If you ask a lot of kids if they enjoy science a good portion of them will make a face or tell you that it is not their favorite subject. Despite the disinterest in science for a lot of children, we can and should foster a love of astronomy in children. In fact, it is often easier to introduce children and foster this interest than one might think! Once you get kids started, they often cannot get enough of astronomy! When you work with kids on this subject you will find that you can almost see their minds expanding.
If you tell your students that you are going to teach them about astronomy you may hear a few groans of protest. Before you allow this to bring you down, ask them if they know what astronomy means. Let them know that this is not just about science, but about the planets, starts, and space in general. You may be surprised at how excited kids become, as most consider space to be very "cool".
Introducing Astronomy
You'll want to start out teaching children about the planets. You can teach them the names, show them what they look, and where they are in relation to one another as well as in relation to the earth. If you want to get them really involved, allow them to create a model of the solar system. Many kids enjoy hands on projects and this is one way that you can allow all of your students to get up close and personal with astronomy.
Students will enjoy learning about the solar system but they will likely also enjoy learning about the universe. You can teach them about the Milky Way and then you can extend these lessons out to learn more about the galaxies and nebulae and black holes. There is a lot of really interesting information that will excite children and get them thinking about astronomy a lot more than they currently do.
Luckily, there are a lot of great books and films available that can help you teach your students about astronomy. Many of them teach about the planets, stars, the sun, and even the history of astronomy. There are truly unlimited resources that will help you foster a love of astronomy in students of all ages. You can complete a unit on astronomy at a local astronomy center where you can get up close and personal with a lot of great information and resources! |
