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
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