Project ASTRO - Tucson Coalition Organizations

Flandrau Science CenterKitt Peak National ObservatoryLunar & Planetary LaboratoryMt. Graham Discovery Park

NOAOPima College

Pompea & AssociatesSteward ObservatoryWhipple Observatory

Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association

Tucson Unified School DistrictUS Gemini Program

ASTROGRAMProject ASTRO - Tucson Issue 17, December 2002

EXTENSIONS OF PROJECT ASTRO

Astronomers and Teachers as Partners for Learning

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The interest generated by Project ASTRO has fostered new programs at the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), such as Family ASTRO-Tucson (which invites families to

evening or weekend family events doing fun astronomy activities together); a Project ASTRO-type program in Chile at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory; and an NSF-sponsored Spanish Language Materials Educational Center.

With support from the National Science Foundation, 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. At the heart of this project is a series of new astronomy kits designed to be both educational and fun for chil-dren 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 educa-tion, 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.

The Family ASTRO program as a whole can be adapted to address the needs of a diverse audience, as well as diverse circumstances. 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 Amer-ica.

Three event leader training workshops, each focused on a different thematic family kit, were hosted by NOAO in November to train educators from these three groups. The thematic family kits were “Night Sky Adventures”, “Moon Mission” and “Race to the Planets”. Event leaders work in teams of two or more and are responsible for hosting five to twenty families for two events per year. Nearly sixteen teachers from eight different schools in the Sunnyside school district were trained as event leaders, as well as a team of five from the Tohono O’odham and four from the Girl Scouts.

Family ASTRO - Tucson

Inside This Issue

Family ASTRO................1

ASTRO Chile ..................2

Spanish Materials ..........2

Web Resources..............2

Jacoby Award ................3

UAYF Resources ...........3

Spring Workshop ...........4

Workshop Reg Form .....4

Spring Workshop Flyer..5

Solar System Activity ...6

Fall Workshop ................7

New Partners..................7

Participants pictured are from the Girl Scouts, Sunny-side School District, and the Tohono O’odham.

Even half a world apart and across people of different languages and cultures, the most

effective ways to teach concepts in astronomy can be a lively topic for discussion. During Fall 2002, NOAO North and South jointly sponsored a “proof-of-concept” vid-eoconference workshop for teachers in Tucson, AZ, and La Serena, Chile. The teachers

exchanged methods and ideas about how to explain and demonstrate the nature of light and color to students of various ages. The entire workshop was held in Spanish facilitated by

three bilingual teach-ers from the Tucson Unified School Dis-trict, representing the elementary, middle school and high school grades: Julie Friberg (right), Thea Cañizo (left), and Glenn Furnier (center).

By merging the successful achievements of Project ASTRO with enthusiastic efforts in Chile, a cross-cultural exchange of strategies and techniques is taking shape. The workshop is envisioned as the beginning of an even larger collaboration, cur-rently dubbed ASTRO-Chile.

ASTRO-Chile

Spanish Language Materials Educational Center

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Complementing the ASTRO-Chile initiative, NOAO Tucson is establishing a Spanish Language Mate-rials Educational Center. Astronomy and space science educators cannot easily find instructional

materials in Spanish. This holds true for elementary and secondary formal education materials and for informal education materials at all levels. With its strong connections to Spanish-speaking science teach-ers and science district coordinators, NOAO intends to create a national resource to enable educators to find and apply high-quality materials in Spanish that have already been produced.

This NOAO project will provide a library collection of examined and reviewed materials, and a web-based catalog of generally available Spanish-language materials for all grade levels in astronomy and space science. These web pages will provide a user-friendly means to find grade level-appropriate astronomy education materials. Published in both Spanish and English, the Web pages will include materials appropriate for school guidance counselors and administrators, as well as for teachers.

In addition to these new programs at NOAO, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), originators of Project ASTRO, recently received funding from the National Science Foundation to have part of the “Universe at Your Fingertips” text translated into Spanish. The translated text, “El Universo a sus Pies,” can be ordered over the Internet. (http://www.astrosociety.org/education/astro/astropubs/universo.html)

For more information on Project ASTRO-Tucson’s new programs, Family ASTRO, ASTRO-Chile, the Spanish Language Materials Educational Center, or ASP’s text “El Universo a sus Pies”, please visit http://www.noao.edu/education/noaoeo.html, e-mail Connie Walker at cwalker@noao.edu or call Connie at 520-318-8535.

