contents · contact : david wilgenbus - [email protected] - (+33)1 58 07...

Teaching team fileContents

¼ Introduction: “getting involved” in the International Year of Astronomy! ....................... 2

¼ Summary and goals of the project ...................................................................................3

¼ The pedagogical guide .....................................................................................................4

¼ The website .....................................................................................................................5

¼ Partners ...........................................................................................................................6

¼ Introduction to La main à la pâte ..................................................................................... 7

Contact : David Wilgenbus - [email protected] - (+33)1 58 07 65 84 September 2009 2

Introduction“Calendars: mirrors of the sky and cultures”

an astronomy project for primary schools

For the International Year of Astronomy, La main à la pâte has set up a new pedagogical project entitled “Calendars: mirrors of the sky and cultures”. This project is supported by the European Space Agency and designed for primary school pupils from age 8 to 12. More than 3,000 pedago-gical guides will be distributed free of charge to teachers, trainers and primary school administra-tors, once they have registered on the website www.calendriers-miroirs-des-cultures.fr

Through the universal theme of calendars, the project “Calendars: mirrors of the sky and cultures” enables classes to study the measurement of time, its history and impact on past and present socie-ties, while discovering the methods of astronomy. Pupils study the Sun’s path in the sky, the cycles of day and night, the seasons and phases of the Moon...all the phenomena that punctuate and shape our daily lives. The study of Gregorian, Muslim, Hebrew and Chinese calendars...as well as those of the ancient Mayans, Gauls, Romans and the French Revolution, are used to firmly link astronomy to the heart of history and cultures.

Based on official Educational programmes, the project highlights an investigative scientific approach connected to history, geography, languages, ICT, mathematics and civics. Accessible to both new and confirmed teachers and completed in 6 weeks, the project “Calendars: mirrors of the sky and cultures” does not require any prior scientific knowledge on the teacher’s part and uses basic materials. The teacher’s guide offers a complete teaching module, a turnkey solution made up of 11 core sessions and 9 optional sessions.

The website www.calendriers-miroirs-des-cultures.fr, available in French and English and accessible to all free of charge, provides support for classes during the entire project. It offers multimedia ani-mations on astronomical phenomena, scientific and pedagogical resources for teachers, as well as numerous tools (forum, blog, interactive map…) designed to promote exchanges between classes and contacts with experts. A “ press room ” devoted to journalists groups together stories and photos and facilitates contacts with classes and project coordinators.

In order to support dissemination of the project, La main à la pâte has also set up a support system based on pedagogical activities, training and lectures for pedagogical teams.

September 2009 contact : David Wilgenbus - [email protected] - (+33)1 58 07 65 843

Summary and goals of the projectThe International Year of Astronomy: a golden opportunity!UNESCO has declared 2009 the “International Year of Astronomy”. It offers a unique opportunity to promote this scientific field among teachers and pupils, but also to reinforce links between the scienti-fic community and primary schools.

Primary schools: an ideal contextOften considered as the mother of all scientific disciplines, astronomy also has a special place in teaching: it offers a gol-den opportunity to familiarise pupils with scientific observa-tion, questioning, experimentation, modelisation…It also offers numerous connexions to history and geography since astronomy has profoundly shaped our vision of the world and, conversely, has been influenced in turn by different cultures.

Primary schools offer a particularly favourable context for stu-dying astronomy. Observing the Sun’s path in the sky, the cycles of day and night, the seasons and pha-ses of the Moon and all the phenomena that punctuate and shape our daily lives does not require any special equipment that is not already present in the classroom. Who is better suited than the primary school teacher to tackle all the dimensions of these questions within a transdisciplinary approach?

The “Calendars: mirrors of the sky and cultures” projectWhat is a day, a week, a month, a year? How were these units of time defined and how can astronomy help us understand them? Where does the idea of seasons come from? Why do certain religious holidays fall on different days from one year to another?

Through the universal theme of calendars, the project “Calendars: mirrors of the sky and cultures” enables classes to study the measurement of time, its history and impact on past and pre-sent societies, while discovering the methods of astronomy. The study of Gregorian, Muslim, Hebrew and Chinese calendars...as well as those of the ancient Mayans, Gauls, Romans and the French Revolution, are used to firmly link astronomy to the heart of history and different cultures.


The teacher’s guideThe project “Calendars: mirrors of the sky and cultures” is organised around a pedogocial guide published by Le Pommier and prefaced by Hubert Reeves, the well known french-canadian astrophysicist.

More than 3,000 guides distributed free of chargeIn 2009/2010 La main à la pâte has distributed more than 3,000 pedagogical guides free of charge to teachers, trainers and primary school administrators, after they have registered on the website www.calendriers-miroirs-des-cultures.fr

The authors ¼ David Wilgenbus : Astrophysicist, member of La main à la pâte, coordinator

¼ Roland Lehoucq : Astrophysicist at the Commission for Atomic Energy and author of numerous scientific books for the general public

¼ Gilles Cappe : Elementary school teacher and scientific resource teacher

¼ Nathan Desdouits : Student at the École Polytechnique

¼ Hélène Gaillard : Elementary school teacher, member of La main à la pâte

Références ¼ In English : “Calendars: mirrors of the sky and cultures”, Le Pommier, Paris, 2009, 136 pages.

