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

Schedule

• Energy Modeling: From Everyday Collisions to Supernovae

  
  

  A teaching sequence is presented to support the modeling of energy transfer and transformation by connecting everyday and astronomical phenomena. The proposal is organized into three stages: initial exploration of stacked balls, modeling with experimental data from carts on an inclined track, and transfer of the energy model to the case of a supernova. Based on the IPM cycle, it promotes the expression, use, evaluation, revision, and application of models. The sequence has been implemented in school and teacher education contexts, articulating laboratory data, physical analogy, and the interpretation of an astrophysical phenomenon.

  

  Rubén Montecinos (Universidad de Santiago de Chile; Millennium Nucleus on Young Exoplanets and their Moons (YEMS), CIRAS))

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• Teaching Historical Experiments as Core Part of the Astronomy Curriculum

  
  

  The workshop gives insights into approaches to developing statements of inquiry in highly performing STEM classes, and based on our experience of astronomy curriculum development in 2006-2022. To develop a didactically consistent curriculum, we often follow the way human understanding was evolving. In class we tend to relate to personalities of scientists, discuss conjectures, figure out the challenges they were facing, study their experiments in details and even celebrate their success. At the talk we will discuss opening questions which were used in our curriculum to introduce new topics, and their further methodological implementation, and will focus on historical experiments as core part of the astronomy curriculum.

  

  Dmitrii Ostriakov (International School Mainfranken, Schweinfurt)

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• E.T., you’ve got mail: an Italian school competition to design and transmit messages to exoplanets

  
  

  "E.T., you’ve got mail" is a national competition organized by the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics for primary and secondary school students. Inspired by the 1974 Arecibo message, students design binary-encoded pictograms to be transmitted via radio antenna toward stars hosting potentially habitable exoplanets. Two editions were held (2022, 2026), with winning messages broadcast from professional space facilities, the ASI Space Center in Matera and Telespazio's Lario Space Center, toward exoplanet targets. The activity integrates astronomy, mathematics, coding, and critical thinking, fostering computational skills and interdisciplinary reasoning. Students engage with topics ranging from binary encoding to scientific and philosophical challenges of interstellar communication.

  

  Maura Sandri (INAF – OAS Bologna)

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• An astrobiology teaching sequence using real scientific data in school

  
  

  This work presents the implementation of an interdisciplinary teaching sequence in secondary education focused on planetary habitability and extremophiles as models of biological adaptation. Through the analysis of physical variables and extreme planetary environments, students developed scientific arguments about survivability and the limits of life. This experience helped develop skills in modeling, scientific argumentation, and interdisciplinary integration, positioning astrobiology and the use of real scientific data as valuable tools for promoting effective scientific literacy.

  

  Jorge Escuti Martínez (Instituto Tecnológico y Comercial Recoleta (INTECO); YEMS/CIRAS)

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• Unfolding Space Energy: Accessible Frameworks for Secondary Astronomy

  
  

  To explore the universe, we must first capture its light! How do we get secondary students to care about the physics of space exploration? We let them build it! This talk shares a hands on lesson that turns solar panels into a launchpad for STEAM. We simulate the harsh reality of space by testing IR/UV degradation on PV cells, use the inverse-square law to plan outer-planet missions, and fold Miura origami to see how massive arrays fit inside tight rocket fairings. By breaking down the engineering behind systems like iROSA, students move from passive reading to active problem-solving. This practical approach fits right into the heart of IAU OAE 2026, proving that complex space engineering can be taught in brilliantly simple ways.

  

  Ratnani Guneet (Department of Physics, K.J. Somaiya College of Science and Commerce, Mumbai)

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Posters

• Activities for early learning of big bang cosmology

  Raju Bhattarai (The University of Western Australia)

  This talk presents activities for teaching big bang cosmology to 14-15 year old students in their last compulsory year of science. It includes simple, novel activities and games designed for exploring cosmology from the first nanosecond to the present era. Examples include matter-antimatter annihilation card games for exploring the physics of the first nanoseconds; novel simulations for structure formation; magnetic tennis balls for quantitative experiments on binding energy and logarithmic games and activities for understanding the enormous range of scales needed to describe the universe. The program is under trial in schools and workshops have been held with a large group of teachers. We will present the learning sequence, novel activities and report preliminary results from the trials.

• ASEAN Astronomy Camp (AAC)

  Yadanan Inta (National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT))

  The ASEAN Astronomy Camp (AAC), organized by NARIT and ITCA, is an international 4-day residential outreach program built on Thailand’s 15-year legacy of inspiring youth. The camp draws 523 applications from 15 countries over two years, including Europe and the UAE, promoting educational equality. Participants engage in immersive, hands-on activities at AstroPark and gain direct access to ASEAN’s largest optical and radio telescopes. The highlight features actual stargazing using real telescopes atop Doi Inthanon—Thailand’s highest peak. AAC connects diverse cultures to build lifelong friendships and inspire the next generation of global science leaders.

