News for Docents

It's time to start another school year of bringing our TAAS brand of astronomy and science to local schools. Nothing reaches more people or garners more praise than our School Star Parties. This year we are implementing a new format for school star parties. Read on! Check out the new format, then contact us to secure your place in this exciting program! E-mail the Education Coordinator to get involved.

Our New Formats!

TAAS has a world-class program that brings exciting science to the classroom including a portable planetarium, how to measure the temperature of a star, how to make a comet, and close-up views of the Sun, Moon, planets, and more. TAAS has a long history of this service to our local schools. TAAS offers volunteers and educators the opportunity to present our exciting demonstrations. You don't even need a science background. Anyone interested will be trained by a qualified trainer. The training is easy and fun and is a great chance to learn a little more about astronomy and science.

Attention Educators: Check with your principal concerning the application of the Star Team Star Party option to satisfy PD requirements and growth.

THREE NEW SCHOOL STAR PARTY FORMATS

FORMAT #1 Star Team Star Party

The Stellar Star Party is designed to empower the community in the learning and sharing of the night sky by bringing people together in what we are calling a “Star Team”. The Star Team members will run the event while TAAS volunteers will provide scopes, expertise, and hands on knowledge of the night sky. The main goal of the Stellar Star Party is for TAAS to provide the tools and training, while the community provides the people with a willing a spirit to learn and share!

Our experience has been that within any given community there are those people who have knowledge of the night sky. Seek these people out to participate for your Star Team! Assemble a Star Team of adult volunteers of no less than 4 and no more than 12 members. The Star Team members must be willing to attend the training. The advantage of this option is that your Star Team has possession of the equipment for one week giving you more flexibility.

The 2 hour training involves learning how to operate the Starlab Portable Planetarium, presenting the demos, and information about how to have a Stellar Star Party at your school. Please note the Star Team Training does NOT include “Night Sky” instruction and that one member of your Star Team must be a TAAS member and assume responsibility for all equipment.

It’s your turn! Assemble your Star Team, secure a location to hold the training, pick two possible dates for your one training session. For more information, contact the Education Coordinator.

FORMAT #2 Star Party

Throughout the years TAAS has provided this traditional star party format in which TAAS brings scopes, and presents demos. This option is WEATHER and TAAS VOLUNTEER dependant and DOES NOT INCLUDE THE STARLAB PORTABLE PLANETARIUM!

The school must provide at least one School Star Party Volunteer, preferably more. This person can be anyone that is officially endorsed by the school to represent the school at this event. Usually this person is a teacher or interested parent and helps coordinate the event with the TAAS Education Outreach Coordinator. The School Star Party Volunteer(s) must be willing to present or assist a TAAS volunteer in an indoor presentation or presentations. This is because the vast majority of TAAS volunteers come to an event with telescopes, and during a "clouded-out" night, there is usually a shortage of TAAS volunteers. The star party then shifts to an indoor event and school volunteers and classrooms are REALLY needed.

The school needs to provide a safe area for telescope viewing - a) outside lights turned off, b) cement or asphalt preferred (we will not set-up in grass), c) must allow TAAS volunteers vehicle drive-up, d) must be free of general vehicular traffic, d) gates opened an hour before the event to allow for telescope set-up. Provide appropriate indoor rooms - we usually need a gym, cafeteria, library, and at least one classroom for demonstrations. Provide ample flyers and announcements to draw at least 100 attendees to your star party - both TAAS and school volunteers are giving their free time for this. Let's make it count!

How about a little food? Both school and TAAS volunteers are also giving up their dinnertime for this event. It is recommended that the PTA provide (for example) pizza and sodas for these volunteers, about an hour before the event begins.

Contact the Education Coordinator.

FORMAT #3 Scopes Only

TAAS brings telescopes and night sky knowledge to your school. This option is WEATHER and TAAS VOLUNTEER dependant and DOES NOT INCLUDE THE STARLAB PORTABLE PLANETARIUM AND INDOOR DEMONSTRATIONS!

For this event TAAS needs the school to provide a safe area for telescope viewing - a) outside lights turned off, b) cement or asphalt preferred (we will not set-up in grass), c) must allow TAAS volunteers vehicle drive-up, d) must be free of general vehicular traffic, d) gates opened an hour before the event to allow for telescope set-up.

Important note: This event is conducted completely outdoors and will be canceled in the event of inclement weather.

Contact the Education Coordinator.

Here's what you can do as a docent

Using special lights and diffraction glasses, you can show how astronomers measure the temperature of stars and how we know what the universe is made of all by "measuring the rainbow"

A Note about Donations.

- Everything TAAS does is free to the public.  In 40+ years of community service, our organization has never charged a fee for bringing the joy and wonder of astronomy to the public.
- However, donations to offset the cost of equipment used at these events, like laptops, projectors, banners, printed material, solar scopes, demo equipment, are greatly accepted. 
- The suggested donation is $100 for a Star Party, and $50 for a Solar Show.
- Some schools have a donation jar, some have a bake sale, some write a check from the PTA.  However, the donation should never be considered a stumbling block to your event.