ESTABLISHING A PHYSICS & GEOMETRY GAME CLUB

PROPOSAL FOR:   PHYSICS & GEOMETRY GAME CLUB   
                                     (P & G GAME CLUB)

Location:   classroom;   gym;   outside           Time:   after school (?)

                                                                                

GOAL: 

For students to explore through discussion and practice:

·         the principles of physics and geometry in games and sports,
·         and to share what they learn with others

OBJECTIVES:       Pick a project / projects, deciding whether to work in one group or in small groups.                               

Develop the project to teach students about basic physics and geometry and then showcase it.

Discover students' strengths (see "Things I Like to Do" checklist for a starting point).

Be on the lookout for student peer advisors and leaders.
                                                

Invite guest lecturers.

PRESENTATION IDEAS FOR SHOWCASING THEIR PROJECT:

   

STUDENT NEWSLETTER                    SPECIAL EXHIBIT

DESIGN STATIONS AROUND GYM (LEARNING CENTER)

STUDENT WEBSITE                            AT A TEACHERS MEETING    

SCHOOL ASSEMBLY  --  SKIT OR DEMONSTRATION    

ENHANCEMENTS TO A CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND              

(check out Science in the Park - Science Museum Boston)

PRESENT TO A  CLASS / TEAM       

MAKE A VIDEO FOR LOCAL ACCESS TV                DESIGN A LESSON

IS THERE ANY SPECIFIC NEED IN THE SCHOOL WE CAN HELP WITH?

                                                                                      

FIRST MEETING: 

                        
Introductions – Explain goals and objectives  –  Find out who already knows about physics and geometry in sports and games  -- Show books and binders and teaching objects.  

     Toss some balls around, etc. – What do you want to know?  to do? 

     Who has studied physics and geometry (or is studying now) ?

     To give them ideas, look at science fair suggestions.   

Try www.sciencebuddies.com for starters. 

Brainstorm for their ideas.

FIRST ASSIGNMENT:  Pass out a list of good websites, ask them to take a look at the sites. 

Have a look at my blog www.sportscience-kathy.blogspot.com .   

If no computer, use the library.     

Fill out “Things I Like to Do.”  (This is the previous entry.)

PROPOSED BY:      Kathy Hogan, B.S.Ed., Bridgewater State College                                   kathydulleahogan@aol.com      617 773 5673

IDEAS FOR SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS IN SCHOOL

I'm on my way to Fenway Park to the Middle School O (orientation) for kids going into middle school in the Boston Public Schools.  I have a handout for anyone thinking ahead to their science fair projects.  It has suggestions of projects that all have to do with physics and geometry in games and sports.  Here it is below.  I got these from  www.sciencebuddies.org, a site definitely worth checking out!


SCIENCE BUDDIES   
List of Sport Science Projects  (without details) 
                                                      
 *  For abbreviated Project Ideas with an asterisk, see NOTE at bottom.
 

BEGINNER:    MEDIUM                      

Skipping Science:    An Experiment in Jump Rope Lengths

BEGINNER:    HARD               

Jumping Distance

INTERMEDIATE:   EASY

Around the World:    The Geometry of Shooting Baskets *

Bouncing Balls:   Measure the Rebound Rating*

Drag Racing in the Water

How Quickly Does a Tennis Ball Lose Its Bounce? *

Popping an Ollie:   How Skateboarders + Physics = A Really Cool Trick

Speed Quest   (Measure speeds in track events.)

The Biomechanics of Pitching

Under Pressure:   Ball Bouncing Dynamics

INTERMEDIATE:   MEDIUM

Aerodynamics of a Football *

Bouncing Balls:   Why Is the Rebound Rating < 1? *

Hey, Gear Heads!   The Physics of Bicycle Gear Ratios *

How Fast Can You Shoot a Hockey Puck? *

How High Can You Throw a Baseball?   A Tennis Ball?   A Football?   A Golf Ball?

Nothing But Net:   The Science of Shooting Hoops

Physics of Vibrations *  (Bats, tennis rackets, and golf clubs vibrate when they hit the ball.)

Pump It Up:   Mountainboarding Speed and Control

She Shoots, She Scores!   How Does Hockey Stick Flex Affect  Accuracy and Speed?

Soccer:   Geometry of Goal-Scoring *

The Physics of Cheating in Baseball  (Corked bats versus unaltered wooden bats.)

The Physics of Follow-Through *

INTERMEDIATE:    HARD

Back and Forth to Go Forward: A Snake on Wheels?  (ride-on toys with back and forth steering)

Balancing Act:  Finding Your Center of Gravity

Baseball Bat Debate:   What's Better, Wood or Aluminum?

Football:   Place-Kicking *

Golf Clubs, Loft Angle, and Distance:   The Science of Hitting *

How Far Can You Kick (or Throw or Hit) a Ball? *

Power Kicks:   The Physics of Martial Arts

Practice *     (Controlled experiment:  physical practice vs. mental practice vs. no practice)

Skateboard Extremes:   Which Wheels are Best for Speed & Turns?

Skiing and Friction:    How Does Ski Wax Affect the Sliding Friction of Skis? *

Tee Time:   How Fast is Your Golf Swing?

Tee Time:   How Does Tee Height Affect Driving Distance?

