We’re using the beauty and grandeur of the Universe to inspire young children and encourage them to develop an interest in science and technology, while reinforcing the idea of global citizenship and tolerance – to show children that they are part of an international community.
Although UNAWE was founded only five years ago, it is already active in 40 countries and comprises a global network of almost 500 astronomers, teachers and other educators. The international network provides a platform for sharing ideas, best practices and resources between educators from around the world. The network will also be used to run ambitious global projects, with the aim of broadening children’s horizons beyond their local area and to show them that they are part of a global community.
Universe Awareness (UNAWE)
UNAWE in Action Creating an International Network
Organising Teacher Training Sessions
UNAWE aims to give teachers and other educators the confidence to introduce astronomy and other science topics in the classroom, and to create innovative methods for engaging young children in astronomy. To achieve this goal, UNAWE will organise teacher training workshops and advertise other relevant training opportunities on the UNAWE website.
Although the resources of UNAWE are open to all, the programme is aimed at children aged 4 to 10 years, especially those from underprivileged communities. UNAWE is endorsed by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and became a Cornerstone project of the United Nations-ratified IAU/UNESCO International Year of Astronomy 2009.
Developing Educational Resources
Learning should be exciting and fun – and this is never truer than when dealing with young children. UNAWE encourages learning through play and hands-on activities, such as the UNAWE inflatable Earthball, which has been immensely popular. New resources are currently being developed, including an astronomy news service for kids, called Space Scoop, which is produced in partnership with the European Southern Observatory. The idea behind Space Scoop is to share with children the excitement that the latest scientific discoveries bring, and to demonstrate that there is still much to learn about the Universe – research that they could contribute to in the future. All educational materials will be available for free on the UNAWE website (creative commons license) and you are free to adapt these to suit your requirements.
European Universe Awareness (EUNAWE) The European branch of the global UNAWE programme was established in 2011. The aim of EUNAWE is to ensure that astronomy and space science education in Europe grows and benefits from the UNAWE experience. EUNAWE is currently being implemented in six countries: the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom and South Africa. The inclusion of South Africa recognises the close collaboration in the fields of science and technology that the country has developed with the European Union. EUNAWE is funded by the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme.
The European Universe Awareness (EUNAWE) programme is funded by:
Design: A. Roquette, Images: UNAWE
EUNAWE Consortium:
Armagh Observatory K CMY CY MY CM Y M C
An IAU and UNESCO educational programme
Part of the legacy of IYA2009 and IAU Strategy Plan
If you would like to financially support the work of UNAWE, please contact info@unawe.org
If you wish to donate…
If you have a fantastic idea for a UNAWE project that isn’t currently listed on the website, then we would love to hear from you! Please send your ideas to info@unawe.org
If you have a new idea...
www.unawe.org
You can also find out about the latest news regarding UNAWE via its Twitter feed (@UNAWE) and Facebook page (facebook.com/unawe). UNAWE International Project Manager Leiden Observatory, the Netherlands Tel: +31 71 527 8419 Email: info@unawe.org
Inspiring every child with our wonderful cosmos
Pedro Russo
Contact
> If you want to become a UNAWE partner, please email info@unawe.org > If you are interested in having your science press releases adapted and distributed as a Space Scoop news story, please email news@unawe.org
Astronomy institutes:
> Get in touch with science teachers in local schools and offer to give a talk or run an observing session
Professional and amateur astronomers:
> Educators can attend training workshops about teaching science to young children > Use the educational resources available on the UNAWE website > Subscribe to Space Scoop for the latest astronomy news in child-friendly language by emailing news@unawe.org. And why not start a discussion group to analyse the latest Space Scoop with young children? > Register for the latest UNAWE updates by sending an email to news@unawe.org with the subject line ‘Register to UNAWE mailing list’
Educators and parents:
How to get involved Brochure-printready.pdf
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