How important is it to experience looking into the sky? Everyone needs to see how small and insignificant we are in the big picture. This realization creates perspective within our daily lives. It helps us to understand that what we have is only temporary so we must make the best of every moment.
I have 76 students from a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds.
They attend an urban high school in the state of Tennessee. The students in my classes are generally 11th and 12th graders who take Astronomy as an elective. Living in a city does not lend a hand toward viewing the sky, yet they are there because they want to learn and experience the heavens. My students are very observant, curious, enjoy hands-on activities and are full of questions.
My Project
Binoculars and a pointer are essential to experiencing the sky. We have no equipment to use for Astronomy and no science budget to support it. We will be having "star parties" as the weather permits and would enjoy what we can see beyond looking with our eyes. There are many opportunities where using binoculars would help us to see satellites, the space station, and planets as the year progresses. Students will learn how to read the sky looking at constellations and observing the major stars within them. They will use their observations as a research opportunity to learn the distance, magnitudes and type of stars they see. I believe this opportunity will help to change their perspective of what is important and what is trivial within the course of their life. The experience of seeing what lies outside this small box we live in will inspire a stronger sense of curiosity and desire to search for a greater understanding of the why, who, what when and where of the universe we live in.
The request for binoculars and a laser for viewing the sky is a request that will expand the understanding of where we live and a sense of awe for what lies beyond.
This information will help students to understand why they have to take care of our planet and how lucky they are to have the opportunity to live here. My hope is to inspire my students to make better choices in their own lives and learn to look for answers beyond the obvious.
More than a third of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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