Going Back to School…… Indian Institute of Astrophysics Bangalore

Going back to school Going back to school is an initiative in which a group of students visit a school every month and interact with the students and teachers.

Talk "A journey through the Solar system" talk was presented to students in the form of a dialogue between two students in Kannada.

Demonstration of telescope The working of different types of telescope were explained followed by an interactive hands-on session.

Night sky through Stellarium Night sky watch: identification of prominent stars (Vega, Polaris, etc.), planets and constellations; motion of stars.

Activity Kits Activity kits like: Star clock, Clinometer, Sundial and Star Chart were distributed to the students as cut- away pages of a booklet with adjoining instructions.

Star Clock

Clinometer

Sun Dial

Star Wheel

General requirements Articles: Telescopes, laptops, projectors, monitor/screen, speakers, posters etc; + Average expenses and transportation.

Current & possible regular activities ● National Science Day ● Evening Talk & Sky watch (2/3 per year ) ● Visit to schools within and outside Bangalore (in collaboration with other active groups). ● Workshops, tutorial videos on astronomy and astrophysics in collaboration with planetarium, amateur astronomers etc. ● Students competition.

Web platform for Outreach ● Ask an astronomer section and feedback forms for students. (Forum) ● Developing content material as tutorial on different subjects ● Videos and documentaries ● Developing activity books, posters and kits for public distribution. ● Availability of 4” telescope much easily… ● Highlighting material available within country.

THANK YOU

Outreach Points to be discussed 1. Review of the out-reach activities of Koramangala IIA and filed stations ( few minutes presentation can be included). Going back to school initiative from the students in which a group of around 15 students visit a school every month and interact with the students and teachers there. The event involves presentations, activities and sky watching tutorials. (Add the report of the Madivala trip) 2. Identification of few key programs which can be conducted on regular basis. A. Sky watch programme at IIA and Field stations B. Workshops on astronomy and astrophysics C. Small tutorial videos on a&a. D. Visits to observatories 3. Consolidation of all requirements of out-reach program, like telescopes, projectors, laptops, posters, models etc. Speakers, projector screen, pointer, solar filters, prisms, grating, lasers, torches, lenses, mirrors 4. Sharing of the responsibilities. 5. Establishment of an active collaboration with planetarium as well as with amateur astronomers. Galileo mobile team 6. Interfacing with media and web-page management. 7. Web page platform for the outreach A. Reviving ask an astronomer section B. Development of content material as tutorial on different subjects C. Feedback form D. Videos and documentaries 8. Developing activity books, posters and kits for distribution

1)Website page updates. 2)Ask and astronomer and discussion forum. 3)Availability of 4’ telescope and related Educational material. (Local distibution centre of vigyan Prasar Kits and CDs, etc). 4)Teachers training program and student competition. 5)…..