School astro clubs

[Siriusmeg]

I have just committed to running an astro club at my primary school, for 10 kids aged between 6 & 11. So far I have:

• Decided that they have to apply to join the club so that I get the keen ones!
  
• accessed the NASA after school astronomy clubs website and the stargazing live activity cards
  
• contacted my local astro group to arrange observing sessions
  

Do you have any other suggestions for things that I could do with them? Our playground is tiny (rurul primary) but the skies are dark! I do only have one scope and 2 pairs of binoculars though...

[Stardust]

We try to vary things, I figure they've been having lessons all day so how about a bit of crafty stuff.

We have a 10 foot wide satelite hanging in the hall that they've designed and made.

Just before the summer we finished a 4foot square papier mache part of the Moons surface. Rather than the whole surface they chose a small section from some NASA maps and had to work out the height of things aswell.

Today we were dropping various size marbles into a tray of flour to look at impacts, rolling down a piece of gutter for the angles, all great fun.

I'll take a photo of the big things if you like.

[Monty]

Got to build the old water powered plastic bottle rocket!

[Siriusmeg]

They sound like brilliant ideas - I have planned to do the impact activity already and alka-seltzer fuelled rockets so I hope they will have fun. Stardust, I would love to see any photos you have of your work. What age kids come to your club? I know mine will be varied, mostly from the gifted & talented list as theay are the ones with the keen interest. I'll probably have 6-11 yr olds!

[Ganymede12]

If only my school did this sort of stuff

Are you an astrophotographer? Some of your pictures might make them go "wow".

I was in this age range when I got interested in astronomy (though only took it up as a hobby this year). I found that I was most interested by the mysterious/advanced stuff like Black Holes and I learnt about the other stuff such as the solar systems formation later when I was really really interested.

You can make rockets where water/air pressure launches it.

[gooseholla]

We did a project of watch the phases of the moon for a month and write/draw it on a calendar/diary. Also did physical demonstrations of eclipses. That was always interesting. Observing the moon and planets - when they are suitably placed for winter/early night viewings is always interesting, getting them to name and spot major features.

[the rev]

Learning about meteor craters with sand and stones/pebbles etc is fun.

Plus we used paper bags half filled with sand, with a little tea light in the bottom and made the constellations then took pictures with phones and checked to see how close we were to the real shapes

[Siriusmeg]

If only my school did this sort of stuff

Are you an astrophotographer? Some of your pictures might make them go "wow".

I was in this age range when I got interested in astronomy (though only took it up as a hobby this year). I found that I was most interested by the mysterious/advanced stuff like Black Holes and I learnt about the other stuff such as the solar systems formation later when I was really really interested.

You can make rockets where water/air pressure launches it.

That's a really interesting point of view thanks. No, I don't do astrophotograhy but I know a man who does Also when I was teaching this as a school topic we did lots with astronomy pic of the day - that would be a good starting point for the advanced stuff. I'd like to do lots with recognising constellations too - binoculars will work well for that.

[Monty]

If you can get hold of a prism, plenty of fun to be had with sun light.

[knobby]

My son sometimes goes to the local junior section, approx 7 - 12 yrs age , he like the quiz's as they get 'mars' bars and 'milky ways' as rewards :-)

All the best, you're a good (brave) man

[knobby]

Also, you'd be surprised how many of them have pc's / netbooks, maybe show them Stellarium or even this forum !

[Siriusmeg]

My son sometimes goes to the local junior section, approx 7 - 12 yrs age , he like the quiz's as they get 'mars' bars and 'milky ways' as rewards :-)

All the best, you're a good (brave) man

Woman!!! Some of us are allowed our own scopes you know

Thanks for the ideas - I'll probably need the chocolate after the sessions. It's giving me the excuse to buy some more astro kit though so it can't be bad.

[Monty]

Here's some links so you can download some pictures and use crayons.

http://funschool.kaboose.com/globe-rider/space/printables/space-coloring-pages.html

http://picturesforcoloring.com/2012/04/space-coloring-pages-to-color-in/

http://www.coloring.ws/space.htm

Okay, so I painted the boys room midnight blue and put glow in the dark stars on the ceiling and painted a lunar landscape on the walls... And bought them a model rocket... And a plasma globe... And a rug that had space images...

I kept the model of the USS Enterprise for myself

[knobby]

Woman!!! Some of us are allowed our own scopes you know

Thanks for the ideas - I'll probably need the chocolate after the sessions. It's giving me the excuse to buy some more astro kit though so it can't be bad.

Suppose I should have guessed that from ... Sirius Meg !

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

[Moonshane]

I run a club at my primary. We have a 200mm dob (recommended by me of course!) and the kids (ten Year 5s) love it. We started in Jan 2012 and only managed 5 weeks (we met between 5pm and 6pm). I think we were lucky with weather as we managed to get out four of the five weeks so did some observing. by the end of the first session they were pointing the scope themselves at the moon, Jupiter and Venus.

On the wet session I put the names of the moon, sun and eight planets in a hat and they all had to draw the one they picked out and put three major facts together for a presentation at the end. I think they enjoyed this more than the observing!

Loving the moon ideas above - thanks!

