Linking Communities to the Stars
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StarDisc enables schools and pupils to directly experience the wonders of space and astronomy through extended curriculum enrichment, including literacy, art, history and drama. |
FREE RESOURCES
■ Forestry Commission, UK, produce a digital stargazing guide for families, with facts, guidance, games and activities. Sign up for free at https://www.forestry.gov.uk/stargazing-guide
■ White Peak Astronomical Observation Group is the nearest astronomy society to StarDisc’s Derbyshire home. WPAS meets regularly at the Ashbourne Observatory. You can use telescopes with expert guidance. Try astrophotography. Make, do and learn in astronomy.
https://www.queenelizabeths.derbyshire.sch.uk/community-observatory.php
for the current programme of activities and events.
■ White Peak Astronomical Observation Group is the nearest astronomy society to StarDisc’s Derbyshire home. WPAS meets regularly at the Ashbourne Observatory. You can use telescopes with expert guidance. Try astrophotography. Make, do and learn in astronomy.
https://www.queenelizabeths.derbyshire.sch.uk/community-observatory.php
for the current programme of activities and events.
CHILD FRIENDLY WEBSITES
■ European Space Agency website has a kids section which includes animations, news, puzzles and games, things to make and do.
http://www.esa.int/esaKIDSen/index_gix.html
■ Nasa Kids Club has specialist child-friendly information, animations and activities. https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub/index.html
■ National Schools Observatory http://www.schoolsobservatory.org.uk/learn/astro is run by Liverpool John Moores university and has easy to navigate information for children and young people – including an interactive sky map so you can check out where the planets are at different times of night on a particular date. Their http://www.schoolsobservatory.org.uk/learn/astro/nightsky/ukstargazing page lists Dark Sky areas around the UK, ideal for stargazing.
■ Kids Astronomy is an interactive website with facts, explanations, explorer videos, etc. https://www.kidsastronomy.com/
■ Science Kids’ Astronomy for Kids web pages are full of activities and information. This is a New Zealand site, so some of the constellations information relates more to the Southern Hemisphere than Northern Hemisphere. But there’s so much on it that it’s well worth checking out. http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/astronomy.html
http://www.esa.int/esaKIDSen/index_gix.html
■ Nasa Kids Club has specialist child-friendly information, animations and activities. https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub/index.html
■ National Schools Observatory http://www.schoolsobservatory.org.uk/learn/astro is run by Liverpool John Moores university and has easy to navigate information for children and young people – including an interactive sky map so you can check out where the planets are at different times of night on a particular date. Their http://www.schoolsobservatory.org.uk/learn/astro/nightsky/ukstargazing page lists Dark Sky areas around the UK, ideal for stargazing.
■ Kids Astronomy is an interactive website with facts, explanations, explorer videos, etc. https://www.kidsastronomy.com/
■ Science Kids’ Astronomy for Kids web pages are full of activities and information. This is a New Zealand site, so some of the constellations information relates more to the Southern Hemisphere than Northern Hemisphere. But there’s so much on it that it’s well worth checking out. http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/astronomy.html
FOR A GENERAL AUDIENCE (INCLUDING ADULTS)
■ European Space Agency website includes news, videos, photographs, articles and more. http://www.esa.int/ESA
■ NASA – is crammed with images and information. The NASA image galleries are chock full of amazing pictures of space. www.nasa.gov
■ Sky at Night online is created for adults and has facts, images, articles, podcasts and quizzes, suitable to interested amateurs of secondary age + http://www.skyatnightmagazine.com
■ Jodrell Bank http://www.jodrellbank.net/
Jodrell Bank recommends the Sky Map and Stellarium apps on their learning resources pages: http://www.jodrellbank.net/learn/schools/resources/
■ Sky Map https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.stardroid&hl=en\
■ Stellarium http://www.stellarium.org/en_GB/
Jodrell’s resources pages also offer things to make and do. e.g.
Downloadable constellation spotting guide
Downloadable make-it-yourself planisphere, to work out which constellations are visible at which times of year.
…and Clangers-related early years activities.
■ Secrets of the Star Disc The Nebra Star Disc
■ The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Astronomy https://hobbyhelp.com/astronomy/
■ NASA – is crammed with images and information. The NASA image galleries are chock full of amazing pictures of space. www.nasa.gov
■ Sky at Night online is created for adults and has facts, images, articles, podcasts and quizzes, suitable to interested amateurs of secondary age + http://www.skyatnightmagazine.com
■ Jodrell Bank http://www.jodrellbank.net/
Jodrell Bank recommends the Sky Map and Stellarium apps on their learning resources pages: http://www.jodrellbank.net/learn/schools/resources/
■ Sky Map https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.stardroid&hl=en\
■ Stellarium http://www.stellarium.org/en_GB/
Jodrell’s resources pages also offer things to make and do. e.g.
