Educators will learn how to bring the wonders of space into classrooms on Earth at four workshops provided by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., as part of "Universe 2000," the 112th annual meeting of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, taking place in Pasadena from July 13 to 19. JPL-led educator workshops include:
"Light, Waves and Interference" with Dr. Rudi Danner and Rhonda Hines, JPL: Learn how different NASA/JPL flight projects use the wave nature of light and radio waves for extremely accurate measurements.
"Scale of Stars and Planets" with Dr. Mary Urquhart, JPL and Sheri Klug, Arizona State University: A set of hands-on science/math lesson plans for grades 6-8 explores stars and their relationship to planets, with a special focus on scale. Scale models help students understand relative sizes and distances of solar system objects.
"Teaching Space Science with the Math and Science Standards" with Ken Berry, JPL: This session will cover many new space science discoveries and how to apply them to the California State and National Math and Science Standards.
"Saturn In Your Kitchen and Backyard" with Stephen Edberg and Shannon McConnell, JPL: Bring the high-tech world of space exploration into the classroom using everyday materials. These inquiry-based activities introduce students to astronomical concepts, planetary geology, and remote-sensing techniques.
These workshops are part of the annual meetings "Universe in the Classroom: A Workshop on Teaching Astronomy in Grades 3-12," on July 13 and 14. Designed for teachers at all levels of expertise, librarians, curriculum specialists and youth group leaders, this two-day program includes such topics as black holes, constellations and how to make comets in the classroom. A symposium called "Cosmos in the Classroom: Teaching Astronomy to College Non-Science Majors," July 17-19, is designed to help teachers of introductory college astronomy put astronomy in a wider context.
All these educator events take place at the Pasadena Convention Center, 300 East Green Street in Pasadena, 8:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. For details and fees, visit http://www.aspsky.org/meetings.html , call (415) 337-1100, fax (415) 337-5205 or e-mail meeting@aspsky.org.
The Astronomical Society of the Pacific is the world's largest astronomical society. JPL is a meeting sponsor, along with the Griffith Observatory, Meade Instruments Corp., Mount Wilson Observatory, the Planetary Society and The Teaching Company. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.