The UIUC Physics Van (and some other outreach efforts)

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The UIUC Physics Van(and some other outreach
efforts)
Mats Selen, Nov/8/02
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UIUC Physics Van Overview

• Traveling science show of exciting experiments
  staffed by volunteer undergraduates from all over
  campus.
• Target area elementary schools (100 mile
  radius).
• Other venues
• Illinois State Fair
• Adler Planetarium
• Snowmass (Colorado!)
• Chicago Academy of Sciences
• Girl/Boy Scouts, Home Schools, BOAST, IMSA etc
• Many others
• We have done 320 shows since 1994
• Seen by over 43,000 kids 3400 adults !
• We are funded (largely) by the UIUC Physics
  Department.
• About 5,000 per year for supplies/travel 2 x
  25 TA positions.

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Physics Van How its done
First recruit volunteers
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Rent Van from the UIUC motor-pool and pack it
with interesting experiments
Drive to the show( 1 hour)
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The Volunteers love it too !
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Meet the kids
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Everyone Has Fun
5 sec video clip
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Whys Guy Wednesday Live Shots

• We do Live Science shots every Wednesday
  morning on Channel 3 (WCIA).
• Connection to Ch. 3 developed because of Physics
  Van (long story).

45 sec video clip
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Physics 123 How The World WorksA science class
for elementary education majors

• Current Physical Science requirements is 2
  Gen-Eds
• Students usually take Nutrition Geography
• Most are very intimidated by hard science.
• K-4 Education Standards say elementary school
  teachers should know how to teach quite a bit of
  physics
• Properties of matter, forces motion, heat,
  sound, light, electricity, magnets
• We are designing a new 3-hr PS Gen Ed class
  targeting these students (about 150/year).
• Using inquiry based teaching (working with Ed.
  College).
• Each Week
• 2 hour inquiry based lab (Monday)
• Web based homework instructor feed-back
• 1 hour lecture/discussion (Friday)

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Physics 123 How The World WorksA science class
for elementary education majors

• Introduction
• 1. Uncertainty and the Nature of Science
• Properties of Matter
• 2. Atoms and Molecules
• 3. States of Matter
• 4. Volume and Density
• 5. Floating and Sinking
• Forces and Motion
• 6. Measuring and Graphing Motion
• 7. Simple Forces
• 8. Investigating Gravity
• 9. Rolling and Ramps
• 10. Levers Pulleys
• Electricity and Magnetism
• 11. Playing with simple circuits
• 12. Understanding Voltage and Current

Prototype offering in Fall/03(probably limit to
20 students)
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Other Efforts

• Participation in GAMES summer camp for middle
  school girls.
• Every summer.
• Physics 111 Labs for High School Students
• Provide hands on experience with university labs.
• CyberClub
• Computer Literacy and Mathematics Enrichment
  Program for Disadvantaged Middle School Youths.
• The Physics of Baseball (Al Nathan)