ORION

Sign Up Now!

Astronomy Institute for grade 4-8 teachers in Ohio and Arizona

July 11 to 15, 2005 in Arizona and August 8 to 12, 2005 in Ohio

ORION is an Astronomy program designed to advance Earth and Space Sciences in Grade 4-8 classrooms. The project is looking for 20 grade 4 to 8 teachers, 10 each in Ohio and Arizona to participate in the 2005 session. It is offered by The Science Center of Inquiry in partnership with the University of Arizona and The Ohio State University and is completely funded by NASA through the Space Telescope Science Institute.

The program includes a one-week 30-hour summer institute with an additional 30 hours of on-line discussions during the summer of 2005. It features Astronomy learning activities that directly meet state standards, a fall program to help infuse the activities into your classroom, a support web site, and ongoing assistance during the school year.

The project staff includes Dr. Larry Lebofsky, Astronomer at UA, Dr. Christopher Andersen, Education at OSU, and Bill Schmitt and Nancy Lebofsky from the Science Center of Inquiry, Fountain Hills, AZ. Funding provides for teacher participation and a professional Celestron telescope for permanent use in your school as a tool for advancing authentic student observation experiences.

Arizona workshop sessions are offered on July 11 to 15, 2005 in the Phoenix area and sessions in the Columbus, Ohio area are on August 8 to 12, 2005. Class meetings are conducted from 4:00 PM to 10:30 PM daily during these dates. Many school systems offer professional development credit for this project. In Ohio, graduate credit is available but is not included in the course funding.

No specific science background is required but the project is designed for teachers who are seriously interested in acquiring personal expertise, willing to be active collaborators in development with other teachers in the program, able to provide regular astronomy experiences in the classroom, and will provide periodic feedback to the group. This inquiry-based learning emphasis program will create and apply models for implementing sustained standards-driven and inquiry-based investigations that result in significant understanding of Earth and Space Science content (specifically Astronomy and Planetary Sciences) and extend across the curriculum.

ORION was developed from the premise that regular, timely, and systematic observations of the day and night sky are important, if not essential, for constructing standards-based understandings. Thus the central purpose guiding the development of ORION is to infuse regular sky watching, and exploring, into the curriculum in ways that lead to full student inquiry into personally generated questions in Astronomy and Planetary Sciences.

Enrollment requires a $50 enrollment guarantee deposit that will be fully refunded at the completion of the summer institute or if you cancel your participation prior to April 1, 2005. A school purchase order can also be used for this refundable deposit.

To enroll in the program or to get more information, contact Bill Schmitt (bill@thesciencecenter.org). Enrollment begins Oct 1, 2004.

Return to Top






*ORION* Organizing Research, Inquiry and Observing Nights
. Click here to see pictures of the 2004 Ohio ORION Astronomy Institute Click here to see pictures of the 2004 Arizon ORION Astronomy Institute	Sign Up Now! Astronomy Institute for grade 4-8 teachers in Ohio and Arizona July 11 to 15, 2005 in Arizona and August 8 to 12, 2005 in Ohio ORION is an Astronomy program designed to advance Earth and Space Sciences in Grade 4-8 classrooms. The project is looking for 20 grade 4 to 8 teachers, 10 each in Ohio and Arizona to participate in the 2005 session. It is offered by The Science Center of Inquiry in partnership with the University of Arizona and The Ohio State University and is completely funded by NASA through the Space Telescope Science Institute. The program includes a one-week 30-hour summer institute with an additional 30 hours of on-line discussions during the summer of 2005. It features Astronomy learning activities that directly meet state standards, a fall program to help infuse the activities into your classroom, a support web site, and ongoing assistance during the school year. The project staff includes Dr. Larry Lebofsky, Astronomer at UA, Dr. Christopher Andersen, Education at OSU, and Bill Schmitt and Nancy Lebofsky from the Science Center of Inquiry, Fountain Hills, AZ. Funding provides for teacher participation and a professional Celestron telescope for permanent use in your school as a tool for advancing authentic student observation experiences. Arizona workshop sessions are offered on July 11 to 15, 2005 in the Phoenix area and sessions in the Columbus, Ohio area are on August 8 to 12, 2005. Class meetings are conducted from 4:00 PM to 10:30 PM daily during these dates. Many school systems offer professional development credit for this project. In Ohio, graduate credit is available but is not included in the course funding. No specific science background is required but the project is designed for teachers who are seriously interested in acquiring personal expertise, willing to be active collaborators in development with other teachers in the program, able to provide regular astronomy experiences in the classroom, and will provide periodic feedback to the group. This inquiry-based learning emphasis program will create and apply models for implementing sustained standards-driven and inquiry-based investigations that result in significant understanding of Earth and Space Science content (specifically Astronomy and Planetary Sciences) and extend across the curriculum. ORION was developed from the premise that regular, timely, and systematic observations of the day and night sky are important, if not essential, for constructing standards-based understandings. Thus the central purpose guiding the development of ORION is to infuse regular sky watching, and exploring, into the curriculum in ways that lead to full student inquiry into personally generated questions in Astronomy and Planetary Sciences. Enrollment requires a $50 enrollment guarantee deposit that will be fully refunded at the completion of the summer institute or if you cancel your participation prior to April 1, 2005. A school purchase order can also be used for this refundable deposit. To enroll in the program or to get more information, contact Bill Schmitt (bill@thesciencecenter.org). Enrollment begins Oct 1, 2004. Return to Top