Project Idea: Making Waves - Properties of Electromagnetic Waves.
The Idea
Many of the things physics deals with are waves. This includes sound, light, and vibrations in matter. It is helpful to use vibrating objects, such as we do in this project, to help visualize more abstract waves, such as electromagnetic waves, which include light.
What You Need
* slinky
* coiled spring "snakey"
* string
* stopwatch
* tape measure
* short, thin, metal pole or wooden dowel (10 cm in length and 2 mm in diameter should work well)
Method
For the following, be careful when working with stretched springs. Be careful not to let the spring go accidentally, which could cause the spring to whip around and possibly hit someone.
Longitudinal wave with a slinky
1) Stretch the slinky to about double or triple its original length. This requires two people.
2) Measure the distance between the two ends of the slinky.
3) From one of the ends, pull back on the slinky in the direction that the slinky is stretched by a few inches and release.
4) Observe the pulse moving from one end of the slinky to the other. Time how long it takes to go the measured distance from one end to the other.
5) Calculate the velocity of the pulse by dividing the distance the wave travels by the time it takes. (Use consistent units, meaning if you measure the distance in meters, the velocity will be in meters per second. If you measure the distance in inches, the velocity will be in inches per second.)
6) Increase the tension and calculate the velocity.
7) Decrease the tension and calculate the velocity.
Transverse wave with a coiled spring
1) Stretch the snakey (coil spring) to about double or triple its original length.
2) Measure the distance between the two ends of the spring.
3) From one of the ends, displace the coil along the floor perpendicular to its length by a few inches and release.
4) Measure the velocity of the pulse with increased and decreased tension as in the previous section.
Reflection from fixed and unconstrained ends
1) Working with the coiled spring, release a transverse pulse down the spring.
2) Both ends of the spring should be held tight.
3) Observe what happens to the pulse when it reaches the end held tightly in place.
4) Now, insert the dowel or a metal rod through one of the ends of the coil. The dowel should pass through one or a few coils in such a way that the coil is able to slide freely on the dowel.
5) Again release a transverse pulse down the spring and observe what happens when the pulse reaches the end.
Waves crossing into different media
1) Connect the slinky and the coiled spring together with a string.
2) Observe what happens to a pulse sent from the slinky side.
3) Now see what happens to a pulse sent from the coiled spring side.
4) In which section (slinky or coiled spring) does the pulse move fastest? If your springs are long enough, time it and calculate the velocity. With everything else equal, a less-tense spring gives you a little more time to make the measurement.
Read more at http://www.education.com/science-fair/article/making-waves-thought-node/
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
Monday, April 9, 2012
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Project Idea: Proucing Algal Oil
Project Idea: Proucing Algal Oil.
Grade Level: 6th - 12th; Type: Life Science, Physical Science
Objective:
This project measures the number of Calories in algae samples obtained from different environments in order to compare the amount of oil present in each sample.
The goal is to have the student test a hypothesis about optimal conditions for producing algal oil.
Research Questions:
* What conditions cause algae to produce the most oil?
* Is it possible to use calorimetry to differentiate between algae samples?
Algae are organisms commonly found in aquatic environments. The large multicellular macroalgae show up in ponds and in the ocean. They tend to be measurable in inches, although macroalgae in the ocean (giant kelp) can grow to more than 100 feet in lenght. Microalgae are tiny unicellular organisms that grow as suspensions in water; they are measurable in micrometers. They are frequently found in bogs, marshes, and swamps.
All algae require sunlight, water, nutrients, and carbon dioxide to grow. Through the process of photosynthesis, algae convert the carbon dioxide into glucose (a sugar). The glucose is then broken down into fatty acids, which under normal conditions, are used to produce membranes for new algal cells. If, however, the algae are starved of nutrients, the fatty acids produce fat molecules (oil). Most algae do not produce much oil unless they are physiologically stressed, which is to say deprived of one or more of their basic requirements for growth. Unfortunately for algal oil producers, algae produce much less mass when grown under starvation conditions.
Evaluating the oil content of algae usually requires expensive equipment not readily available outside chemistry laboratories. However it is possible to compare the relative contents oil in different types of algae using a calorimeter. In this method, the energy produced when an algae sample is burned is compared for different samples. (A calorimeter identifies the amount of heat produced when a sample burns by measuring the associated rise in temperature of a specific amount of water.) Because oil has a higher energy density than non-lipid tissue, the sample that contains the most oil will have the highest energy output.
