Blast Off to Learning! is designed for educators who work with children ages 5-10 in formal or informal settings. The workshop will cover space and astronomy with applications in many areas of formal and informal programs — reading, writing, art, music, math and (of course) science. All content and activities will be tied to the Washington State Grade Level Expectations at Levels 1 and 2. The major idea of the workshop is to use astronomy and space themes to engage children in learning and to encourage them to think broadly about "ways of knowing" and the "processes of science" via hands-on activities, experiments, models, music and art.

Workshop participants will have a chance to brainstorm ways to incorporate the presented activities and content into their programs. Participants will also receive materials and will learn how to find out more about the workshop topics. Credits or clock hours will be available to workshop participants.

Instructors


The lead instructor will be Dr. Julie Lutz, a research professor of astronomy at the University of Washington. Dr. Lutz is director of NASA's Regional Educator Resource Center for the state of Washington and Space Science Network Northwest, which serves Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. She is also acting director of Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium. Her research focuses on stars in the late stages of stellar evolution.

Co-instructors for the workshop are Brian Hawkins, Washington representative for the NASA Aerospace Education Services Program, and Charlotte Christensen, UW graduate student in astronomy.

Registration


The registration deadline is June 22, 2007.

Location


The workshop will be held at Heritage University in Toppenish, WA (map). The building/classroom for this workshop will be HU/UW Community Business and Training Center, Room 2214.