I Love My Sun

Background

Space weather, especially the Sun, is the focus point of this outreach event. The main objective is to pose the question, how do school children (age group 7-11 years old) who come from different backgrounds, schools perceive the Sun. The children, before and after an introductary lecture, are asked to express themselves by drawing the Sun and the Sun-Earth relation.

In particular, "I Love My Sun-1" was conducted in 2008 and Nov. 2009 as a national project in Turkey. Two schools were chosen in Ankara representing two different social backgrounds. The children’s drawings were exhibited at art galleries (e.g. Armoni Art Gallery) and schools. Public media (press, radio, TV) were invited to observe the whole activity.

The curent "I Love My Sun-2" event is based on Prof. Yurdanur Tulunay's proposed COST ES0803 Working Group 3 (WG3) Action for "SG3.4 General public outreach to the non-specialist" and is an European outreach activity. The main objectives of the "I Love My Sun-2" event are:

  • Make children (any type of class and school) aware of Space Weather, Sun, Sun-Earth relations and of how they, the children, are part of this global picture.
  • Investigate if this exercise can lead to novel ways of approaching children with autism spectrum disorder (link to Autism Online) . Preliminary results show promicing results (for details please contact Prof. Yurdanur Tulunay [ ytulunay AT ae.metu.edu.tr ]).

Since then the current "I Love My Sun" initiative has been in operation, now known as "I Love My Sun-3", in which a spatial parameter has been added, meaning the initiative has gone European. For more background information ["I Love My Sun-2" (PPT file, 5.89 MB)," I Love My Sun-3" (PPT file, 38.70 MB) , Gallery (PPT file, 32.22 MB)].

Contact

Instructions for organising a "I Love My Sun" event are listed in the below "Action Plan". If you are interested in organising a "I Love My Sun" local event(s) can you please contact Yurdanur Tulunay [ ytulunay AT ae.metu.edu.tr ] and Norma Crosby [norma.crosby AT oma.be].

Action Plan

AIMS OF SCHOOL VISIT:

  1. To create some awareness on space weather among school children in Europe.
  2. To have school children feel that they are part of a global scientific community (everybody is dependent on the Sun).
  3. Establish any form of liaison with the UN/UNICEF and/or internationally linked activities.
  4. To integrate in a relevant framework the various outputs resulting from this European event.

PRIOR TO SCHOOL VISIT:

  1. Choose school(s) (students with different backgrounds). It is fine to start with only one school. The exercise can be repeated next year.
  2. Contact school(s). Decide on date(s) for the scheduling of your national "I Love My Sun-2" event(s).

School Information: type of school (public/private), location of school (city/rural), does the school specialise in any specific topics (music, science, etc.)? Please fill in the School Information document.

SCHOOL VISIT:

At the beginning of each school visit the following information should be gathered regarding each student: name, age, sex (F/M), has the student already been given a lecture / seen a movie / read a book about the Sun? Please have the teacher fill in the Class Information document prior to the event.

  1. Students will be asked to paint/draw/plot the Sun as they perceive it. Identify on the drawing the full name of the student and write "before lecture". Collect the drawings.
  2. A basic set of lectures on the Sun, space weather will thereafter be given by you. Lectures should be given using slides, photographs, etc.
    • At least an hour long brainstorming session should be available during which students are expected to be interactive and ask questions if they have any.
  3. Students will be asked to paint/draw/plot the Sun again. Identify on the drawing the full name of the student and write "after lecture".

AFTER SCHOOL VISIT:

When you have returned from your school visit the following documents should be prepared:

[1.] ELECTRONIC VERSIONS OF DRAWINGS

  • Each drawing should be scanned and made into an electronic version. The name of each file should follow the format: Country-FirstName-LastName.ext

[2.] SCHOOL INFORMATION DOCUMENT

[3.] CLASS INFORMATION DOCUMENT

[4.] GENERAL IMPRESSION DOCUMENT

[5.] Presentation(s) given by you during the school visit(s).

PLEASE UPLOAD THE [1.]-[5. ] files using the following FTP directions:

Connect to ftp://ftp-ae.oma.be/incoming
Username : anonymous
Password : a valid mail address
Change directory : for_Norma.Crosby
And upload files.

When you have done this please inform Norma Crosby by email [norma.crosby AT oma.be].

Link naar de website van het Federaal Wetenschapsbeleid
Link naar de Federale Portaalsite