum based on astronomy and earth science that will rekindle the sense of wonder inherent in every adolescent. In future years, this program, if successful, will become the heart of the Math/Science curriculum town-wide, where it would reach approximately 300 students each year. As a pilot program in its first year, two sixth grade classes will participate in a series of projects designed to introduce students to the fundamental principles and concepts of astronomy and mathematics. What makes this an innovative approach is that we would present these projects to the students as research projects in which the students would take on the role of scientists and work in teams to make observations, formalize theories, collect more data, draw conclusions, then present and defend their theories and conclusions to their classmates. We also will have visits to the classrooms by women scientists, who will provide role models and challenge the standard scientist stereotype.

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Development of Space Science Teacher Materials in Collaboration with Regional Educators
Principal Investigator: Robert L. Millis, Lowell Observatory
Category: Curriculum/Product Development
Amount Awarded: $19,880

Lowell Observatory astronomers and education staff will collaborate with Arizona teachers to develop active learning materials to be used by educators and students prior to, and following, portable planetarium visits to their schools. The materials will reach a diverse group of students across Arizona and into neighboring states. Many of the students from this region are from traditionally under-represented ethnic groups. The materials will emphasize a basic inquiry method to exploring the night sky, understanding fundamentals of seasons and motions, and will encourage a broader enthusiasm for space science.

The effectiveness of these educational materials will be greatly enhanced by the direct participation of Arizona teachers with Lowell staff to develop and test these materials. Two, two-day teacher meetings will be conducted at the Observatory during which educators will use the planetarium to test and evaluate prototype hands-on classroom activities, demonstrations, and supporting reference materials. The active role of the teachers in the development process will insure that the materials will be optimally designed for use by educators.

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The Summer Science Program: An Integrated, Research-Based Observational Astronomy Curriculum for High School Students
Principal Investigator: Stuart K. Stephens, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Category: Curriculum Development, Student Research Opportunities
Amount Awarded: $8,000

The Summer Science Program (SSP), held at The Thacher School in Ojai, California, for six weeks each summer, has a 38-year history of educating a broad spectrum of junior-level high school girls and boys in the physical sciences. A purposefully integrated curriculum consists of lectures in calculus and physics, as well as positional, planetary, stellar, and galactic astronomy. A central research project requires students to propose, conduct, and analyze photographic observations of asteroids as members of small teams. Using computer programming learned during the summer, and building on other coursework, students ultimately determine orbital elements from three observations of their asteroids. Results are sent to the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory following the summer.

Funds are requested to help continue the Summer Science Program for 30+ students in 1997. The IDEA category is a combination of astronomy curriculum development, incorporation of modern scientific research techniques (computer programming and remote CCD observing), and outreach to a deliberately broad spectrum of qualified students interested in science. Proposed budget items include research materials, student supplies and other curricular materials, remote observing expenses, field trips to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Mount Wilson Observatory, teaching assistant salaries, and honoraria for scientists invited as guest speakers.

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Internet Usage/Development

A Multi-Wavelength, International Exploration of the Universe: Combining the Internet with Astronomical Observing
Principal Investigator: W. Forman, Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory
Category: Internet Usage/Development; Multi-cultural Programs
Amount Awarded: $5,252

In collaboration with two Massachusetts and several Russian High Schools, we propose to expand a hands-on astronomy program that combines astronomical observation and Internet computer capabilities. The Internet capability allows extensive exploration of the publicly available astronomical archives with a focus on multi-wavelength views of the Universe. As part of the theme of multi-wavelength astronomy, we introduce the "missing mass" question through the analysis of clusters of galaxies using available NASA data, study galaxy redshifts and the expanding universe, measure the rotation curve and mass of the Galaxy, and utilize public-access robotic telescopes. The vast wealth of information available through the Internet also supplements other topics in the earth science and physics curricula. Astronomical observing, using small six inch telescopes, and a variety of laboratory projects complement the computer-based activities.

In Massachusetts, in addition to the students of the participating classes, the entire student body is invited to selected observing sessions. Furthermore, we will hold observing nights open to the community to forge links between the students and the community. In Moscow, we will provide observing nights at schools (students age 12-16) in close proximity to the Institute for Space Research (IKI). By carrying out similar activities in the US and Moscow, we foster a wide range of communications between the different school systems and promote international understanding. An example is a project to measure the distance to the moon that relies on simple observations done with prior coordination via the internet; this can easily be expanded to an internet project with worldwide access.

