City Skies: Linking Neighborhoods with NASA Through Urban Astronomy

July 1st, 2012 - June 30th, 2016 | PROJECT

Families and school-aged constituents at 30 urban, inner-city neighborhood community-based organizations and teachers and students in earth science classes in 40 middle schools. Intent: This project will prepare neighborhood and community leaders in Philadelphia to use simple but effective observation tools and NASA’s educational web content to help their inner-city Philadelphia neighbors learn about space science and technology – and about their city and themselves – by knowledgably exploring the sky. Project Goals: 1. Create multiple opportunities for inner-city children, adults and families to observe and learn about the solar system through neighborhood and city-wide events. 2. Equip CBO’s with the knowledge, skills and materials they need to make space science-related events and activities a sustained part of programming for their constituents. 3. Stimulate interest and engagement in NASA’s missions and resources among residents of traditionally underserved, inner-city neighborhoods through astronomy experiences and NASA’s websites. 4. Create and strengthen collaborative ties between The Franklin Institute, CBO’s, city residents, and local amateur astronomers. Programs/Products produced: 1. Repeatable ‘Galileoscope’ workshops and activities in 30 CBO’s 2. Solar observing activities for 30 CBO’s and 40 middle schools. 3. School assembly-type audience interactive program about observational astronomy for use in schools and community organizations. 4. Recurring neighborhood star parties facilitated through on-going partnerships with local amateur astronomy clubs. 5. Participation in city-wide star party as part of the annual Philadelphia Science Festival.

Project Website(s)

(no project website provided)

Project Products

https://www.fi.edu/cityskies

Team Members

Frederic Bertley, Principal Investigator, The Franklin Institute
Derrick Pitts, Co-Principal Investigator, The Franklin Institute

Funders

Funding Source: NASA
Award Number: NNX12AL21G
Funding Amount: 799546

Tags

Access and Inclusion: Urban
Audience: Adults | Educators | Teachers | Families | Middle School Children (11-13) | Museum | ISE Professionals
Discipline: Space science | Technology
Resource Type: Project Descriptions
Environment Type: Community Outreach Programs | Informal | Formal Connections | K-12 Programs | Professional Development | Conferences | Networks | Professional Development and Workshops | Public Events and Festivals | Public Programs