[Helen]

I did a day at a local school in July - 5 sessions of an hour - covering the solar system. I used this http://www.astrosociety.org/education/family/materials/toiletpaper.pdf and the kids enjoyed it (it was also good to see their curiousity aroused when for one session the kids arrived as I was rolling it up - the first time they'd seen that in class!)

Helen

[Siriusmeg]

I run a club at my primary. We have a 200mm dob (recommended by me of course!) and the kids (ten Year 5s) love it. We started in Jan 2012 and only managed 5 weeks (we met between 5pm and 6pm). I think we were lucky with weather as we managed to get out four of the five weeks so did some observing. by the end of the first session they were pointing the scope themselves at the moon, Jupiter and Venus.

On the wet session I put the names of the moon, sun and eight planets in a hat and they all had to draw the one they picked out and put three major facts together for a presentation at the end. I think they enjoyed this more than the observing!

Loving the moon ideas above - thanks!

Great to hear of someone else doing this - it must be possible then! I was planning to do straight after school (with some early/late sessions) so your timing have given me something to think about. Good ideas for wet/cloudy sessions too - thanks

[Siriusmeg]

I did a day at a local school in July - 5 sessions of an hour - covering the solar system. I used this http://www.astrosoci...toiletpaper.pdf and the kids enjoyed it (it was also good to see their curiousity aroused when for one session the kids arrived as I was rolling it up - the first time they'd seen that in class!)

Helen

Loving the activities on that website - thanks very much

[MikeWilson]

I have just committed to running an astro club at my primary school, for 10 kids aged between 6 & 11. So far I have:

• Decided that they have to apply to join the club so that I get the keen ones!
  
• accessed the NASA after school astronomy clubs website and the stargazing live activity cards
  
• contacted my local astro group to arrange observing sessions
  

Do you have any other suggestions for things that I could do with them? Our playground is tiny (rurul primary) but the skies are dark! I do only have one scope and 2 pairs of binoculars though...

How about arranging an International Space Station amateur radio event? You might need some assistance with this one (maybe from a local radio ham club?) but NASA put aside time for schools and children to ask questions over the radio for a few minute slot. That would make a kick-ass assembly

All the best,

Mike

[Si W]

In the long term, if it gets off the ground you could look at my be getting some funding, lottery cash, local business sponsorship, (my be a local Astronomy shop), Local Authortiy, the latter my be hard due to the current financial climate. I would also investigate VAT refunds on educatioal equipment, everything would have to go though the school books as educational equipment, but 20% off anything is a good deal.

Good luck

Edit: cool, just noticed, got are edit button back..

[Moonshane]

true Si. our 200mm dob only cost £225 as we claimed the VAT back.

[4lefts]

i teach year 1 - i'd love to know how you get on. my class had a look through the pst a couple of times. it was good but i was really surprised how many of them had huge difficulties getting their eyes in the right place use and ep and see anything at all. tough one to teach. we did the craters in flour though (trays of plain flour and a dusting of cocoa powder over the top and they make plastocece (sp?) and dropped them in. you can make "proper" ejecta and things like this.

How about arranging an International Space Station amateur radio event? You might need some assistance with this one (maybe from a local radio ham club?) but NASA put aside time for schools and children to ask questions over the radio for a few minute slot. That would make a kick-ass assembly

All the best,

Mike

now that's a really good idea. dunno if it'd be even possible for us, but worth a look!

I did a day at a local school in July - 5 sessions of an hour - covering the solar system. I used this http://www.astrosoci...toiletpaper.pdf and the kids enjoyed it (it was also good to see their curiousity aroused when for one session the kids arrived as I was rolling it up - the first time they'd seen that in class!)

Helen

fantastic resources, cheers.

[Vince1963]

Wish Schools would have done that when i was a Kid.. I think its a great idea, Its a science which doesn't get much recognition and i think a lot of kids would love to go out on a dark night kids love that kind of thing, instead of hanging around street corners or getting a lame brain on the games systems ( the devils work)..I think a good thing would be to teach them the constellations and the Greek mythology surrounding them for this you wouldn't need any scopes...Bino's would be helpful though and you could pick up some nice starter one's from celestron for £25.00 i don't think that parents would mind that.

[Siriusmeg]

Wish Schools would have done that when i was a Kid.. I think its a great idea, Its a science which doesn't get much recognition and i think a lot of kids would love to go out on a dark night kids love that kind of thing, instead of hanging around street corners or getting a lame brain on the games systems ( the devils work)..I think a good thing would be to teach them the constellations and the Greek mythology surrounding them for this you wouldn't need any scopes...Bino's would be helpful though and you could pick up some nice starter one's from celestron for £25.00 i don't think that parents would mind that.

I'd love to teach them more about the mythology surrounding the constellations - anyone with any book recommendations for this? I like the look of this one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Once-Starry-Night-Jacqueline-Mitton/dp/1845070739/ref=pd_sim_b_2 and others in the series.

On the subject of binoculars, i'm hoping to give them some guidance for good starting equipment (mainly based on advice from SGL ), so they can begin to equip themselves and carry on after the club.

[Vince1963]

That book's ideal not too complicated and as young minds in mind. I think these bino's are good for the money... http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/261086961958?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&adtype=pla