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Internet Deployment in Elementary Astronomy Education: A Self-propagating Program for Enhanced Space Science Education
Principal Investigator: Rogier A. Windhorst, Arizona State University
Category: Internet Usage/Teacher Training
Amount Awarded: $12,050

We propose to start a systematic INTERNET-based program of teacher training and student education in astronomy-and in the sciences in general-in the Mesa Unified School District in Mesa, AZ. Our goals are to significantly enhance the teaching of astronomy and related space sciences (geology, geography, meteorology, etc.) using the available images from NASA missions over the Internet. We need to capture the young students' interest with hands-on visual images of the sky, the Universe, the Earth, and the Solar System, etc. Essential ingredients of this Internet Deployment in Elementary Astronomy-education (`IDEA') proposal are:

1) To install the Internet in a pilot school in the Mesa Unified School District.

2) To enhance the existing science curriculum material in the Mesa Unified School District, using the astronomy/science images retrieved over the Internet. The new material developed in the pilot school project will be made available to all School Districts over the WWW.

3) To conduct at least 14 Space Science Seminars to train a number of key-teachers, utilizing volunteer ASU professors, graduate and undergraduate students. These teachers will train other teachers in the Mesa School District, and most importantly, use the new Internet-based materials in K-12 science classes.

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Multicultural Programs

An Astronomy Outreach Program for Navajo and Hopi Middle Schools
Principal Investigators: Amanda S. Bosh, Lowell Observatory; Dr. Deidre A. Hunter, Lowell Observatory

Category: Multicultural Programs/Outreach
Amount Awarded: $15,354

The representation of Native Americans in astronomy (and in science in general) is appallingly low: only 0.1% (3 people; American Astronomical Society 1990 survey). Our proximity to the Navajo and Hopi nations encourages an astronomy outreach program to these peoples. The education leaders of these tribes are eager to provide their children with as much help as possible to increase their understanding and appreciation of science, and we aim to accomplish this through the learning of astronomy. We have designed a culturally-sensitive program that takes into account the specific learning styles of Navajo and Hopi children, and is aware of the special needs of bringing such a program to a large and often remote area. Simultaneously, we will be helping teachers (5th- 8th grade) learn about astronomy, giving them information and activities they can use with other classes and share with other teachers. Throughout the year we will visit classes and perform hands-on activities with full participation from the teacher. After school we present these activities to other teachers in the school, and the teacher with whom we are working then acts as a resource for them. The classroom activities are drawn from those developed by other programs and will be modified as needed for our program. In addition, we will hold evening star parties that involve the students' families and community. This IDEA grant (Multicultural Programs/Outreach) will fund the pilot stage of this program.

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Comets: A Multimedia Presentation for Schools
Principal Investigator: Humberto Campins, University of Florida
Category: Multicultural Programs/Outreach
Amount Awarded: $6,000

We propose to develop a multimedia presentation on comets, with an emphasis on Comet Hale-Bopp, targeted for elementary and middle school students. This presentation will be modular so it can be used more generally after the Comet Hale-Bopp apparition. The PI and the Co-I will bring this presentation to schools with large minority enrollments in two Florida counties, to prepare the students for activities that can be carried out when Comet Hale-Bopp is brightest. An interactive software version of this presentation will be distributed to schools statewide with the help of the Florida Space Grant Consortium and the Center for Precollegiate Education and Training.

We will build on our experience from a previous IDEA Grant, to integrate existing images, video footage, graphics and text into a CD or floppy disks (for both the IBM and Macintosh platforms) so that they can be shown in classrooms and used directly by the students. We already have at the University of Florida the necessary hardware and software to develop this presentation. This multi-media package will be tested by Mr. Dennis Dolan, a teacher at Ochwilla Elementary School, and by Dr. Sandra Fradd, a professor of education at the University of Miami.

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Public Outreach

Live from the Smithsonian II!
Principal Investigators: Kimberly. Dow and Stephen S. Murray, Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory

Category: Public Outreach; Public Understanding of Science
Amount Awarded: $5,961

A video-conferencing kiosk in the National Air and Space Museum "Stars" gallery will provide Museum patrons and scientists with an opportunity to hold video-conferences between the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, in Cambridge, MA and the National Air and Space Museum, in Washington, DC. When not in use for video-conferencing, this exhibit will offer Museum visitors a chance to learn more about the research side of the Smithsonian Institution through a touch screen monitor housed in the same kiosk. The touch screen monitor will include modules that address frequently asked astronomical questions, information about current astronomical events, and research at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the National Air and Space Museum. This program is an extension of a 1995 IDEA grant and will be the first long-term usage of video-conferencing technology in a museum setting. Further, this program offers an opportunity to investigate the technical aspects of remotely updating a museum kiosk from a research institution.

