First Galileo Teacher Training Program Workshop in the US is a Success

12 October 2009

"In the Footsteps of Galileo", an initial 2-day workshop to train US teachers on how to convey basic astronomical concepts in a hands-on way, took place near San Francisco on Sept. 12 & 13, 2009, as part of the 121st Annual Meeting of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP). Approximately 30 teachers from around the United States participated, and were joined by five astronomy education specialists (from as far away as Australia and Israel) who want to replicate the workshop locally. The workshop was led by Andrew Fraknoi (of Foothill College & the ASP) and Dennis Schatz (of Seattle's Pacific Science Center). Other presenters included Connie Walker and Robert Sparks (National Optical Astronomy Observatories) and Suzy Gurton (ASP).

Among the areas covered in the workshop were:

* Research on Student Learning and Hands-on Science
* Jupiter's Moons: Galileo's Experiment
* Building and Using a "Galileoscope"
* Paper-Tape Solar System: An Easy Scaling Activity
* Measuring the Dark: Activities on Light Pollution
* The Moon Doesn't Phase Me: Understanding the Changing Appearance of the Moon
* Who is Your Hero: Creating Your Own Constellations.

Participants received a wide range of activity handouts and astronomy resource materials that can be put to direct use in the 3rd through 12th grade classroom.

More information on: http://www.gttpusa.org/

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