Spanish Web Resources Stargazershttp://www-spof.gsfc.nasa.gov/stargaze/Mintro.htm The Great Moon Hoax http://www.thursdaysclassroom.com/15mar01/pdf/spanish_all.html Science at NASA http://ciencia.nasa.gov/news/subscribe.asp Infrared Astronomy http://ipac.jpl.nasa.gov/SIRTFspanish/edu.html

If you aren’t aware of the Federal Resources for Educational Excellence Web site, it has a plethora of information -- http://www.ed.gov/free/

“El Universo a sus pies” is a 490-page collection of some of the very best astronomy and space

science activities, selected by panels of veteran

educators, that has been translated into Spanish.

How do you thank Project ASTRO partners who go above and beyond the call of duty?

In recognition of the time and effort spent on behalf of the students, members of the Project ASTRO staff presented astronomers Larry Behers and Paul Olson with the first ever Suzanne H. Jacoby award.

Larry has been involved with Project ASTRO since the Fall of 1999. Each year he makes more than 50 visits to about 15 different classrooms and hosts at least a half dozen star parties. Larry spends most of his time visiting early elementary grades on behalf of Project ASTRO, talking about the phases of the Moon, the reasons for seasons, the scale of the solar system, constellations, comets and the Sun. Larry takes the time to answer a multitude of questions on astronomy sent to him by the children, with full blown colored handouts individually tailored to each child. His actions reinforce their curiosity, confidence and motivation, which is exemplified by the ending to his letters to the children, “keep asking…questions and always reach for the stars.” In addition to Project ASTRO, he is heavily involved in the Boy

Scouts and in Rainbow Girls.

Paul joined Project ASTRO during the Fall 2001.

In addition to giving classroom lectures and hands-on activities on topics ranging from cosmology to “Where We Are - Your Cosmic Address” to “Scale Model of the Solar System” to “Telescope Etiquette” and “How Astronomers Find Things Up There?”, Paul has provided Sewell Elementary with a number of large, theme-related star parties. These include star parties for the Leonid Meteor Storm (where they had a sleepover), Moon Watching, the Solar Eclipse, Observing the Planetary Conjunction, and the school’s Science Night. There was TV news coverage of the Leonid Meteor Storm star party as well. Many of these events Paul wrote articles on and one got published in “Universe Today”. He has also held workshops related to some of these events like Making Meteor Craters and has written web pages related to the themes of the star parties and workshops. As further incentive for the kids, Paul has conducted a couple of contests on constellations and finding satellites. And extending this incentive to the families, Paul has started a new series of web pages called SKYSEARCH, where about 90 families can either download assignments to find one celestial object or constellation each week, acquire written versions from the teachers or get versions e-mailed to them.

Larry and Paul give full dimension to the meaning of philanthropist. Thank you, Larry and Paul, for all of your time and effort in Project ASTRO. We are all the better for it.

Project ASTRO-Tucson staff would like your help identifying candidates for the next Suzanne H. Jacoby award, which will be presented at the Fall 2003 Workshop. If you have a recommendation or would like to know more about qualifying criteria, please contact Connie Walker at cwalker@noao.edu or 520-318-8535.

Suzanne H. Jacoby Award Presented

Let us help you with selected Universe at Your Fingertips (UAYF) resource materials - we have

the following and are happy to share —

Lunar Phases with Pictures (Activity A-1)Lunar Phases with Moon Balls (Activity A-3)Observing Where the Sun Sets (Activity B-3)Daily Motion of the Sun (Activity B-8)Venus Topography Boxes (Activity C-7)Planet Picking (Activity C-9)Earth as a Peppercorn - Solar System Model (Activity D-7)

Making Craters (Activity E-1)Comet Making Supplies (Activity E-3)

Light & Color - Activities from the Foster Project (Activity J-14)Spectroscopes & Spectrometers (similar to Activity J-7)

For more information or to make reservations, please contact Connie Walker at 318-8535 or cwalker@noao.edu between 9:30a - 4:30p.

Resources for UAYF Activities

Questions??Contact the Staff of

Project ASTRO-Tuscon

Connie Walker Site Coordinator 520 318-8535

Stephen Pompea Site Director

520 318-8285Kathie Coil

Administrative Coordinator

520 318-8230

www.noao.edu/outreach520 318-8360 fax

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To thank active members for their continued participation in Project ASTRO, partners who

commit to attending the follow-up workshop together are welcome to attend. Reservations will be taken on a first come, first serve basis. The follow-up workshop will be limited to 30 attendees, all of which must be Project ASTRO partners.

