January 2, 2002

Project helps families reach for the stars

Curious contributors sought for astronomy program

By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
       Jerry Dobek is looking for some curious families - 100 of them to be exact.
      The curator of the Rogers Observatory and instructor at Northwestern Michigan College plans to enroll 100 families from around the region this month in Project Family ASTRO POLARIS.
      A self-study, home-based program, Project Family ASTRO POLARIS will guide families through a series of projects and games designed to spark an interest in astronomy and science. Running now through the end of June, the project features two kits that will guide parents and children through each of the lessons, helping them learn while having fun together.
      Family ASTRO POLARIS' goal of promoting family togetherness and astronomy is a win-win situation, Dobek said.
      "To quote the project's founder, the whole idea behind the Family ASTRO is to get families off the couch watching Hollywood stars and get them outside watching real stars," Dobek said. "We want to do whatever it takes to help families want to learn more. Then they'll learn that science is not a dirty word."
      Families who enroll in Family ASTRO POLARIS will complete two two-hour workshop sessions led by Dobek. During each session, Dobek will lead participants through a hands-on project and then give them the home-study kit. The first session will be held this winter, the next this spring.
      Families ASTRO POLARIS debuted in the region this summer, when Dobek asked six area families to participate in a test of the materials and program. He sent their feedback and experiences to the program's developers at the Astronomy Society of the Pacific, who incorporated changes into the final version.
      Kathy Flynn Mack, her husband, Dan and their son, Andy, 11, were one of these families. After a two-hour orientation with Dobek in July, he passed out the kits to each family and sent them home.
      So far, the family has worked with the star clock, counted stars and used the constellation finder. They have also made constellation cookies, using chocolate chips to form the constellations in the dough.
      "We've never before taken the time to study the stars, this has really brought a new respect for us," said Flynn Mack, who homeschools her son. "Jerry's enthusiasm is contagious, he's just so knowledgeable and you can sense in him that he is thrilled with this, that in turn gets you excited. The materials you get are wonderful, just that alone is great."
      The project was developed by the Astronomy Society of the Pacific over the past 18 months. It dovetails with the society's Project ASTRO, a six-year-old program which brings a NASA-approved astronomy curriculum into classrooms. NMC is one of 12 sites around the country to participate and the only community college on board.
      Locally, Dobek called it Project ASTRO POLARIS and has been working with teachers and home school families for the past 18 months.
      When members of the Astronomy Society of the Pacific were looking at how to involve families, they decided to draw on the success of Project ASTRO. They created a series of self-contained lessons, including making your own constellations, constellation cookies, counting stars and meteors. Just as with Project ASTRO, Families ASTRO is funded by the National Science Foundation.
      Professional game developers put together a game for the second kit, called Race to the Planets. This game brings together science, history, geography and different cultures as parents and children learn about astronomy.
      All lessons include folklore about the stars, plus a series of recommended books and websites broken down by age groups. FAMILIES ASTRO also includes different exercises based on the changing sky in each season.
      "The whole idea is to spark imagination, spark their interest in science," said Dobek, who plans to reach out with Project Families ASTRO POLARIS to the local Native American community. "They can do the projects tomorrow, next week or keep going as far as they want."
      For more information about Project Families ASTRO POLARIS, contact Jerry Dobek at 946-1787 or e-mail jdobek@nmc.edu.