P2-B1 A new astronomy education web site for child-care support people Tomita, Akihiko （富田 晃彦） Faculty of Education, Wakayama University, Japan （和歌山大学 教育学部、日本） EASE 2011 Conference Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea, 27 October 2011

At N Nursery, Osaka City, Japan Star/Sky triggers various and continuous activities July 7, 2006 Trigger My talk on a school-stay night September 8, 2006 Children and teachers went to science museum. December 8, 2006 A parents-children joint event January 2007 Messages to Kaguya, a Japanese moon probe Nov 30 & Dec 1, 2006 Hand-made planetarium by children! January 2007 Children enjoyed Moon watching by themselves. February 2007 Star watching using a small telescope. Adults jumped for joy.

Spread very-large-format printings, and see pics, read letters… Chaotic, randomly-moving-around, jumping-all-over Q&Q&A&Q session At H Nursery, Fujiidera City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan Star/Sky is a topic fascinated by children (even under primary school age), nursery teachers, and parents. 5 year-round activity at H Nursery proves that children can improve their scientific skill through “star/sky kids fun” activity with scientist’s support.

Problem Participation in nursery school is important to develop the material and to observe how children improve their scientific skills. However, it is very difficult to visit many nurseries because of safety management of each nursery, unlike primary and high schools. Though star/sky field is a good material for children’s science education, many nursery and other preschool teachers, and other child-care support people are not so interested in star/sky, or do not have many ideas. However, it is not easy to share the materials and tips with other nurseries because not all nurseries are under a bureau with a well-organized information system. Solution A web site -gathering information and tips / supervised by astronomer -connecting with the participation in nurseries and other groups

Idea, please! Just opened

Feel the season changing in trees, flowers, sky, clouds, the Sun, the Moon and stars Tips and Materials are now being collected though the site. Astronomer and educators will discuss together. The polished tips and material will be opened and published.

Imaginary travel to the universe with paintings -- Go to Jupiter -- A volcano satellite, Io An icy satellite, Europa

We can understand the mechanisms of mysterious star/sky phenomena by connecting them with daily experiments and observations. Connecting the heaven with your room You can make the rainbow in the kitchen. White smoke coming out from the fridge is similar to fog and clouds. What makes the clouds?

Shade of twilight sky and clouds Searching for the first star (each season has each first star) Crescent Moon with Earthshine Many children know that crescent Moon is full moon! Star/sky activity does not necessarily need not necessarily need much money much money trip to countryside trip to countryside special preparation special preparation

Friends in K preschool, Hawaii, USA Dr. Kumiko Usuda-Sato, an outreach scientist of Subaru Telescope, Hawaii, kindly introduced us wonderful friends! - Where are we? children: Earth! - Yes! You and your friends in Japan live on Earth! Play with stars connects children all over the world All nurseries and preschools, and other child- care support people in the world, can share the star/sky kids fun tips and material, and use them for children’s science education, and teachers’ and parents’ life-long science education.