The Cosmic Connection – selected excerpts

From: The Cosmic Connection, a brief talk by Greg Stone, Dartmouth, MA, March 20, 2008. I want to teach astronomy. Or maybe I should say preach astronomy – for the night sky, the dome of stars overhead, has become both...

Astronomy Across the Curriculum

I see astronomy as a good cross-curricula subject because discoveries in astronomy challenge our core perceptions of ourselves and our role in the universe. What’s more, they frequently involve conclusions that go so far beyond our common sense perception of...

Hands-on, Eyes-on Astronomy Education

How can you bring astronomy into the classroom in something other than an abstract fashion? There are several choices. In broad terms, here’s what comes quickly to mind: Make observing a homework assignment that links directly to abstract materials. Examples:...

Web Astronomy Resources for Teachers

Amazing Space: This is the Education Outreach part of the Hubble Space Telescope Web site. It includes activities for students, teacher guides, lesson plans, and classroom projects. http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/eds/ Sky Almanac: McDonald Observatory provides an excellent written guide to the sky...

Web Resources: Basic Observing Tools

Know where you are: Learn your latitude and longitude, or at least the coordinates for a nearby city. http://tinyurl.com/yrdtds Know when you are: Get the correct time right now, right to the second. http://tinyurl.com/68ij Know the Star Time: Go here...

Web Resources: Robot Telescopes

I’m a firm advocate of “hands-on, eyes-on” astronomy under the night sky. For me there is no substitute for being there – for experiencing the cosmos from your backyard or schoolyard. There is something nearly mystical about having photons –...