From: "Henry, David" <HENRYD@BUFFALOSTATE.EDU>
Subject: [WNYPTA-LIST] WNYPTA meeting notes and Physics Olympics Ideas
Date: May 6, 2019 at 10:18:54 AM EDT
To: WNYPTA-LIST@LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU
Reply-To: "Henry, David" <HENRYD@BUFFALOSTATE.EDU>

We had a productive meeting on Saturday and we had a chance to do some preplanning for next year's Physics Olympics.  If you teach AP or IB Physics , maybe you can try some of these ideas out and let us know how they go.

Our last Meeting will be June 1, 2019.  Have a great spring and a productive conclusion to the school year!

2019 PO Ideas

 *   Soundproof Box:  Make a box (that can easily be opened) that can contain a cube of 10cm on a side (or so), that will reduce the sound level as much as possible.  We will measure the sound level with a wireless sound meter as a standard sound is played.
 *   Nerf Crossbow (possible M&T?):  Students gather data and then set bow to hot target.  Could possibly do this with straw rockets also.
 *   Vector Force addition challenge:  Set up a mass hanging from two ropes.  Students calculate the tension in the ropes.  Have inline luggage scales measure the tension to check answers.
 *   Penny Cantilever - use pennies to create a lever that gets to furthest from the edge the table.  Can score based on a ratio of distance from edge and number of pennies.  Maybe use Dominoes instead.
 *   Pendulum clock challenge.  Make one or more pendulum "stop watches" that can be used to time a series of events that will range from 5 seconds to 2 minutes.  (Alternatively, we could have them use waterdrops like Galileo.)
 *   We also looked at past NJAAPT Physics Olympics events:
    *   https://njaapt.org/page-18071
    *   https://njaapt.wildapricot.org/Physics-Olympics-2017
 *   And from Matawan Regional HS (a regular competitor in NJAAPT P.O.):  https://www.marsd.org/page/1016
Dave

David Henry, Associate Professor
Elementary Education and Reading
CEI, CUR Program Coordinator
Director New York State Master Teacher Program, Western Region
316D Bacon
SUNY Buffalo State
henryd@buffalostate.edu<mailto:henryd@buffalostate.edu>

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