This page includes useful books, websites, and other resources relevant to astronomy education and related topics. PDF version

Books -- available at Towson University Cook Library

Astronomy Education

• Amazing Space:Education On-line from the Hubble Space Telescope: Hubble Space Telescope Deep Field Lesson Package, Grades 6-8, 4 Classroom Activities, Lithographs, Teacher’s Guide

• Course Study | 522.291.A49


• Learner-Centered Astronomy Teaching: Strategies for ASTRO 101 by Timothy F. Slater, Jeffrey P. Adams
• Stacks | QB61.S53 2003


• Lecture-Tutorials for Introductory Astronomy by Jeffrey P. Adams, Edward E. Prather, Timothy F. Slater, and the Conceptual Astronomy and Physics Education Research (CAPER) Team
• Stacks | QB45.2.A33 2003


• The Star Guide: Learn How to Read the Night Sky Star by Star by Robin Kerrod
• Stacks | QB63.K45 2005

Juvenile

• A Beginner’s Guide to the Universe by Andrew Conway and Rosie Coleman
• Juvenile | 520.C7671b


• Benjamin Banneker: Pioneering Scientist by Ginger Wadsworth
• Juvenile Biography | .B219w

• Exploring the Sky: 100 Projects for Beginning Astronomers by Richard Moeschl
• Juvenile | 523.M694e

• Galileo: The Genius Who Faced the Inquisition by Philip Steele
• Juvenile Biography | .G158st

• Mapping the Skies by Walter Oleksy
• Juvenile | 520.O455m

Web Resources

• Cultural Astronomy

(Please add good web resources you've found on this subject!)

• Heavens Above

http://www.heavens-above.com/
Paths of various satellites in the sky

• Amazing Space

http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/
Includes “teaching tools” (organized by topic and type) which cover classroom activities, images, educator guides, and related resources on a variety of astronomical topics.

• Arty the Part-Time Astronaut

http://www.3pounds.com/artyastro/index.html
This interactive site includes games and multimedia explanations of space missions, lunar phases, meteor showers, and much more. A teacher guide is available as well.

• Astronomy for Kids

http://www.frontiernet.net/~kidpower/astronomy.html
Consists of basic astronomy concepts explained briefly in simple terms.

• Challenger Center for Space Science Education: Teacher Resources

http://www.challenger.org/teachers/index.cfm
Includes podcasts, information on standards, lesson plans, recommended web resources, and more.

• Lunar and Planetary Institute: Educator Resources

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/resources/
Includes classroom activities and other resources (websites, books, videos) divided up by grade level. Covers the topics of space exploration, the solar system and select planets, astrobiology, and more.

• A Mystery of Space: Stars

http://library.thinkquest.org/25763/
This interactive site includes lesson plans, animations, recommended books and websites, a glossary, a “planetarium” (a navigable view of the sky with marked constellations), as well as a place to post sightings, stories, and images.

• NASA Education

http://education.nasa.gov/home/index.html
Contains a variety of information for students and educators. Educator resources include education programs and teaching materials organized by grade level.

• Nine Planets

http://www.nineplanets.org/
“A multimedia tour of the solar system.” This image-rich site includes information on the sun, the moon, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, meteorites, asteroids, and more.

• Stanford Solar Center

http://solar-center.stanford.edu/
Provides a wealth of information about the sun, including myths, news, and much more. Includes resources for students and educators.