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Category Archives: Astronomy
Creating a Revolution, One Eclipse at a Time
Alex Longo is not a typical 16-year old. As an eighth grader, he submitted a proposal to the Mars Rover 2020 landing site selection committee. Now a high school junior, Alex’s proposal, and his in-person advocacy have resulted in the … Continue reading
Evoking a Sense of Awe
“Our ancestors worshiped the Sun, and they were far from foolish. And yet the Sun is an ordinary, even a mediocre star. If we must worship a power greater than ourselves, does it not make sense to revere the Sun … Continue reading
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Thinking About Space
The advent of the personal computer and the Worldwide Web revolutionized the way we interact with each other, and information about, well about everything. A cliché, without a doubt. From an educational standpoint, these virtual interactions have yet to fulfill … Continue reading
Posted in Astronomy, Education Matters, Science Education
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Probing for Understanding
“Be very, very careful what you put into that head, because you will never, ever get it out.” – Attributed to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey (1473-1530) As with most quotes, the one above is surely taken out of context. Educators like … Continue reading
Posted in Astronomy, Education Matters, Science Education
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Analogous Shifts: NGSS and the Hubble Space Telescope
This past March, I attended the National Science Teachers Association’s National Conference on Science Education in Chicago. For the past few years, most sessions have revolved around helping teachers understand, and apply, the Framework for K-12 Science Education (NRC, 2011), … Continue reading
Posted in Astronomy, Education Matters, Science Education
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How to Have a Personal Experience with the Universe
One of the programs I manage at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) is Project ASTRO. The basic idea of Project ASTRO is to partner volunteer astronomers with classroom teachers. Each astronomer visits their teachers classroom multiple times during the … Continue reading
Posted in Astronomy, Science Education
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The Eclipses of October
Twice a year, the geometry of the Sun-Earth-Moon system brings the three bodies into alignment, causing the circumstances leading to solar and lunar eclipses. For viewers in North America, October 2014 features the chance to see both: a total eclipse … Continue reading
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