David Levy is internationally known for his comet finding skills. He has discovered 21 comets, eight with a telescope in his backyard observatory, and 13 of which he shared with Gene and Carolyn Shoemaker. One of these comets, Shoemaker-Levy 9, collided with Jupiter in the summer of 1994, resulting in the greatest explosion ever witnessed on another world.

David is also science editor for Parade Magazine and writes a column for them as well as for Sky and Tele-scope magazine. Hed has published over twenty-nine books and has lectured internationally. David was recently awarded an Emmy for writing the tele-vision documentary “Three Minutes to Impact”. Not only has he appeared on many television shows, runs his own weekly radio show, but he has been awarded two honorary doctorate degrees.

David and Wendee Levy enjoy sharing astronomy,

especially with children. In their quests that take them all over the world, they encourage teachers and parents to engage young-sters in the fun and exciting science of astronomy.

The workshop agenda will include student and class-room centered activities on observing sunspots, sunsets, lunar phases and other wonders of the nighttime sky with several of David’s 14 telescopes. Workshop participants will meet at NOAO (950 N. Cherry Ave.) at 2:45 pm. Vans will depart no later than 3 pm to arrive at the Levy’s home by 3:30 pm. (Vans will leave their home around 9 pm at the latest.) Bring very warm clothing, a flashlight, and your enthusiasm for astronomy!

To make your reservation, send in the form to the address shown below or fax the form to Connie Walker at 520-318-8360. We encourage your to come with your ASTRO partner. Don’t Delay!

February Workshop

“Being at the Janac Obervatory and being able to ask David Levy quesitons ‘up close and personal’ was one of the highlights of our Project ASTRO experience.”

2001 ASTRO Teacher

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Project ASTRO Tuscon SPRING WORKSHOP RESERVATION FORM

Saturday, February 8, 2003

Name:_______________________________________

Address: _____________________________________

Contact Phone Number: _________ Grade Level: _______

School Name:__________________________________

E-mail Address: ________________________________

ASTRO Partner: _______________________________

Contact Phone Number: __________________________

E-mail Address: ________________________________

Registration Deadline is January 20, 2003

ASTRO

YOU

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Spr

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Fol

low

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Project ASTRO-TucsonPartners in Learning

ASTRO

YOU

ü Want to know more about observingSunspots???

ü Want to know more about lunar phases???

ü Want to know more about other Nightime Wonders???

Now is your OpportunityJoin Project ASTRO for a special night of observing at the Jarnac

Observatory - Owned by Davy Levy, one of the most successful comet discovers, educators, and a Project ASTRO friend

DATE: Saturday, February 8 TIME: 2:45pm - 9:45pm

(meet at NOAO Headquarters at 950 N. Cherry Ave. - transportation provided by NOAO)

PLACE: Jarnac Observatory, Vail, AZIf interested, please fax the registration form to Connie

Walker, 318-8360 by January 20Spaces are limited - reservations are on a first come basis.

WHAT’S THIS ABOUT?Even in our own “cosmic neighborhood,” distances in space are so vast that they are difficult to imagine. In this activity, we will build a scale model of the solar system using a roll of toilet paper.

MATERIALSPlanetary distances tableRoll of toilet paperGel pen or felt tip pen to write on the toilet paper

WHAT TO DOTake one sheet of toilet paper and test the pens. After learning the best way to write on toilet paper, throw away the test sheet.

Make a dot on the seam between the first two sheets of toilet paper. This will represent the Sun. Write the word Sun beside the dot.

Use the table of distances provided below to mark off the distances to each of the planets. The number in the table is the number of sheets of toilet paper needed to reach the orbit of each planet from the Sun, so keep a running count as you go along. Make a dot and write the appropriate planet name on toilet paper at each distance indicated. Ceres, the largest asteroid, is used to represent the asteroid belt.

Toss the toilet paper in recycling to clean up.

FAMILY CHALLENGEAstronomers believe there is a vast cloud of frozen comets called the Oort Cloud that surrounds our solar system. It lies roughly 50,000 times father from the Sun than the Earth is. How many squares of toilet paper would you need to put the cloud

on your model? 6

Toilet Paper Solar System100-Sheet Model

BY SUZANNE CHIPPINDALE

An Activity for the Whole Family from Project ASTRO - © Copyright 2001, Project ASTRO™, Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 290 Ashton Ave., San Francisco, CA 94112 www.astrosociety.org/education.html Based on an idea by the late Gerald Mallon, a Planetarium educator who spent his life helping students understand the Universe.