Materials:
* Food calorimeter; algae; collection jars; notebook; filter paper; microwave oven; thermometer. Plans for (or commercial sources of) simple food calorimeters may be found on:
http://www.education.com/science-fair/article/calories-biochemical-energy/
http://www.carolina.com/product/food+calorimeter.do?keyword=food+claorimeter&
http://www.amazon.com/Economy-Calorimeter-Chamber-Flask-Instructions/dp/B0017Y9FKY/ref=sr_1_6?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1296106316&sr=1-6
* Materials can be found at a scientific supply house on the Internet.
* Materials are readily available.
Read more at http://www.education.com/science-fair/article/producing-algal-oil/
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
Grade Level: 6th - 12th; Type: Life Science, Physical Science
Objective:
This project measures the number of Calories in algae samples obtained from different environments in order to compare the amount of oil present in each sample.
The goal is to have the student test a hypothesis about optimal conditions for producing algal oil.
Research Questions:
* What conditions cause algae to produce the most oil?
* Is it possible to use calorimetry to differentiate between algae samples?
Algae are organisms commonly found in aquatic environments. The large multicellular macroalgae show up in ponds and in the ocean. They tend to be measurable in inches, although macroalgae in the ocean (giant kelp) can grow to more than 100 feet in lenght. Microalgae are tiny unicellular organisms that grow as suspensions in water; they are measurable in micrometers. They are frequently found in bogs, marshes, and swamps.
All algae require sunlight, water, nutrients, and carbon dioxide to grow. Through the process of photosynthesis, algae convert the carbon dioxide into glucose (a sugar). The glucose is then broken down into fatty acids, which under normal conditions, are used to produce membranes for new algal cells. If, however, the algae are starved of nutrients, the fatty acids produce fat molecules (oil). Most algae do not produce much oil unless they are physiologically stressed, which is to say deprived of one or more of their basic requirements for growth. Unfortunately for algal oil producers, algae produce much less mass when grown under starvation conditions.
Evaluating the oil content of algae usually requires expensive equipment not readily available outside chemistry laboratories. However it is possible to compare the relative contents oil in different types of algae using a calorimeter. In this method, the energy produced when an algae sample is burned is compared for different samples. (A calorimeter identifies the amount of heat produced when a sample burns by measuring the associated rise in temperature of a specific amount of water.) Because oil has a higher energy density than non-lipid tissue, the sample that contains the most oil will have the highest energy output.
Materials:
* Food calorimeter; algae; collection jars; notebook; filter paper; microwave oven; thermometer. Plans for (or commercial sources of) simple food calorimeters may be found on:
http://www.education.com/science-fair/article/calories-biochemical-energy/
http://www.carolina.com/product/food+calorimeter.do?keyword=food+claorimeter&
http://www.amazon.com/Economy-Calorimeter-Chamber-Flask-Instructions/dp/B0017Y9FKY/ref=sr_1_6?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1296106316&sr=1-6
* Materials can be found at a scientific supply house on the Internet.
* Materials are readily available.
Read more at http://www.education.com/science-fair/article/producing-algal-oil/
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
A Cambodian American Who Can Never Go Home
A Cambodian American who can never go home.
Immigrants taken to the US by their parents as young children grow up as Americans - but on paper they remain foreigners. This means they can be deported if they commit a crime, and condemned to a life of permanent exile.
Sam's first memory is riding a sledge in the snow on the way to primary school in New Hampshire.
His favourite film is Scarface and in breaks during our conversation, he raps Tupac lyrics. He loves skateboarding and going to the gym.
There are millions of American 20-somethings just like Sam but unlike them, Sam can never set foot in the US again.
Two-and-a-half years ago, Sam was deported from the US to Cambodia, a country he had never even visited before. A land of chaotic traffic, fermented fish and endemic corruption.
In the late 1970s and early 80s, in the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge regime, the US granted asylum to thousands of Cambodians fleeing the anarchy in their home country.
They set up home in places like Lowell, Massachusetts, and Long Beach, California. They got jobs, went to school, learned the language and became, in all but name, Americans.
Given permanent resident status, many never thought of applying for citizenship but in March 2002, in the wake of 9/11, the US and Cambodia signed an agreement allowing any non-citizen refugees who had committed felonies to be deported back to Cambodia.
Since then several hundred have been returned. Today they are stranded and lost, a long way from home.