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Interactive Planetarium Show about Extrasolar Planets
Principal Investigator: Catharine D. Garmany, University of Colorado
Category: Public Outreach/Public Understanding of Science
Amount Awarded: $6,000

With the discovery of Jupiter-sized extra-solar planets and the report of possible fossil life on Mars both within the year, public interest has exploded in what was once a highly speculative area of astronomy. However, few have the understanding the of the problems and issues. This proposal will capitalize on this interest as a vehicle to explore issues of scientific literacy, both for the public and for students in grades 6-12. We plan to produce an approximately 50 minute planetarium program which covers what we know about planets around other stars, including the background necessary for understanding detection difficulties. This involves discussion of the distance scale to stars, properties of stars as represented in the HR diagram, any how life evolved on earth. The theme throughout this show will be how we have learned these things. The P.I. directs a superb planetarium that seats 210 and has all the capabilities for developing a planetarium show with a strong interactive component to be used both for public shows and for middle school and older classes. This proposal is to support the more innovative aspects of this planetarium program, including a workshop for middle school and high school teachers to introduce them to concepts explored in this show.

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Window on the Universe-A New National Education Program Facilitating Community-Wide Involvement
Principal Investigator: Jeff Goldstein, Challenger Center for Space Science Education
Category: Public Outreach
Amount Awarded: $11,156

We are requesting $20K in seed money funding for the Window on the Universe program, a highly leveraged national outreach initiative meant to promote sustainable community-wide education in communities across America. The program offers underserved communities a week of space science education activities. Locally, the program brings together formal science educators in K-13 classrooms and in pre-service training programs; informal science educators in museums, science centers, and planetaria; local area researchers and amateur astronomers; local businesses and civic organizations; and the community at large. The requested funds would support programs in 6 communities nationally. Each program would provide an educator in-service/pre-service Day for 100-200 educators; donated educational materials to participating schools; two Science Nights, each for 100-1000 participants; visits by researchers to 6-10 elementary, middle and high schools for 300-1000 students; a workshop for the local area research and amateur astronomy community; and scholarly assessment of the educator workshop and Science Nights.

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The Violent Universe: A Workshop for Teachers and the Public
Principal Investigator: Mark Leising, Clemson University
Category: Public Outreach, Public Understanding of Science
Amount Awarded: $16,200

We propose to enable public and teacher participation in a major scientific conference in gamma-ray astronomy by holding in conjunction with it special sessions describing exciting new results in terms understandable to them. The lecturers will be world leaders in high-energy astrophysics who are attending the technical sessions. Prior to the workshop we will make both electronic (WWW) and printed materials describing the topics to be discussed, and suitable for use in lesson preparation, available to participants. In addition to the latest astrophysical results, we will present talks and develop materials covering the basic physical principles needed to appreciate the astronomical observations. We will develop and obtain interactive demonstrations that make the physics concrete and relevant to the participants.

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Cheyney University Astronomy Club
Principal Investigator: Willie R. Mackey, NASA Lewis Research Center
Category: Public Outreach
Amount Awarded: $6,000

The Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is the oldest institution for higher learning for students of African American descent. The University is equipped with a Spitz Planetarium System A4, one Celestron-8 telescope and one Questar telescope. Until a decade ago, the University had a strong astronomy education program. In the past, astronomy courses were offered on a regular basis. The planetarium was used to assist in the teaching of Astronomy and periodically shows were presented to students and faculty of the institute and to those students who participated in the Saturday academy program. At present the planetarium is scheduled for repair and upgrading. Our goal is to reestablish a strong Astronomy education program in Cheyney University.

Establishment of the Astronomy Club will be a step forward to building astronomy appreciation among the students both of the University and of the local public school. The main activity of the club will be hands on learning of astronomy and science. Club membership will be open to Cheyney University students, local public school students and staff and local community center members.

