January 6, 2000

Teaching Science with Toys was the focus of the January MU ARSI Teacher Partner meeting. Al Cote', Curriculum Specialist for Ohio University Resource Collaborative, facilitated the session based on a program developed through Miami University of Ohio.

Teacher Partners and guests were actively involved in inquiry activities using familiar toys as well as looking at what research has to say about child's play. Some of the toys available were used in experiments in the 1985 Space Shuttle Discovery Mission.
 
 
 

	Middle School Teacher Partners Glenn, John, Linda and guest, Tina, work with a box full of track to explore their Loop-the-Loop Challenge.
	Presenter Al observes Teacher Partners John and Glen and guest Tina as they work with a track and marble to explore gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy and centripetal force.
	How many loops can a marble go through successfully? John, Glenn and Tina try to decide.
	Linda and Tina add a loop.
	John adds a second loop.
	Up to 3 loops and finally the marble made it through all 4 loops.
	A Ramada Inn staff member gets involved. It just goes to prove that NO ONE can resist toys.
	The elementary Teacher Partners were quite precise in determining the slope for their energy force challenge, "Rolling Along".
	Teacher Partner Sandy fills her "car" with water.
	Sandy explains what happened with the bottle "car" in the elementary activity.
	Our presenter, OU Curriculum Specialist, Al Cote, elaborates about the elementary activity.
	High School Teacher Partners Diane and Danny make a "Homemade Roller Coaster" out of foam pipe insulation and a marble.
	The High School Teacher Partners Jo, Danny, Diane, Nancy and guest Jacqueline measure how far the marble goes when released from different heights while Curriculum Specialist Jill holds the "track".
	District Liaison Larry Lane and Teacher Partner Carolyn discuss district implementation of the day's training during break.
	Participants choose from this assortment of toys to determine how the toy worked in the "Simple Machine Activity".
	Teacher Partners Danny and John examine their "toys" to see how they work.
	Larry says "I did it", while Teacher Partner Nancy watches and guest, Jacqueline, works with her toy.
	Teacher Partners Carolyn and Susan decide which part goes next in their toy in "Gear Up With a Lego".
	Teacher Partners Nancy, Danny and Diane attempt to follow directions to construct their toy.
	Teacher Partners John, Glenn and Linda and guest Tina work on their vehicle and launcher.
	Linda and Glenn test their vehicle and launcher.
	TPs Jo and Rick launch their vehicle.
	Al, Nancy, Jo, Rick and Larry watch TPs Diane and Danny launch their vehicle.