------- Initial Information on SLAPT Workshop Events for 2011-2012 School Year Posted Below --------
January 21, 2012: Lightwave Communications
WORKSHOP POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER
Host: Rex Rice
Time: 8:00 am to 12:00 noon
Location: Clayton High School, Room 203
Sign up no later than January 13, 2012 at THIS online form.
On Saturday, January 21, Rex Rice will present a workshop on the teaching of lightwave communications with some additional activities related to the physics of cell phones. This is a reprise of a workshop that has been presented by SLAPT twice before (1994 and 2000) that includes many of the materials developed as a Rutgers/
Industry Physics Module by the Rutgers University Center for Mathematics, Science, and Computer Education. The materials were developed by PTRA's Mark Davids and R. Stephen Rea, in cooperation with Paul Zitzewitz of the University of Michigan. Additional materials on teaching the physics of cell phones were developed by Mark Davids, Rick Forrest, and Don Pata, physics teachers from the Detroit Metro Area Physics Teachers. Additional background information can be found in THIS "The Physics Teacher" article.
In this workshop, participants will perform activities using a variety of devices which illustrate the principles of radio and lightwave communications. The workshop is that students should have a maximum of hands-on learning with equipment that is as simple (and inexpensive) as possible while still working reliably. In addition, connections need to be made between the simple materials and the complex modern technology of radio and lightwave communications. Teachers and students will find that this unit ties together the topics of sound, light, electric circuits, electromagnetic interactions, and digital communications.
When this workshop was presented in the past, it was a make and take workshop that cost $55.00 per kit. This workshop will not be a make and take, but the major make and take component (a bias circuit for modulating an electrical signal to a carrier lightwave) is now available for $19.50 from Arbor Scientific (http://www.arborsci.com/prod-Bias_Circuit_Board-1442.aspx). This is comparable with the cost (perhaps cheaper) than the cost of the parts to build the circuit. Information on how to obtain the parts for performing the activities with your students will be presented at the workshop.
We’ll do as many of the activities as we can complete in four hours scheduled for this workshop. The SLAPT meeting will begin at 8:00 am with a meet and greet session followed by the workshop activities that will begin promply at 8:30 am. We’ll have a goal of finishing by 11:30 am.
Please try to sign up for this workshop by 1/13/12 to give Rex enough time to make sure that enough handouts and equipment are available for the workshop participants. Late signups will be accepted, but printed documentation will only be available for participants who sign up by 1/13/12.
Please use the online registration form. Clayton High School is located at #1 Mark Twain Circle. From Maryland Avenue (Ladue Road) turn south on Topton way and then south on Mark Twain Circle. Park in the faculty parking lot (near the globe in front of the school) and follow signs to room 203 which is on the top floor just above the main entrance to the building. I look forward to showing participants our new science facilities at Clayton High School.
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February 2012: Joint American Chemical Society Meeting
Time: TBA
Location: TBA
Check back soon for further details on this event.
March 10, 2012: Google Documents and the Cloud
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00
Location: UMSL - one of the computer tech labs - details later
Date is not locked in, yet, but it looks like a go at this point. We will take a look at the great potential for the use of Google documents, and other "cloud" resources for document sharing, laboratory data distribution, sharing and several other uses. Check back soon for further details on this workshop.
------- Start Planning Your Six Flags Physics Day! --------
Date: Friday, April 27, 2012
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 5 pm
Again this year, Physics Day is exclusive to high school physics -- Math and Science day is one week later -- giving your students even better access to the rides. SLAPT highly recommends the picnic combo package that includes buffet lunch in the catering grove - it's much better than waiting in lines at the food vendor stations. If you choose to buy park admission tickets without the lunch, you can save several dollars per ticket if you order in advance. You also get one free chaperone ticket for every 15 paid tickets. Bus and car parking is $15 per vehicle. Processing fee is $10 and is indicated on the order form. When available, the 2012 order form will be available here to download. [For reference and to help budget, here is the 2011 Physics Day Order Form -- pricing has not been firmed up for 2012, yet], or call Six Flags at 636-938-4800 ext 288. Also again, this year, there will be data collection opportunities at Mr. Freeze with Vernier accelerometers. Students can wear a vest with the equipment attached and then download data following the ride. Teacher volunteers are needed throughout the day to staff the data collection equipment. If you are available, please fill out the volunteer form that will be posted here later this school year. Further information and curriculum materials can be downloaded HERE on this web site.