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Interactive Astronomy Module for Museums and Schools
Principal Investigator: Edison Liang, Rice University
Proposal Category: Public Outreach
Amount Awarded: $6,000

This is a proposal to renew our public outreach project for the NASA Initiative to Develop Education through Astronomy program. Rice University and the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences have set up interactive computer kiosks in the museum to educate visitors about the Earth and Space Sciences. Our astronomy module is included in the main kiosk at the entrance to the museum, and on July 19 our own dedicated "Astronomy Update" kiosk was opened. Both have been heavily used. Our module contains the latest exciting astronomy results that we download from the World Wide Web and modify for a general audience. We propose to continue to update the module, so that new results can be shared with the general public quickly and with clear, concise explanations. We have been discussing setting up kiosks in other museums around the country. Also during this year, versions of the whole Earth and Space Sciences project will be made on CD ROMs and distributed to schools; we will include the interactive astronomy package in these, and modify it through teacher and student feedback.

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Universe In the Park
Principal Investigator: Eric M. Wilcots, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Jim Lattis, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Category: Public Outreach
Amount Awarded: $8,218

We propose to continue and expand "UNIVERSE IN THE PARK", a public outreach program of hands-on astronomy carried out during the summer months in the state parks of Wisconsin. The program includes a series of informal talks and question-and-answer sessions in the parks, followed by stargazing with a moderate-sized telescope plus binoculars and naked-eye observing. The talks focus on the latest results from the Hubble Space Telescope and other timely astronomical topics. During the first summer of the program we held sessions at 16 State Parks throughout Wisconsin for audiences of 17-200 people. Overall, 24 different volunteers presented Universe in the Park sessions. The response has been tremendous; this is a successful program. In addition, we will continue to provide training for volunteer naturalists from the Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources so that this program can be spread to a wider audience throughout the state. We are extending the program to participate in the outdoor activities of Madison area school and to provide training for teachers in activities (including telescope activities) that can supplement classroom learning. The intent of the program is to foster an informal connection between active astronomers and the general public and young people, and to share the excitement and wonder of recent advances in our understanding of the universe.

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Student Outreach

The Women's Science Forum: WWW Science Outreach Designed by High School Girls
Principal Investigator: Megan Donahue, Space Telescope Science Institute
Category: Student Outreach
Amount Awarded: $6,955

The Women's Science Forum, a student-outreach program, is a series of monthly meetings for high-school junior girls held at the ST ScI. Our goal is to encourage girls who have already expressed an interest in science to continue to pursue that interest in college. In 1997-1998, we plan to start an on-line magazine written and designed by the girls who attend the forum. The junior year is one of the critical branch-points along the career path where students either opt to continue in math and science or stop. It is also the time when students are beginning to think about college, standardized tests, applications and financing their college choices. Each forum will begins with a presentation and an interview with a woman scientist, and will continue with small-group discussions and development of articles on science, math, and career development. We will quantitatively evaluate the long-term effects of this program via surveys of the girls and a control group, as well as monitoring the visits and email acquired by the on-line magazine site.

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Yerkes Space Explorers
Principal Investigator: Lewis Hobbs, University of Chicago

Category: Student Outreach
Amount Awarded: $14,300

We propose to expand and improve upon our Space Explorer program, which is based upon the Center for Astrophysical Research in Antarctica's highly successful Chicago program. Our program is focused upon the middle school students in the area surrounding Yerkes Observatory so that they can take advantage of Yerkes' laboratories and telescopes, as well its outstanding faculty and staff. This is a hands-on program which currently includes experiences in telescope building and astrophotography, as well as basic exploration of astronomy. The expanded program will also include having advanced students develop and report original research using CCD and video imaging with the 10-inch and 24-inch reflecting telescopes at Yerkes, as well as additional astronomy exploration.

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Astronomy A Cappella
Principal Investigator: Alan P. Smale, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Category: Student Outreach
Amount Awarded: $6,000

Children and the general public are fascinated by astronomy. Their attention is also captured by simple, upbeat music. The enduring popularity of Sesame Street and Schoolhouse Rock among both children and educators is strong testimony to the power of music in making learning enjoyable. Sadly, many people are intimidated by the notion that concepts in astronomy are "too hard for me to understand." We propose to tackle this misconception, by composing, recording, and distributing in the public domain, a set of a cappella songs that answer basic questions about astronomy in simple and fun language. The concepts will be explained with minimal emphasis on mathematics, and so will be attractive to a wide range of ages and backgrounds. The composers and performers will be PhD astronomers who are members of an established and proficient a cappella ensemble. In addition to the songs themselves, we will also create a science unit, including a lesson plan, based on the astronomical principles embodied in the lyrics. Development of the songs, lesson plans and distribution will all be carried out with substantial elementary school teacher involvement.

