Hands on Astronomy
Alana May - Astronomy, M.S.
Star Educator
Average rating:5.0Number of reviews:(382)
Explore outer space in your creative space!
Class experience
The Universe is incredibly fascinating and enormously vast. The celestial bodies (like planets, comets, and galaxies) that make it up are very intriguing and its size can be mind-boggling. This is an asynchronous course. There are no live meetings. This type of learning is wonderful for learners who live across different time zones and/or don’t prefer to be on camera. In this course, students will learn about some of the objects that can be found in our Universe. Each week, a new topic will...
6 units//24 lessons//6 Weeks
Unit 1The Sky in Your BackyardThe Sky in Your Backyard4 lessons1 WeekWeek 1Lesson 1Best Viewing TechniquesYou will learn how to make the most of your night sky viewing. (Video lesson length: 9 minutes)Lesson 2The North Star and the Northern Hemisphere Summer SkyYou will learn about the North Star and other stars and constellations visible in the Northern Hemisphere's summer sky. (Video lesson length: 9 minutes)Lesson 3The Northern Hemisphere Winter SkyYou will learn about stars and constellations visible in the Northern Hemisphere's winter sky. (Video lesson length: 6 minutes)Lesson 4The Southern Hemisphere SkyYou will learn about stars and constellations visible in the Southern Hemisphere's sky. (Video lesson length: 8.5 minutes)Unit 2Earth’s MoonEarth’s Moon4 lessons1 WeekWeek 2Lesson 5Relative SizesYou will learn about the relative sizes between Earth and the Moon. (Video lesson length: 7.5 minutes)Lesson 6Apparent SizesYou will learn about how big the Moon appears in Earth's sky compared to the Sun and why. (Video lesson length: 5 minutes)Lesson 7Lunar Virtual Field TripYou will get to take a virtual field trip to the Moon's surface using Nearpod. (Video lesson length: 1 minute)Lesson 8Moon PhasesYou will learn about what causes the Moon to go through phases and what the names of these phases are. (Video lesson length: 6 minutes)Unit 3MarsMars4 lessons1 WeekWeek 3Lesson 9Mars vs EarthYou will learn about the similarities and differences between Mars and Earth. (Video lesson length: 6.5 minutes)Lesson 10AtmosphereYou will learn about the Martian atmosphere. (Video lesson length: 9 minutes)Lesson 11Geography and Martian MoonsYou will learn about Mars' geographical features and also about its two moons. (Video lesson length: 7 minutes)Lesson 12ExplorationYou will learn about the various rovers that have visited Mars. (Video lesson length: 10 minutes)Unit 4Pluto, Dwarf Planets, Asteroids, and CometsPluto, Dwarf Planets, Asteroids, and Comets4 lessons1 WeekWeek 4Lesson 13PlutoYou will learn about the dwarf planet Pluto. (Video lesson length: 9 minutes)Lesson 14Dwarf PlanetsYou will learn about the current named dwarf planets in our Solar System. (Video lesson length: 8.5 minutes)Lesson 15CometsYou will learn about comets and their unique features. (Video lesson length: 7 minutes)Lesson 16AsteroidsYou will learn about asteroids and their unique features. (Video lesson length: 5.5 minutes)Unit 5ExoplanetsExoplanets4 lessons1 WeekWeek 5Lesson 17Exoplanet HistoryYou will learn about the first exoplanets discovered and how this shaped our current understanding of the these alien worlds. (Video lesson length: 5 minutes)Lesson 18Detection MethodsYou will learn about the main techniques that astronomers use to detect exoplanets. (Video lesson length: 10 minutes)Lesson 19Types and NamingYou will learn about the main types of exoplanets astronomers classify and how they are named. (Video lesson length: 6.5 minutes)Lesson 20ExamplesYou will get to explore some specific examples of exoplanets. (Video lesson length: 11.5 minutes)Unit 6Galaxies and Black HolesGalaxies and Black Holes4 lessons1 WeekWeek 6Lesson 21Black Holes: Anatomy and DetectionYou will learn about the main parts of a black hole and how astronomers detect these objects. (Video lesson length: 11 minutes)Lesson 22Black Holes: Types and FormationYou will learn about the main types of black holes and how astronomers believe they are formed. (Video lesson length: 3.5 minutes)Lesson 23The Milky WayYou will learn about our home galaxy: the Milky Way. (Video lesson length: 5.5 minutes)Lesson 24GalaxiesYou will learn about the main types of galaxies based off of Hubble's classification method. (Video lesson length: 12 minutes)
For the past 20 years, Alana has taught astronomy to children. She worked at the Angelo State University Planetarium, is part of NASA's Nightsky Network, and regularly provides astronomy outreach opportunities to her community.
Homework Offered
Weekly assignments will be provided to help deepen the learner's understanding of the material.1 - 2 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
Grades Offered
1 file available upon enrollmentA supply list and handout will be provided before the start of the session.
Students will access NASA (nasa.gov), Kahoot (kahoot.com), and Nearpod (nearpod.com) in this course for research and review purposes. No account is needed.
Star Educator
Average rating:5.0Number of reviews:(382)
I am a 5-star ACE certified teacher and was recently recognized as an Outschool "Outstanding Educator." My passion is teaching astronomy. There is nothing like hearing the "Ooos" and "Awws" from families who have seen the rings of Saturn for the...
Self-Paced Class
$12
weekly or $72 for all content24 pre-recorded lessons
6 weeks of teacher feedback
Choose your start date
1 year of access to the content
Completed by 6 learners
Ages: 7-12
