Space Science for Teachers

University of Virginia

Department of Astronomy and
The Curry School of Education

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Spring 2009 Workshop

Workshop
Description
  • The Space Science for Teachers workshop is a professional development workshop for teachers in grades 4-9. It is taught as a blend of face-to-face classes and online lessons and assignments using an online course management system.
  • You will develop new knowledge and skills that will help you more effectively address the Virginia Standards of Learning related to astronomy, the nature of science, and space science.
  • The workshop will allow you to use readily available innovative technologies to learn the night sky, plus strategies to help your students experience firsthand the beauty and wonder of the night sky.
  • The instructors will demonstrate how to use your new knowledge and skills to teach space science and astronomy in an effective, hands-on, inquiry-based manner.
  • The workshop schedule includes
    • Inquiry-based classes on space science and astronomy content
    • Instruction on innovative methods for teaching space science.
    • Time for developing your own lesson plans to address specific space science related SOLs.
    • Hands-on practice with a variety of telescopes under the night sky.
    • A session in the StarLab inflatable planetarium.
Benefits
  • You will receive 3 hours of graduate credit in astronomy (ASTR 574)
  • You will receive $400 classroom equipment, including:
    • An astronomy textbook
    • Starry Night planetarium program
    • Teaching the Nature of Science Through Process Skills by Randy Bell, a resource book on teaching the nature of science
    • Resource books containing astronomy activities and lessons including
      • Universe at Your Fingertips by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
      • More Universe at Your Fingertips by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
      • Cycles Book by Jay Ryan
      • Edmund Scientifics Mag 5 Star Atlas
    • A Miller Planisphere
    • Project Star kits
      • spectrometer
      • celestial sphere
      • scale model solar system
      • holographic diffraction grating film
Requirements
  • Attend all face-to-face sessions
  • Develop lesson plans and activities and try them out in your classroom
  • Complete all online assignments and activities
Costs
  • Graduate credit requires a reduced tuition of $150. School divisions are required to pay or reimburse the educator for the cost of tuition. Please check with your school division on reimbursement policies for professional development courses.

 

 

Funds for this project were provided by a grant from the Federal Improving Teacher Quality State Grants (Title II, Part A) Professional Development Program administered by the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia