Universe Workshop 2005

Workshop on Infrared Astronomy for Teachers

During the summer of 2005, the IU Astronomy Department presented a 3-day workshop for high school science teachers on infrared astronomy, funded through a grant from the Spitzer Space Telescope Science Center. The workshop, held in early August at the IU School of Education, was attended by a dozen teachers from nearby high schools, including teachers from as far away as Indianapolis. The workshop included science content on infrared astronomy, including lectures on the physics of infrared light, astronomy in the infrared, the Spitzer Space Telescope, and on how astronomers use the telescope, as well as inquiry-based, classroom activities that the teachers can use in the classroom. In addition, the workshop included presentations and discussions on inquiry-based methods and state and national science standards. The goal of the workshop was to provide teachers with a better understanding of infrared astronomy, to offer new opportunities for science in Indiana high schools, and to encourage the teaching or more astronomy integrated into other science disciplines (e.g. physics, chemistry, Earth science).

The workshop was presented by Catherine Pilachowski and Glenn Simonelli

Take a look at pictures from the workshop.

Materials used during the workshop are available below.

• Astronomy lectures
  • Intro to IR Astronomy
  • The IR Universe
  • The Spitzer Space Telescope
  • Using Spitzer
• Workshop schedule
• URL's for IR astronomy lessons
• List of materials used in the Workshop
• Websites of interest
• Classroom activity: Finding Dusty Disks with Spitzer
  • Teacher Guide
  • Student Worksheet
  • PowerPoint
  • Black Body Curves
  • Data
• Classroom activity: Investigating Dust in the Trifid Nebula (this one takes time!). Images available on request.
  • Teacher Guide
  • Student Worksheet

Indiana teachers who attended the Universe in the Infrared workshop are eligible to borrow an infrared camera for classroom and teaching use. Contact Caty Pilachowski for details.

The support of the Spitzer Science Center and NASA and the National Science Foundation, as well as the assistance of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, for this summer workshop is gratefully acknowledged.