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Astronomy and Science Education for Elementary School Students (K-8)
Principal Investigator: David A. Turnshek, University of Pittsburgh
Category: Student Outreach
Amount Awarded: $6,000

We propose to continue our program (originally an AGSE program and for the last two years an IDEA program) which aims to enhance astronomy and science education at the elementary and middle school level in western Pennsylvania, and in particular in the Hempfield Area School District. We will: (a) make presentations and demonstrations for elementary and middle school students (K-8) in order to encourage an understanding of science in general and astronomy and space sciences in particular, (2) conduct observing sessions in order to develop an understanding of telescopes and foster an appreciation of observational astronomy, (3) offer an enrichment program for gifted students, and (4) work with teachers to help them improve their science offerings through personal contact with them and by making them aware of the resources available to them through the NASA Teachers Resource Center. The program will emphasize NASA's involvement in astronomy and space science research. It is primarily intended to foster contact between real astronomers, educators, and pre-high-school students.

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A Mobil Solar Observatory
Principal Investigator: David Turnshek, University of Pittsburgh
Category: Student Outreach
Amount Awarded: $12,000

In an earlier AGSE program we received funding to configure a Mobil Solar Observatory (MSO). This has been accomplished and the MSO has been successfully used for a variety of outreach purposes. We request continued funding for operations for two days per week to take the MSO to middle schools, junior high schools, high schools, and summer schools and camps. The proposed program will give students hands-on experience in astronomical observation during the day time when school is in session. In cloudy weather, video tapes of previous observing sessions can be viewed and instruction on the use and purpose of the MSO can still be given. The opportunity that use of the MSO creates will be used to highlight NASA's commitment to astrophysical research and, at the same time, allow us to build contacts between astronomy researchers, students and teachers, giving MSO users a real opportunity to embrace and discuss science. The MSO will sometimes be taken on the University of Pittsburgh Departments of Chemistry and Physics & Astronomy van in an outreach program for school children throughout western Pennsylvania. The outreach van includes demonstrations which teach about the operation of the space shuttle, providing a good connection to the PI's research with HST. In addition, the Carnegie Science Center will sometimes coordinate scheduling of the MSO.

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Student Research Opportunities

How Do Astronomers Weigh the Stars?
Principal Investigator: Patricia T. Boyd, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Category: Student Research Opportunities
Amount Awarded: $5,830

We propose to provide students at Gwynn Park High School with a hands-on research experience by involving them in a multi-wavelength observing campaign of the x-ray binary Vela XR-1. Data from XTE will be combined with data from HST/STIS and from Las Campanas Observatory to search for the mass of the compact companion in this system, treating it as a double-lined spectroscopic binary. The fundamental problem of measuring the mass of a neutron star is grounded in basic principles of physics: gravity, and the two-body problem. We will develop a lesson plan to guide the students through the analysis of the data and introduce or reinforce to them the physical concepts used to solve the problem. The NASA data and lesson plan will be made available to the public via the World Wide Web though Goddard Space Flight Center's High Energy Astrophysics Learning Center Page. Our goal is that once students have completed the unit they will be able to explain to friends and family how astronomers weigh the stars. They will have experienced the types of questions astronomers ask, and how space observatories help them answer these questions.

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Teacher Resources and Training

Improving Community College Astronomy Instruction in the U.S.
Principal Investigator: Robert Havlen, Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Category: Teacher Resources and Training
Amount Awarded: $2,000

At least 40% of all U.S. students taking introductory astronomy courses do so at a community college. Yet little attention has been paid to improving the quality of education at this level, or bringing such courses into conformance with national standards for science education. For example, one recent survey indicates that only about 20% of instructors of these courses have their highest degree in astronomy!

Community college astronomy faculty tend to be isolated from their peers at other institutions. They have little access to current developments in astronomy or astronomy education, and little opportunity to learn from or share their work with their peers.

This project will begin the process of improving communications among community college astronomy instructors by:

developing a data base/mailing list of U.S full-time and part-time faculty teaching introductory astronomy at community colleges and small (non-research) four-year colleges;
conducting a statistically valid needs assessment of this community;
holding a national symposium of community college instructors and leaders in astronomy education to discuss these educational issues creating a web site and email exploder to serve as an ongoing electronic focus for discussions of these issues; and
producing and disseminating a final report with recommendations for future action.

