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Portland
Monday afternoon
PST1D05: 8:30-9:15 p.m. What Happens When Light from the
Sun Shines on Earth?
Poster – Emily H. van Zee, Oregon State University, 267 Weniger Hall, Cor-
vallis, OR 97331;
Henri Jansen, Kenneth Winograd, Oregon State University
This question was the guiding theme for a physics course for prospective
elementary and middle school teachers. Emphasis was on questioning,
predicting, exploring, and discussing what one thinks and why. The course
also emphasized integrating physics and literacy learning. Units included
the nature of light phenomena, the nature of thermal phenomena, the
influence of light and thermal phenomena on local weather, the influ-
ence of light and thermal phenomena on global climate, the nature of
astronomical phenomena such as the phases of the moon, and reflection
on science teaching and learning. The course engaged the prospective
teachers in identifying resources upon which to build, developing powerful
ideas based on evidence, using those powerful ideas to develop an explana-
tion for an intriguing physical phenomenon, developing mathematical
representations for the phenomenon, and then using those mathematical
representations to estimate a quantity of interest. Partially supported by
National Science Foundation Grant No. DUE-0633752.
E – Pre-college/Informal and Outreach
PST1E01: 8:30-9:15 p.m. CA$HEd: Integrating Heliophysics
Concepts into the Classroom
Poster – Kathryn Whitman, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2644 Pacific
Heights Road, Honolulu, HI 96813;
Michael Nassir, Mary Ann Kadaooka, University of Hawaii at Manoa
At the beginning of 2010, the Center for Advancing $ystemic Heliophys-
ics Education (CA$HEd) was established to promote the education and
outreach of solar astronomy and heliophysics. CA$HEd strives to engage
teachers, students, and the general public through educational activities
that promote the conceptual understanding of the Sun and solar phys-
ics. Over the past three years, CA$HEd has applied many approaches to
advancing heliophysics outreach including public lectures, workshops
for students and teachers, curriculum development with Master Teach-
ers, mentoring science fair research projects by middle and high school
students, and classroom visits by astronomers. CA$HEd scientists have
worked closely with 10 Master Teachers in Hawaii to develop classroom
curriculum that provides students with the concepts they need to under-
stand topics in heliophysics while satisfying science standards. An over-
view of the CA$HEd program and a selection of key heliophysics concepts
will be presented.
PST1E02: 9:15-10 p.m. Comprehensive Model for Meaningful
STEM Integration in the Physics Classroom
Poster – Heather E. Buskirk, Johnstown High School, 1 Sir Bills Circle, John-
stown, NY 12095;
Bradford K. Hill, Beaverton School District
Together, the Patterns Approach for Physics, data driven engineering proj-
ects, and computational reasoning provide a comprehensive approach to
teaching and learning physics. Instruction throughout the course is framed
using the question “How do we find and use patterns in nature to predict
the future and understand the past”? Each instructional unit begins with
scenario and accompanying research question which prompts them to an
investigation. Students start by making initial guesses which is contrasted
with a data-informed prediction, found through extrapolation of the pat-
tern in the data. Additionally, each unit involves an iterative, data- driven
engineering project require students to apply patterns of physics, math-
ematical problem solving, and the tools of technology to solve a problem.
Throughout the experience students are repeatedly modeling the real work
of scientists and engineers and thus gain a greater understanding of the
nature of both physics and engineering.
PST1E03: 8:30-9:15 p.m. Connecting Scientists and Children
through In-Person and Virtual Lab Tours*
Poster – Robert D. Niederriter, University of Colorado-Boulder, 390 UCB,
Boulder, CO 80309-0390;
Kathleen Hinko, University of Colorado-Boulder
Through the Partnerships for Informal Science Education in the Com-
munity (PISEC) program, undergraduate and graduate student volun-
teers from the University of Colorado aim to increase interest in and
understanding of science among students at local elementary and middle
schools. Many children might never imagine themselves as scientists
without the chance to get to know scientists and see the daily work they do.
Field trips to the University of Colorado, featuring tours of labs, have long
been a staple of PISEC and are much enjoyed by students. To further con-
nect students to the science and scientists, we have filmed virtual lab tours
which give an inside view into the research of PISEC scientist volunteers.
We expect these videos to further bridge the gap between students and
scientists, encouraging children to consider studying science.
*(More about PISEC:
/)
PST1E04: 9:15-10 p.m. Physical Science Day: Design,
Implementation, and Assessment*
Poster – Liang Zeng, The University of Texas-Pan American, Department of
Physics and Geology, 1201 W. University Drive, Edinburg, TX 78539; zengl@
utpa.edu
Mark Cunningham, Steven Tidrow, Dorina Chipara, Chris Smith, Hector Leal,
The University of Texas-Pan American
Maria Luisa Guerra, Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District,
Edinburg, TX
Science coordinators from local school districts have reported their
students do not know what physics is about or about the wide range of
professions physicists qualify for, and thus lack interest in learning physics.
Physical Science Day at The University of Texas- Pan American (UTPA),
in collaboration with Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District,
has been designed, developed, and implemented to raise the awareness of
physics as a foundation of science, engineering, and technology disciplines
and promote students to study in physical science degree programs at
UTPA. Through activities including lab experiments and student testi-
monies, our results show that the event is effective at increasing student
knowledge about Physics, Physical Science and Chemistry programs as
well as in stimulating youth interest toward studying such disciplines
at UTPA. Due to the success of Physical Science Day, we are currently
expanding the scale of the event to support the participation of other
interested school districts.
*This project would not have been possible without the great guidance and strong
support of Ms. Maria Luisa Guerra. She proposed the idea that we need to bring
high school students to college campus rather than we go to high school campuses to
recruit because students need to see what the college has to offer.
PST1E05: 8:30-9:15 p.m. CAPStone: An MSP Program in
Durham, NC*
Poster – Alice D. Churukian, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Chapel Hill, NC 27599;
Cynthia Copolo, Summit Solutions Consultancy
Durham Public Schools and members of the UNC Physics and Astronomy
Department partnered to develop a professional development program in
physical science content for K-8 teachers’ Curriculum Alignment in Physi-
cal Science: Taking Ownership of New Essentials (CAPStone). The focus
of the program is improving physical science education for kindergarten
through 8th grade students by providing a high-quality professional
development program that will increase teachers’ content knowledge and
provide them with an instructional toolkit for teaching physical science
content. In its third year, the program has reached nearly 100 teachers in
Durham and surrounding school districts and impacted over 10,000 stu-
