Sorting the Solar System - December 11, 2024

Includes a Live Web Event on 12/11/2024 at 4:30 PM (PST)

Wednesday, December 11, 4:30-6pm Pacific / 7:30-9pm Eastern

This 90-minute workshop for classroom and informal educators explores how we classify the many objects within our Solar System. 

For many people it is a mystery how we sort the objects in the Solar System into categories. How do we know what to call some distant object we haven’t visited in person? What are the characteristics that define the categories, and what is a dwarf planet anyway? In this workshop participants will investigate how we use observations to inform inferences and make decisions about both the processes on distant objects and what we call them. The workshop culminates in small group work to examine both historical and current imagery and data on Solar System objects to sort them into groups.

Participants will gain the following through participation in this workshop:

  • Experience in examining imagery, making observations and inferences about identifiable processes
  • An appreciation of how changes in technology and basic knowledge results in change in the models we use to classify Solar System objects
  • A digital toolkit with the resources needed for conducting workshop investigations
  • Strategies for engaging learners of all ages
  • Access to astronomy experts who will facilitate the workshop
  • A free one-year subscription to Mercury, ASP's online magazine about the intersections of astronomy and society
  • A certificate of completion for participating in 2 clock hours of professional development

Registration fee: $25

Attendance/Refund Policy

Live attendance is strongly encouraged and expected in order to get the most out of the interactive session. Full refund is available for cancellations up to 14 days prior to the start of the workshop. If you need to cancel please email learn@astrosociety.org.

Brian Kruse

Director, Teacher Learning Center and Formal Education Programs

Astronomical Society of the Pacific

Brian Kruse manages the ASP's Project ASTRO National Network and Bay Area Project ASTRO, programs which have partnered astronomers with classroom teachers. A veteran classroom teacher, Brian has taught middle school earth science and physical science, and high school physics, earth science, physical science, and integrated science. He has also served as a NASA Explorer Schools Coordinator, where he worked with teams of teachers to foster NASA-inspired whole-school impacts. When not working, Brian is frequently found hiking and birding with camera in hand.

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Join the Live Workshop
12/11/2024 at 4:30 PM (PST)  |  90 minutes
12/11/2024 at 4:30 PM (PST)  |  90 minutes This program takes place Wednesday, December 11th, 4:30-6pm Pacific / 7:30-9pm Eastern. The button to join the live program will appear to the right of this text 15 minutes prior to the event start time. If the button doesn't work, refresh the page in your browser and try again. Clicking the join button will bring you to the live program in Zoom. For the best experience we recommend using the free, downloaded version of Zoom for PC or Mac instead of the browser version. Mobile devices and tablets also work, but you may not have access to all interactive features used in the workshop, so we recommend using a computer.
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Verification Code
Enter code to continue.
Enter code to continue. Enter the code given at the end of the workshop. The next component will allow you to download a certificate of completion for 6 hours of professional development.
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Download a Certificate of Completion
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Open to download resource. Click the gray button on the right to download the certificate. The PDF file has an editable box for you to enter your own name.
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Post-Workshop Feedback Survey
We appreciate you sharing your thoughts on the experience of this workshop. Please fill out the survey while the experience is still fresh in your mind.
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