Liza Q Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Is it possible to study this without doing much field/lab work? We live in the city (Brooklyn, NY) and it is almost impossible to see much in the sky here, as the street lights are on all night long. We could get ourselves to a less urban area a few times but I don't know if we could do it often enough. I have looked at the Potter's School course and Signs and Seasons, but I can't tell how much observation is required. This does not have to be a lab course. My daughter is taking Biology now (10th grade) and we would both prefer to save Chemistry for 12th grade, so Astronomy would be an extra science. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SusanAR Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Perhaps you can PM Jean in Wis. She knows a great deal about astronomy and can probably suggest some titles. She posts some of her pictures on her blog from time to time. http://shadesofwhite.typepad.com/ Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momof8 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 We are using this year for my 11th grader, Lifepacs from Alpha Omega, which gives you 1/2 year credit and a book called Signs and Season (A classical guide to astronomy) and two DVDs by the Standard deviants. (Weird name but fun and interesting. Called Sesame Street for adults!) We aren't doing experiments due to lack of high tech supplies,etc. Hope this helps. Oh, I also had my son make a constellation notebook. He had to research the major constellations and draw them and write a paragraph about each one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Wisc Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 I don't know anything about Potter's School. You could learn a lot from Signs and Seasons, and there are a lot of labs that you could do even in the city--the study of the rotation of the earth, the sun, the moon. I'd suggest you make a list of the labs you cannot do (esp. viewing the constellations and planets) and plan a couple of trips to the country. Perhaps you could visit an astronomy club's star party or night-time viewing. The weekend of March 21st and 28th many clubs will be having a Messier Marathon. That might be fun for some of you to attend. Check your local clubs. Here is my review of Signs and Seasons. Or you can ask the author. HTH, Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Is it possible to study this without doing much field/lab work? We live in the city (Brooklyn, NY) and it is almost impossible to see much in the sky here, as the street lights are on all night long. We could get ourselves to a less urban area a few times but I don't know if we could do it often enough. Does the Hayden Planetarium offer anything for homeschoolers? Perhaps they have some other programs which might serve as labs. Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liza Q Posted March 8, 2009 Author Share Posted March 8, 2009 OH, thanks for the responses! I will check out an astronomy club - I am assuming there will be a few! Trips to the country are a little harder...but if my daughter really wants to do this we should be able to get my husband on board ;) My brother is in NJ and we have friends upstate and out of state - he just hates to travel unless we are going to Disney World! The planetarium...I doubt they have anything for homeschoolers but they do have a lot there. It is probably a great place for her to get a better understanding of evolution from the other side, if that makes sense. Thanks again! We may end up doing Chemistry next year anyway and she may decide not to go after a third year of science, but Astronomy seems more doable now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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