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Bringing the Sky to the Classroom
Principal Investigator: William Herbst, Wesleyan University
Category: Teacher Resources and Training
Amount Awarded: $6,000

We propose to run a one week summer course for teachers in grades 4 through 9 which will focus on how to use a Starlab Portable Planetarium to bring the excitement of astronomy into the classroom. As part of the program, teachers will be provided with a planetarium for use in their school for up to one week during the year. In addition, we will offer technical support, materials, a Webpage, an Open House at Van Vleck Observatory, access to Project ASTRO materials and other resources to support their efforts. This is a pilot program. We expect it to continue for many years and ultimately grow to include several planetariums, serving school districts throughout the State of Connecticut. Priority will be given to school districts with large enrollments of students from populations generally underrepresented in math and science. We expect to integrate it with Project ASTRO, an initiative of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, which links professional and amateur astronomers with teachers in effective partnerships.

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The Space Center: Accent on Activities Teacher Workshop
Principal Investigator: Donald F. Neidig, National Solar Observatory
Category: Teacher Resources and Training
Amount Awarded: $11,592

We propose to organize, conduct, and evaluate a five-day, one-credit hour tuition-paid workshop, August 4-8, 1997, for 16 teachers from eight schools in New Mexico, targeting elementary and middle schools with small student populations or large minority enrollments in rural locations. The primary goal is to increase teacher knowledge of astronomy and pedagogy.

Our principle strategy for strengthening current astronomy curriculum is to introduce teachers to participatory activities that supplement state and national guidelines. This workshop will emphasize major themes in astronomy such as spherical astronomy, Earth-sky relationships and orbits. Each educator will be taught how to use a science kit developed by SEDL (Southwest Educational Development Laboratory) and teachers from Arkansas. Dr. Donald Neidig, an astrophysicist from the National Solar Observatory, Sunspot, New Mexico, will present astronomy in-class activities he has developed. To give teachers further support and encourage them to take a leadership role within their schools, Space Center staff will attend and assist in an evening Science Circus Camp-In at each of the schools. Partnered with Space Center personnel, the teachers will present selected activities to students, parents and co-workers, followed by a star party and storytelling on astronomical themes.

By providing educators with concrete examples and activities that involve students directly, we expect to increase both teacher and student literacy in astronomy.

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Student/Teacher Workshop

Institute of Astronomy for Elementary Science Teachers
Principal Investigator: Jose L. Alonso, University of Puerto Rico
Category: Teacher Workshop
Amount Awarded: $14,337

In order to improve the teaching of astronomy in Puerto Rico, we are proposing a summer teacher workshop for 25 elementary science teachers from the western region of the Island. Participants will perform hands-on activities in various topics of astronomy, including: faces of the moon, eclipses, seasons, relative motion of the Sun, the solar system, and constellations. Most of the activities will be adapted from rom the American Astronomical Society education program (Project AASTRA), Harvard Center for Astronomy.

The summer workshop will consist of 5 daily sessions of 6 hours, for a total of 30 contact hours. There will be two observing nights, a trip to the Arecibo Observatory educational facility, and several planetarium sessions. The participating teachers will receive a set of educational materials for the teaching of astronomy. A minimum teacher stipend and transportation to the Arecibo Observatory will be provided by the project. The estimated project impact is 4,000 students/year.

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Education and Outreach through Mars Exploration
Principal Investigator: James F. Bell, Cornell University
Category: Teacher Workshop, Public Outreach, Teacher Resources and Training
Amount Awarded: $6,000

We are proposing to conduct a year-long project to enhance science education and awareness among educators, elementary school students, and the general public in Tompkins County, NY and surrounding regions. We will rely on NASA's exciting program of Mars exploration, due to commence late this year with multiple spacecraft launches, as our primary vehicle for sparking the interests and talents of local educators and engaging the curiosity of school children and their families. Our project will involve: (1) A teacher workshop presented by Dr. Meredith Olson, the chairperson of the NASA Mars Education Outreach Committee. At this 2-day workshop approximately 30 local educators will be exposed to exciting, hands-on activities in space and planetary science and will meet with NASA-funded Mars researchers from Cornell University, JPL, and ASU so that long-term collaborations may be established; (2) Classroom visits to local schools and public presentations at the Sciencenter by astronomers and graduate students from Cornell timed to coincide with critical events in the Mars exploration program (e.g., Mars Pathfinder landing, Mars Global Surveyor aerobraking, etc.); and (3) Public telescope viewing nights around the time of Mars closest approach.

