Abstract: Numerous debates continue to occur regarding furthering the use of technology in science classrooms, and the overall benefits of these efforts. Many knowledgable and famous people have spoken out on this issue and raised their voice regarding the pros and cons. Such famous celebrities include George Lucas and Tony Danza. In the onslaught of video games and ipods among the younger generation of high school students, I will investigate and am expecting research to show positive results from the use of such tools as Starry Night. Specifically, for software programs like Starry Night to be applicable and effective in the Earth Science classroom, the program must be an asset to displaying and educating students on the SOL standards for Astronomy.
Introduction • Starry Night Basics
Software programs such as Starry Night have revolutionized how teachers are able to effectively teach Astronomy units in Earth and Space Science high school classrooms. Starry Night software is occasionally called the “research-proven solution of effectively teach Astronomy. Several features of this software may excite students and teachers about its use. These features include: an interactive sky simulator, corresponding lesson plans already provided with the program, assessment tools, and extension links for further exploration. The lesson plans are correlated to national education standards (http://www.starrynighteducation.com/product_9-12.html).
In the Earth and Space Sceince classroom, Starry Night simulations on the projector screen will increase student involvement. It provides an interactive resource in which the entire class can become involved. Starry Night can be used as a way to unite the class in a learning experience and share interaction with outer space in ways that could not previously even be imagined. Many projects can come out of such experiences, including mapping the path of the Earth around the Sun, photographing constellations, and displaying phases of the moon.
Starry Night has periodic updates and downloads from web-based solutions. This solves the problem of new discoveries or changes in theory that might accompany the study of Astronomy. The most obvious example of this is the demotion of Pluto. With such current updates and such interactive and bright and colorful software, it is concluded that Starry Night may assist in teaching SOL standards in Astronomy and is expected to increase student proficiency. According to numerous reports on the benefits of technology in the classroom, students will be exposed to better lectures and interactive lessons due to enhanced audio-visual tools that enhance flexability of lessons, improve sharing of resources, obtains up-to-the-moment new knowledge, and demonstrates concepts in a clearer manner (http://www.rememberanything.com/benefits-of-technology-in-the-classroom/).
The essential “how” question • Starry Night 101
According to the Starry Night website, this program is, in effect, its own space science curriculum and can be used alone or with other enhancements. The product is basically marketed as one of the only Earth and Space science curriculum enhancements that combines an interactive sky simulator, lesson plans correlated to state and national standards, and extensive teacher resources in one easy-to-use package. This program can be purchased as a school order, which means it can be placed on more than one computer.
Upon beginning the program, the first screen that appears portrays the daytime landscape and horizon. There are a series of menu bars which allow the user to make selections. The user can make a variety of selections including entering the exact latitude and longitude from which they want to view, date, time of day, and degree of light pollution. The program has directional buttons, including north, south, east, and west. There are further controls that allow the user to either display or not display various constellations, planets, galaxies, asterioids, commets, etc. This is a control that the user can turn on and off, meaning that the entire night sky can be displayed all at once, or the user can focus on one particular object.
Technonogy in the Classroom Ideas and Critiques
Technology in the Classroom Articles
http://www.web-conferencing-zone.com/4105-technology-in-the-classroom-articles.htm
http://blog.dyknow.com/blog/classroom-technology
Information on Starry Night Pro Telescope
Getting started • Starry Night 101
As was previously mentioned, upon opening Starry Night, the first screen that appears features a daytime sky and menu bars to make various selections.
 |
From this point, the lesson can go in a variety of directions. The quickest way to teach students how to use this program is by taking the students through a simulation of how this program works and how it can teach them. So, for example, for this lesson – the teacher has decided that the students should have a look at the plants. At this point I would direct students to return to the menu bar at the top of the page, look under the heading for “Sky” and uncheck the selection that says “daylight.” The screen will change from the previous screen to a display of nighttime.
The ending result shows a variety of nighttime objects. The name is shown simply by hovering the mouse over the object. At this point I would attempt to have the students find all planets.
 |
Once the Sun is found and labeled, it is not remendously difficult to find the locations of the other planets and get a general view of our solar system. As can probably be decided from this picture, the white balls slightly smaller than the one of the Sun are the planets. After guiding the students through a brief tutorial in which they can determine which all the ojects are, the lesson can be shifted toward specific SOL standards.
