Trickle Down Physics is a hands on science activity where students
learn and then teach
others. It starts with the University Professor to their students to CRV students attending
U of M Inreach to their peers in their
home classes to siblings.
Our typical schedule is to arrive at the
December 11, 2004 Properties
of Matter
Physical, Chemical, Electrical, Magnetic & Modern Physics
January 29, 2005 Waves
and Vibrations
Simple/ Complex Mechanical Oscillations,
Standing Waves/ Wave Motions,
Sound, Light, Geometric Options & Human Sight. This may
include a field trip to see the bells in the carillon tower.
February 12, 2005
Energy-
Kinetic, Work, Electrical, Engines,
Fluid/Thermal, Nuclear/Solar
March 12, 2005 Planetary Astronomy
Planetary
Astronomy,
Stellar Astronomy. Cosmology.
The
UM Physics and Astronomy Society students will do this joint activity. Activities will
include telescopes in the Astronomy building.
April 16, 2005 Newtonian
Mechanics
This
Saturday workshop will specifically prepare our participants for the workbook
experiments they will do on our Physics Day at Cedar Point. One this event the
UM students are team leaders. They have
a special invitation to the Ann Arbor Hands-on Science Museum in the afternoon.
An
additional activity:
May 19 2005 – Physics
Day at Cedar Point: This event brings
together the U of M Wilbur Peters Society of
Physics Students (SPS) members with students who have attended the
Saturday Workshops to do Physics Experiments in a “fun environment“ that
depends of the various laws of Physics for it’s success. Students will have a workbook
of experiments and will work in teams with SPS leaders to complete the book.
They will have free time to ride from
2:45 -6:00pm and arrive in their home area about 10:45 pm. The cost of the trip is $55.00.
May 15 ’04
Twelve UM / SPS served as team leaders in our annual 15th Physics Day at Cedar Point. Approximately 52-60 6th grade students attend annually.
April 17,’04
Completed the 17th year of Saturday Physics Inreach workshops for Middle School students. In addition to the usual four Saturdays, this year Katey Alatalo, 2005 president of the University Of Michigan Society Of Physics Students (SPS), coordinated with her counterpart in the astronomy department to create an “astrophysics” workshop. It was a success and will probably be repeated in 2005.
In addition to about 76
Inreach workshops at the Physics Department since its inception in 1988,
related field trips and visits have included the Nuclear Reactor, aerospace
wind tunnels, the wave lab, U of M Solar Car under construction, the Carillon
(bell) Tower, Natural History Museum and a variety of experimental laboratories.
May 3,’03
The 2nd U of M Physics Olympiad,
Michael Bernath and his
May 4’02
The 1st U of M Physics Olympiad, The Ovid Elsie team placed.
May ’02
Sue Palen, Leonard Elementary science teacher, and Bill Richards were inducted into membership in Sigma Pi Sigma - the National Physics Honor Society by U of M Society of Physics Students (SPS).
April ’02
The U of M Society of Physics students (SPS) added an extra workshop Saturday with a theme – “The Physics of Sports” in the overall team and won individual event places.
August 1993 and Spring ’94
A major article “Physics Rules” written by Stewart Ikeda was published in the Ann Arbor Observer and in the spring in the U of M LSA Magazine (Literature, Science and Arts) mailed to 125,000 alumni.
May ’90
The 1st CRV Cedar Point Physics Day took place with 8 students and several U of M members of SPS as their team leaders. The original Cedar Point workbooks were developed by Adam Coffman and Bill Richards.
July 1987 – April ‘2002
(Summary) The U of M Department of Physics Inreach (referred to as Trickle Down Physics by CRV) was initially a three day summer workshop for six sixth grade students. The first summer physics workshop was hosted by Adam Coffman (St Johns graduate attending the U of M and Dr. Jean Krisch, his Physics advisor and advisor to the Society of Physics Students.(SPS) When Adam graduated in 1991 Dr. Krisch was very interested and willing to continue the activity.
The Trickle Down theory has the information trickling down from the UM
Professor, to UM students to 6th grade students who share their
experiences locally and in class.