Amusement Park and Playground physics ideas are zooming around again. Here is a collection of LC and external resources to start your activities rolling along. If you can not take your students ' out to a park' for the day, consider having them design and build rides. Playground equipment works well to stimulate learning, too. patty
This is a great topic! I remember studying physics in high school and taking a trip to the local amusement park. We had a list of things we needed to find out but we had the whole day to do it. We were learning while having fun and couldn't tell the difference. If you ever have the opportunity to take the kids to an amusement park to explore physics I highly recommend it! That lesson is one that I still remember and your students will probably never forget!
Did you wear any instrumentation that recorded G forces or acceleration??
Hi Colin, Thanks for the enthusiastic and supportive comment. You are so fortunate to be of the generation that may have experienced this type of inquiry while in school and now in a position to craft similar activities for your students. Way to go!! ~patty
Frank, Did you do Amusement Park Physics and gather data with digital devices? ~patty
Patricia- Thank you for this post. It reminded me of conversation I overheard in which some parents were mocking a homeschooling activity in which parents did exactly what you've highlighted: taking the kids to the amusement park to study various scientific concepts. It's so good to know that if done with planning and preparation using the right resources and asking pointed questions, these types of outings can be very educational as well as very, very fun. All the best, Naomi Beverly
Hi Naomi, These types of activities may be done at local playgrounds, too, and would not require a great outlay of funds or travel time on the resources of the parents. Playground physics is a great activity. Swings (pendulum motion and SHM) slides (ramps and finding g) merry go rounds (circular motion) Hanging bars (forces and tension in arms and strings etc.) There are so many fun activities. In the past, some of my high school students did projects with playground physics and they and their babysitting charges had great phun! ~patty
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