Astronomy in the Elementary Classroom
Planets are the new dinosaurs
through the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Crossroads at Big Creek Environmental Preserve
2041 Michigan Street
Sturgeon Bay, WI
Register Here by October 2, 2015
Schedule
Friday, October 16 (5:00 - 8:00 PM)
Saturday, October 17 (9:00 AM - 3:00 PM)
Saturday, November 14 (9:00 AM - 3:00 PM)
Decades ago, any young child would have been happy to describe his or her favorite ancient reptile. Today’s children all seem to have a favorite planet. Clearly, young children are inherently interested in space and are curious about the world around them and beyond. Creating lessons to teach astronomy can be difficult because space related materials in libraries and even on the Internet are woefully outdated and/or misleading.
Consequently, children absorb misconceptions which sometimes last a lifetime. This class will focus on content information so teachers understand the concepts they will be presenting and also introduce a number of age appropriate interactive activities which introduce not only concepts but also “science practices.”
Educators will also visit the Crossroads Astronomy Campus and work with members of the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society.
The class will include a public outreach event at which educators will present activities. This will give educators the opportunity to evaluate how students respond to activities.
WISCONSIN STANDARDS FOR TEACHER DEVELOPMENT AND LICENSURE
#1 Teachers know the subjects they are teaching (credit and non-credit)
#4 Teachers know how to teach (credit and non-credit)
#7 Teachers are able to plan different kinds of lessons (credit only)
#8 Teachers know how to test for student progress (credit only)
#10 Teachers are connected with other teachers and the community (credit and non-credit)
Stipend Information: Thanks to funding from the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium, a stipend of $250 for the graduate credit enrollment option is available to kindergarten through fourth grade teachers currently employed in Wisconsin schools; a stipend of $75 is offered to upper level teachers and to noncredit participants. Please email Coggin Heeringa, Director at Crossroads at Big Creek Environmental Preserve at coggin_heeringa@yahoo.com to determine your eligibility.
