Lynchburg College is offering a summer graduate course in astronomy aimed at teachers, but open to anyone interested in the solar system and the wider universe.
The three-credit hour course will be taught by Dr. Neal Sumerlin, the LC professor who spearheaded the effort to establish an astronomical observatory at the College's Claytor Nature Study Center in Bedford County. The class will be held on LC's main campus Monday through Friday, June 30-July 18, from 2 to 5 p.m. and will also make several late-evening trips to the observatory.
"We're going to be doing a lot of hand-on activities and learning activities, the kind of things teachers can adapt to any age group they teach," Dr. Sumerlin said.
For example, Dr. Sumerlin will have the class build a model solar system scaled for both size and distance. The sun, for example, is represented by an 8.5-inch diameter kickball, while the Earth is the size of a peppercorn and 30 feet away from the sun. The model stretches across the entire campus.
The course will address ultimate cosmological questions, while emphasizing the significance of celestial phenomena; current discoveries from interplanetary missions and what they reveal about Earth; and the latest discoveries and speculations in astrophysics and cosmology. Relevant course content will be adapted by students into lessons and activities suitable for public schools and other educational settings.
This course is part of the M.Ed. in science education curriculum and can also be applied to an add-on endorsement in earth science. Tuition support for this course is available to public and private school teachers through the Jessie Ball duPont Scholarship Fund.
How to Apply: Applicants need to complete and mail a non-degree application (http://www.lynchburg.edu/documents/GraduateStudies/non-degree_app.pdf
Space is limited, and applications and registration should be completed by June 16. Additional information can be obtained by contacting Paula Lichiello at lichiello@lynchburg.edu.