Mini LIPS, SEPA-MAPS 2019

Date: Tuesday, June 4
Time: Approximately 9 am to 4:15 pm
Location: Embassy Suites, Salon G
Cost: $50/person to cover lunch and breaks
Group size: 40 people maximum

Lead organizer: Karrie Berglund, Digitalis Education Solutions, Inc. karrie@DigitalisEducation.com, 360-616-8915 x301

Tentative Schedule—Subject to Change (session descriptions below)

8:45 to 9 am: Check in for Mini LIPS, gather up in Salon G
9 to 9:30 am: Introductions, overview of day
9:30 to 11 am: Mark Webb workshop, “Freefall Trajectory–Planetarium Improv Without a Net (or a Dome)”
11 to 11:30 am: Break
11:30 am to 12:15 pm—Brian Koehler, “Star Lores: Multicultural Stories for Diverse Audiences”
12:15 to 1 pm: Lunch
1 to 1:45 pm: Derek Demeter and Justin Cirillo, “The Human Sized H-R Diagram”
1:45 to 2:15 pm: Kerri Kiker, “Ready to Launch?”
2:15 to 2:30 pm: Break
2:30 to 3:15 pm: Patty Seaton, “Planetary Pet Peeves”
3:15 to 4 pm: Karrie Berglund, “Evaluating Live Presentations”
4 to 4:15 pm: Wrap up and evaluations

Session Descriptions (listed in chronological order)

Mark Webb, GOTO, Inc. “Freefall Trajectory–Planetarium Improv Without a Net (or a Dome)”

Based on previous workshops from LIPS, this 90 minute long crazy-fest is a creativity, confidence, and resourcefulness builder. With no time to consider the impossible, you and your collaborators will build an amazing show from scratch and then present it to your peers, despite the artificial obstacles and unrealistic constraints imposed on you. This workshop will be more fun than any other activity at the conference, and if you are willing to believe that, then this is the place for you.

Brian Koehler, Treworgy Planetarium at Mystic Seaport: “STAR LORES: Multicultural Stories for Diverse Audiences”

We’ve all played host to those audience members who, no matter how hard they try, just can’t seem to see that giant bear in the sky. A centaur? Not too sure about that. And don’t even get me started on that supposed-harp!

But when audiences learn that the Greeks and Romans weren’t the only ones who saw shapes in the sky… when they realize that there’s no “one rule” about what shape those stars can form… and when they see that a culture more familiar to them has created their own constellations… then, their imaginations are unlocked!

This workshop will explore the night sky through a multicultural lens, describing numerous ways to view the same arrangements of stars, and empowering participants to envision their own star shapes!

Derek Demeter and Justin Cirillo, Emil Buehler Planetarium at Seminole State College of Florida: “The Human Sized H-R Diagram”

Derek and Justin will demonstrate an activity developed for school trips to the Buehler Planetarium: They will turn the Mini LIPS attendees into a human sized H-R diagram using various size balloons. Participants will have to figure out where their star fits in the diagram. Are you a blue giant? Red dwarf? Main sequence? Let’s find out!

Kerri Kiker, Jet Blue Sky Theater Planetarium at The Cradle of Aviation, “Ready to Launch?”

It is always exciting to program around actual launches and landings, however, they don’t always go off without a hitch. How do you program for an event that may not happen?! I will share lessons we have learned about how to roll with last minute changes that are out of your control.

Patty Seaton, Howard B. Owens Science Center Planetarium, “Planetary Pet Peeves”

What popular culture astronomy topics make you cringe? Perhaps the “super moon” or Pluto being “demoted?” This workshop will include activities on Patty’s Planetary Pet Peeves.

Karrie Berglund, Digitalis Education Solutions, Inc., “Evaluating Live, Interactive Planetarium Presentations”

In this workshop we will explore several questions: What makes an outstanding live, interactive planetarium presentation? Do we all use the same criteria for evaluating programs? What aspects of your own presentations do you feel are strong or weak? Attendees will share their own ideas for giving and receiving constructive feedback.