The Science of Christmas
Kathy
Dullea Hogan
In the aftermath of the Quincy Christmas
Parade, I want you to know that this year I entered the Christmas Parade Theme
contest but didn’t expect to be chosen.
Why? Because I knew a Science of
Christmas theme would need more than a few weeks to prepare a plan for a
float. That’s right, I did suggest the
Science of Christmas! This is a chance
to look at this special holiday from a very different point of view – Starting
with the story of the first Christmas, combined with celebrations of the season
and winter fun. When you think about
it, the possibilities are so many. And I
offer you these ideas to show how it could be done:
LIGHT
·
Astronomy: The Star of Bethlehem
·
Light waves
·
Electric lights
·
Fireworks on New
Year’s Eve
SOUND
·
Choral singing
·
Bells
·
Holiday music
·
Vibrations, sound
waves
BOTANY
·
Christmas trees
·
Recycling those Christmas
trees
ZOOLOGY
·
Animals: donkey, sheep, cow, camel, reindeer
EARTH
SCIENCE
·
North Pole
CHEMISTRY
·
States of matter
for water: ice and snow / water / steam
and fog
·
Periodic table. Identify elements found in some of the above
suggestions. For example, What elements
are found in trees and wreaths?
What elements produce different colors in
fireworks?
What elements are used in electric lights?
WINTER
FUN
·
These sports are
all great ways you can learn about physics – Sledding, Skating, Skiing. Discover energy and gravity, friction,
inertia, axis of rotation (skating), and more
through your favorite winter sport. My blog can give you more on this (see
below).
·
Satellites
tracking Santa Claus!
·
The Patriot Ledger does a whimsical page every year on the “physics” of Santa’s trip,
some of it possible, some of it needing some imagination and a leap of faith,
and maybe a bit of magic, too!
I’m
sure you can think of more ideas.
Keep in
mind:
* Science is about discovering the
principles by which The Great Scientist created this universe.
* Unlike
the man in ‘Twas the Night Before
Christmas, don’t just put on your sleeping cap, put on your thinking
cap.
* Feel free to contact me for ideas.
* Students, consider this theme to inspire
your science fair project.
* If an
individual or a group develops something before April, you might be able to present
it at the South Shore Science Festival (team@southshorescience.org or
www.southshorescience.org).
Kathy Dullea Hogan is co-chair of the
South Shore Science Festival, a part of MIT’s Cambridge Science Festival. She was thrilled to discover teaching to be
her vocation when she was 40. She
founded the Fr. Maurice Dullea, S.J., Athletic Scholarship at Boston College in
1996 and is the author of a blog, Gateway to Science: Sports and Games. Contact Kathy at kathydulleahogan@aol.com.
“The First GPS…”
Thanks to www.thestarpress.com