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Teachers Touch the Sky: A Workshop for Teachers of Grades 4-8
Principal Investigator: Bonnie J. Buratti, JPL
Category: Teacher Workshop
Amount Awarded: $6,000

We propose to conduct a one-week workshop at JPL during the summer of 1997 for 15 teachers in grades 4-8. The teachers will be walked through five hands-on activities they can implement in the classroom, tour various JPL facilities (including the Teacher Resource Center), and listen to lectures by JPL scientists and engineers. There will be a field trip to an Observatory.

The activities will emphasize the illustration of the scientific method and basic physical and mathematical concepts. All materials and lesson plans will be provided. Follow-up activities will include a Saturday workshop and classroom visits. We expect to reach over 500 students through the workshop, about two-thirds of whom are members of minority groups underrepresented in science. This workshop has been conducted at JPL during the past three summers, to reach 50 teachers or principals representing over 3000 students.

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City Stars: A Teachers' Workshop on Astronomy
Principal Investigator: Paul Gorenstein, Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory
Category: Teacher Workshop Curriculum
Amount Awarded: $5,853

Building on our previous success (AGSE Grant #P3023-7-93), we propose to offer two astronomy workshops for Boston area middle and high school teachers. In October, 1994 and 1996, similar workshops for Boston area city teachers (one for middle school and one for high school) were developed in conjunction with the Charles Hayden Planetarium staff and offered at the Boston Museum of Science. Teachers received instruction on basic astronomy concepts and demonstrations of inexpensive hands-on astronomy activities for the classroom. Participants received a teacher's packet consisting of a workbook with descriptive guide sheets for each activity, a cassette tape with astronomy songs, solar system slide set, spectroscope, disposable outdoor camera, sundial template, star finder template, styrofoam ball and pencil, Saturn poster for their classroom, educational catalogs and Museum of Science brochures. As a follow-up, each workshop participant agreed to submit a formal evaluation of his/her students' in-class activity experience (Which activity did the students like the best? Which activities helped students to understand a particular astronomy concept?) with documentation of the students' participation. Such documentation may have included a video or photographs of the students performing the activities.

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Bringing the Cosmos to the Classroom
Principal Investigators: Christine Jones, Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory; Dr. Stephen S. Murray, Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory
Category: Teachers Workshops, Teacher Resources and Training
Amount Awarded: $13,481

We propose a collaboration between Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) researchers and the A.C.E. and classroom teachers in elementary schools in Arlington, Massachusetts, to design and introduce into each school an innovative earth science and astronomy curriculum for grades 2 and 3. This curriculum will be based on a series of investigations in which the students will make observations, suggest hypotheses, and test these against additional observations. As we did in our earlier IDEA project ("Pi in the Sky"), scientists will participate in classroom astronomy activities. With the teachers, we also will plan and sponsor family astronomy nights for the schools. We would reach about 600 students and their families in the first year. In subsequent years, since classroom teachers will be trained to carry out these investigations with their students, this program would continue to reach large numbers of students. To reach even larger audiences, we plan to describe these investigations and make them available through the Internet and through the NASA teacher resource centers.

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Community K-12 Participation in Astronomical Research
Principal Investigator: Philip Lubin, University of California at Santa Barbara
Category: Teacher/Student Workshops
Amount Awarded: $12,000

The highly successful Remote Access Astronomy Project (RAAP) is an educational outreach program which uses a computer controlled telescope and image processing system to support educational curricula in the physical sciences via the World-Wide-Web, and is already used in a number of high school and college level classrooms.

This proposal requests support for training workshops in astronomical observing for K-12 teachers and their students at the RAAP telescope facility and the maintenance of a web page of new astronomical information to provide them with motivation. Presentations will also be given during these workshops on the Cosmic Microwave Background research conducted in this facility, showing the equipment and techniques used, and on the CLEAR-SKY K-8 curriculum development workshop held in summer 1996. This project will stimulate interest in astronomical research and science in general, and increase the ability of students to use computer technology, such as the RAAP system, in pursuing research projects. There is a large percentage of under-represented minorities in the local target area, and this project is expected to have a significant impact on their interest in science.