¼ In French : “Calendriers, miroirs du ciel et des cultures”, Le Pommier, Paris, 2009, 136 pages.

Simple and practical, it requires no special prior scientific knowledge on behalf of the teacher. The “Calendars: mirrors of the sky and cultures” guide includes:

¼ One turnkey teaching module

Â 11 one-hour sessions and 9 optional sessions Â Each session describes, step-by-step, class activities, stu-

dent reactions, experiments performed, documents stu-died, necessary materials…

¼ A scientific view of astronomy

¼ A historic and cultural view of calendars

¼ A pedagogical view to help the teacher implement the project

¼ A4 documents for classroom use: calendars, photos, pictures, newspaper articles…


The website www.calendriers-miroirs-des-cultures.frLa main à la pâte has set up a website designed to help implement the project in the classroom. It is accessible to all free of charge, as well as all the resources it includes.

Pedagogical and scientific resources for the classroomAfter registering on the site, teachers can receive a free copy of the pedagogical guide (subject to avai-lability) or consult it online. Moreover, the site offers pedagogical and scientific resources for the class-room. Pupils can therefore access multimedia activi-ties that complete some particular sessions.

A platform for exchanging ideasA forum allows teachers to question experts on scien-tific or pedagogical subjects and exchange ideas with other teachers. Participating classes can publish their work on a blog and contact each other thanks to an interactive map. An agenda allows everyone to stay informed of events related to the project: training, pedagogical activities, conferences…

A special press areaAn image gallery, press releases, press kits and testimonials are presented in a special «Press room». All the information required for creating news stories (class visits...) are available here.


Partners

La main à la pâte (www.lamap.fr)Created in 1996 by George Charpak, Nobel Prize in Physics, La main à la pâte aims to revamp

and develop the teaching of science and technology in primary schools. La main à la pâte

ensures general coordination of the project “Calendars: mirrors of the sky and cultures”. It has

designed, published and tested the pedagogical guide and multimedia activities in classrooms.

La main à la pâte supports the launch of the project and its dissemination in classes via distribution of free peda-

gogical resources, communication initiatives in general and specialised media, pedagogical activities and trai-

ning and creation of a dedicated website: www.calendriers-miroirs-des-cultures.fr

The European Space Agency (www.esa.org)The European Space Agency was founded in 1975 to create and develop a

European space programme. The Agency’s projects are dedicated to lear-

ning more about the Earth, its immediate spatial surroundings, the solar

system and the Universe, in addition to developing satellite technologies

and services and promoting European industries. The ESA contributes to the project “Calendars: mirrors of the

sky and cultures” by financing the distribution of free pedagogical tools to classes.

French Ministry of Education (www.education.gouv.fr)Within the framework of a four-year agreement with the Academy of Science signed in 2005

and renewed in 2009, the Ministry of Education supports La main à la pâte in the revamping

of science and technology courses in primary schools. In 2008 it supported the experimental

phase of the “Calendars: mirrors of the sky and cultures” project in pilot classes, as well as

the design of interactive multimedia activities.

Les éditions Le Pommier (www.editions-lepommier.fr)The Le Pommier publishing house strives to make the language of science and philosophy

accessible to all. Its books help young and old alike acquire the syntax and vocabulary neces-

sary to understand the world and decipher its mechanisms, while marvelling at its treasures

and becoming more knowledgeable and committed citizens. Le Pommier contributes to

“Calendars: mirrors of the sky and cultures” by publishing a teacher’s guide and providing free

access to it via the website created by La main à la pâte.


Introduction to La main à la pâte

Teaching science in primary schoolsLa main à la pâte was created in 1996 by George Charpak, Nobel Prize in Physics, with support from the Academy of Science and the Ministry of Education, in order to revamp and develop the teaching of science and technology in primary scho-ols. The organisation has grown and operates today thanks to a partnership with the INRP (Institut National de Recherche Pédagogique) and the ENS (École Normale Supérieure).

ApproachLa main à la pâte encourages an investigative pedagogical approach that combines exploration of the world, scientific learning, experimentation and reasoning, mastery of language and argument, so that each child can deepen his understanding of the objects and phenomena that surround him and deve-lop curiosity, creativity and critical thinking.

The systemLa main à la pâte has set up a support system for teachers, ensured by a nationwide team of 20 peo-ple, 15 pilot centres, a broad network of resource persons, trainers and associate scientists in France, dissemination and development initiatives (publications, colloquiums, seminars, training, La main à la pâte prizes, expertise…) and a website (www.lamap.fr) that provides access to scientific and pedago-gical resources as well as a network of experts.

ResourcesLa main à la pâte offers:

¼ more than 300 activities available free of charge via its website

¼ collaborative and interdisciplinary projects such as Le climat, ma planète... et moi! (The climate, my planet…and me!), Découvertes en pays d’Islam (Discoveries in Islamic countries), Vivre avec le soleil (Living with the Sun)…which bring together thousands of pupils every year

¼ methodological guides and support documents for teachers and trainers

¼ multimedia tools for training and self-training…

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