Tightening the Turns in Speed Skating:      Lessons in Centripetal Force & Balance

ADVANCED:    EASY

A Cure for Hooks and Slices?     Asymmetric Dimple Patterns and Golf Ball Flight

Aerodynamics & Hockey:   Does the Force of Drag Have an Effect on the Distance the Puck Will Travel? *

Are More Expensive Golf Balls Worth It?

Football:   Punting *

Golf Clubs, Loft Angle, and Distance

Paintball Ballistics

Playing the Angles:   The Physics of Balls Bouncing Off of Surfaces *

The Science of Spin:    How Does Spin Affect the Trajectory of a Kicked Soccer Ball? *

Which Team Batting Statistic Predicts Run Production Best?

ADVANCED:    MEDIUM            

Skating and Angular Momentum *   

Science of Spin:   Baseball Pendulum *

*    NOTE:    These are abbreviated Project Ideas, without notes to start your background research, a specific list of materials, or a procedure for how to do the experiment.  If you want a Project Idea with full instructions, please pick one without an asterisk. 

"LEARN THE LAWS OF MOTION" (to the tune of "The Loco-Motion")

Here's a song that was just begging to be written last week when I was listening to Little Eva singing The Loco-Motion !

"LEARN THE LAWS OF MOTION"    by Kathy Dullea Hogan     2012

(to the tune of “The Loco-Motion” by Carole King and Gerry Goffin)

Everybody’s learnin’ the laws of motion

Come on, baby, learn the laws of motion

I know you’ll get to like it if you give it a chance now,

Come on, baby, do the laws of motion.

My little baby sister can do it with ease,

It’s easier than learnin’ your ABC,

So come on, come on, do the laws of motion with me.

Well, the 1^st one goes like this,

Something at rest tends to stay at rest.

Well, I think you’ve got the knack,

Woah, woah…

And something in motion tends to stay in motion.

Come on, baby, that’s the 1^st law of motion.

A chugga, chugga motion like a railway train now,

Come on, baby, do the laws of motion.

Do it nice and easy now, don’t lose control,

A little bit of rhythm and a lotta soul,

So come on, come on, do the laws of motion with me…

Oh yeah…

Do the laws of motion…

Do the laws of motion…

Yay, yay, yay, yeah…

Now let’s move around to the next law of motion.

Come on, baby, the 2^nd law of motion.

Mass is holdin’ hands with Acceleration.

This is Force, baby, the 2^nd law of motion.

There’s never been a law that’s so easy to know,

It even makes you happy when you’re feelin’ blue,

So come on, come on, do the laws of motion with me…

Now the 3^rd law goes like this,

It’s the action, jump up, come back,

Well, I think you’ve got the knack.

Woah, woah.

The action has an equal opposite reaction,

That, my baby, is the 3^rd law of motion.

I know you’ll get to like it if you give it a chance now,

Come on, baby, do the laws of motion.

Do it nice and easy now, don’t lose control,

A little bit of rhythm and a lotta soul,

So come on, come on, do the laws of motion…

UPDATE -- and "THE GRAVITY/ENERGY TEAM MARCH"

The lack of postings since last year does not mean I haven't been working on this.  Conversations, readings, daydreamings, meetings, planning for meetings, making notes, buying books -- all have helped.  Some misconceptions have been ironed out while other questions continue to arise (of course, nature of the beast and all that!).  

Gravity is emerging the clear winner -- that and its relationship to energy.  In fact, I wrote a song about this just a couple of weeks ago.  What prompted me was the chance to appear on QATV's open mike night at the library, called "Quincy Unplugged."  It's so easy to appreciate the effects of gravity on our energy expenditure, it's very straightforward.  That's what the song is about, and it's sung to the tune of "Battle Hymn of the Republic."  Here it is!

THE GRAVITY / ENERGY TEAM MARCH           
by Kathy Hogan, 2012

GIVE ME GRAVITY!             ‘GRAVITY!’

Gravity’s all around us, it always stays the same,

Above, below, around us, it always stays the same.

It keeps us rooted to the earth, it always stays the same

And it keeps on marching on.

When you’re going downhill, gravity really helps.

Your speed goes up as you go down, yes indeed it does.

Watch yourself, be careful, when you go down the hill

As the speed goes marching on.

But when you’re going uphill, it’s harder, yes it is.

Why oh why is this so hard, I think it’s gravity,

I’m out of breath, my legs they hurt, I’m fighting gravity

So   I use more energy.

G R A V I T Y   CHORUS:

G-R-A-V-I-T-Y,  G-R-A-V-I-T-Y,  G-R-A-V-I-T-Y, 
THAT SPELLS GRAVITY.

NEXT, GIVE ME ENERGY!                ‘ ENERGY’

Sometimes we only need to use a little energy

And sometimes we need to use a lot of energy.

Energy is what we need to do all kinds of work

And you pass the energy on

Just go ahead and kick the ball, give it your energy.

How much energy should you use, a little or a lot?

Each time you use your energy and see how far you got,

And the energy goes marching on.

ENERGY  CHORUS:

E-N-E-R-G-Y,  E-N-E-R-G-Y,    E-N-E-R-G-Y, 
THAT SPELLS ENERGY.

ALL TOGETHER NOW!

When you’re going uphill, you need more energy

When you’re going downhill, you need less energy

What’s the reason for it?  You know it’s gravity.

It’s the gravity – energy team.

CHORUS

E-N-E-R-G-Y,   G-R-A-V-I-T-Y,   E-N-E-R-G-Y
TEAM WORK GOES MARCHING ON.