7 children were engaged with across 2 x 1-hour online workshops on Blackboard in November 2020.
The aim of the workshop was for the children to learn that:
- Stars are round/spherical and not pointed as they sometimes appear in pictures.
- Our Sun is a star, and it is average sized.
- How our Sun’s size, and colour compares to other stars that are visible in the Winter sky e.g. Betelgeuse and Rigel in the Orion constellation.
- That Stars go through a life cycle, and that big/massive stars like Betelgeuse end their lives in an explosion called a Supernova.
- That University of Southampton astronomers use Supernova to measure distances in the Universe (by looking for Supernova in distant galaxies).
- That Dark Energy is causing the Universe to accelerate in it’s expansion and that we have no idea what Dark Energy is.
Participants were asked to upload their work onto this online ‘padlet’ notice board.
Padlet showing art work by participants and workshop leaders
Following this online workshop, 60% (3/5) stated they were likely to do their own reading on Supernova and Dark energy research. 60% (3/5) knew the correct shape of stars, 80% (4/5) correctly identified the correct colour of stars, 80% (4/5) knew that a ‘Supernova’ is the name of the bright explosion that happens when stars die, 60% (3/5) correctly chose that UoS astronomers use Supernova to measure distances in the Universe and 40% (2/5) correctly chose that ‘dark energy is a mysterious energy that cause the Universe to accelerate’.
Graham (a father of Sarah, age 10 who attended the workshop) tweeted after the event about enjoying the workshop and hinted that his daughter would like some space related Christmas presents this year as a result of her attending.