Dave Kagan introduced the rules & procedure for Share ‘n Tell including the dreaded gong!
Bree Barnett Dreyfuss – Amador Valley High School
Recently Bree used Energizer AA batteries in a physics lab only to find that several students were being shocked by them. It turns out that the plastic covering on the bottom terminal of the battery was not very well covered and the multi-stranded wire used in the experiment was poking underneath the covering and shorting out the battery. Duracell AA batteries have a better covered bottom terminal. Energizers can be fixed by putting a hole reinforce on the bottom terminal so that the gap is sealed. If you attend her workshop later in the day you can try shocking yourself as her students did.
Tom Rossing – Standford University
Tom demonstrated a noise maker to discuss resonance in open and closed air tubes, self-resonant tuning fork/choir chime made from extruded aluminum.
Jeff Jorgensen – Arroyo High School
Introduced his Case study Portfolio – a how-to about his “case study” activity. Case studies on a variety of topics are available on his website. You can also access his site by going to http://ahs.schoolloop.com and under “Directory,” then “Staff,” choose Jeff to access his webpage. Feel free to email him as well: jjorgensen@slzusd.org.
Don Rathjen – retired from the Exploratorium Teacher Institute & Foothill High School
Don demonstrated a simple ballistic pendulum (used to measure muzzle velocity) made Teacher Institute-style with a plastic bottle and string. It allows you to measure the muzzle velocity of a toy dart gun. Don’s activity write-up is available here.
Frank Cascarano – Foothill College
Frank shared an angular momentum demo using cordless drill, pvc pipe, drill bit, rotating table. When standing on a rotating platform the drill is run like a helicopter, that makes him rotate in the other direction to conserve angular momentum. Frank’s website is here and his email is FCPhysics@gmail.com.
Dean Baird – Rio Americano High School
You know the Power Balance bracelet? He analyzes the videos and shows that the bracelet does not in fact make you stronger, his YouTube lesson shows the fallacy. He first delved into the phenomenon in his blog entry “Power Balance Bracelet,” and is now working on a full lesson on it.
Dean also demonstrated a jelly baby wave machine using Dots candy rather than buying the expensive demo. Put two dots per side on a bamboo skewer and attach with duct tape. Dean discusses his wave machine in “Connecting the Dots” on his blog, “The Blog of Phyz.”
Clarence Blakken – Gunn High School (retired) and Vernier
Vernier is giving out awards; Clarence wanted to share the new probes from Vernier and his Weblabs available on his website. Also, Great America Physics Days are coming soon! Be sure to check out the Electronic Data Collecting center at the Great America Physics Day.
Tucker Hiatt – Branson/ Wonderfest/ Standford University
Tucker discussed grading strategies including using an error range as we do use in science. For example if they got a 35/45 +/- 3 points may help deal with complaints.
Dan Burns – Las Gatos High School
“A Discovery is an event that reveals your ignorance.” – Dan Burns
A light shown in an LED creates a voltage. A red LED shown into a green LED will not produce a voltage to get it to light. Red LEDs do not have enough energy to give to a green LED (that has a larger band width) but a blue LED can “power” a green LED. A UV LED does not light any color, despite the fact that they have a larger amount of energy. Resource: Center for Nanoscale System Institute for Physics Teachers, reference the “Phantasic Photon” lab for more details.
Veenu Shekhar – Silicon Valley Labs
Veenu helped to manufacture labs about LEDs & solar cells for high school students. Have a grant from the EPA and working on more to produce labs for electronic labs for middle and high school students.
Jeff Arrigotti – PASCO (thank PASCO for the donuts!)
Jeff will be giving away a car track for dynamics and collisions (full set up with springs, etc. and a second one with Physics kit). The car tracks can be attached to several different set ups for multiple experiments.
Gunjan Raizada Chakravarty “Dr. G” – “Sowing the Seed of Physics”
Dr. G has been doing Physics workshops for elementary kids in libraries – gave an example of an inquiry style activity that she does with children. More information is available on her website.
Bernard Cleyet – retired
Explored the conductivity of the hot glue to see if it was the cause of a faulty glue gun (as reported on a PTSOS listserve). Also ask people to respond to a quick questionnaire.
Paul Robinson – San Mateo High School
Lunch is not provided – we will be providing refund for funds collected.
National level (AAPT) update – national meetings need more attendees and possibly reduce number of meetings?
Mentioned his website, www.laserpablo.com and his lab manual is out of print – available online now
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