Teachers' Manual
Teacher's Manual
In general, teachers can find it difficult to teach astronomy because they lack the necessary knowledge and training, as the majority of primary and lower second level teachers have not studied astronomy in school or in college. Moreover, teaching astronomy requires an understanding of abstract concepts, as well as space and time concepts, which help to explain phenomena as concretely as possible.
The development of a comprehensive Teachers’ Manual will assist teachers to acquire confidence in these areas and will help them to introduce the topic of astronomy in their classrooms.
Content
The manual will consist of different topics, along with proposed informal activities that will drive teachers to develop interactive and hands-on activities in the classroom, in all the partners’ languages.
The modules will include familiar topics such as the seasons, the solar system, tides, etc., as well as some topics that are not well known to students, like the creation of stars, gravity, moon phases, etc.
The modules will include familiar topics such as the seasons, the solar system, tides, etc., as well as some topics that are not well known to students, like the creation of stars, gravity, moon phases, etc.
-Initial research to identify the current practices of teachers in the topic of astronomy
-Design of the structure that the handbook will follow
-Development of the module in all the partners’ languages
Background
Through research in all the partners’ countries (IR, PT, EL, CY, NL, ES) gaps in astronomy education were identified. The Manual will help address these deficits and help teachers to develop innovative learning activities in their classrooms on the topic of astronomy and its related concepts in primary and lower second level education.
In support of the two main objectives of the project
- Promote astronomy in schools through game-based learning
- Improve the quality of education in the fields of STEM
It is envisaged that teachers will gain new learning material and tools for introducing a new topic or improving an existing one in their curriculum. The manual will include a comprehensive approach, including content, to several topics of astronomy, accompanied by educational activities, resulting in hands-on training and innovative approaches as well as enhancement of STEM skills. The Manual will be finalised and available on this website by November 2023. Meanwhile, for more information on the Manual Content see HERE