I first met Sam in Phnom Penh 2010, just a few months after he'd arrived in Cambodia. Since then we have met several times to talk about what has happened to him.
Born in a refugee camp in Thailand, he arrived in the US one month old, with his mother, brother and sister.
Sam is proud of his childhood. Thrust into a bewildering, new world, things were not easy but he still talks happily of how he and the few other Khmer kids stuck together. And even though they were smaller than the rest, they would look out for each other and hold their own in fights.
After high school, Sam did a range of jobs, mainly factory work. He had a stint in juvenile detention for refusing to help a police investigation and a couple of other short stays in prison, including one for stealing a car radio and speakers.
But by 2009 he was working, living with his girlfriend and caring for his young son. That was when the immigration authorities took him in.
His earlier robbery of the car stereo made him liable for deportation at any time. After several months in detention, he was forced on a plane to Cambodia.
Last week, as we sat in a cafe Sam told me about what it was like arriving in the country.
"First day I get off the flight, officials surround me like vultures, because they think I got money. I got no money? They were talking to me in Cambodian, but I couldn't' understand."
Rubbing his head intently, as though still unable to process his experience, he continued: "Then we get out and it is hot. Hot! And all I've got is the clothes on my back and 28 cents in an envelope. And I was like, 'What the hell am I going to do? What the hell am I going to do?'"
Fortunately for Sam, the organisation RISC, which helps new returnees, picked him up from immigration at the airport and gave him a bed for a few nights. But this support is unusual. Most Cambodians have not warmed to the returnees.
"People die every day to try and go to America and for you to come back here? They think you're some kind of terrible person," Sam says.
Being a returnee is not something that's easy to hide. Sam has spent a long time in the gym in the US, he's twice the size of most Cambodian men, he has tattoos and speaks the language with a strong American twang. Blending in is not a possibility.
At first he spent a lot of his time with fellow returnees. Now he says he doesn't want to - that it doesn't help him settle in.
Many, already suffering from drug dependencies and untreated mental illnesses, find themselves drawn back into crime. It is not uncommon for returnees to end up trapped in Cambodia's bewildering and brutal penal system.
Sam has tried to get work but in a country where the average monthly salary is considerably under $50 (£32) a month it's not easy to find a job to support himself. Whenever we talk he tells me he feels like he's in a "daze", a feeling that he can't shake, a sense of bemusement. Although he knows it to be true, he can't accept that America has shunned him so completely. That it won't forgive him. Ever.
In the two years since I first met him, things have got a little better. He has joined a church which seems to provide him with a sense of belonging, his Khmer language skills have improved and with the help of friends and family in the States he can afford to rent an apartment.
But when I ask him if he might ever feel at home in Cambodia, he is adamant: "NO! Never! Definitely. Never ever! No matter how long I'm here. The feeling of being home is when you're really home. I'll never have that feeling again."
Read more at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17527030
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
Immigrants taken to the US by their parents as young children grow up as Americans - but on paper they remain foreigners. This means they can be deported if they commit a crime, and condemned to a life of permanent exile.
Sam's first memory is riding a sledge in the snow on the way to primary school in New Hampshire.
His favourite film is Scarface and in breaks during our conversation, he raps Tupac lyrics. He loves skateboarding and going to the gym.
There are millions of American 20-somethings just like Sam but unlike them, Sam can never set foot in the US again.
Two-and-a-half years ago, Sam was deported from the US to Cambodia, a country he had never even visited before. A land of chaotic traffic, fermented fish and endemic corruption.
In the late 1970s and early 80s, in the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge regime, the US granted asylum to thousands of Cambodians fleeing the anarchy in their home country.
They set up home in places like Lowell, Massachusetts, and Long Beach, California. They got jobs, went to school, learned the language and became, in all but name, Americans.
Given permanent resident status, many never thought of applying for citizenship but in March 2002, in the wake of 9/11, the US and Cambodia signed an agreement allowing any non-citizen refugees who had committed felonies to be deported back to Cambodia.
Since then several hundred have been returned. Today they are stranded and lost, a long way from home.
I first met Sam in Phnom Penh 2010, just a few months after he'd arrived in Cambodia. Since then we have met several times to talk about what has happened to him.
Born in a refugee camp in Thailand, he arrived in the US one month old, with his mother, brother and sister.
