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Teacher Workshops
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Are you interested in astronomy?
Most likely your students are too.
Do you want to incorporate astronomy into your science curriculum?
Astronomy offers an inviting way into the world and culture of science.
Would you prefer a teacher-centered, engaging learning experience?
Passive lectures and slideshows will not dominate your time. You will do the activities with a dual mindset of student and teacher, while learning firsthand the concepts and applications. |
Summer 2008 Workshops at the Observatory
 McDonald Observatory offers a unique setting for teacher workshops: the Observatory and Visitors Center in the Davis Mountains of West Texas. Tours of the telescopes, discussions with the research astrophysicists in residence, and nighttime observations are an integral part of every workshop experience. Not only will you do inquiry-based activities aligned with science and mathematics TEKS and TAKS, you will practice your new astronomy skills under the Observatory’s dark skies, weather permitting, and partner with trained and nationally recognized astronomy educators.
Benefits
- 20 hours or more of Continuing Education Credit for Summer workshops
- inquiry based activities that are TEKS- and TAKS-aligned
- immersion: all meals are at the Observatory.
- meet astronomers and discuss current astronomical research.
- practice basic astronomy skills
How To Apply
Please complete the application and submit.
The deadline for applications has already passed. If you would like to be notified as early as possible about applying for our Summer 2009 TPD workshops, please do so here.
The deadline for applications was February 15, 2008 for the grant funded workshops and May 1 for Explore our Solar System.
Group Workshops
Are you interested in a workshop specifically tailored for your group of teachers? For information on summer workshops for groups of teachers (minimum 15/maximum 24) see our brochure (PDF, 786kB) and contact our Education Coordinator Marc Wetzel.
2008 Schedule, Fees and Information
Scholarships for teachers are available for four of this summer’s workshops. For funded workshops, room and board, program fees, and materials are all free! The agencies providing the funding are listed in italics. Teachers are still responsible for their own transportation to the Observatory.
* Full scholarships for all accepted applicants provided by NASA or the the National Science Foundation. The July 20-22 workshop is available for $525, which includes room and board, program fees, and materials.
Workshop fees pay for instruction, materials, daytime tours, evening
observing, lodging, and meals only. Workshop daytime and evening
activities, meals, materials and shared hotel rooms have been reserved for
registered teachers only. Teachers are responsible for reserving and paying
for any other additional hotel room arrangements for themselves, family or
friends. Some workshop activities last until late hours. The Age of the
Milky Way workshop provides extensive observing opportunities.
After February 15, 2008 (May 1, 2008 for Explore Our Solar System) we will
notify you as to the status of your application. For all McDonald Observatory workshops, a $100 deposit is required from all accepted applicants. All deposits are due March 17, 2008 except the Explore
our Solar System workshop. The Explore our Solar System workshop deposit is due June 1, 2008. Please see below for more details.
Payment And $100 Deposit Refund Policy
If you are accepted into a funded workshop (NOT Explore Our Solar System):
- A $100 deposit is due by March 17, 2008.
- Your $100 deposit is fully refunded if you attend the workshop, or if you cancel before May 1, 2008.
- $50 will be refunded if you cancel after May 1, 2008.
- Teachers canceling after May 26, 2008 do not receive deposit refunds.
If you are accepted into the July 20-22, 2008 Explore Our Solar System workshop:
- A $100 deposit is due by June 1, 2008. Remaining balance due July 6, 2008
- Your $100 deposit is fully refunded if you cancel before June 1, 2008.
- $50 will be refunded if you cancel after June 1, 2008
- Teachers canceling after July 6, 2008 do not receive deposit refunds.
Workshops Offered:
June 25-29: The Age of the Milky Way
Recommended for Grades 9-12
30+ SBEC credit hours
Learn how astronomers use white dwarf stars to measure the age of our galaxy, the Milky Way, in this advanced five-day/ four-night workshop. In addition to instructional activities designed for the grade 9-12 classroom (with links to IPC, Chemistry, and Physics), and tours of the larger research telescopes, all participants will have extended observing opportunities on the 0.8 meter research telescope. Preference is given to applications accepted from Texas, Delaware, Arizona, and New Mexico teachers, and to teachers who have previously participated in a McDonald Professional Development Workshop. In your application, please indicate your experience with astronomical observing (not required).
This program is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration provides additional support under an Education and Public Outreach supplement to Grant/Contract/Agreement No. NAG5-13070 issued through the Office of Space Science.
July 6-10: Chandra: Stellar Evolution From Formation to Destruction
Recommended for Grades 9-12
30+ SBEC credit hours
Learn how technologically advanced detectors are used to observe invisible sources, record measurements, and transform the results into increasingly greater detailed false color images. Content will focus on the electromagnetic spectrum, spectroscopy, and stellar evolution, and will be connected to the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the most sophisticated X-ray space telescope built to date. Tour the research telescopes and interact with professional astronomers. At night, observe the sky with the unaided eye and view celestial objects with small telescopes.
This program is supported by funding from NASA, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the Chandra X-Ray Center.
July 20-22: Explore Our Solar System
Recommended for Grades K-8
$525 20 SBEC credit hours
Explore our solar system through hands-on, minds-on activities that you can use in your classroom. Learn about the sun - its characteristics and apparent motion. Explore properties and motions of planets. At night, observe the sky with the unaided eye and view a variety of celestial objects through telescopes at the Visitors Center Astronomy Park. Tour the research telescopes and interact with professional astronomers.
The fee for this workshop is $525. Some scholarships may be available.
July 28-30: Light and Optics
Recommended for Grades 6-12
20 SBEC credit hours
Explore how astronomers use lenses, mirrors, prisms, and diffraction gratings in building astronomical instruments and telescopes. Build a cardboard spectrometer, and perform activities that explore light at many wavelengths, such as the infrared region of the spectrum, that you can do in your own classroom. Learn about how NASA develops astronomical instrumentation for its missions. Tour the research telescopes and interact with professional astronomers. At night, observe the sky with the unaided eye and view celestial objects with small telescopes.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration provides support for this project under an Education and Public Outreach supplement to Grant/Contract/Agreement NNG06GC45G issued through the Office of Space Science.
August 3-6: Formation of Planetary Systems
Recommended to Grades 6-12 teachers
30 SBEC credit hours
Where do planets come from? No matter how many planets you think are in our solar system, astronomers have discovered over 200 in other solar systems and see hints of planetary formation throughout our galaxy. Build a cardboard spectrometer and perform activities that explore light at many wavelengths, such as the infrared portion of the spectrum that is used to study planetary disks - the birthplace of planets. Perform activities on how stars and disks change over time. Compare ground-based observing with NASA space missions. Tour the McDonald research telescopes and interact with professional astronomers. At night, observe the sky with the unaided eye and view celestial objects with small telescopes.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration provides support for this project under an Education and Public Outreach supplement to Grant/Contract/Agreement NNX07A183G issued through the Office of Space Science. |
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