The Quality Lighting Teaching Kit: Inspiring our Society to be Part of the Solution to Light Pollution

Abstract

As an outcome of the International Year of Light 2015, the U.S. National Optical Astronomy Observatory’s Education and Public Outreach group has produced a Quality Lighting Teaching (QLT) Kit, The kits are designed around problem-based learning scenarios. The kit’s six activities allow students to address real lighting problems that relate to wildlife, sky glow, aging eyes, energy consumption, safety, and light trespass. The activities are optimized for 11-14 year olds but can be expanded to younger and older. Most of the activities can be done within in a few minutes during class or afterschool and as stations or as stand-alones. Everything you need for the six activities is included in the kit. Tutorial videos on how to do the activities can be found at www.noao.edu/education/qltkit.php. 90 out of 100 kits have been distributed to SPIE, OSA, CIE, IDA and the IAU in 32 countries.