Squares of Toilet Planet Paper from the Sun

Mercury 1.0

Venus 1.8

Earth 2.5

Mars 3.8

Ceres 7.0

Jupiter 13.2

Saturn 24.2

Uranus 48.6

Neptune 76.3

Pluto 100.0

NOTE 100 Sheets of

toilet paper stretch out to nearly 42 feet. Make sure

you have room for your model before you start. Used colored pens to mark the distance to the planet’s

orbit from the Sun and label the orbit with the planet’s name on

the toilet paper.

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Fall Workshop – 54 Strong

Project ASTRO continued strong into its sev-enth year at NOAO Tucson, having formed

partnerships between 288 astronomers and teach-ers to bring hands-on astronomy activities into the science classroom. The Fall 2002 workshop was held at the Girl Scout Hacienda in October with an inspiring kick-off lecture from noted comet hunter and author, David Levy. The momentum of the first day carried into the second with another awesome lecture on Student Misconceptions in Astronomy from the science education specialist, Dr. Ed Prather (University of Arizona). The inspiration continued with a group trip to Kitt Peak where the participants enjoyed a Nightly Observing Program using the Kitt Peak Visitor Center 16 inch telescope as well as telescopes from the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association. An added treat to the occasion was the Space Weather Exhibit at the Visitor Center. For the fourth consecutive year “Moon Journals: Writing, Art and Inquiry through Focused Nature Study” was a central presentation of the workshop. “Kinesthetic Astronomy”, the teaching of basic astronomical con-cepts through choreographed bodily movements, made its debut this year as did a NASA lunar rocks and meteorite certification by a staff member from Dryden Flight Research Center. More than 10

hands-on activities based on the workshop theme (the Moon) were performed by the Project ASTRO teachers and astronomers; class-room kits for many of these activities were provided to the 54 teachers and astrono-

mers in attendance.

TEACHER PARTNERS ASTRONOMER PARTNERSFName LName Grade School FName LNameIrene Baray 5 Carillo Intermediate School Bobbie & Larry Creech & BehersSandy Blitz 2 Lyons Elementary Richard DougallA. Claire Borboa 1 Miller Elementary William TyndallAria Campbell 6 Crystal Boarding Navajo, NM Sally OeyAltagracia Carrillo 6,7,8 Wakefield Middle School Richard & Ed Crawford & FinneyJudy Carte K Miller Elementary William TyndallTeresa Curl 4 Hendricks Elementary Harold MecklerMaria Gonzales K-5 Van Buskirk Elementary Jane TongateSara Haines 4 Joe Carlson Elementary Douglas, AZ Frank ZizzaJanice Jefferson 3 Jefferson Park Elementary Nina & Rosemary Lehman & CauleyWayne Linse 4 Pine Street Bishop, CA Anthony BeasleyDelores Lopez 2 Van Buskirk Elementary Paul OlsonAlicia McGrogan 2 Wright Elementary Thomas FlemingDaphne McKelvey 4 Carrillo Intermediate School Joseph & Larry Leininger & BehersGlenn Mengason 5 Kayenta Community Kayenta, AZ Deidre HunterCarolyn Mongeon 1 Johnson Primary Elementary George BarberDiane Queuedo Principal Bloom Elementary Rhianna Scott Barbara Schuck 3,5 Pine Street Bishop, CA Anthony BeasleyRichard Shemanski 5 Joe Carlson Elementary Douglas, AZ Glen SannerMarta Spears 7 Amphi Middle School Robert ReynoldsDiane Stefanon 5 Hendricks Elementary Robert Wilson Janelle Thomas 5,6 Hendricks Elementary Robert Wilson David Torres 7 Amphi Middle School Richard & David WatsonDiane Tretschok 2 Lineweaver Elementary Sally HouseJennifer Vincent-Falls 3 Copper Creek Elementary Larry BehersDaphene Wilkes 6 Safford Middle Safford, AZ John Ratje** Other Project ASTRO astromers attending were - Dean Ketelesen, Chuck Dugan

Welcome New Partners!

Robert Wilson (astronomer) explaining one of the moon activities to Janelle Thomas (facing to his left), Theresa Curl (left of Janelle), and Diane Stefanon (back to camera).

Cratering - a mixture of flour, cocoa and a clam day.

From the Tucson Project ASTRO Staff.

ASTROGRAMProject ASTRO-Tucson

National Optical Astronomy Observatory950 N. Cherry AvenueTucson, AZ 85719

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NOAO is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Inc. under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.