Investigative Experiments for Teaching Astronomy in Basic Education

This is a poster presented at the 7th Shaw-IAU Workshop on Astronomy for Education, organised by the IAU Office of Astronomy for Education (OAE, https://astro4edu.org/shaw-iau/7th-shaw-iau-workshop/). Title: Investigative Experiments for Teaching Astronomy in Basic Education Presenter:Ana Cecilia Soja (Instituto Federal Fluminense - Campus Bom Jesus do Itabapoana) Astronomical observations have driven major scientific revolutions, yet astronomy experiments remains insufficiently explored in basic education. This study investigates whether inquiry-based experiments can enhance the teaching of astronomy in secondary level. Two key experiments were used: (1) measuring the speed of light through Io’s occultation and (2) empirically deriving Kepler’s Laws. Both were conducted using the Stellarium sky simulation software. Activities were tested with small student groups, and learning outcomes were assessed through diagnostic evaluations. Results suggest these methods enhance learning, especially among high-performing students. About the 7th Shaw-IAU Workshop:The 7th Shaw-IAU Workshop took place 18 - 21 November 2025. The Shaw-IAU workshops focus on astronomy education for primary and secondary school students and teacher training both in universities and in service. This year's Education focus session on Teaching with authentic data and the Science focus is on Galaxies.More details can be found on: https://astro4edu.org/shaw-iau/Keep up to date with future Shaw-IAU Workshops and other opportunities at the IAU Office of Astronomy for Education by joining our mailing list https://astro4edu.org/mailing-list/ Follow the IAU OAE on Bluesky and Facebook under @astro4edu