Astronomy is, inherently, a high-interest subject. However, at the high school level there is a tendency to teach astronomy using higher- level abstractions and complex mathematics. This teaching approach thus eliminates a large number of students who have difficulties with abstractions and complex mathematics, thereby restricting the study of astronomy to a rather select group of students.

The astronomy course offered since 1976 at Wauwatosa West High School was developed to reach a wide range of students with differing abilities. The prerequisite for this one-semester elective course is the successful completion of one year of high school science. Most of the students enrolled in this course are high school juniors and seniors, ages 16–18. Since algebra is not a prerequisite, the “math phobic“students have been attracted to the course.