From: "Henry, David" <HENRYD@BUFFALOSTATE.EDU>
Date: November 3, 2008 8:41:24 AM EST (CA)
To: WNYPTA-LIST@LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU
Subject: Announcing the 2008 Western New York Physics Olympics - time to register!
Reply-To: "Henry, David" <HENRYD@BUFFALOSTATE.EDU>

2008 Western New York Physics Olympics

It is time for the Western New York Physics Teachers Alliance Physics
Olympics for middle and high school students!  This year will be our
fifth annual event and will be held on Saturday, November 22 in the
Science Building at Buffalo State College.

Our Physics Olympics events involve problem solving, creativity, quick
thinking, teamwork and some luck.  We run this event with volunteer
teachers and we keep it low intensity and friendly.  Students will work
in teams of 2-5 students.  Each team will complete three different
Physics Olympics events, rotating from one event to another.  Here is an
approximate schedule for the day:

8:30-8:50         Registration, Foyer of the Science Building.

8:50-9:45         Event 1

9:55-10:50       Event 2

11:00-11:55     Event 3

12:00-12:30     Pizza lunch

12:30-1:15       Demonstration show

1:15-1:30         Awards 

The events do not require any preparation ahead of time, but it is a
good idea to have your students aware of what physics Olympics events
are like.  If you have never done Physics Olympics events with your
students, it is a great way to add some fun and friendly competition to
your classroom.  Examples of events from other campuses can be found
with a quick web search.  Samples of the events we have used in the past
years can be found at http://physicsed.buffalostate.edu/WNYPTA/meetings/
Check the 2006-07 and 2007-08 November meetings for archive events and
pictures from the past two years.  We always announce one event ahead of
time so you can have your students practice. The other two events will
not be known ahead of time, but I can give some clues:

Event 1:  Bowling Ball Race.  This will be the announced event.  More
details of this event will be sent in a second e-mail (our list serve
limits the number of characters, so I need to do this in two e-mails)

Event 2:  Some form of raw egg event.  This involved protecting an egg
from some dangerous event.  Always fun and exciting!

Event 3:  This will be some form of structure building (and
destruction).  The students will have to design and build a structure
from sticks and hot glue within given parameters.  Then we test the
strength of the structures.

Both middle school and high school students are invited to participate.
The scores tracked and calculated separately. All students will receive
a T-shirt and certificate commemorating their participation in the
Physics Olympics.  There are small prizes for the winning teams.

Because we are limited in space, each school is limited to three teams
(up to 12 students).  Most teachers do not have to turn away students,
but if you find that you have many students interested, we suggest that
you have your own local event and invite the winning teams to Buffalo
State.  If you have only one or two students who want to participate, we
can combine them with other singles to make a team.  Many teachers have
students find their own transportation, but some have arranged for
school transport.  We suggest an arrival time of 8:15 and a departure
time of 1:45.  Direction to Buffalo State and campus maps can be found
at http://www.buffalostate.edu/directions.xml   Use parking lots R and
S-1.  

Registration:  To register please email the following information to
Dave Henry at henryd@buffalostate.edu by November 14, 2008

1.     School Name

2.    Grade level (high school or middle school)

3.    Number of students you expect will participate.  We do not need
their names at this time, we will officially register the teams on the
morning of the event.

4.    Number of adults/teachers who are attending and willing to help
out with running the events.

5.    Please download the photo release form from  
http://physicsed.buffalostate.edu/WNYPTA/meetings/2008-09/ , or e-mail
me and I will send you an electronic copy.  Copy the form for your
participating students, and have them bring completed forms on the day
of the event.

Please contact me if you have any questions!

David Henry, Ph.D.

Elementary Education and Reading

Buffalo State College

Buffalo NY

henryd@buffalostate.edu

(716) 878-5619

It is almost a miracle that modern teaching methods have not yet
entirely strangled the holy curiousity of inquiry; for what this
delicate little plant needs more than anything, besides stimulation, is
freedom. 

WNYPTA home page <http://physicsed.buffalostate.edu/WNYPTA/>