Keynote at the UNAWE International Workshop 2015 in Leiden, the Netherlands 5 - 9 October.

1. Cecilia Scorza, Haus der Astronomie and Heidelberg University
Universe
in the box
The Universe in the Box
UNAWE
Part 1

2. Initiator of UNAWE (2004):
Prof. George Miley
Science
Technology
Culture
Unique characteristics of astronomy

3. A big challange: Our target groups

4. 1.Developmental psychology
2.Mythical and scientific thinking
3.Astronomy in different cultural environments
4.Astronomy for children ages 4 - 10
Information sources
Need to develope didactical materials
for different ages and cultural environments
Cosmic Africa

5. Think big!!
• Psychology: Astronomy estimulates creativity

6. Think big!

7. Mythical thinking is universal
Myths inspire, astonish and estimulate
observational skills  Key element for
UNAWE and the preservation of own cultural
roots
UNAWE Objetives:
• Inspire children and awake their interest for science and technology
• Promote Earth citizenship and tolerance
• Show that we can interrogate nature by rational means
2. Mythical and scientific thinking
Scientific thinking can be learned
The search for causal relations and explanations:
hypothetical thinking, observations-experiments
and validation.
Venus transit 2004
UNAWE

8. The Moon seen with
Mythical eyes Scientific eyes
The Moon lab

9. Experiment and observations around the Moon
We can see the objects around us
because they reflect light

10. First prototype 2005
UNAWE Box Cecilia Scorza
First version of the Handbook
(German 2011) Cecilia Scorza and
Natalie Fischer
Development of the Box
Contents
- Earth-Moon-Sun
- The Solar System
- The constellations

11. Module 1: Earth-Moon-Sun
Changes of perspective
„Up“
„Down“

12. The Universe in the Box (2012)
Contents
Module 1: Moon-Earth-Sun
Module 2: The Solar System
Module 3: The constellations
Module 4: The life of stars
Module 5: Our home the Milky Way
Module 6: The Universe of galaxies

13. Mérida, Venezuela
India
Tanzania
.The UNAWE Earth ball

14. Concept & Educational
Development
Cecilia Scorza (EU-UNAWE Germany/House of Astronomy)
Project Management Pedro Russo (EU-UNAWE/Leiden University), Jaya
Ramchandani (UNAWE/Sirius Interactive)
Educational Support Natalie Fischer(EU-UNAWE Germany/House of Astronomy),
Sara Khalafinejad (UNAWE/Leiden University), Jos van den
Broek (Leiden University)
Business Development Jaya Ramchandani (UNAWE/Leiden University)
Editorial Support Erik Arends (UNAWE/Leiden University), Jaya Ramchandani
(UNAWE/Sirius Interactive)
Activity Contribution Angela Perez (UNAWE Colombia/Astronomy Kids Club),
Curion Education Pvt. Ltd. (India)
Prototype Production Curion Education Pvt. Ltd. (India)
Design Charlotte Provot (EU-UNAWE/Leiden University)
Design Support: Diti Kotecha (ditikotecha.com, Graphic
designer)
Web Support: John Pitsakis (clrblnd.com, Web designer and
Photographer)
Logo
Distribution
Nikki Hartomo (Design), David Kerkhoff (Font)
Abi Ashton
Credit List
The Universe in the box team

15. Module 5: The Milky Way
“

16. Chile

17. Where is the Universe in the Box?

18. Islamic heritage astronomy kit:
„The journey of the ideas“
EU-project „EU-SPACE-AWARENESS“, Horizon 2020
UNAWE Marocco
Part 2
Cecilia Scorza, Hassane Darhmaoui and Rajae Saidi

19. Fill the gap of 1000 years of amnesia and recognize the contribution of the
Islamic civilization to the development of science
Salim Al-Hassani and Ian Fenn (2008)
„Salam Mu alekum“

20. 98% of the immigrants are muslims

21.  We share a history … collaboration,
coexistence and tolerance
 We share the night sky … Arabic names of
stars
 We all need and use calendars to measure
time
 We are all Earth citizens and should
contribute to work together for the benefit of
DIDACTICAL APPROACH
ISLAMIC HERITAGE ASTRONOMY KIT
Educational messages through the
“Journey of Ideas”

