1st EAAE Summer School          
La Seu d'Urgell, Spain
7-12 July, 1997

In July 1997 the 1st EAAE Summer School was organized by the Working group 3 in order to train school teachers interested in astronomy or topics related to this science. A group of 40 teachers from eight European countries exchanged experiences, shared their knowledge, developed skills and teaching methods all in a friendly atmosphere. La Seu d'Urgell, a Spanish Pyrenean resort, was chosen as the site of these activities. Over a week, general lectures, working groups, workshops, poster displays and observations took place.

Topics included:

  • General lectures
    1. The distances of stars - how do we know them?
    2. Astrophysicas parameters from light analysis.
    3. Fixing the position of a star.
    4: Some a aspects of the history of Astronomy.

  • Working groups
    1. Brilliant stars on the screen by overhead projector.
    2. Let us observe the daily path of the Sun.
    3. Let us measure the eccentricity of the terrestial orbit.
    4. Observing a rapid variable star.
    5. Determination of Jupiterīs mass.
    6. Rømer and the velocity of light.
    7. Determination of Keplerīs laws by experimentation.
    8. Determination of the Moonīs orbit.
    9. Orbital speed of the Earth.
    10. Chemical composition of the Sun and stars.

  • Workshops
    1. Heliocentric planetarium.
    2. Skymap and learning constellations.
    3. Light and shadow.
    4. Photographs of constellations.

    The twelve instructors were highly qualified and well respected members of their profession. The activities were very practical and designed to help the classroom teacher: many of the experiments and observations may be conducted by students without expensive specialist equipment.

    At the end of the course, participants commented on how much material and how many activities had been included in just one week. Teachers involved in the Summer School remarked that this week of activities was a very good investment of their time.

    Photographs

    General Lectures: Not just talk and chalk


    Plenty of opportunity to participate in working groups


    Workshops: Cheap, quick and easy teaching aids demonstrated by experts


    An international mosaic of the participants' classwork


    A free flow of shared ideas and different points of view


    Daytime observations


    and observations at night


    The Summer School: A taste of adventure

    Report from Rosa M. Ros, Spain

    Send comments to this page to Anders Västerberg <anders@astro.su.se>
    Last edited June 11, 1998