This session will explore practical approaches to astronomy education in the classroom, highlighting effective strategies and innovative teaching practices that engage students at both primary school level

Schedule

• Minds-On: supporting the learning of science concepts and reasoning skills in primary education

  
  

  Teaching science in primary schools is challenging. Alongside the debate regarding which pedagogical approach to use, there is a lack of robust teaching tools and helping students build the bridge between experiments and the underlying concepts is difficult, especially if a teacher is not an expert on the lesson topic. We present the Minds-On framework for use in primary school science lessons. The Minds-On application fully orchestrates lessons and provides automated support. Lessons are divided into meaningful learning units, each led with a simple experiment before students consolidate their new knowledge in an interactive diagram. We illustrate the Minds-On approach with astronomy topic lessons developed in collaboration with the Dutch Black Hole Consortium.

  

  Joanna Holt (Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences & NOVA)

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• AstroSTEM Academy: Inspiring the Next Generation Through Space, Robotics, and AI

  
  

  AstroSTEM Academy is a new Canadian educational initiative that uses astronomy and space exploration as gateways to interdisciplinary STEM learning for children ages 6–14. Through hands-on “space missions,” students build models, program robots, explore coding and AI, and develop creativity, teamwork, and communication skills. Delivered through libraries and community programs, AstroSTEM Academy combines astronomy, robotics, coding, and engineering to create accessible, engaging, and bilingual (FR/EN) STEM experiences that inspire curiosity, innovation, and scientific literacy in young learners.

  

  Belhaj Zakaria (AstroSTEM Academy)

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• Astronomy for Transformative Education: An Interdisciplinary and Community-Engaged Experience

  
  

  This presentation describes an interdisciplinary educational experience developed in a primary school in Guanaqueros, Chile, where astronomy was used to foster transformative education (Lange, 2023). Through collaboration between the school, a local community member, and a local university astronomy department, students planned a symbolic journey to Mars while exploring scientific identity, scale, astronomical observation, and spatial representation. The experience is analyzed through the lens of transformative competencies (OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030, 2019), showing how astronomy can strengthen student agency and connect learning with local communities and future-oriented thinking.

  

  Maximiliano Montenegro (Factoria Ideas)

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• Light and astronomical Phenomena through art: The results of the enLIGHTen project

  
  

  The IAU-OAE–funded TTP "enLIGHTen" (2025–26) trained kindergarten and primary teachers to deepen their understanding of light and related astronomical phenomena. The program uniquely connected science and art by analysing light effects in Impressionist paintings, teaching scientifically grounded colour techniques to represent visible light. Participants received practical classroom activities and pedagogical content knowledge for integrating art-based light experiments and STEAM approaches. Pre- and post-training assessments showed a statistically significant increase in teachers’ light knowledge and familiarity with art-based learning and STEAM methods.

  

  Maria Ampartzaki (Department of Preschool Education, University of Crete)

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• From Black Holes to "Blanets": Harnessing Extreme Astrophysics Questions as Pedagogical Gateways in the Primary Classroom (Ages 9–11)

  
  

  Upper primary students (ages 9–11) frequently enter astronomy spaces captivated by sci-fi narratives, internet pop science, and boundary-pushing curiosities—ranging from supermassive black holes to exotic theoretical bodies like "blanets." Rather than dismissing these advanced inquiries as out-of-curriculum distractions, this practitioner-focused session illustrates how educators can leverage them as high-engagement pedagogical springboards for core primary science. Drawing directly from hands-on classroom practice, this presentation details an adaptable, step-by-step instructional framework that pivots wild speculative questions into foundational astrophysics. Rather than teaching abstract theoretical physics, we show how complex scenarios are demystified through accessible didactic strategies: • Tactile Modeling & Gravity Wells: Using fabric sheets, weighted spheres, and marbles to intuitively grasp gravity, mass, and orbital mechanics instead of complex mathematical formulations. • Scalable Visual Analogies: Translating extreme spatial scales, stellar lifecycles, and event horizons into everyday relatable objects and visual benchmarks. • Guided Thought Experiments: Structuring open inquiries through inquiry-based questioning ("What if...?"), steering imaginative student curiosity back to curricular fundamentals such as light, planetary formation, and the Solar System. Attendees will receive practical, low-cost activity templates, classroom-tested scaffolding techniques, and concrete guidance on distinguishing core scientific facts from theoretical models. This session equips primary educators with ready-to-use tools to channel intense student curiosity into meaningful, curriculum-aligned scientific exploration.

  

  Edgar Castro Baten (Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Astronomía (IASTRA), Universidad Galileo / IAU National Outreach Coordinator (NOC) Guatemala)

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Posters

• Autonomous Space Greenhouse Research

  Paul Markus (Hector Childrens Academy & Digitale Drehtür)

  This contribution presents an inquiry-based space science education project for primary school students (grades 3–4) in gifted education settings. Students engage in structured scientific inquiry through hands-on experiments using simulated lunar regolith. In the project “Plants in Space,” they investigate plant growth under controlled conditions with defined water levels (3–9 ml), standardized measurements, and weekly data collection. Students formulate hypotheses, analyze data, and document results in scientific-style reports. The project integrates NASA and DLR resources and was awarded the 2022 Innovation Award of the Hector Academy. It demonstrates how authentic scientific research can be introduced in primary education.

• Bringing the Night Sky to Life: Creative and Experiential Astronomy in Primary Education

  Exodus Chun-Long Sit (IAU NAEC and NOC China-Hong Kong)

  This presentation showcases practical and innovative approaches to primary astronomy education through the “Decoding Starry Night” programme, which promotes scientific literacy via reading and experiential learning. Built on the STAR framework—Storytelling, Title prediction, Applying knowledge, and Reading—students engage in hands-on activities such as interpreting Starry Night with astrophotography, identifying constellations, exploring aurora science, and creating seasonal sky models. Collaborative tools and structured practices, including stargazing skills and light pollution awareness, enhance learning. Drawing on real-world field experiences, this approach connects science, art, and sustainability, making astronomy engaging and meaningful in primary STEAM education.

• OBAnautas do Valongo: supporting students in scientific olympiads in Brazil

  Matheus Rabelo (Valongo Observatory)

  The OBANAUTAS DO VALONGO project uses the Brazilian Astronomy Olympiad (OBA) to foment science education in schools. The OBA is a widely disseminated competition throughout Brazil and has a huge impact on students choosing exact sciences careers. The Valongo Observatory, reference in Brazil for Astronomical education and research, started this year a program aiming to support students with no access to formal scientific education. We collaborated with 3 primary schools from Rio de Janeiro as well as an Astronomy Club on Valongo site. Reaching up to 100 students, we combined classes with games and exercises, keeping in mind the challenges and nuances of each educational portrait we faced. In this work, we present our results, discuss the challenges and future perspectives.

• Space Fridays: An Astronomy Festival for Families

  Ľubomíra Hujsová (NAEC Slovakia, Tempus Universum)

  "Space Fridays" is an educational event designed for children aged 9–14 and their families. It utilizes a rotational carousel format during which small groups continuously cycle through diverse astronomical activities to maximize engagement. Each station offers a unique experience to learn more about the Universe, including interactive lectures from professional astronomers, hands-on workshops, an inflatable planetarium, astronomy-related movies, or live public observations. This structured design lowers barriers to science, fosters collaborative learning, and maintains high motivation. The objective of the presentation is to introduce the concept of Space Fridays, to share the experiences from organizing such events and to discuss the future prospects.