Total Number of Visitors or Audience Members: 200

What materials (and how many) were handed out at the event, if any?
NSN October Sky Charts - 50 Moon Earth Sun Kit Models - 10

Comments or interesting anecdotes about the event:
We approached this session by assuming that most of the adults knew the concepts but we wanted them to see other ways to learn these concepts as many of them are involved in Outreach activities with their local astronomy groups. My entire group of 32 students formed a LARGE Kinesthetic Circle outside the Big Tent Meeting area at Okie-Tex. We integrated as many of the 160+ adults into the circle as we could. One male adults was recruited to be the Sun at the Center since he had a bright yellow shirt. Using my "teacher voice" to give directions, the students demonstrated rotation (using their fingers as E's or W's to indicate direction or rotation), orbiting, and tilting at a 23 and one half angle towards Polaris. The adults followed right along. We put it all together and they rotated, orbited, and tilted to make a complete circuit of the Sun. (Hopefully, we did not throw any backs out but we did have to keep a few from precessing!) Next we moved into the Big Tent area. I began by requesting 10 students to volunteer and we demonstrated the NSN lunar impact craters using our pan of flour topped with cocoa. We discussed why the Moon had various colors and the reasons for the differences. Then the students varied how they threw in their rocks and everyone observed the various impact craters and how it changed the color patterns visible. We discussed why the front side and the back side of the Moon are so different. Our next activity was the Sun/Moon/Earth models from Boreal Labs/Science Kit. Every group was given a white sheet upon which to position their models on bottle caps. The students and the adults all formed groups and we first ran our white Moon with a dot around the Earth. The dot always faced the Earth. We asked, "Does the Moon orbit the Earth"? Yes. "Does the Moon rotate on its axis?" A discussion followed but they finally agreed that the Moon orbited and rotated in a lunar month period. Then we changed Moon "balls" to the Moon which was half black and half white. At my direction, the groups moved the Moon from position 1 through Position 2,3,4,5,6,7,8, and finally back to Position 1. At each stop everyone got down at table level and observed the Moon from the Earth. We observed the Moon's phase providing the correct terminology...crescent, gibbous, new, quarters, full, waning, waxing, etc. The paper could be turned for people on the other side of the table. Then we switched positions and asked, "How would the Earth look if you were standing on the Moon in each position?" They were quick to observe the opposite phase, e.g., when it is New Moon, it would be Full Earth, waxing cresent Moon would be paired with a waning gibbous Earth, etc. Last but not least, we had everyone stand in the tent and taught them the "Moves" for the Moon Dance". We then exited the tent and had everyone dance outside to the strains of Van Morrison's "Moondance". The kids mixed in with the adults so they could lead the group. This activity teaches a way to predict the rise and set time of the Sun and Moon, how to predict nights when you will have moonlight to work or observe, and times when you will have dark skies. We were enthusiastically received and I have had many requests for information on how to teach Kinesthetic Astronomy. Many of the these folks had never seen it explained outside of lectures and powerpoints and it gave them a whole new perspective on leading Outreach activities. In short, they loved it and the kids felt good that they could teach "old dogs new tricks"! P.S. On 10/16/07 I received word from Mr. Larry Beatty of the OKCAC that after we had left one gentleman, Mr. John Morris from Highland Park, Colorado, was so impressed with our program, enthusiasm, and energy that he asked to donate his late Father's 10 inch Dob to our group. Unbelievable! We are SO excited! Thanks to all who participated! WOW!

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