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A Hands-On Astronomy Workshop for K to 12 Teachers and Teacher-in-Training Held in a Planetarium
Principal Investigator: Jose Mena-Werth, University of Nebraska
Category: Teacher/Student Workshop
Amount Awarded: $19,961

For any subject to be taught successfully, the teacher must have a sound understanding of the fundamentals of that discipline. Traditional astronomy courses provide a fine overview of the current state of astronomy; but because of time limitations, however, they cannot put a strong emphasis on such fundamental ideas as synodic versus sidereal day, moon phases and eclipses, changes in the sky because of Earths annual motion, and many more. Yet these ideas are the basis for the simple observational experiments teachers ask students to perform as early as the primary grades. We feel that it is vital that instructors in grades K to 12 have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of astronomy in a hands-on way.

We propose to hold a hands-on Workshop for teachers and teachers-in-training that emphasizes the fundamentals of astronomy. The workshop will be held during the 1997 Fall Semester. It would be held in the University of Nebraska at Kearney Planetarium. Also, we have written a series of astronomy lessons for teachers of grades K through 12, and will go through these lessons during the Workshop. Teachers will, therefore, have specific astronomy lessons for their students by the end of the Workshop.

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Team Experience In Astronomy For Minorities
Principal Investigator: Charles H. McGruder III, Kentucky University
Category: Teacher/Student Workshop
Amount Awarded: $20,000

The purpose of this proposal is to increase interest in and appreciation of science using astronomy and space research as a tool. This goal is to be achieved by inviting high school minority students and their teachers to the campus of Western Kentucky University (WKU) to participate along with minority role models, WKU astronomy faculty mentors, and high-school teachers as co-educators and coordinators in team-based scientific learning experiences. The participants and mentors will work together as teams in hands-on activities leading to mentored, long-term observational astronomy projects in relation to space-research findings. The projects will culminate with the presentation and exchange of results to complete the scientific learning process. The workshop will consist of two sessions, each two days in length. The first session will prepare the participants for their projects. The second session will provide opportunities for collaborative learning and sharing benefits of knowledge gained by presentation of results to peers. The program is referred to as TEAM for Team Experience in Astronomy for Minorities.

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Hands-On the Solar System: Workshops for Middle School Students from Under-represented Groups and their Teachers in New Mexico
Principal Investigator: Horton Newsom, University of New Mexico
Category: Teacher/Student Workshops
Amount Awarded: $6,000

The New Mexico Hands-On the Solar System program is an educational outreach program of the Institute of Meteoritics (IOM) at the University of New Mexico for grades K-12 (Category: Teacher/Student Workshops). With the initial funding provided last year, we began presenting workshops to middle and high school students from under-represented groups and their teachers, taking advantage of the research facilities, meteorite collection, and meteorite museum at the IOM. The workshops about the solar system and astronomy were developed and presented by IOM scientists in collaboration with educators from the New Mexico Math, Engineering, and Science Achievement program (NM MESA). NM MESA is a non-profit organization that sponsors school-based clubs for middle and high school students from under-represented groups, mainly Hispanic, Native American, and women. The pedagogy comprises strategies espoused by the national science and math standards, such as hands-on, "minds-on" constructivist learning. We are requesting support to continue and improve our program by providing classroom materials to the teachers before their participation in our on-campus program, by designing more cooperative learning activities to use during the workshops, and by establishing a web site for better communication and dissemination about the workshops.

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An Astronomical Theme Throughout the Junior High Science and Math Curriculum
Principal Investigator: Stephen J. Shawl, University of Kansas
Category: Teacher/Student Workshop
Amount Awarded: $18,865

This project is to fund a two-week summer workshop for junior high/middle school science and math in-service teachers and preservice teachers with the purpose of integrating astronomy throughout the junior high school science and math curriculum. Qualified teachers from some BIA schools and preservice teachers at the Haskell Indian Nations University, located in Lawrence, will

be encouraged to apply for this workshop. Based on a model developed in last year's IDEA grant, during the first of two sessions teachers will learn basic astronomical information while performing a variety of hands-on activities. Between sessions, participants will work on projects whose purpose is to help them integrate astronomical ideals into at least one of their courses. In this way, each participant leaves the workshop with something that will be immediatley and directly applicable to his/her own teaching situation. Preservice teachers will be teamed with experienced teachers for the interim projects; such teaming will provide a synergism not otherwise available and will provide a unique opportunity for a mentoring relationship to develop. During the final session participants will present their projects, receive constructive criticism, and further improve their work so that they will have a completed activity/lesson plan for use the coming year. An important part of the workshop would involve WWW exploration of available curricular materials.

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