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10 Ways to Jazz Up Your Science #5

10/28/2009 9:55 pm

Have you been to a hands-on nature center or visited a Planetarium lately? My children always enjoy a visit to our local center. There are so many great exhibits and this is one time when the children are encouraged to touch the displays! If your children are young, you may want to set some parameters, or limit your first trip. Our nature center changes exhibits from time to time and it is wise to ask the director or docent for information about upcoming themes. If there is a membership or newsletter you will want to join or subscribe.

Nature centers often include designated walks, museum, guides, gift shop, and group discounts. If you do not have a Nature Center in your town, perhaps you could find the closest one to you and plan a visit. Our children attended many of the science workshops they offered during winter, spring and summer breaks.

We are blessed that our nature center includes a planetarium. If you want a guide to teach your family the fine art of star gazing, then a Planetarium is for you. Most have shows (some that are pre-taped) and are very enjoyable and informative. (Well, if you can side-step the part that starts with, “Billions of years ago…”)

Most centers feature high-powered telescopes and many of the nature guides we have met have been very enthusiastic, some offering to stay as long as we wanted! I took an Astronomy class in college (I wanted an "easy" science credit (wrong!). Still, the experience opened up an entirely new world to me and to this day I enjoy the topic as do my children.

If there isn't a planetarium nearby, don't miss this great time of the year to explore the stars.  I recommend that anyone can attempt star gazing at home or in a dimly lit area. It’s exciting to take a car ride in the evening to view stars. Get acclimated to the dark first. Put out a big blanket or get out the lawn chairs use a glow in the dark star finder and a good pair of binoculars and enjoy. (If you want more information on astronomy, I have an e-course of a recorded class I taught on mp3 with handouts here: http://www.talk-a-latte.com/astronomy.html)

One of my favorite books is Classical Astronomy. The author also has a newsletter with great tips and updates about celestial events. http://www.classicalastronomy.com/

What are your experiences with nature centers or star gazing?

Posted By Felice at 3 Comments
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Re: 10 Ways to Jazz Up Your Science #5
User: DaLynn M
Date: 10/28/2009 10:03 pm
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I've wanted to take my kiddos to a planetarium for a couple of years now. I recently found out that there is one about an hour and a half from us, in a town halfway between us and the kids' grandparents. Hopefully we can visit soon!

Our state park is offering an astronomy night coming up soon. We're excited about attending that; the local astronomy clubbers will be available for chats and for using their equipment, and it is said to include many of the requirements scouters need for their awards.

As a family, we watch the NASA channel and website for intersting things we might be able to view in space, and my son is beginning to be interested in remembering and finding the different constallations.

God's creation is gorgeous! And you're right - this time of year makes for great star-gazing. It's a regular fall camping activity for us both as a family and as scouters. (I have three boys!)

I loaned my MA Astronomy unit study to a scouter friend in the aforementioned astronomy club, and plan to get it back soon. We'll start astronomy as soon as we finish anatomy!

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Re: 10 Ways to Jazz Up Your Science #5
User: Mona Lisa
Date: 10/28/2009 10:08 pm
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Thanks for your blog post. Astronomy is an incredibly interesting topic. Our family enjoys star gazing. We live in a rural area in Central NY with no street lights and little traffic. We can just go outside and look up or even look out a window if the weather doesn't permit us to go out. The kids like to try and find the different constellations. We have not been to a Planetarium, though it would be nice.

Mona Lisa

monalisa@twcny.rr.com

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Re: 10 Ways to Jazz Up Your Science #5
User: Felice
Date: 10/31/2009 3:54 pm
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Glad to hear the book is getting loaned out, DaLynn... not many publishers would say that, but those Creation Books are a minstry for me. As for star gazing it is one of my favorite pastimes.

This Christmas (as a gift) my husband was going to build the kids a tree house. They got wind of it (sort of hard with wood stacked by the tree!) and they began helping. Today they have most of it made (my Nicholas if 14 and an amazing child!)...of course the other two are right there helping. They shared today it will be a great place to star gaze. Glad we live in Florida...by the time it is completed it will be winter! (Yes, I will be blogging about the tree house in detail as well!)

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