GATEWAY TO SCIENCE .......... Sports and Games ........

Monday, November 10, 2014

WHAT'S ALREADY OUT THERE ........... IN TERMS OF LEARNING PHYSICS THROUGH SPORTS?

Readers, I hope to publish a book. Since I began renting a small office at the Quincy Center for Innovation (Quincy Chamber of Commerce) in mid-May I have begun to focus better. In an effort to encourage the use of games and sports as a natural way for kids to begin to acquire physics concepts, the book is to be a collection of:

1. the reasons I believe we should teach kids about physics through games and sports, as well as other everyday activities;
2. what I have found to be available now such as camps, museums, classes (not very much!);
3. resources that others have developed or published (very much!);
4. proposals, lessons, approaches, etc., that I have developed.

In my searches I haven't found such a collection on the market. Here is a partial list of what I have found to be out there now..
SELECTED LIST OF WHAT’S OUT THERE

TELEVISION SHOWS
“Sport Science” John Brenkus, host. ESPN2, Channel 50.

“Sport Science Newton Awards” John Brenkus, host. 2013, first annual event.

CAMPS
Girls Reaching to Achieve in Sports & Physics (“GRASP”). Ohio State U. June: 2 sessions

AMUSEMENT PARKS
Knotts Berry Farm, California -- Physics Fun Day

Canobie Lake Park, New Hampshire -- Physics Day

“Motion in Use at Six Flags/Magic Mountain” Curriculum and workbook, like Knotts and Canobie.

Disney World. “Science of Imagineering” videos on roller coasters and other rides.

SCIENCE FESTIVAL Cambridge Science Festival, also in other towns; annually: April vacation

STADIUM EDUCATION

University of Nebraska football games. One-minute lectures. Timothy Gay, Ph.D.

Science Day at the Ball Park. Phila. Science Festival. Stations/clinics throughout the ball park.

ARTICLES

“Sport Science: Physical Laws & Optimum Performance,” P. Brancazio. Physics Tchr 42: 318, 2004

MUSEUMS “Science in the Park,” Boston Museum of Science. Ongoing.

WEBSITES The Physics of Football, science blog,

http://scienceofeverydaylife.discoveryeducation.com

www.sonic.org Science Olympiad Inc.   (to plan an event for elementary thru high school)

connectamillionminds.com    To get yourself started, Magic Johnson's video is especially motivating. I looked through the downloadable booklets, and I really liked the one on football.

http://isaacslom.wikispaces.com    It appears that this website was organized by a high school teacher in 2010. Under each school period, or class, there are many topics, all about different sport / science topics. It should help anyone to get started! I discovered it when I was looking up cheerleading science and decided it needs to be included under "What's Already Out There."

SCIENCE FAIR HELP www.ScienceBuddies.org

LECTURES, CONFERENCES, COLLEGE CLASSES

Dedicated Conference: Physics of Sports. College of the Holy Cross, 2006.

Lecture: “Improving the Quality of Your Students’ Work Using the Physics of Sports,” Arthur Eisenkraft. Institute at National Science Teachers Assn., 2006

“Making Sport of Physics” John Eric Goff, various conferences, 2009-2012

Classes, ongoing:

“Physics of Sports” John Eric Goff. (Oberlin, 2001) / Occasionally offered at his present location at Lynchburg Coll., Virginia.

“The Physics of Sports” Michael Lisa, Ohio State U.

“Sports and Physics” AND a lab, U. North Carolina at Charlotte.

“Dr. Baseball” Dr. David Kagan, California State U. at Chico. Videos on YouTube.

BOOKS Leaping, Sliding, Sprinting, Riding Science Book, Bobby Mercer, Lark Books, 2006

Gold Medal Physics: The Science of Sports, John Eric Goff, Johns Hopkins U. Press, 2009.

Active Physics: Sports, Arthur Eisenkraft, project-based inquiry approach, It’s About Time, Inc., 1998

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Connectamillionminds.com ................... GREAT SITE I JUST FOUND

I just found this site -- connectamillionminds.com -- and have only had a quick look so far, but I think you'll like it. To get yourself started, Magic Johnson's video is especially motivating.

I looked through the downloadable booklets, and I really liked the one on football. It has a Football Bingo game, too. Looks like fun! There's also one on racing cars.

It's from Time Warner Cable.

from Connect a Million Minds :

Together, we've connected more than a million young people to the wonders of science, technology, engineering and math. Learn more about the journey.

Monday, October 27, 2014

ABOUT KIDS: JUST THREE THINGS

There are just three things -- already in place -- to bear in mind in helping young children to understand basic physics:

1) Children play................................they touch things and use them,
                                                                  they use their energy,
                                                                  they know how outside forces feel to them

2) Children learn language..............that's what children's brains are designed to do

3) Children are natural scientists....try one thing, if it doesn't work, try another

Put 'em all together and what've you got?   Steppingstones to understanding physics:

       1)   Feel the physical sensation of riding down a slide

       2)   It took ENERGY to climb up against the force of GRAVITY.
       Going down, GRAVITY does the work, save your ENERGY!

       3)   If, however, you were wearing a wet bathing suit, you didn't go far.
       What to do, what might work?
       Reduce the FRICTION.......Sit on top of something dry!

                                                            "Wheeee!"

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

When I began this weblog four years ago, the name I coined for this approach was "Newton 1-2-3 Go!" It's a reference to Isaac Newton's three laws of motion, combined with "1-2-3 Go!" which is said at the start of a race -- so, together a reference to the sport component as well as the science.

However, sometimes when I would give my business card to someone, I noticed they'd puzzle a bit at the name. As time passed, I came up with "Gateway to Science: Sports and Games." This was as I was preparing to do a local television show. I adopted that name for the show and changed the blog name, too (also, my business cards!)

I keep Newton 1-2-3 Go! because I still think it works, and maybe some product will be developed in the future for which it would be a good name. By the way, I see a lot of business potential.

Using games and sports to advance the understanding of physics and geometry is an area that is vastly underdeveloped, i.e., in a way that is consistent, systematic, and widespread. If this idea were embraced, the sky could be the limit. I think that young people, especially those who are looking to go into business for themselves, would do well to explore this and figure out what they could develop and market. Put your thinking cap on!

The infrastructure is already there -- the sports industry, electronics, movies, books, amusement parks, playgrounds, social media, you name it --
and in the hands of the right people -- YOU? -- you could advance the cause of science literacy, innovation, and most of all, fun!

Saturday, October 11, 2014

VIDEO: Visit to Isaac Newton's home

This video shows you where Isaac Newton lived in eastern England. The famous apple tree that inspired him has had cuttings transplanted to some other areas, too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VupFDDrX0Rw&feature=player_embedded