Tuesday, September 29, 2015

FanFest at Boston College, 2015

Hi!










SOMETHING NEW!  For the last few months I've been working with BC to add science to games at FanFest.  FanFest began over ten years ago to provide fun things for kids to do before the home football games.  It takes place in the Flynn Recreation Complex (the Rec Plex) and begins three hours before game time, running 2 1/2 hours.  There are several inflatable games, bean toss and other games, and face painting.  Gateway to Science: Sports and Games has offered games with science at four FanFests so far, and on alternating weeks in September, two science professors did special demonstrations for the kids and their parents.  Ruihua He demonstrated superconducting magnetic levitation with frozen liquid nitrogen.  Dunwei Wang used solar/hydrogen-powered miniature race cars for a competition.

WHAT WILL YOU FIND WHEN YOU GET THERE?  We've had hula hooping to help kids learn about torque, the turning force, and string-can telephones for the science of sound.  We've also had activities to help learn about finding your center of gravity as well as your axis of rotation.  We'll be using jump ropes to learn about waves and other things.  And who knows what else?  Come and find out!

On exhibit are several items I've been working on, including stories and how they can be used to learn about simple machines, physics and geometry.  Leaflets on the science of hula hooping and jump roping are available, too.

THE TEAM   My husband Frank has been helping me, as well as Bob Mallon '65 and Joe Nigro '65, both of whom attended the School of Education at BC, where I worked from 1962-65.  I bumped into them at reunion activities in May, and they wanted to help me.  Eileen Leister, a great hula hooper from Quincy, "circulates" and draws people in to our Gateway to Science center (centripetal force?).  Dick Leonard, retired science teacher and permanent sub at Quincy HS, is bringing his recycling game with a sports angle to FanFest for the North Carolina State game. Eileen Heavey, my friend from Milton who also helped at the South Shore Science Fun House in Quincy last April, jumped in at the last minute when we found ourselves operating on a "skeleton crew" basis last week on Halloween. 

Last year Brad Bates, AD, had directed me to Jody Mooradian, Assistant AD, who referred me to Jim Morris, Alumni Association, and Jamie DiLoreto, Athletic Association, who together run FanFest.  Then they directed me to Rebecca Cegledy, the FanFest team member in the Rec Plex who manages things there.  In addition, on game day either Caitriona Taylor or Laurel Carter is there and somehow manage to be several places at once! 

Getting the logistics worked out and developing a routine for setting up is coming along, I'm happy to say.

YOU'RE INVITED!  So please try to come and see this innovative approach to science education.  My goal is for this to become the standard way of introducing kids to physics and geometry concepts the EASY way!  Don't you wish that you learned physics this way?!  I do.  Pain-free and fun!

GETTING THERE   You don't need a game ticket to attend FanFest.  However, to get onto the campus on game day, take the T, the Green Line, to the end, the Boston College stop.  FanFest is about a ten minute walk.

SCHEDULE
Sat. Oct. 31  Virginia Tech   FanFest 9:30-12    Game 12:30
Sat. Nov. 7   North Carolina State, youth & high school football day     FanFest 9:30-12

Hope to see you!
Kathy

Sunday, September 13, 2015

STOKED ABOUT PHYSICS website .......... (this post is under construction)

I just found a really good site:  Stoked About Science, authored by physics teacher Mr. Chris Stokes.

http://stokedaboutscience.com 

This is what he says for people who want a science camp:

Don’t have access to a science camp?  Here is a way to stream science camp right into your own living room.  I provide the demos and instructions and you just need to supply the enthusiastic campers and some basic supplies!

 <iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g2nFfjwjPiE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>




Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Message to Parents from the National Science Teachers Association


10 Questions Your Kid's Science Teacher 
Wishes You Would Ask

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For the same reasons we encourage our children to be active participants in classroom discussions, parents should take advantage of opportunities to talk with teachers. Learn more about science teaching and learning in your child's classroom, whether it's during back-to-school night, teacher conferences, or at another point during the school year.
Science lessons deliver some of the most engaging and exciting activities of your child's day. Children are inherently curious, and high-quality science instruction allows them to channel that energy and wonder into discovering more about the world around them. As they grow older, science learning helps them develop the necessary skills and practices to solve real-world challenges and build important life skills.
The more you know, the more you can support your child's science learning at home. So what should you know about science education at school? Start with these key questions for your child's teacher:
  1. How is science taught in your classroom? What methods or activities do you use? Are there sample lessons I can review?
  2. What science topics will my child learn and what skills will he/she master by the end of this year? How does this relate to what my child learned last year and what he or she will learn next year? How does it relate to what my child is learning in math, other subjects, or the world in which we live?
  3. Do you have access to local informal science opportunities? Will there be field trips to local museums or science centers?
  4. Will there be science homework and what will it look like?
  5. What types of questions should I ask my child about science on a day-to-day basis?
  6. What can I do to support my child's science learning? Are there science projects or activities we can do together at home, or apps, websites, or learning games we could explore?
  7. How does the school support education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects? Is STEM incorporated throughout the day and if so, how? Are there after school STEM clubs, programs, or science and engineering fairs that would support my child's learning?
  8. How will learning be assessed? Will you use only formal assessments like tests or will children be able to show you what they know through other avenues?
  9. What happens if my child doesn't achieve the learning goals of a lesson or unit of study? Can he or she get extra help?
  10. What types of science equipment and technology will be used throughout the year?
There are no standard answers to these questions, but a teacher who creates a rich classroom environment for science exploration will be happy to discuss them with you. And while you are having this valuable conversation, look around. These are just some of the signs that the classroom environment supports science learning:
  • Space and storage: Science requires "stuff." Whether the shelves are filled with rocks and leaves or hand lenses and measuring instruments, it's important that teachers have the materials nearby to teach science.
  • Safety equipment: To explore science in the mode of a scientist, your child will occasionally need eye protection, gloves, soap, and water. There are many experiences that are both simple and safe, but safety criteria must always be in mind.
Whatever the answers are to your questions, a great response to close a conversation would be, "What can I do to help?" Most teachers would be thrilled to know if you have a background in science, technology, engineering, or math, or have time and resources to share.
A strong foundation in STEM will put your child on the road to success in school and beyond.