April/May 2012 SIUE Annual Physics Competition
Dates: April/May 2012
Time: TBA
Location: TBA
For information on prior contests, click: Annual SLAPT Physics Contest. Check back soon for further details on this annual student competition.
May 2012 SLAPT Planning Meeting for 2012-2013 School Year
Date: Date TBA
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00
Location: To be announced
This is the meeting to attend to pass on your great ideas for workshops and events. Check back soon for further details.
2011-2012 SLAPT President's Welcome
Gary Taylor, President – Saint Louis Area Physics Teachers
Welcome to the 2011-2012 Saint Louis Area Physics Teachers Association! Come and participate in the best peer-directed teacher support organization in the world (IMHO). We will be continuing our long tradition of workshops and meetings aimed to provide direct classroom support to you. Look at our schedule of events and come to one. You too will find great peer discussions, conversations, classroom lessons, unit planning strategies, and the latest research-based “best practices.” We have the most experienced physics teachers in the area giving workshops and providing personal support to the teachers of the Saint Louis Region (and beyond). Many of our workshop leaders have provided these same services at national conferences. Please let me know if you have a need in your classroom. SLAPT has many resources and we aim to serve. Don't forget to check out all the resources and archived information in this website starting with the page you are on right now: www.slapt.org And especially make sure you have signed up to receive our periodic emails giving details on all the workshops. Go HERE to do that. Thanks and I’ll see you at the next meeting. Gary Taylor, President -- gary.e.taylor@att.net
Join the American Association of Physics Teachers
Why should you become a member? It's easy, and there are nice tangible benefits: you will receive both Physics Today and either the Physics Teacher or the American Journal of Physics (your choice) in addition to online access to the magazines. AAPT sponsors contests, awards, pre-college and college teacher training programs, programs for physics students, two national meetings each year, facilitates collaborations between all sorts of physics teachers, and provides grants to sections.
Perhaps more importantly, though less tangibly, is that AAPT is our professional organization, and that membership is a professional responsibility. AAPT supports what we do, recruits and trains new teachers, voices our concerns to legislators, and boosts the prestige of our profession.
Additionally, our new AAPT section status gives SLAPT greater visibility and recognition in the national physics teacher community. Our involvement in AAPT through membership and participation in national meetings will further boost the strength and quality of service SLAPT provides to our members.
Click HERE to go to AAPT's online registration site.
Workshops and meetings planned for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year --- Many dates are TENTATIVE -- this website will be updated as they become firm.
Check back here for other possible event during the school year
West Point Bridge Design Contest-2012 St. Louis Version
The St. Louis Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has held a local contest in conjunction with the national West Point Bridge Design contest. Information on the 2011 local contest is available here: 2011 West Point Bridge Design Contest. Note that if you are wanting to enter the national qualifying round - the deadline is typically in February (2012). The local contest, however, is one round only and you can enter all the way up to end of March or early April 2012. Here is the link to the main USMA 2011 contest site: http://bridgecontest.usma.edu/ check back here for any updates to this information.
SIUE has renewed their offering of graduate level credit for attending SLAPT workshops
SIUE is offering three hours of graduate credit for attending SLAPT workshops. To be eligible one must show evidence of attending and participating in 40 hours worth of workshops, or 10 normal workshops over the course of a three year period. The Refresher Physics/New Teachers Workshops that were offered this year were 8 hours each and count for two normal workshops. In addition to attending workshops, a reflection of how you used the ideas gained from at least one SLAPT workshop in your own teaching and how you modified it to meet your students’ needs, resources, budget, etc. must be submitted. This paper should around 5 page in length and written like a Physics Teacher article.
The cost is as follows for the three hours (this price does not include fees):
Instate (Missouri is included): $751.50
Out of state: 1,878.50
Thank you to Thomas Foster for making this opportunity available to us. Contact him at SIUE for more information.Tom Foster; tfoster@siue.edu
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