The Classroom Astronomer welcomes all contributions that are meant for the practical usage of other teachers. While we nominally focus upon the high school arena, articles pertaining to elementary, middle school, college (primarily 101 level courses) and informal education are welcome.  We also have readership that are people who are interested in learning about astronomy, as in a course, but are not students nor readers of general astronomy magazines.

Our stories have to cover three areas:  an astronomical concept, how to teach it, and why you should teach it and use these techniques to do so.

We are looking for good stories on:

• Low cost labs that can be done in the classroom.
• Classroom teaching techniques, lessons that work well, ideas on ways to get a concept across. Strategies, mnemonics, stories that bring students into astronomy, practical �how to� articles.  What other teachers are doing.
• Using the sky for teachable moments.  Some stress on naked eye astronomy.
• Upcoming workshops, seminars and continuing education resources, low cost or otherwise.
• Grant resources (and how to do them might be really helpful!)
• Hardware articles, and columns on making or repairing hardware (and demonstration apparatus).
• Reviews of things you can buy in stores�like those little planetarium projectors (we've done this one, it's just an example)�and whether they are useful and/or accurate!
• Corrections to textbooks and movies.
• Full classroom lessons.
• Online course of astronomy--techniques that really work and take these classes away from pedagogically poor "read, multiple choice quiz, done."
• Presentation techniques in portable planetariums
• How to connect your class with nearby colleges and astro departments, and what works or doesn�t.
• How to get other teachers to incorporate astronomy into their classes.
• Remote observing and student research programs that can be done anywhere even without the remote telescopes.
• Sample syllabi.
• International Astronomy Education

  In addition, contributions can be made to the following regular columns:

  • Astronomical Teach-niques � short tips, especially on specific topics, focused mainly on great ways to get a topic across, for the teacher.
  • Teacher�s Challenge � A column that tests the teachers knowledge and can then be used in class.a
  • Photons Focused On - (photo stories)
    

You are NOT limited to these ideas; feel free to offer your own!

Send your ideas to editor@toteachthestars.net

Stories contributed become the copyrighted property of The Classroom Astronomer. They must not have been previously published in any other publication. They also must not contain any material copyrighted by other publications or persons. The contributor indemnifies The Classroom Astronomer from any such claims by others in regards to copyrights and originality.

The Classroom Astronomer has the final right to edit in all ways the contributed piece, by length, word choices, arrangement, etc. The article can also be used by The Classroom Astronomer in its online presence or be included in anthology books and electronic archives.