2026 Utah Rural Schools Conference: Full Schedule

Welcome to URSA 2026 at Southern Utah University! All sessions will be in buildings on the upper campus (east end). Here’s the Campus Map (PDF) if needed.

9:45am MDT

Kinesthetic Astronomy 4th grade

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 12:10pm MDT

GC 306 - General Classroom Building, Room 306

🧠 Format Alert: This is an immersive, 2-hour deep-dive workshop designed for intensive, uninterrupted coverage of this topic.

In our hands-on session, we will practice how to implement kinesthetic activities aligned with fourth-grade SEEd standards, specifically Strand 4.4. We will develop models for day/night cycles, changing constellations throughout the year, and for why our Sun is the brightest star. By using our bodies to model the Earth, participants will demonstrate how rotation and revolution cause the cycles of day and night and changing constellations throughout the year. Participants will also become individual stars by holding an LED light as they investigate how distance relates to perceived brightness and will work together to form the constellation of Orion. This session will emphasize the use of models and how they provide evidence for constructing explanations of astronomical phenomena. Clark Planetarium is pleased to offer a kit of free, take-away materials for teachers to apply the activities in their classroom. More information can be found at https://www.saltlakecounty.gov/clark-planetarium/education/ (scroll down to “Fourth Grade Astronomy Kit Activities”).

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: None

Speakers

Jayceen Craven Walker

Education Program Specialist, Clark Planetarium

Jayceen has been with the planetarium in one way or another since 1987 at the Hansen when she was an actor in The ZAP Show. She joined the staff in 1989 and worked her way up through the ranks of part-time reservationist, science demo presenter, AstroVan presenter, volunteer coordinator... Read More →

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 12:10pm MDT
GC 306 - General Classroom Building, Room 306 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Utah Core Curriculum, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 2 hour In-Depth exploration workshop
Grade Level 46085
Audience Teachers
Subject Area Science

2026 Utah Rural Schools Conference

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2026 Utah Rural Schools Conference

9:45am MDT

Jayceen Craven Walker

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