Fall 2008 Meeting of the Illinois Section of the AAPT and the IACT (Illinois Association of Chemistry Teachers)
"Energy"
October 10-11, 2008
Illinois State University
Department of Physics
Normal, Illinois
Program Fees Attendees Photos
Invited Speakers
Workshops & Planetarium Program
Presentations
The Distinguished Service Citation will be presented to Dave Sykes, Lincoln Land Community College, Springfield.
Invited Talks
"Remote Access Telescope", Friday at 1:30
Albert Grauer, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona
"Wind Energy", Friday at 4:00
John Fulton, Horizon Wind Energy
"Energy and the Structure of Matter: Common Threads from Physics to Chemistry", Friday banquet speaker
Gregg Swackhamer, Glenbrook North High School, Northbrook, Illinois
"The ISU Solar Car Team", Saturday at 9:30
Daniel Holland, Illinois State University
"Photovoltaics for Today and Tomorrow", Saturday at 10:00
David Marx, Illinois State University
Workshops
W1. "Future Teachers"
Willy Hunter, Chemistry Department, Illinois State University
Kenneth Wester, Physics Department, Illinois State University
This session is intended for students considering a science teaching career.
In Illinois, science teacher education has changed over the past 15 years and will continue to do so. The current certification involves students becoming eligible to teach all of biology, chemistry, earth science, and physics as part of their preparation. Pre-service science teachers can expect to take courses in lesson design, pedagogy and assessment.
In this session, we will describe the sequences of courses to be taken to become a science teacher in Illinois, the job prospects over the next 15 years, and some of the challenges and opportunities that new teachers may encounter.
W2. "Inquiry and Student-Centered Learning in Chemistry"
Sara McCubbins and Angie Codron, Chemistry Department Illinois State University
This workshop presents a year-long curriculum utilizing performance-based assessments in Chemistry II. These assessments provide evidence for a forensics crime and hit on a wide variety of chemistry topics. Students collect evidence and assemble their findings in a PowerPoint that they present at the end of the year.
W3. "GE and Alternative Energy Sources"
Anthony Nelson, Warren Township High School, Gurnee, IL
The world is hurting for energy as never before. We use about 21 million barrels of oil per day in the U.S. and the rest of the world wants to live as Americans do. Energy is at an all time premium and our students will face challenges of Global Warming and the end of cheap oil. Join us as we investigate possible answers through Alternative Energy Solutions
W4. "Modeling Chemistry"
Barbara Gottemoller, Mount Zion High School,Mount Zion, IL
Modeling Chemistry is an inquiry based chemistry program that helps students develop conceptual models of particles and their interactions. Experience a lesson in a unit and gather ideas on developing inquiry based lessons.
W5. "A Collection of Energy Demos and Activities"
Don Reid, Lincolnwood High School, Carlinville, IL
The presentation will include a collection of demonstrations, activities, and a lab on energy including:
Sad/happy balls
Fire w/electricity
Luminol and corn syrup
Newton's cradle - with bowling balls
Conservation of energy using poppers, tops, flying Barbies, and a GEE/HAW whimmy diddle
Melting ice race
Liquid nitrogen and phase changes
The world's simplest motor (make and take)
Ramp race - with bowling balls
A make and take version of the ramp race (maybe)
A lab using you as the subject of work, energy and power
W6. "Engineering is Fun! - Producing a Science Camp for Your Community"
Beth Chamberlain, Danville High School, Danville, IL
Have you ever thought about producing a science camp in your community? Beth Chamberlain, director of seven science camps, will provide ideas on how to organize a one-week camp, secure funds, and implement an engineering camp for 1st-8th graders. The opportunity to experience T-shirt chromatography will also be provided.
W7. "The Scientific Method"
Anthony Nelson, Warren Township High School, Gurnee, IL
What is science? How does it really work? Do the pieces of science really work as advertised, or are the critics of science right to doubt our methodology? With science education under fire from many sources, how does the Scientific Method begin to address the needs of teachers concerned with scientific literacy? Join us as we explore the Scientific Method in a new, engaging way.
W8. "Reading Strategies in the Science Classroom"
Lynn Otterson, Warren Township High School, Gurnee, IL
Come and explore various reading strategies to help your students decipher the intense vocabulary and subject matter in the science classroom. You will be provided with a complete strategy packet at the end of the session.
W9. "Bicycle Energy"
Zach Metzger, Riverside-Brookfield High School, Riverside, IL
Have you ever wondered if Gilligan could really power the coconut radio using a homemade bicycle? In this workshop, we will demonstrate a bicycle-coupled power generator built from scratch, as well as walk through the steps to building your own human power plant. Discussion will center on finding parts, problems in constructing the device, and how to use this device for various Physics units (Energy, Circuits, Angular Momentum, and more!).
W10.
"Wii Remote in Physics Labs"
Lenore Horner, Scott Miller, Heather Lynch, Thomas Duncan, and Andrew Martin, Physics Department, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Participants will work through several brief experiments designed to exploit the Wii remote (Wiimote) as a data-gathering device. Participants will also be taking advantage of new, operating-system independent, software designed for using the Wiimote to do physics. Participants will receive copies of the software. Laptops and Wiimotes will be provided for the workshop.
W11.
"Matter and Interactions"
Tom Foster, Physics Department, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
A cynic might be tempted to compare a traditional physics introductory textbook to public radio stations: All classical; all the time. Indeed, even the descriptors of classical vs. modern physics are mislabeled because "modern" physics is based in the last century. The challenge of the Matter & Interactions curriculum is to bring contemporary physics into the introductory sequence including a healthy dose of computational problem-solving. Students are encouraged to use a few fundamental principles to describe a variety of situations ranging from the stars to the atom. The M&I curriculum also provides an excellent bridge to chemistry through the detailed discussions of matter.
PL. "Galaxies" - Planetarium Program
Tom Willmitch, Physics Department
Illinois State University
Travel on a voyage of discovery with Timothy Ferris to the far reaches of the Milky Way Galaxy and beyond. Take a trip to the glittering stars and beautiful nebulae of our galaxy's spiral arms. Journey to the Milky Way's pulsating heart of black holes. Then venture to the realm of the galaxies and back in time to the beginning of the Universe.
WF. Twin Grove Wind Farm - Tour
John Fulton, Horizon Wind Energy
The current plan is that this will be a self-guided tour that will take from 2-3 hours. Tentative starting times are at 5:00 pm on Friday (immediately following John's talk) and at 1:00 pm on Saturday. You will need to provide your own transportation. Further details will be provided at the registration table when you check in.
Host - Carl Wenning, Physics Department, Illinois State University, wenning@phy.ilstu.edu