Very Cool Astronomy Tool

The World Wide Telescope (WWT) is a virtual astronomy tool developed by Microsoft. It allows viewers to view the universe via a vast database of astronomical images. A teacher with a computer and projector can take a class on a tour of the universe. For example, you can move through the solar system looking at the planets, the sun, comets, and asteroids. You can move to a distant star or look at nebulae.

You can "record" a tour ahead of time to show student or even better, let students create their own tours. My colleague, Lisa Dettloff, who helped Microsoft develop a set of tools for educators to use with WWT, has created a tour for teachers to learn more about this amazing resource. Just clink on the link and select "Educator's Tour." Her web site also provides key links to WWT.

Southwest Archaeology with Kids

Our 5th graders study the archaeology of the Southwest during the spring semester as part of our integrated studies. As the science teacher, I work along with my colleagues in Humanities, Math, Art, and Technology to help kids learn about the history and culture of the ancestral Puebloan people. In addition to learning about the daily life and history, the 5th graders learn about the geology of the Southwest and the science of archaeology, including dating techniques such as dendrochronology.

This recent NYT article, Scientist Tries to Connect Migration Dots of Ancient Southwest, discusses University of Colorado archaeologist Steve Lekson's theory of the linkage between Chaco Canyon and Puebloan sites in Mexico as part of his unified theory of Native American population movements. I will use this article to help students get a bigger picture of the Puebloan migrations, and some historical context, as well as one of the current controversial ideas in the science of archaeology.