Presentation Information
[O12-P07]Bringing the Starry Sky to Children: Development and Evaluation of a High School Student-Led Astronomy Outreach Program
*Yoshiyuki Matsuda1, *Nene Kajiro1, *Tamaki Konno1 (1. Ibaraki Prefectural Hitachi Daiichi High School)
Keywords:
astronomy education,continuous experiential workshop,for children
This study examines the design of an astronomy workshop for children, planned and led by high school students. While science workshops for preschoolers and elementary school students are popular nationwide, this program aims to foster an appreciation for the vast scale of the universe and the imagination required to envision the unseen, offering experiential learning focused specifically on astronomy. By combining daytime activities—such as telescope building and observation practice—with nighttime stargazing, the program aims to ensure continuity in learning and provide hands-on experience with scientific methods.This project is designed to make it easy for participants to feel a sense of accomplishment by providing stamps according to their progress, encouraging them to aim to collect all of them, and offering prizes that match their level of achievement.
While light pollution at the local science museum in the city makes it difficult to see the night sky, the Milky Way can be observed at a location just a 15-minute drive away. This presentation reports on the program structure, its educational significance, and the evaluation plan.
While light pollution at the local science museum in the city makes it difficult to see the night sky, the Milky Way can be observed at a location just a 15-minute drive away. This presentation reports on the program structure, its educational significance, and the evaluation plan.