Downloadable constellation spotting guide
Downloadable make-it-yourself planisphere, to work out which constellations are visible at which times of year.
…and Clangers-related early years activities.
■ Secrets of the Star Disc The Nebra Star Disc
■ The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Astronomy https://hobbyhelp.com/astronomy/
APPS
Apps come and go all the time, so search around for online reviews of what’s current. Some we've heard about include the following - We’ve listed all of them with a review thread, so you can compare them before deciding whether to get one.
■ The Nasa app is FREE of charge and aimed at everyone from 7 years old up, although children will need adult help to navigate to content they’ll enjoy – e.g. image galleries of space photography. https://www.nasa.gov/nasaapp
■ The Nasa app is FREE of charge and aimed at everyone from 7 years old up, although children will need adult help to navigate to content they’ll enjoy – e.g. image galleries of space photography. https://www.nasa.gov/nasaapp
FOR KS1+
■https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/star-walk-kids-astronomy-for-children
Point your device at the sky for app to map the sky above and give further information with friendly narrators and animations.
■https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/skyview-explore-the-universe
Like many of the apps, this uses current location data, to explain what is in the sky about you right now. You can tap on objects within the frame to find out more about them.
■https://www.bestappsforkids.com/2016/professor-astro-cats-solar-system/
The Professor Astro Cat app layers information, and includes games and activities as well as an opportunity to ‘unzip’ a planet to find out more about it.
Point your device at the sky for app to map the sky above and give further information with friendly narrators and animations.
■https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/skyview-explore-the-universe
Like many of the apps, this uses current location data, to explain what is in the sky about you right now. You can tap on objects within the frame to find out more about them.
■https://www.bestappsforkids.com/2016/professor-astro-cats-solar-system/
The Professor Astro Cat app layers information, and includes games and activities as well as an opportunity to ‘unzip’ a planet to find out more about it.
FOR KS2+
■https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/star-walk-5-star-astronomy-guide
Take this on a night walk to find out exactly what you’re seeing and then find out more about it.
■https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/britannica-kids-solar-system
Interactive reference guide for our solar system, with information about famous astronomers and space travel.
■https://www.bestappsforkids.com/2012/cosmographia/
Cosmographia is highly detailed, and allows users to see stars and planets from different points of view and at different periods of time. Young kids will like the visuals, older kids, teens and adults will find more and more facts and information to explore.
Take this on a night walk to find out exactly what you’re seeing and then find out more about it.
■https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/britannica-kids-solar-system
Interactive reference guide for our solar system, with information about famous astronomers and space travel.
■https://www.bestappsforkids.com/2012/cosmographia/
Cosmographia is highly detailed, and allows users to see stars and planets from different points of view and at different periods of time. Young kids will like the visuals, older kids, teens and adults will find more and more facts and information to explore.
FOR SECONDARY AGE+
■ https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/mobile-observatory
‘Like putting a mobile observatory’ into your hands. For secondary age+, including dedicated amateur astronomers and even professionals. This app uses GPS, or users can manually enter coordinates to avoid GPS tracking. Lots of additional information about objects within view. A list of ‘future events’ flagging upcoming dates of special events – e.g. ‘Tomorrow is the most likely date for the best view of X this year.’
‘Like putting a mobile observatory’ into your hands. For secondary age+, including dedicated amateur astronomers and even professionals. This app uses GPS, or users can manually enter coordinates to avoid GPS tracking. Lots of additional information about objects within view. A list of ‘future events’ flagging upcoming dates of special events – e.g. ‘Tomorrow is the most likely date for the best view of X this year.’
■ Time-lapse Milkyway Spion.com
CITIZEN SCIENCE SITE FOR KEEN EXPLORES
Contribute to real scientific investigations by helping to process data and images in the search for galaxies, planets or stars.
■ Zooniverse www.zooniverse.org projects include The Milky Way project, planet and comet hunting and many more.
■ Hubble Site http://hubblesite.org/get_involved/citizen_science/ needs citizen scientists to help uncover how galaxies form; the ages of different stars and planets; and find out more about the Andromeda galaxy.
■ Zooniverse www.zooniverse.org projects include The Milky Way project, planet and comet hunting and many more.
■ Hubble Site http://hubblesite.org/get_involved/citizen_science/ needs citizen scientists to help uncover how galaxies form; the ages of different stars and planets; and find out more about the Andromeda galaxy.
