Primary School Astronomy Gets Liftoff

Carter Observatory The National Observatory of New Zealand

Date 2005 August 31

Primary School Astronomy Gets Liftoff

A new course “Astronomy for Little Stars” has been made available to primary school students on the Internet.

Carter Observatory, the New Zealand’s National Observatory, provides the course free to schools.

Spokesperson Robert Shaw said the Observatory is charged with advancing astronomy throughout New Zealand and this course is one way that we can satisfy our mission.

Teachers may enrol classes of students and have them then work independently on the Internet.
The course was designed by National Observatory astronomers and is intended to motivate students. It is a basic introduction to astronomy, and for many students it is their first experience of study on the Internet.

Mr Shaw said already primary teachers around Wellington have begun to enrol their classes. “It is causing a great deal of excitement”. Now we are making it available to everyone.

Students that complete the course receive a certificate. The certificates are sent to the teachers email addresses and they print them out for presentation to the students.

ENDS

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