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Starting
A Satelloid Club |
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All Clubs
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Advisors |
All
Satelloid Clubs must have one designated advisor. The
advisor will be the club's contact person with Satelloid
Headquarters. The advisor will organize or delegate
someone to run club activities. They will collect
and mail in the local club's dues and member's information.
They will verify, comment on and submit
member's complete projects to headquarters. They will receive all the club's observation reports, and all observing awards and / or
rank increases to be read / given out at the next meeting. |
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Advisor's
Kit |
To
get started request a free advisor's kit. The kit
contains everything you need to successfully run your Satelloid
club, including membership forms, letters to parents describing
Satelloids, observation forms, advisor's tips,
project / rank information and ideas for programs you can use
during your meetings. The kit is free of charge and there
is no obligation, simply e-mail the Chief Astronomer and request
one. |
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| Expertise |
Advisors
don't have to be an expert in astronomy or science. You
only need a love for teaching and a desire to promote science
education in the next generation. You'll be able to learn
along with your members and the Chief Astronomer will always be
available for any questions you might have. |
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| Meetings |
Meetings
should be held at least twice monthly and be 15 - 30 minutes
long. It should consist of:
Welcoming members / guests
Announcements / Upcoming Events / Alerts
Presentation of any awards
Opportunity for members to share observing reports /
experiences.
Program and or Project
Dismissal
Advisor should be available to answer questions, provide project
advice, and sign up new members. |
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Science
Projects |
Opportunities
to participate in real science projects will vary from year to
year depending on current happenings and the skill level of your
members. Some will be reproductions of known information,
such as calculating the speed of light or the Moon's orbital
speed. However, occasionally depending on members ranking
and equipment they will be able to participate in gathering real
science data to be used by professional astronomers.
"What will we ever use this for?" Satelloids can
give you that answer! |
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Equipment |
No
equipment is necessary to join the Satelloids. The program
is designed for exploration to begin with the eyes. As
skills and interest in space increase, equipment (starting with
binoculars) becomes necessary to go to deeper levels.
Clubs at the 5th-6th grade levels will probably not need
equipment. However, high school members will probably want
/ need binoculars and telescopes. Members are encourage to
get their own equipment, however, if budgets allow, a club may
try to get one for the use of the group. If they have
followed the Satelloid program, members should be at a level
where they can make informed decisions on equipment. The
Chief Astronomer will always be available to offer advice and
assistance for any equipment you or your members may be looking
to purchase. |
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Getting
Started |
To
get your Satelloid club started, print out the registration
form. Sign up all your members and send in the membership
information and dues. You'll receive your advisor's
package within two weeks of it's arrival at Satelloid
Headquarters. |
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Note
Concerning Dues |
While club dues are
$25 per club, a school or group may charge students up to $10 for Satelloid dues expenses. However, please keep any
additional fees low so we can keep the club as inexpensive as
possible. |
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Specific
Groups |
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The following
are ideas on how specific groups might incorporate their
Satelloid clubs. |
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School Clubs |
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To allow for
the greatest number of participants, school based clubs should
hold their bi-weekly general meetings either 15 - 20 mins. prior
to or during school. An additional project activity may be
held after school when more time is available, however this may
prohibit some members from participating due to transportation /
other extracurricular activities. Adjust accordingly to
your specific needs. It may also be possible to merge the
club as part of a regular science / astronomy class. |
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Astronomy Clubs |
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Looking for a
way to get your younger members involved or get your newer
members up to speed in astronomy? This is it. While
the rest of the club is discussing business or listening to a
program the younger members can be holding their own Satelloid
meeting with one of your experienced stargazers. |
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Scout & Civic Groups |
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Satelloid's can
make a great addition to your meetings. Just merge the
announcements and awards in with your current announcements and
presentations. The advisor's pack will give you ideas for
new projects to do during your meetings. Becoming a
Satelloid will help them earn their badges and more. |
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Stand Alone Clubs |
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If you start a
stand alone club, we recommend you meet twice a month or for
special events. This is frequent enough to keep their
interest but not so frequent that you have trouble coming up
with enough new programs / projects. |
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