22. Contents
1. The roads of knowledge.
Example of the house of wisdom in Bagdad
2.The first university of the World founded by a
woman (Fatima´s Muhammad Al-Fihri story)
3.Observing the Sun and the Moon
(Time – Calendar / Cardinal directions)
4.The astronomer Al-Sufi: Observing and naming the stars /
Measuring positions
Coordinate system (Zenith / Nadir)
5. The physicist Alhazen and his works on optic.
Camara obscura and the eye (vision)
6.The life of the brightest stars: Linking Al-Sufi´s
work with modern astronomy
7.Islamic countries striving against Earth warming
 Climate box

23. CONCEPT: JOURNEY OF IDEAS
ISLAMIC HERITAGE ASTRONOMY KIT
HOUSE OF
WISDOM
(BAHGDAD)
AL QARAWIYYIN
UNIVERSITY

24. CONCEPT: JOURNEY OF IDEAS
ISLAMIC HERITAGE ASTRONOMY KIT
Fatima Al Fihri
founder of the
Qarawiyyin
University, Fez,
Morocco, 9th
century
Four Muslim Scientists/Figures for the kit
Meriam Al Ijlilia Al
Austaurlabi, 10th
century ,Aleppo,
Syria. She was a
famous scientist
who designed and
constructed
astrolabes.
Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi
(902-960), Rey, Iran. He
identified the Large
Magellan Cloud, which
is visible from Yemen.
He also made the
earliest recorded
observation of the
Andromeda galaxy in
964.
Ibn Al Haytham
(Alhazen, 965-1040),
Basra, Iraq. He is
considered as one of the
most influential
scientists of all time.
Referred to as the father
of experimental physics
and modern optics and
scientific methodology.

25. Islamic Heritage Toolkit
•Islam and its influence on the development of science
•Using history of science for cultural convergence
Alhazen (965-1040 AD)
Book of Optics
Scientific method!
Experiments with
lenses and mirrors
 Great
influence on
Roger Bacon, da
Vinci, Galileo,
Huygens,
Descartes and
Kepler!
Booklet for the teachers/students

27. He identified the Large Magellanic
Cloud, which is visible from Yemen; it
was not seen by Europeans until
Magellan's voyage in the 16th century.
He also made the earliest recorded
observation of the Andromeda galaxy in
964 AD; describing it as a "small cloud".
He observed and described the
stars, their positions, their
magnitude and their colour, setting
out his results constellation by
constellation.
Islamic Heritage Toolkit
•Astronomical and cultural approach: We share history
Al-Sufi
(902-960 AD)

28. First activities of the Islamic heritage kit:
The arabic star names, their meanings and pronunciation

29. The kit/Astronomical and cultural approach: We share the sky
ISLAMIC HERITAGE ASTRONOMY KIT
Cultural “fusion“: Greek constellations and the arabic names of the stars
• Foster the development of scientific thinking
• Emphasize that science is cultural independant

30. Islamic Heritage Toolkit
The moon in our lifes: The islamic and western calender
Ramadan
Build telescopes to observe the
Moon

31. Our fragile planet

32. Our fragile planet
• generate awareness for environmental challenges of the Earth
• climate change
• role of satellite observations
• comparison with other planets (solar system and extrasolar)

33. Educational resources

34. • experience with developing educational resources
• Scientix award winning
“Universe in a box”
• Example: Infrared Box
Educational resources

35. • comprehensive educational kit
• covers a wide range of topics:
→ the astronomical perspective: habitable zone
→ Solar system: The evolution of Venus – Earth – Mars
→ Weather phenomena
→ Climate (zones, variations, atmospheric and marine influences)
→ Climate change (natural and manmade)
→ What can we do?
The Facts

36. • comprehensive educational kit
• covers a wide range of topics:
→ weather phenomena
→ climate (zones, variations, atmospheric and marine influences)
→ climate change (natural and manmade)
→ chances of mitigation (What can I do?)
→ the astronomical perspective: habitable zone
→ Solar system: Venus – Earth – Mars
The Facts

37. • some 20 experiments and activities
• enquiry based where suitable
• age range from 10 to 16 years
• comes with a comprehensive manual (scientific background)
• based on latest scientific research
The Didactics