Specific SOL standards for Astronomy taught in the classroom must correlate to ES.14, as delineated by the Virginia Department of Education.
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/go/Sols/science/.html#EarthScience
To continue with this lesson, it must be noted that it is an Earth Science requirement for the students to be taught the basic details of some of the planets. One way to get a clear view of all the planets is by returning to the “Sky” label and turning off all other nighttime objects, such as artificial satellites, asterioids, commets, and stars. The end result will be the mainly visible objects of the solar system in which the students can zoom into.
 |
Once the solar system is found, students may zoom into any one particular object. This is done by returning to the menu bar and clicking on the magnifying glass. A dialogue box will appear in which the student may type the name of the object they need to find.
 |
One the object is found, student are required to obtain the characteristics of each planet, as difined in the SOL Earth Science standards. Certain information that students will be required to find includes the location of Venus from the angle of viewing from Earth. Students return to the menu bar and click on the “Distance” function for this element.
 |
The image which appears accurately displays the distance of Venus from the sun and the angle at which Venus is viewed from the Earth on this date and time.
NASA – Venus
Teacher aids • Starry Night in the classroom
Many teachers have utilized this resource as an effective teaching method. Methods of using this resource and reviews and guides are included below.
Starry Night as a Classroom Aid
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-124940735.html
NSTA recommends Starry Night
http://www.nsta.org/recommends/ViewProduct.aspx?ProductID=16278
The UNITED STATES NAVY uses Starry Night
Department of Defense schools have begun to use Starry Night software in their classrooms in Japan. As Japan is very technologically advanced, I cannot see the United States not wanting to follow suit in American classrooms. The students in Japan are unable to take field trips to the observatory like many students in the United States, so this is a way to bring the observatory to them. The students viewed individual stars and constellations.
SHIRLEY LANHAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Students in kindergarten through sixth grade classes were treated to views of Starry Night during a 10-day Astronomy unit in January. Students looked up stars and constellations and were able to view the night sky from numerous locations all over the world by entering latitude and longitude coordinates.
Students View Starry Night in the Classroom
http://www.navy.mil/search/displaybbs.asp?bbs_id=1437&cat=1
It is doubtful to encounger many difficulties with this program. However, should a problem occur, additional information may be found in the Starry Night User’s Manual. This will also help with advanced processes and technical issues/problems.
http://www.starrynight.com/download/product_manuals/Pro_4.5_Manual.pdf
Assessment Assistance A Teacher’s Critique
PROS
Starry night is an excellent assest to the classroom. It provides basically an in-the-class telescope in which students can locate, view, and gather information about stars, constellations, planets, Messier objects, comments, and more. The colorful images imprint themselves upon the student’s brain; colorful images have been shown to assist with memory and recall in educative research, as long as the student is not bombarded with image after image.
CONS
Starry night is a great resource, but it is difficult to use alone. It should be used with a text or literature that gives descriptions. These descriptions will enhance the images and data provided by the program. For example, Starry Night may give the celestial coordinates of Venus, but does not have a least of the elements which mark Venus’s composition. A supplemental text would provide such information.
Considerations For Teachers
- For a teacher, it would be necessary to be well-planned and prepared. The teacher must be able to articulate exactly what objects the students are to research and find and how to get to them.
- Have a list of directions for the students. The students have never used this program before, therefore a list of good directions is essential. For example, when told to find the “Sky” button, the teacher should be able to tell the student that it is at the top of the menu bar, the 5th button from the left.
- There are many controls in Starry Night. The teacher should have a basic tutorial so that students may become familiar with the basic commands and controls. The previous simulation regarding Venus gives an example of some of the basic and common controls the student will use.
- Try not to do everything in one day. In the school studies listed above, students spent as much as one entire day to a 10-day study of this type of Astronomy Unit. This may require reserving the computer lab for more than one day.
- Provide a rubric for students that outline expectiations. Studies have shown that this not only helps students focus, but cuts back on problems such as horseplay in the computer lab.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Module Template/Model
http://cnx.org/content/m17541/latest/
Exploring Circumpolar Stars Using Starry Night Pro
http://www.teacherlink.org/content/science/instructional/activities/starry/Starry-print.PDF
Aligned to State and National Standards
http://www.starrynight.com/images/store/edu06brochure.pdf
Constellations
http://ali.apple.com/als/2ndmath/projects/3019.html
Space and Astronomy Lesson Plans
http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/lesson_plans/science/astronomy/
