Astrophysics on a Tabletop: Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
About Educational Resource
Astrophysics on a Tabletop was created to challenge high school-age youth to develop hands-on activities about astrophysics and then produce short films showing those activities in action. This program model includes lessons about astrophysics, science communication, careers in science, and videography.
This Program Model was developed and authored by Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, with minimal editorial input and review from NASA's Universe of Learning. NASA's Universe of Learning has contributed astrophysics content and subject matter expertise to support the creation of this material.
Other organizations may adapt these materials to meet the needs of their specific audiences. While this Program Model was designed to serve the local audience of the authoring institution, it is shared here as an example for broader use. Users should adjust it as needed and use all or some of the content, as appropriate, for their own needs.
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Goals and Recommendations
Goals
This program was created to foster deeper engagement about astrophysics and further enhance communication, activity development, and professional inquiry skills.
Recommendations
It is recommended to implement more extended programming. For our pilot, students met for two hours per week for six weeks. They were eager to learn more and would have benefited from additional time.
The audience for this program was high school-age youth.