INTERNET TO THE STARS  

by Becky Larson, Jody McQuillan, & Barb Andersen

  The study of astronomy is found in upper elementary through middle level science classes.  Through interdisciplinary activities within science, language arts and telecommunications, astronomy may be enhanced.  Telecommunications can be used to enhance the scientific method approach to learning because of its motivational interactive platform.  Not only can we measure, predict, hypothesize and communicate within our own class, but we can also do the same with distant classrooms.  Language arts and telecommunications enhances astronomy by allowing the learner to ask, seek and find, and interact with his/her own ideas on what astronomy is.  SCIENCE  Within the science classes, the students, using the scientific method, will observe and measure the location of the constellations or specific planets at their own site and through analysis and computations predict the location of the constellations and planets at a different site school.  Students will be using email, telnet, and ftp internet resources to accomplish these activities.  To find a school to collaborate with, a posting can be placed on SpaceMet, an internet telnet resource, KidsNet, or KidProj, both Kids are listserv groups.  To connect to SpaceMet, use the telnet address, spacemet.phast.umass.edu.  When at the SpaceMet main menu, choose the Bulletin submenu, within this submenu choose (B)ulletin Boards in Massachusetts, within this submenu choose SpaceMet/Physics Forum, within this submenu choose the file educator.lst.  At the beginning, there will be directions as to posting in this list or you can scroll through the list looking for schools you might contact yourself.  To subscribe to KidsNet use the address, request-KidsNet@vms.cis.pitt.edu, leave the subject line blank and in the body type, Subscribe KidsNet Your full name.  To send correspondence use the address, KidsNet@vms.cis.pitt.edu, type your request in the body of the message.  To subscribe to KidProj use the address, listserv@ndsuvm1.bitnet, leave the subject line blank and in the body type, Subscribe KidProj Your full name.  To send correspondence use the address, KidProj@ndsuvm1.bitnet, type your request in the body of the message.  Science students using email will communicate their astronomy predictions to other students from at least one other school.  Since weather can be a limiting factor, students can access current weather data and conditions from Weather Underground, a telnet resource site, or WX-TALK: Weather, a listserv group.  To connect to Weather Underground use the address, madlab.sprl.umich.edu 3000 or 141.212.196.79 3000.  To subscribe to WX-TALK use the address, listserv@uiucvmd.bitnet, leave the subject line blank and in the body type, Subscribe WX-TALK Your full name.  To send correspondence use the address, WX- TALK@uiucvmd.bitnet, type your request in the body of the message.  To access information concerning the different planets, Spacelink can be used.  To connect to Spacelink, use the telnet address, spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov or 128.158.13.250.  When it asks for user-id type: newuser.  Password is also newuser.  When at the NASA Spacelink main menu choose Classroom Materials, within this submenu choose Astronomy Information, within this submenu choose Our Solar System at a Glance, within this submenu choose the file Mercury.  This file describes Mercury's attributes and location on the horizon at dusk and dawn.  Currently, information on the constellations has not been found at telnet or ftp sites on the Internet.  Astronomy textbooks and reference books from your own library or the public library may be of assistance.  Another possible contact may be your local university physics department and/or local planetarium.  To implement and verify the predictions of this activity the students will need a protractor, sextant and a compass.  Use the compass to locate magnetic north.  For the lower to middle level grades, a giant protractor can be made.  By placing it on the ground, the students will stand in the middle facing magnetic north and turn clockwise to obtain the location, in degrees, of the planet or constellation in reference to magnetic north.  To find the location, in degrees, of the constellations and planets above the horizon, students will utilize the sextant.  Predictions can be obtained by determining the longitude and latitude of the sister site, as well as time of observation and inserting these figures into a software application such as Voyager 1.0 or MacAstro.  These figures will render the right ascension and declination of the particular constellation or planet under investigation.  If weather conditions do not allow synchronous viewing by participating schools, a factor of .986 degrees per day needs to be added to the initial right ascension figure.  LANGUAGE ARTS  The study of astronomy will cross discipline lines using the language arts curriculum to enhance the science curriculm.  While learning about astronomy, the student will have the opportunity to gain insight into astronomers of the past, and some possible origins of the constellations.  A character online, through email, would be a sounding board for students to communicate their ideas to and be a disseminator facts and information.  We felt the idea of our students being able to ask questions, share ideas about constellations and planets, and explore possible mythological origins of the solar system is a very powerful way to initiate discussion and aid in student communication and language skills.  THE PLAN for Language arts integration  Your online character could be recruited from a planetarium, university physics department or interested high school students.  Third-Fourth Grades : Galileo Project  After being given the initial lessons on the solar system, and being introduced to Galileo, one the first astronomers, the students would be asked to write a letter to him.  They could brainstorm in small groups some "important" questions they could ask Galileo.  The teacher could direct them toward questions like : "Where did your ideas come from?  What did you to make your telescope?"  During this time the student's questions could be compiled and through group consensus and electronically mailed to him.  Use groups of three students per "letter" to compose, edit, and scribe (Type in this case).  The students then will receive messages back from Galileo that may contain a few old english terms, and of course as accurate information compiled by our team.  We will continue to "communicate" in this way through out the year building our writing, spelling, editing, and collaboration skills.  The discussions will increase in information exchange as we learn more about the solar system and planets from our other electronic sites.  Fifth and Sixth Grades:  Ask Starmann  After being given the initial lessons on the solar system, and being introduced to a fictional character named Starmann.  The students would be asked to write letters, asking questions about their most recent learning about the stars and planets.  They could brainstorm "important" questions in small groups.  The teacher could direct them toward concepts and ideas that need further exploration.  Starmann may ask them more questions than they ask him.  He would communicate in a very sci-fi futuristic tone.  The language arts infusion would incorporate the writing skills and highlight the use of clear communication and character development.   Seventh and Eighth Grades: Mythology and the Stars  After being given the initial lessons on the solar system, and being introduced to mythological Greek characters that are found in the sky, the students would be asked to write a letter to their favorite astrological cluster.  They could agree upon the possible character to discuss for the week and then write a letter to that character at a Heavenly address.  IE: Zeus at Hera's Palace, Mount Olympus.  The students would be asked to compose possible myths about why the stars were placed in the sky.  They could also ask for possible hints.  This could be used with word bank lists from actual myths about a particular firmament placed in the sky.  IE: The story of Icarus which contains these words: wax-wing- melted-ocean-flew- wishes-warning-sun-capture-chariot-Zeus.  Now construct a story using these words about the creation of the constellation Icarus.  The main goal of this extension to the stars, would be for short story fiction writing, again incorporating skills of communication, editing and writing into science and space exploration.  These activities can be adapted to a variety of grade levels with minor alterations.  The thrust of our ideas focuses on the students' realization that information is no longer a limiting factor in our experiences.  The advent of telecommunications has allowed for the expansion of interactive learning, cooperative thinking and global awareness. Students are now able to tread where no student has trod before.