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The NC Quest science group met for an exciting hands-on workshop entitled, “The
Physics of Toys on January 26, 2004 at Leland Middle School in Leland,
NC. The workshop was conducted by Barbara Glover of the Science and Math
Education Center (SMEC) at UNCW. During this three-hour session, NC Quest
science participants conducted inquiry-based experiments for teaching
science using inexpensive toys. The experiments covered science concepts
consistent with the NC Course of Study. Each participant received a kit
of toys used during the workshop to take home and use in the classroom.
“The Physics of Toys” developed energy concepts
through the use of toys:
- Dominoes were use to illustrate the concepts
of Potential and Kinetic Energy, Chain Reactions, and Center
of Mass
- Motion Toys such as balls, wind-up toys, and
tops were used to investigate Force, Inertia, Friction,
Momentum, and Newton's Laws. A Roller Coaster Construction
project assessed the progress
- Simple Machines are force over longer distance
or change of direction to make work easier was illustrated
with Rube Goldberg and "Chicken Run"
- Energy Transforms and Chains were discovered
through grade level specific examples such as Radiometer(light),
Drinking Bird(heat and chemistry), and Simple Motor (electricity)
View
a clip from the Physics of Toys workshop - (Requires Real
Media Player)
About the Presenter
Barbara Glover is a Science Consultant with a Master’s
degree in Physical
Chemistry. She has developed science curriculum for elementary
and middle
schools as well as at the Wilmington Children's Museum.
Currently she
conducts workshops at the UNCW Science and Mathematics
Education Center including
”
GLOBE Atmosphere Training” and “The Physics
of Toys.”
About SMEC
The Science and Mathematics Education Center as a unit
of the University of North
Carolina at Wilmington assists
in fulfilling the University's mission to encourage public
access to its educational programs and its commitment to
regional service.
As a constituent unit of the University
of North Carolina Mathematics and Science Education Network
(NC-MSEN) , SMEC
shares the mission of NC-MSEN to improve the quality of
pre-college science and mathematics education in the schools
of North Carolina through programs designed for in-service
and pre-service teachers as well as students.
The goals of the Science and Mathematics Education Center
support the missions of both UNCW and NC-MSEN. To accomplish
its goals, SMEC provides high-quality programs in a variety
of content disciplines taught primarily by university faculty
for in-service science and mathematics teachers, sponsors
the Summer
Ventures in Science and Mathematics (SVSM) program
at UNCW and the Southeast
Regional Science Fair.
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