• ASTRONOMY OF BRAZILIAN INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGES: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY SKY OBSERVATION WORKSHOP

  Aline Tiara Mota (Federal Institute of Southern Minas Gerais)

  This work reports an interdisciplinary activity on the astronomy of Brazil's indigenous peoples, conducted at a public technical high school with first-year classes, integrating Physics and History. It introduced students to alternative ways of understanding the sky, valuing indigenous knowledge and cosmologies while challenging Eurocentric perspectives in science. After classroom instruction, students used Stellarium software to locate the Moon and the Ema and Homem Velho constellations within a Tupi-Guarani sky. Subsequently, they observed the Moon through a Newtonian telescope and identified constellations with the naked eye. The students' accounts demonstrated the importance of traditional knowledges in shaping a local astronomical identity.

• Bridging the Educational Gap in Astronomy: Insights into the Romanian Excellence Center

  Daria-Teodora Harabor (Physics Department, Harvard University)

  We present the activity of the National Center of Excellence in Astronomy and Astrophysics (CNEX) in 2026, a Romanian near-peer-mentored online program addressing the limited availability of specialized astronomy education for pre-university students. From January to April 2026, CNEX delivered 32 Olympiad-oriented modules for students in grades 5–12, divided into junior and senior groups, with an average attendance of approximately 42 participants per session. The program was led by 8 volunteer mentors, all former international astronomy and astrophysics competitors. Using mid- and post-course feedback, we evaluate student engagement, perceived clarity, and mentor impact, and reflect on CNEX as a scalable model for advanced STEM preparation.

• Bridging the Geographical Gap: Online Olympiad Astronomy Training for Russian Students

  Anastasiia Emelianova Anastasiia Emelianova (Sternberg Astronomical Institute, Lomonosov Moscow State University)

  A critical problem in Russian astronomy education is the disparity in Olympiad training access between major cities and remote regions. The «Astronomical Olympiad School», a grant-funded project, tackles this by providing free, structured online training for grades 5–11. Our methodology rests on three pillars: video lectures and materials created by teachers from the commissions of astronomy Olympiads and leading astronomical institutes; a mentorship system where trained undergraduate and graduate students from top universities provide personalized feedback on complex problem-solving; and a blend of auto-graded tests and manual solution checking. We present the project’s design and early outcomes, offering a replicable blueprint for addressing geographical inequality in science education.

• Cosmo-Edu-Lab: an educational platform for secondary school cosmology activities

  ELEONORA PANINI (Department of Physics,Informatics and Mathematics, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy)

  Cosmo-Edu-Lab is an innovative digital platform developed to bridge classical physics and modern cosmology in secondary schools. The goal is to transform students from passive spectators into active researchers using an Inquiry-Based Learning framework, integrating authentic astronomical datasets and scaffolded activities to explore galaxy rotation curves and cluster velocity distributions. Students will eventually induce the existence, and quantify the amount of dark matter in the universe, using foundational Newtonian mechanics and real data. The platform, engineered for extension to further educational cosmological topics, also integrates introductory gamified activities, a multimodal environment with data sonification for accessibility, and an AI-driven Socratic tutor.

• From data to orbital models: Building a scale model of the solar system with real astronomical data

  Aguilera Venegas Eduardo Nicolás (Universidad de Sanitago de Chile)

  Understanding astronomical scale and planetary orbits remains challenging for secondary school students. This work presents an educational activity in which students used real planetary ephemerides obtained from the Virtual Observatory Solar System Object Ephemeris Generator to construct a scaled and co-focal Solar System model in GeoGebra. Students determined orbital parameters, including eccentricity, perihelion, aphelion, and the semi-major and semi-minor axes, and represented planetary orbits while maintaining the Sun at a common focus. Results indicate that the use of authentic astronomical data contributed positively to students’ understanding of planetary motion and orbital geometry.

• From Outreach to Learning Progression: A Multi-Year Astronomy Curriculum for Grades 5–9

  Masoom Jethwa (Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science center)

  Many astronomy programs rely on short-term outreach activities that provide limited opportunities for sustained conceptual development. Our School Science Forum (SSF) of the Vikram A. Sarabhai Community Science Centre addresses this challenge. We have designed a structured extracurricular astronomy curriculum for Grades 5–9 serving approximately 1,000 students annually for 6 years. The curriculum establishes a progressive learning pathway. We present the curriculum framework, pedagogical design principles, and implementation experience.

• From Teachers to Astronomy Ambassadors: Scaling Astronomy and Scientific Education in Peru

  Gabriela Calistro Rivera (CosmoAmautas)

  The CosmoAmautas program turns high-school teachers into local leaders of astronomy education in Peru. We present how our teacher training program in astronomy has evolved into a national network of sustainable Astroclubs and Ambassadors. Graduate teachers adapt the methodology, replicate trainings and mentor peers. Their students learn through inquiry: measuring Earth, modelling Solar System scales, building spectrographs, detecting exoplanets from real data, exploring the Milky Way with Gaia, and connecting modern with ancestral astronomy. With ~200 teachers trained, more than 10000 students supported across 22 regions, a published book and open-source material, CosmoAmautas shows how astronomy can become a powerful, scalable engine for scientific thinking, equity and local agency.

