Connecting With The Stars
Genevieve Miller
Staff Writer
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Astronomy is the study of space, history and the future of the universe. The class at CV covers characteristics of the universe, light and telescopes, characteristics and laws of the solar system, planets, stellar evolution, how a life cycle of a star evolves, and space exploration.
The students who take the class learn the importance of the subject by using the planetarium and doing labs in and outside of school.
Senior Riley Sloand said, “I’m looking forward to going to the planetarium and doing the project we have that's due in May.”
The project challenges students to find eight things through a telescope like different planets, a moon, and stars.
“I think the most interesting part is being able to understand and learn about our universe and also the solar system,” Junior Adon Deitch said.
“One of my favorite things is to see the look on their faces when we’re talking about size and scope of the universe, and how big everything is and what’s actually happening,” astronomy teacher Mr. Corey Pelow said.
Around 150 to 170 kids take the Astronomy and Meteorology course per year, in a regular class there are 20 to 24 students. The class number ranges from how many students can fit in the planetarium.
Pelow said, “I'm a big advocate of any of the Earth science classes, but considering I have full classes, it's tough to put more kids in them. But I strongly would encourage any kid to take an earth science course if they have the opportunity.”
Senior Alaina Solenberger said, “I like how it focuses on things that are relevant and applicable to our everyday lives, like learning about our environment and what's going on with environmental laws and concerns about the future and the planet. It applies to everyone even if they don't think it does.”
Pelow is the only teacher that teaches earth sciences at the highschool.
“All students used to take earth science it breaks my heart that doesn't happen anymore,” Pelow said.
A lot of the labs are pencil and paper students can do in class, but sometimes students have to go home and do the lab part by observing the night sky with a telescope they are given.
Pelow said, “The planetarium allows us to look at the night time sky during the day, as well as we have some pretty exciting videos that we can watch in there as well.”
Astrology is a constantly changing subject so there is always something new for students to learn about and experience first hand.
“I think the most interesting part about the class is that the material is constantly changing as we get better equipment and people make more discoveries, so it’s not just the same curriculum every year,” Senior Haven Bowman said.
Students get a chance to talk about discoveries, ask questions, and explore the ideas of new possibilities.
“We know so much about our universe, yet so little” said Pelow.
The class gives students new experiences and opportunities to learn in different ways they aren’t able to find anywhere else in the school.