Project ASTRO focuses on grades 4-9 because
research shows that children in this grade range
tend to begin to lose much of their curiosity
about the natural world and their interest in
science. There is evidence that this lack of
interest is often linked to science instruction
that emphasizes use of traditional textbooks and
the learning of science as vocabulary. Project
ASTRO aims to bring children back to science by
appealing to humans' age-old fascination with the
sky. Astronomy is seen as a particularly
efficient "hook" to reinstate,
maintain, and enhance students' interest in
science.
However, teaching astronomy to children,
especially at the lower end of this age range,
presents special challenges. Because the
phenomena to be understood are intangible and
involve notions of space and time that are well
beyond direct human experience, there is
considerable debate among educators about the age
at which teaching about these phenomena becomes
appropriate.
Project ASTRO maintains, on the basis of
experience, that certain activities can help make
astronomical concepts more concrete, even for 9
and 10 year olds, and that middle-school students
not only can grasp more abstract concepts but are
intrigued and fascinated by the sky. The
project's resource notebook, The Universe at
Your Fingertips, contains activities
developed around the country that help make
learning astronomy more concrete and
inquiry-based.
