International Year of Astronomy 2009 US Program Committee Projects Proposed by the Working Groups[as of 9-30-07]
Summarized by Andrew Fraknoi, Executive Secretary and List Maker
A. Arts and Entertainment Working Group
Astronomy Goes to the Movies Sequence at the 2009 Academy Awards
Astronomy on Parade Float at the Rose Bowl
Encourage Networks and Independent Producers to do IYA-Related Films and TV Segments
B. Classrooms and Families Working Group
Galileo Teachers (US): Training Workshops for Teachers Offered through Regional Nodes (to give them hands-on experience with IYA activities and material)
Galileo Handout Sheets and Kids’ Cards (Everyone Participating in an IYA Activity Gets a Sheet of Activities and Resources; Every Kid Gets a Fun Card)
Booklet and/or Website of the Best Beginner Activities and Resources for Further Exploration (one for families, one for teachers; including activities for non-science subjects: history, English, discussions of science and religion) [could replace the sheet in #2]
Create a Database of Trained Galileo Teachers and Work With Them After IYA
Develop Several Activities That Could be Done by Classes Nationwide (relating to Galileo’s work) [and offer ways for them to share data and responses]
Get major corporations to Help Disseminate IYA Materials (family activities on McDonald’s placemats, e.g.]
Do IYA Training with Other Education Providers (after-school personnel, scout and 4H leaders, Sally Ride clubs, Challenger Centers, park rangers, nature and environmental center staff, etc.)
Have IYA Guest Speakers at Conferences Attended by Educators (from different settings and different levels)
Work with Teachers of English and Drama (as many schools as possible should do Galileo or astronomy related plays)
C. Cultural Astronomy and Storytelling Working Group
Cultural Star Parties Using Traditional Teaching (combine telescopes and stories)
Large Multimedia Events on Solstices or Equinoxes at Ancient Observatories (webcast and broadcast)
Compile Appropriate Sky Narratives on Video, CD, and on the Web
Storytelling Events with Museums, Parks, other Learning Settings
Compile Storytelling Games (such as string games) and Other Learning Devices Related to Sky Storytelling and Develop a Curriculum
Starlab Portable Planetarium Shows to Show the Sky Ideas of Different Cultures
Coordinate Events with Mexico and Canada
D. Dark Skies Working Group
Globe at Night and World Wide Star Count Activities Programs for Students, Families, and Individuals (activities that let people monitor the light pollution level and begin to appreciate the loss of the night)
More Sophisticated Light Monitoring Activities for Those with More Background and Equipment
A Documentary about Light Pollution
Booklet or Web Site of Poetic Quotes about Stars and the Night Sky
Tour of Native American Storytellers around the Country
Light Pollution Exhibits around the Country (especially at libraries)
Create an On-line Star Map With Legends and Stories (click on an object and hear stories)
Provide Sky Story Information and Activities for Teachers
Contact Magazines and Other Media about Doing Dark Sky and Light Pollution Stories for 2009
Do an Art Contest on “What Does the Night Sky Mean to You?”
Designate Certain Observatories as Dark Sky Teaching Sites
“Return of the Sky” Tours (traveling program of talks about the sky, sort of like a rock and roll music tour)
World Series of Astronomy (competitions for adults and kids to see how many objects in the sky they can identify)
E. Looking through a Telescope Working Group
Offer Everyone in the U.S. a Look through a Telescope (particularly to see what Galileo saw); work with amateur astronomy groups and individuals
Do Sidewalk Astronomy Nights throughout the U.S.
Resource Guide to Explain Galileo’s Observations and How they Changed our Understanding of the Universe
Galileo Club Card or Sticker [see also the Classrooms and Families Working Group]
Record People’s Reactions to Looking through a Telescope and Launch them into Orbit on the WISE Mission
Telescope Amnesty Program (bring your unused telescope to an IYA star party and we’ll show you how to use, repair, or replace it)
Produce a Sidewalk Astronomy Handbook on How To Run Such Events
F. New Media Working Group
365 Days of Astronomy Project (Blog and Podcast)
IYA Talks (Recorded video and audio distributed on the Web)
On-line “Astronomy Wall” (for the public to share images, art, responses to IYA)
Establish a Presence for IYA in Many Different Kinds of Web Communities
G. Observatories & Visitors Centers and Informal Science Education Working Group
Traveling Astronomical images Show
“Endorsed” Planetarium Program – e.g. History of the Telescope
“Live From…” Web events Between Observatories (visitors centers) and Informal Science Education Facilities (e.g. consider partnering with ASP sites on History of the Telescope)
ViewSpace
International Videoconferences
Sister City Events
H. Research Experiences (Citizen Science) Working Group
Epsilon Aurigae Monitoring Campaign
Activities for the K-12 Science Olympiad for 2009
I. Telescope Kit Working Group
Galileoscope (small inexpensive basic telescope, distributed in huge quantities)
Saturnscope (a slightly more sophisticated telescope, still made and sold inexpesively)
Material to help people assemble and use the above kits
J. Other Projects Not From a Formally Constituted Working Group
Image Exhibits at Outdoor and Indoor Locations
New Image Unveilings throughout IYA
Develop Material for Newspaper Pages and Supplements (with Sponsors)
Develop and Publicize a Calendar of Sky and Space Mission Events for 2009 (Rick Fienberg already is doing the sky events calendar)
24 Hours of Astronomy (Follow the Night Sky and Astronomy Research for a Full 24-hour Period -- with lots of media and web coverage) [Suggested by the international group]
She is an Astronomer Web Site [for demonstrating gender equity; suggested by the international group]
Encourage Symphony Orchestras and Other Musical Groups to do Astronomy-Related Concerts and Joint Projects (Jim Hesser)
National Events throughout the Year with Lots of Media Publicity
Encourage Many Local Events throughout the Year (and do publicity on the IYA Web Site)
Develop a Meaningful Evaluation Plan for the Activities of all the Groups
