Kinesthetic Astronomy
Here we present an experiential lesson we call Kinesthetic Astronomy™: The Sky Time lesson, Sky Time reconnects students with the astronomical meaning of the day, year, and seasons. Like all Kinesthetic Astronomy™ lessons, it teaches basic astronomical concepts through choreographed bodily movements and positions that provide educational sensory experiences.
Kinesthetic Astronomy™ lessons are science-rich and fun. They are intended for sixth graders up through adult learners in both formal and informal educational settings, and they can also be adapted for younger learners. They emphasize astronomical concepts and phenomenon that people can readily encounter in their “everyday” lives such as time, seasons, and sky motions of the Sun, Moon, stars, and planets. Kinesthetic Astronomy lesson plans are fully aligned with research-based education standards, both in content and instructional practice. Our lessons offer a complete learning cycle with written assessment opportunities embedded throughout.
Field testing and evaluation with non-science undergraduates, middle & high school science teachers and students, Junior girl scouts, museum education staff, and outdoor educators has been providing evidence that kinesthetic astronomy techniques allow learners to achieve a good intuitive grasp of concepts that are much more difficult to learn in more conventional ways such as via textbooks or even computer animation.
Resources
How-to Video
Please watch the 2-part “how-to” video for educators on Vimeo created in 2010.
Downloads
- THE SKY TIME LESSON PLAN (PDF, 1.5 MB): Introduction, Step-by-Step instructional sequence with embedded assessments, including Your Birthday Stars, Night Sky in China, Who Can See Orion When?, and Comparing Seasons on Earth & Mars
- WRITTEN ASSESSMENT OPTIONS (PDF, ~1 MB): Worksheets for each section of instruction and a 16-item pre-post assessment
- ASSESSMENT ANSWER KEY (PDF, ~1 MB)
- LESSON PROPS (PDF, ~1 MB): Instructions and resources for constructing your own set of props for Kinesthetic Astronomy (“E” and “W” handheld cards, Seasons signs, Zodiac signs + Orion).
- PACKET for LIPS 2022 Workshop Participants (PDF, ~1 MB): Page 15 is a list of 16 questions in astronomy that can be addressed using the same embodied framework of the Sky Time lesson. These include: “Why does Venus appear to be a Morning and Evening Star?” “Why does the full moon rise at sunset while other phases rise at different times?” “Why are meteor showers most intense in the pre-dawn hours?”
Please contact PUNCH Outreach with questions, ideas, or other comments about this product.
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