Category Archives: Science Education

Infecting Students with Enthusiasm For Astrobiology

Posted on December 12, 2020 by astroteacher

The virus that causes COVID-19 offers a teachable moment for thinking beyond our earthly limits In Kim Stanley Robinson’s novel Aurora (2015, Orbit Books), a starship undertakes a multi-generation voyage to the star Tau Ceti to colonize the moon of … Continue reading →

Posted in Astrobiology, Books and Authors, Science Education, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Chasing Shadows and Eating the Moon

Posted on May 10, 2020 by astroteacher

Several years ago, a speaker told the audience at a conference I was attending how elementary teachers have very few opportunities for professional development in the area of science, and take advantage of fewer.  The amount of professional development in … Continue reading →

Posted in Science Education, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

A Teachable Moment?

Posted on June 1, 2019 by astroteacher

This past April, while attending the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) conference in St. Louis, Missouri, a friend came up to me and asked what I thought of the image of the black hole.  My reply: “what black hole?” The … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Education Matters, Science Education, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Windows, Mirrors, and Sliding Doors to the Universe

Posted on May 10, 2019 by astroteacher

The phrase a “window to the universe” has become ubiquitous every time a new observatory or astronomical instrument is built. While there is a certain aesthetic to the phrase, when applied so often it becomes easy to not think about … Continue reading →

Posted in Education Matters, Science Education, Uncategorized | 1 Comment