From: Lara Kipperman (chemkipp@mac.com)
Date: Thu Dec 04 2003 - 21:57:44 PST
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2003 21:57:44 -0800 Subject: Re: Pinhole Digest #1382 - 12/04/03 From: Lara Kipperman <chemkipp@mac.com> Message-Id: <F2285E47-26E7-11D8-B057-000502B71BAF@mac.com>
Kim,
Last year, I tagged along when GWHS math club went to Great America on
Physics Day or Math Day, I don't remember which. Great America is a
fun field trip for the kids or you can give real assignments (they've
got tons of lesson plans) and the students can learn a lot. You can
also mix it up.
I thought it was a great day, but I personally wouldn't take AP kids
away from the classroom right before any AP exam. I don't recall which
day we were there because it was after AP exams and most students just
went for the release and fun. AP teachers chaperoned and we enjoyed
the place too!
Science Day and Math Day are populated more by young kids than HS kids
but all three days have students of all ages. It felt emptier, safer,
and friendlier than on "normal" open-to-the-public days. On physics
day Gunn High School sets up awesome booths with 3-D accelerometers
mounted in vests that they loan out. Your kids can borrow those vests,
take them on any coaster or ride, bring back the unit, and save the
data onto disks. It's really quite cool to examine the relationship
between displacement, acceleration, and how the kids actually feel on
the ride. Lots of good physics!!!
Personally, I wouldn't take an AP class to Great America before and
especially so close to the AP exam. If any of the three dates fell
after the exam date, and if I could stomach the cost I'd take them.
It's a fun day and IMO, a nice reward after the trauma of AP exams.
It's a nice way to spend time with these kids you've spent so much time
with and just have fun with them in the bumper cars. On the bus ride
home, almost all students slept the whole way -- they were exhausted.
The Exploratorium is different. I think the Exploratorium is a
worthwhile field trip any time (other than the three weeks right before
the AP exam) for physics. So much good hands on physics there...
I've also seen great summer assignments for AP Bio that require
students to go to the Exploratorium on their own ...
If you do go to Great America, check out the roller coaster
competition, it's super cool and the students participating really
shine! I'd love Exploratorium to host a similar competition locally
for us SF folk....
-- Lara Kipperman
AP Chem
GWHS
On Wednesday, December 3, 2003, at 11:20 PM, Pinhole Listserv wrote:
> Subject: physics day at Great America
> From: "Kim Greco" <kimg@pop.sonic.net>
> Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2003 20:35:15 -0800
>
> Could someone answer some questions for me about this?
> (a) Are Physics Day, Science Day, and Math Day all about the
> same thing for the kids? or are some more appropriate for middle
> school?
>
> (b) Why is Physics Day before the AP tests?
>
> (c) Is it worth the trip, which would be about three hours
> each way for my kids out in the sticks? I'm talking AP physics
> students and some AP bio students as well.
>
> (d) Is it better than a field trip to the Exploratorium?
>
> Thanks for all your input.
>
> Kim Greco
> AP/CP Physics
> El Molino High School
> Forestville
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