I have a new way of unit planning. It’s called, ask the experts.

To plan my upcoming Astronomy unit, I emailed my mentor at the New Science Teacher Academy, I asked for help on the Nasa Educator Online Network, and I contacted KIPP Houston’s awesome STEM coordinator.

In response, I was flooded with helpful activity suggestions, offers for professional development, and input on how to invite working astronomists into my classroom.

Right now, I’m actually overwhelmed with all the information I’ve been given. But, the material is SO rich that I had to post about it. There is no way that I could have done this by myself. Instead, I asked the experts, and they delivered.

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This is a resource list from just ONE of the many experts who’ve lent their help to me over the past month. And, the list is not even the most valuable resource, it’s the conversations.

Planet Paths: Studying Planetary Orbital Paths
http://btc.montana.edu/ceres/html/58Orbits/58orbits.html
Picture an Astronomer
http://www.astrosociety.org/education/astro/act1/astronomer.html
Solar System Lithograph Set
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Our_Solar_System_Lithograph_Set.html
Taking the Measure of the Universe Poster and Activities
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Taking_the_Measure_of_the_Universe.html
Astronomy Village – CET project
http://www.cet.edu/?cat=online_learning&page=26
Traditions of the Sun website
http://www.traditionsofthesun.org/
Astronomy Picture of the Day
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
Solar System Exploration Web Page
http://sse.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/index.cfm
NASA Cosmicopia question and answer site
http://helios.gsfc.nasa.gov/physicist.html
Imagine the Universe – Ask an Astrophysicist
http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/ask_an_astronomer.html
Solar System Educators Program
https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/ssep/index.cfm?space=holder&&CFID=7044148&CFTOKEN=11646091