A partnership usually consists of one astronomer and one or two teachers at the same school. At the training workshop teachers and their partner astronomers meet for the first time, and they are engaged in effective classroom tested hands-on astronomy activities that meet the NJ State Science Standards. All participants receive a copy of The Universe at Your Fingertips, a collection of more than 90 of the very best hands-on activities for teaching many aspects of basic astronomy.
Partnerships also receive a variety of astronomy resources for use in the classroom.
During the workshop partners develop a strategy for working together, in and out of the classroom, and start planning their astronomy lessons and the first astronomer's visit. Selected teachers will be assigned to one of these two workshops. Class visits usually start in the fall and continue through the school year. The astronomers commit to make at least four visits to the same one or two classrooms. During these visits they answer students' questions and lead or assist the teacher with astronomy activities.