• Learning by Teaching: Developing Science Communication Through Astronomy Outreach

  - Sulistiyowati (Institut Teknologi Sumatera, South Lampung, Indonesia)

  Astronomy is often used as a tool for public engagement and science communication. We report an outreach activity in which undergraduate students enrolled in the Atmospheric and Planetary Science Program at ITERA, Indonesia, facilitated a Stellarium workshop for 55 high school students. Designed and supervised by lecturers and technical staff, the activity gave university students an opportunity to practice communicating science with real audiences while introducing school students to astronomy through hands-on exploration. The experience highlights how astronomy outreach can support both science learning and communication training.

• Moon observation and poetry: a STEAM approach to astronomy literacy.

  Roberta Milczwski Cosmala

  Although astronomy is part of Brazil's national curriculum (BNCC, 2018), theoretical teaching alone struggles to build scientific literacy. To address this, Valongo Observatory's Astros a Serviço das Ciências created the National Moon Poetry Contest, linked to NASA's International Observe the Moon Night. Students from grade 6 to high school observe lunar phases and the Sun-Earth-Moon system, expressing that experience as poetry and fostering Science-Literature collaboration. Submissions from 2022–2023, analyzed with Python, revealed BNCC skill gaps, enabling free teaching materials. The 2025 edition reached 425 students in 8 Brazilian states. Results confirm that combining direct observation with artistic creation strengthens scientific literacy in a replicable university-school model.

• Student-Led Astronomy Union Networks Supporting Secondary School Astronomy Education in China

  Zhou Jinyi (Harvey Mudd College, USA)

  In China, student-led organizations play a significant role in secondary school astronomy education, supplementing the somewhat limited content in the school curriculum. We students in several regions have spontaneously formed unions of school-based astronomy clubs and individual members. Unions enhance lectures held by clubs within schools and organize inter-school educational activities ranging from sidewalk astronomy events to citizen science projects, benefiting a broad range of students, especially those without direct access to an established school astronomy club. We also collaborate across unions to bridge gaps in regional astronomical resources. This collaborative effort demonstrates the capability of student-led organizations to complement formal astronomical education.

• The city of Holon in space

  Nir Dubrovsky (The Holon municipality department of innovation)

  At the beginning of 2025, I initiated a nanosatellites program for high schools under the innovation department in the municipality of Holon. Since then, it has grown into a city-wide program with a budget for ongoing participation by 2 classes from 2 schools. This includes extensive pedagogy development and teaching, while simultaneously handling all the bureaucracy and steps required to launch the satellites into orbit. Other work involves collaborations with the Israeli space industry and academia, working on the satellite's software and hardware assembly, and educational visits to the industry for enrichment. At the end of high school, the satellite will launch and be monitored from a ground control station we will build. The satellite will conduct a climatic research from LEO.

• The Liberian Astronomical Society: Building Astronomy Education in Liberia

  Daniel Obajemu (Liberian Astronomical Society)

  The Liberian Astronomical Society (LAS), established in 2025, is among the first organized initiatives dedicated to astronomy education and outreach in Liberia. Through school visits, public talks, online learning activities, and partnerships with international astronomy organizations, LAS seeks to introduce students to astronomy and inspire interest in STEM fields. This presentation shares experiences from implementing astronomy education activities in secondary schools, discusses challenges such as limited resources and low awareness of astronomy, and highlights lessons learned in building a growing astronomy community. The LAS experience demonstrates how grassroots initiatives can expand access to astronomy education in emerging astronomy regions.

• The Penn State Inservice Workshops in Astronomy (PSIWA)

  Niel Brandt (Penn State University)

  The PSIWA, now operating for 25+ years, are week-long summer workshops for Pennsylvania high-school physics and Earth/space science teachers aimed at helping them teach their students about galaxies, black holes, cosmology, stars, and other topics. They serve as a high-leverage method of improving understanding of astronomy; each of the attending teachers will teach hundreds of students. Teachers from diverse, under-served school districts are specifically recruited with scholarship funds. The PSIWA programs include lectures on subject material, discussions of pedagogical approaches, hands-on activities, nighttime observing, and guest presentations. I will describe the accomplishments of the PSIWA, their future prospects, and broader lessons learned.

• Using Star Names and Sky Stories to Engage Students with the Night Sky

  Mohammad Sadegh Faghanpour (Behshahr Student Research Center)

  Many students can identify celestial objects using planetarium software, yet often struggle to develop a lasting connection with the real night sky. This presentation describes an educational approach used with secondary school students in Iran, combining traditional star names, sky cultures, constellation figures, and their associated stories. Over multiple astronomy sessions involving approximately 150–300 students, these cultural elements consistently increased student engagement and improved their ability to remember stars and constellations. The presentation discusses practical methods, examples, and lessons learned from using cultural astronomy as a gateway to observational astronomy education.