Have you ever went out on a clear night to watch the stars and look into the heavens? This year, for the first time, my students will have a class that prepares them to do just that and to be knowledgeable about the stars. Our astronomy class is brand new and we willing be learning about the stars.
We have had an astronomy club for several years.
This will be our first time to offer astronomy as a class. My students are very excited and anxious to learn to name the constellations and stars. Here in Oklahoma we have big, relatively dark night skies and this will be a way for students to learn a lifetime skill and increase their science inquiry skills. We are a public school in a rural area and astronomy is a science that can be used and continued for the rest of their lives! This is a high school class and will reach out to the community and to elementary students with star parties and sky watching events. Many of my students will work in the nearby manufacturing area and will not attend college. Astronomy and sky watching will be the science that they will use for the rest of their lives. They are very excited to be able to have an entire class this year in addition to the High School Astronomy club!
My Project
The Celestron SkyScout will be invaluable to my students. With it they can quickly "see" what is in the night sky. This portable model has embedded GPS and will quickly locate & identify stars and constellations from any location. The SkyScout will make the use of the traditional laminated star finders much easier and more understandable. The laminated sky charts will enable the students to learn to use this quick and easy, low-tech method of finding stars. When added to the SkyScout my students will be on their way to "heavenly" experiences.
One astronomer said that the SkyScout will "put the universe in your hands!" These students, from mostly low-income families will learn the skies easily and will be able to teach others their skills.
A love of the nighttime sky is infectious and enduring
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