LIGHT & SHADOW
|
LIGHT & SHADOW
Would you be able to identify an object simply by looking at the shadow it casts? Students in this class will explore how a shadow is cast and what effects its length, shape and contrast. This hour culminates with an explanation of how shadows cast in sunlight may be used to tell time. |
LIQUIDS
How could you tell one clear liquid from another? Properties such as viscosity and surface tension make fluids behave differently under the same conditions. Your students will set up a "Mystery Fluid Racetrack" to help them observe and compare these properties among various safe liquids. |
 |
BUBBLES
Basic characteristics such as color, size and shape can be discovered and reinforced in this fun and exciting experimentation with bubbles. Young students (K-1) are given the opportunity to discover properties of bubbles through a hands-on experience. Children are given a bubble wand and, along with a TMSC instructor, they explore one property of bubbles at a time through thought-provoking questions. |
SOUND
An intangible concept such as sound is easily explained through hands-on experiments with tuning forks and straw flutes. The basic concepts covered are sound as vibrations, how we hear, frequency an pitch. |
 |
GRAVITY
Everyone is familiar with gravity and its effects, but few people truly understand it. This course introduces students to the effects of gravity on the Earth and moon, and in outer space through the use of interactive laserdisc technology. Additionally, students will judge the factors that determine how objects fall by using hands-on experiments and computer simulations. |
TOYS IN SPACE
How do your favorite toys work in the near-weightless environment of outer space? How do they work here on Earth? This class investigates how various physical forces act on popular toys. Students will experiment with the toys to learn just what forces affect them, hypothesize how these same toys would work in space, then see video footage of them being used by astronauts on the Space Shuttle. |
MAGNETS
Magnetic forces often seem magical to young children, as certain objects will suddenly "stick together," while others won't. We will bring these invisible forces into view as your students will learn the characteristics of magnetic objects and explore their wondrous properties. |
ELECTROMAGNETS
The study of how electrical forces combine to form magnetic forces (and vice-versa) is detailed in this activity, where students build a magnet using a battery to send current through a wire. The application of this phenomena in everyday technology is emphasized. |
 |
 |
SIMPLE CIRCUITS
Can you light a bulb with one piece of wire and one battery? Students will find out in this class, as they learn concepts of current and voltage. Working in groups, students arrange bulbs and batteries in various series and parallel configurations and observe the results. These simple concepts can be related to more complicated circuits, such as those found in computers, televisions, and other common electronic devices. |
SUNLIGHT TO ELECTRICITY
How could electrical appliances work using only sunlight as a power source? Silicon solar cells offer a solution. Learn how much energy the Sun can produce and how much we can harness from this conversion. Students will experiment with these cells to discover the factors that influence their power output. |
SOLAR ENERGY
How can we use the sun's rays to supply us with our ever-growing energy needs? Using special solar panels, in combination with a set of thermometers, students will investigate how to capture the maximum amount of heat energy from the Sun. |
LIGHT & LASER
Experiment with the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that our eyes can see. The various colors of light are made of different wavelengths of energy that can combine to form white light. Students will construct their very own "color wheels" which combine a set of colors into white light and separate white light into colors again. Then, using a laser, properties such as reflection, refraction and absorption are investigated. |
 |
 |
WIND ENERGY AND WINDMILLS
The wind has been used as a source of energy since the beginning of civilization. Through an interactive program, students will discover which lands use windmills and why. Then, they will work in groups to construct a windmill and test its power output under varying wind conditions. |
PAPER AIRPLANES AND KITES
Our ability to fly is based on an understanding of the physical principles pertaining to the atmosphere, such as lift, thrust and drag. Your students will construct a variety of simple flying devices to examine these properties first-hand. |
 |
SIMPLE MACHINES
Ever since prehistoric time, humankind has sought ways to simplify work through the use of simple machines, or tools. The discovery of these "inventions" and their application, has paved the way for the technological society of today. Students will explore the reasons why simple machines such as the wheel, the lever, and the inclined plane are powerful tools for getting work accomplished more easily than by doing it by hand. |
PENDULUMS
Galileo Galilee was the first to discover the principles behind the osculating motion of a pendulum. Your students will set up an experimental system in the classroom that will demonstrate these very principles. |
 |
RACEWAY PHYSICS
Is the shortest path between two points really a straight line? It may not seem to be in this class, as your students will learn how forces such as gravity and friction effect velocity and acceleration. Students will build a system of tracks to investigate how different masses behave under these forces. |
STRUCTURES
Engineers are often faced with the challenge of making strong structures from lightweight materials. Could you do the same? Students will experiment with simple materials such as paper and straws in an effort to design the structure that can support the greatest weight. |
 |