Informal physics programs bring physicists together with youth and adults from local communities to engage with physics content outside of classroom settings. These public engagement or "physics outreach" programs are a significant endeavor of the physics community; however, we lack a systemic documentation of these efforts, which makes…

On August 21, 2017, sky gazers all across North America will experience a total solar eclipse, arguably the most breathtaking of all astronomical phenomena. The August eclipse is an ideal astronomical event to observe with young children because it allows them to observe a powerful and easily accessible astronomical phenomenon. Observing…

Since 2017 the Italian Space Agency (ASI) participates to so-called 'Alternanza Scuola-Lavoro' (i.e. 'school-work synergy') outreach projects promoted by the Italian government, and the ASI Space Science Data Center (SSDC) actively contributes to them, with the primary aim of bringing students closer to space-related activities before choosing…

The Indigenous Sky Stories Program may have the potential to deliver significant and long-lasting changes to the way science is taught to Year 5 and 6 primary school students. The context for this article is informed by research that shows that educational outcomes can be strengthened when Indigenous knowledge is given the space to co-exist with…

Exploring the Solar System in the elementary school curriculum has traditionally involved activities, such as building scale models, to help students visualize the vastness of space and the relative size of the planets and their orbits. Today, numerous websites provide a wealth of information about the sun and the planets, combining text, photos,…

Suggests using the planetarium as an educational resource for all ages. Discusses various planetarium teaching techniques and planetarium programs (with objectives) at Ball State University. They include programs for school children, college students, and the general public. (DH)

What Australia, Alaska, Qatar, Indiana, and Ohio have in common is the authentic writing More Observations Of Nature (MOON) project. In this unique project, teachers from these disparate geographic locations teamed up to instruct children in grades four through eight via the internet on a nearly universally challenging subject for teachers in the…

Details of the services offered by a school planetarium in upstate New York are provided. The use of computers includes a full-day simulation of a voyage to Mars and back, the finding of great-circle distances, and deriving sunrise and sunset times, moon positions, and eclipse seasons. (MP)

Described is a program which encouraged parents to become involved with their children in a science program at home. Discussed are the activities and organization of the program. A list of resources is provided. (CW)

Describes the Henrico County (VA) Public School System's astronomy program, identified as an outstanding program by the National Science Teachers Association's Search for Excellence in Science Education project. Unique aspects of the astronomy program, instructional strategies used, and program activities are discussed. (BC)

Reviewed are six programs at different colleges and universities which provide research opportunities for undergraduate students in physics, astronomy, marine biology, meteorology, and anthropology. Background, features, and accomplishments of the programs are discussed. (CW)

This paper provides an overview of five innovative projects involving network learning technologies in the United States: (1) the MicroObservatory Internet Telescope is a collection of small, high-quality, and low-maintenance telescopes operated by the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (Massachusetts), which may be used remotely via the…