I taught high school for 30 years, but never started an astronomy club. I just could not think of enough activities beyond observing on clear nights and visiting a nearby telescope or science centre.
After retirement I talked to teachers who acted as club advisors and also students who started them. I searched the Internet for ideas I thought would work. I put each idea with links into a spreadsheet.
Each idea has a description of up to 10 words you can quickly scan. Clicking each takes you to webpages with more information.
Some ideas just had links to external websites such as the extremophile activity. It shows cards with different earth organisms which can survive stressful conditions. That tells us about organisms beyond earth which probably must survive a tougher environment than here. For others like making comets from dry ice, a description was written with more information, more links and extensions leading to what’s in the outer solar system.
A warning. Students can ask very penetrating questions such as “Are We Alone”? Don’t feel you have to have answers to all questions. I’ve been stumped by a grade 6 student.
And you are not alone. There are many astronomy clubs of adult amateurs. You can find a nearby centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada at www.rasc.ca/centres. Or search “astronomy club [town near you]”. Go to a meeting and talk to people there. You might find some amateurs would give a talk to your club or, once vetted, help with running a club or star party. Good luck.
The over one hundred ideas are broken into 8 categories. These links take you to the secondary lists. At the top are links to ideas at both levels.
Click here for suggestions for running clubs including starting one, raising funds, attracting members and showing an APOD image every meeting chosen by a member.
Click here for demonstrations where the instructor shows something in front of students to illustrate something about space.
Click here for activities where students are actively engaged doing something, often in groups. The activity of sorting moon phase images helps students become better observers to notice small details. They are encourged to try for a binocular moon observing certificate.
Click here for lessons during which information is given to students, often on a powerpoint.
Click here for ideas on observing including setting up a star party, how to find objects in the sky, learn about special events like bright comets. This section includes astrophotography – a wonderful hobby.
Click here for projects such as citizen science where students can help researchers by looking at patterns, things the club can build like a camera to photograph the Sun for 6 months and science fair projects to be done by one or two members.
Click here for web sites listing many ideas. Each list can take significant time to go through and many are already listed on this website.
Click here for general thoughts about school clubs as well as lists of some clubs around the world. This category does not have ideas for things to do.
Ron Macnaughton
If you have any suggestions or find broken links, please send an email to:
