Published: Monday, 19th January, 2009 9:30am

Lauder pupils are stars

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LAUDER Primary School is one of only eight primary schools in Scotland selected to choose a star to form a new constellation for this year - the International year of Astronomy (IYA 2009).

The project is a collaboration between leading experts Professor John Brown - the Astronomer Royal for Scotland and astronomy-inspired artist Gill Russell.

Each of the schools involved are linked to an important astronomy site and will select a star whose distance in light years corresponds to the age of the site. Once all eight stars are chosen they will be linked to form the new constellation.

Professor John Brown and Gill Russell will both visit Lauder Primary School on the 22 and 23 January to host two jam-packed days for pupils in Primary 5. The two days will include several workshops including choosing the school star, a mobile planetarium show, a cosmic art workshop and magic demonstrations of cosmic phenomena.

Hundreds of schools from all over Scotland applied to take part in the project. Headteachers were interviewed over the phone and schools were selected on the basis of their enthusiasm for astronomy; their proximity to an astronomy site; demonstrating teaching based on helping the children to engage in a holistic way of learning and generally being on the right "wavelength" to connect with the ethos of the project.

Lauder P5 produced a wonderful booklet with stories, drawings and facts about astronomy which demonstrated their enthusiasm and desire to take part in the project – and won the hearts of the selectors.

The project is being part-funded through grants from the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), Edina Trust and is generously supported by from Glasgow University Astronomy Dept and the Roberts Trust.

Schools taking part are: Torridon Primary School (Highland); Broadford Primary School (Highland); Sanday and Stronsay Primary schools (Orkney); Couper Angus Primary School (Perth+Kinross); Lauder Primary School (Borders); Daviot Primary School(Aberdeenshire); Dalmeny Primary School (Edinburgh); Glendale Primary School (Glasgow).