THE GALILEOSCOPE

The following text was copied from http://www.fundageek.com/project/detail/549/Telescopes4Teachers with permission from project leader Douglas Arion. This re-post is intended solely for the promotion of the project and it's goal of promoting science education.


THE GALILEOSCOPE

Galileoscope was developed during the 2009 International Year of Astronomy to provide a high quality but inexpensive telescope kit to introduce people to telescopes, optics, and the night sky. Over 200,000 have been produced and delivered to over 100 countries, and a donation program during the IYA put 7000 into third-world nations.

The Galileoscopes has been extremely successful - educational materials have been developed for teachers - including the Galileo Teacher Training Program in Europe and the Teaching with Telescopes program developed by National Optical Astronomy Observatories in Tucson, AZ. Instructions have been translated into many languages, and there is a huge installed base of telescopes and programs. Check out a Google Images search on Galileoscope, and you'll see them used all over the world!

Now, we want to put Galileoscopes into schools here in the States - by raising funds to donate Galileoscopes into classrooms through our new telescopes4teachers.org program. Everyone agrees that science education needs a boost. The Galileoscope - designed for education - is the perfect tool.  We want to get 5000 into classrooms by the time school starts in the fall. Yes - that's only a fraction of the students in the country - but it's a good start. If that's successful, we can move forward to reach even more students. Teachers, schools, and school districts don't have the discretionary funds to buy supplies, much less a great teaching tool like the Galileoscope - we're going to have to find ways, like Fundageek, to get the funds to put telescopes into classrooms. telescopes4teachers is operated through a 501(c)(3) nonprofit - so donations are tax deductible in the US.

How best to do that? Designate a teacher or school to receive a Galileoscope, or, better yet, a case of six. We need $50 to send a Galileoscope to a classroom, or $200 to send a case. Tell us who should get it, and we'll send it!

Other Ways You Can Help

Let the teachers in your area know about this program - perhaps they can get the word out to the parents of their students, who can help make science education a reality in their schools. Talk to people who are into astronomy - or science education - and let them know how cool this is. And do a Google Images search on Galileoscope - you'll be amazed at how they're being used all over the world - then share those pictures with those who can help us out.


ADDITIONAL LINKS

1. Galileoscope.org
2. Astrogear | Telescopes4Teachers

Vist: http://www.fundageek.com/project/detail/549/Telescopes4Teachers if you wish to contact Douglas Arion, download documents for the project, or pledge funds for the project.