Meech 9731083 This project, sponsored by the University of Hawaii, will carry out a five-year project teaching astronomy concepts to 150 high school teachers, 30 each year with some repeaters. The intent of the program is to enable the teachers to teach their students astronomy while at the same time doing actual astronomy observations. Thus the teachers will learn the astronomy concepts by actually doing the observations themselves thereby also becoming involved in astronomy research. Cultural astronomy will also be a part of the content. This is of special interest to teachers from the nine Pacific Rim territories where cultural astronomy is an important local issue. The teachers selected will participate in two pre-workshop seminars, a five-day summer workshop working with professional astronomers to gain content knowledge and acquire insight into research and a 13 day program working with students in astronomical observations and development of the appropriate pedagogy for hands-on activities. During the next, and following, academic years the program will be supported by internet activities, seminars and classroom workshops.
