Minneapolis Kids Science Club TrainingMinneapolis, Minnesota

March 23, 2010

A project of the Center for Science Education at EDC Inc,

Funded by the National Science Foundation NSF # 0917576

Copyright 2008 Education Development Center, Inc.

NPASS2 GoalTo create a scalable model of

OST science programming that regularly engages children in meaningful science exploration and which peaks their interest and confidence in pursuing study and career options in the STEM fields

% of US 4th and 8th graders proficient in science. (NAEP 2005)

29

% of US 12th graders, proficient in science.

18

% increase between 1998 and 2008 in the number of US jobs requiring training in STEM

51

% by which this is faster than the overall job growth in the overall US economy

400

% of HS graduates aged 25 – 29 (2000) with bachelor’s or higher degrees in science

Whites 36 African Americans 21 Hispanics 15

% of women in the US workforce.

45

% of science and engineering jobs in business and industry held by women

12

Factor that predicts better than test performance which eighth-grade students will pursue careers in science

Interest in science careers

Avoid…

Indirect/informal (2nd hand) Training

Doing the work for the kidsDrop-in by kids Too many/few kidsGetting mad/frustrated

Spinning Toys!

What are we doing?

Challenge # 1: Make a Top Make a TOP out of any of these materials

Make it spin for at least 20 seconds

MATERIALS• 2 Heavy Paper

Plates• I dowel• I pencil• 2 Rubber

Bumpers• 2 Binder clips

Roles• Builder• Materials • “Spy”• Presenter

What do I do? What to think about Make a top with the

materials provided. Practice “launching” the

top by using your hands. Make changes to your

top that allow it to spin longer.

Time how your top spins, and record the times on a data sheet

Does it matter whether the dowel is exactly in the middle of the plate?

Why does the dowel need to be fixed tightly to the plate?

What is the best way to launch the top?

What is the fairest way to time your top? When should you start & stop the clock?

Discussion QuestionsDo not tell the children what is wrong with their tops or how to fix them

General questions: Specific questions: What works (and what

doesn’t)?

What have you tried (and what happened)?

What has worked for other teams?

How did the rubber bumpers help your top?

How did you keep the plate fixed tightly to the axle? Why does it matter?

How did you spin the top? Did your top wobble? What

did/could you do to stop the wobble?

What happened if your axle wasn’t exactly in the middle of the plate?

How did you find the middle of the plate?

How could you change the design to make it work better?

Example what works chartWhat Works What Doesn’t

The hole in the middle of the plate

Sharp PencilBumpers on top of platesPlates low on dowelBumpers tightSpin really hardBigger plates spin betterFast launch

Hole not in middle

Plates high on dowelSpin too hardBigger plates are worseSharp point on dowelSlow launch

Challenge # 2: Weight and Width

Make a new TOP with these extra materials Can you make it spin for 60 seconds Can you make a string launcher

MATERIALS• 4 - 6 Heavy Paper Plates,

various sizes• I dowel, pencil• 2 Rubber Bumpers• 2 Binder clips• String and index card

Roles• Builder• Materials • “Spy”• Presenter

What do I do? What to think about Choose two plates of one size

with which to build your new top.

Make a new top using all four plates.

Spin your top 3 times and measure how long it spins each time.

Add 2 more plates, spin 3 times, and record the spin times again.

Repeat this process until you have filled all lines on data chart.

What difference does adding extra plates make?

Is there an optimum (best) plate size?

Leading the Activity

As the children make their new tops and test them, walk among the teams to make sure that they are using a consistent experimental procedure. Common errors they make in procedure are:

1. Launch technique: Is the same person launching all tests and do they use the same method?

2. Plates are at different heights on the dowel from one test to the next.

3. Plates are not squeezed tightly between rubber bumpers each time.

4. Children do not record results immediately and accurately.5. Children use different standards for timing from one test to the

next.

Troubleshooting

Leading the DiscussionAfter ample time has passed, call the whole group

together to share their results. Do this even if some teams have not finished testing yet. Pin or tape their

data sheet on the wall and have everyone take a look at the whole data set. Ask them:

• Does anything stand out for you from this data?• Can you draw any firm conclusions about the best weight and width for a top made from these materials?

They may still not be able to decide conclusively which configuration works best. Some conclusions you can all agree on are:

• Bigger plates seem to spin longer as long as you don’t use too many at once.• More plates seem to spin longer up to a point. After a certain number, it gets harder to get them spinning at all.• To really test the best design, all of the tops would have to start pinning at the same speed.

Challenge# 3: Yo-Yos Make a Yo-Yo with these materials Can you make it spin back up to your hand

MATERIALS• 2 Heavy Paper Plates• I dowel• 1 wooden spool• Cotton string (30

inches)• 2 Rubber Bumpers

Roles• Builder• Materials • “Spy”• Presenter

What do I do? What to think about Make a yo-yo with the

materials provided. Practice “releasing” your yo-

yo so it comes back up after it travels down the string.

If your yo-yo wobbles, make changes to it that make it spin steadily.

Why does the axle need to be fixed tightly to the plate?

Does it matter whether the axle in in the middle of the plate?

What is the best way to release the yo-yo?

While the children are working on their first yo-yos, walk among them, checking in that everything is going well. Be as helpful and engaged with them as you can with out doing the work for them. Ask the usual questions:

• What works (and what doesn’t)?• What have you tried (and what happened)?• What has worked for other teams?

Leading the Activity

TroubleshootingProblem Possible Causes Plates wobble on the way down

String catches on edges of plates

Yo-yo will not climb back up string

String slips out of hand

Yo-yo falls freely but won’t climb back more than half way

1.String not centered between plates

2.Plates not balanced3.Axle not in center of plates

1.Platesfacing IN instead of OUT2.String not in center of axle

1.String not tied tightly to axle2.String rubbing on plates,

creating friction

1.Not using a slipknot loop

1.Not using the “little jerk trick”

Leading the DiscussionWhat Works What Doesn’t Holes in middle of plate String in middle between

plates Rubber bumpers are tight Tight loop on finger Smaller plates spin faster Drop the yo-yo; don’t throw it Two sides balanced

Hole not in middle Throw too hard Bigger plates are slower Slow launch Different sized (or number of)

plates on each side String loose on axle

• What would happen if you added more plates?• What would happen if you used larger or smaller plates?• How do you make the yo-yo come all the way back up to your hand?

AssessmentSkills Behaviors Think through their designs

and deal with problems in a skillful manner.

Work cooperatively together Describe to you and to each

other how they did whatever they did and how it worked.

Focus on what they actually see happening rather than what they think should happen.

Taking turns and sharing the hands-on work.

Asking each other for help before asking you.

Listening when their peers share ideas.

Responding constructively to ideas.

Making deliberate changes to their designs to improve how they work.

Making changes only one factor at a time.

Keeping accurate and clear data and records, where appropriate.

Questions?

Copyright 2008 Education Development Center, Inc.

NPASS2 website:http://npass2.edc.org