Audio Sky Tours - Astronomy

This app is designed to talk a viewer of the night sky through what they might see.  One of six superbly written lessons is read out very clearly alongside a sky map that reflects what the viewer should be able to see from his or her location at the appropriate time of year.  The narration includes some well-judged pauses for the listeners to make sense of what they have learned or for teachers to pause it for some discussion.

Each one of the 20-minute lessons hits just the right note.  They talk the listener through navigating between the different celestial objects.  History and myths punctuate the star gazing, drawing the listener into realising that they are engaging in an activity that is as old as humanity's curiosity. 

The main problem with astronomical observations is the time sensitivity of some of them. This is the fault of the stars, though. A night sky is required and not every constellation is visible all of the time.  Those interested in astronomy must learn patience.  The Audio Sky Tours app addresses this practical limitation by providing a full array of screen-based Star Charts, so that the user can follow the text visually, even on a cloudy night or out of season.

This isn't ideal for the teachers who want to incorporate some practical astronomy into their lessons but, on the other hand, it gives them the chance to incorporate it in some form.  Each lesson displays a map of the night sky, so projecting the app to a display will let children have a go at finding the stars.  At home, with their parents, they might follow this up from their windows and gardens.

Teachers who are particularly keen could arrange a nighttime viewing session with children and parents, based on the app's lessons, as they can be spread out over just a few nights during the course of the year.  Scout leaders and other youth group coordinators should also consider inspiring young people to take an interest in science with this app.

The app obviously lends itself to science lessons but its acknowledgement of the myths and peoples behind the naming of constellations can make it part of other subjects too.  Teachers don't have to be an expert themselves as they can easily learn alongside their class.  A very useful set of worksheets is available from the app's supporting website for teachers to print and make use of.  With just a little extra preparation, a full lesson could easily be built around each of the app's talks.  It is easy to check out the app's suitability as the first lesson of the app is available as a free sample. 

Astronomy isn't an area where teachers have access to a lot of resources for their lessons nor one where they might be particularly confident themselves.  This app is a superbly made way of overcoming both problems and expanding children's minds in, perhaps, the biggest way possible.