Sam is proud of his childhood. Thrust into a bewildering, new world, things were not easy but he still talks happily of how he and the few other Khmer kids stuck together. And even though they were smaller than the rest, they would look out for each other and hold their own in fights.
After high school, Sam did a range of jobs, mainly factory work. He had a stint in juvenile detention for refusing to help a police investigation and a couple of other short stays in prison, including one for stealing a car radio and speakers.
But by 2009 he was working, living with his girlfriend and caring for his young son. That was when the immigration authorities took him in.
His earlier robbery of the car stereo made him liable for deportation at any time. After several months in detention, he was forced on a plane to Cambodia.
Last week, as we sat in a cafe Sam told me about what it was like arriving in the country.
"First day I get off the flight, officials surround me like vultures, because they think I got money. I got no money? They were talking to me in Cambodian, but I couldn't' understand."
Rubbing his head intently, as though still unable to process his experience, he continued: "Then we get out and it is hot. Hot! And all I've got is the clothes on my back and 28 cents in an envelope. And I was like, 'What the hell am I going to do? What the hell am I going to do?'"
Fortunately for Sam, the organisation RISC, which helps new returnees, picked him up from immigration at the airport and gave him a bed for a few nights. But this support is unusual. Most Cambodians have not warmed to the returnees.
"People die every day to try and go to America and for you to come back here? They think you're some kind of terrible person," Sam says.
Being a returnee is not something that's easy to hide. Sam has spent a long time in the gym in the US, he's twice the size of most Cambodian men, he has tattoos and speaks the language with a strong American twang. Blending in is not a possibility.
At first he spent a lot of his time with fellow returnees. Now he says he doesn't want to - that it doesn't help him settle in.
Many, already suffering from drug dependencies and untreated mental illnesses, find themselves drawn back into crime. It is not uncommon for returnees to end up trapped in Cambodia's bewildering and brutal penal system.
Sam has tried to get work but in a country where the average monthly salary is considerably under $50 (£32) a month it's not easy to find a job to support himself. Whenever we talk he tells me he feels like he's in a "daze", a feeling that he can't shake, a sense of bemusement. Although he knows it to be true, he can't accept that America has shunned him so completely. That it won't forgive him. Ever.
In the two years since I first met him, things have got a little better. He has joined a church which seems to provide him with a sense of belonging, his Khmer language skills have improved and with the help of friends and family in the States he can afford to rent an apartment.
But when I ask him if he might ever feel at home in Cambodia, he is adamant: "NO! Never! Definitely. Never ever! No matter how long I'm here. The feeling of being home is when you're really home. I'll never have that feeling again."
Read more at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17527030
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Visit Ten Historical Places of Cambodia
Visit Ten Historical Places of Cambodia
The Kingdom of Cambodia belongs to the Southeast Asian nations. Cambodia relies solely on its textile and garment production and industry as well as tourism to sustain the needs of the country. As for tourism, everybody wants to go visit Cambodia's historical places, and here are some of them.
1.) Angkor Archaeological Park
This is the location of the world-famous Khmer civilization, a civilization so modern during its time that it still awes its present-day visitors. Here, you can visit the Temple of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom as well as the Bayon Temple. The best way to view all that Angkor has to offer is to take one of their tours, since they are more comprehensive than by just touring it yourself.
2.) Bokor National Park
This national park is the site where an old and dilapidated French hill station is located. It is rich in history as a lot of Khmer lost their lives for the creation of this used-to-be magnificent building. But other than this, you can also see a myriad of floras and faunas in the national park.
3.) Kampong Cham
This is Cambodia's third biggest city and is also a popular tourist destination, although not as popular as Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. You can also see a lot of beautiful places here like the Nokor Wat as well as the Bamboo Bridge that connects Koh Paen to Mekong. This city is also rich in French influence.
4.) Kompong Luong
This floating town is a must-see if your destination is Cambodia. This is a floating village in Tonle Sap where you can experience Cambodian culture firsthand. It is a delight to any foreigner to see schools and houses and restaurants float over the lake of Tonle Sap.
5.) Phnom Penh
Recognized as the biggest city of Cambodia, it is also Cambodia's capital city. There is a lot you can do here like visiting the Sisowath Bay where you can enjoy its quasi-carnival ambiance. This is also where The Royal Palace is located as well as The National Museum.
6.) Banlung
Here in Banlung, you will definitely enjoy visiting Yeak Laom Volcanic Lake where you can take picnics as well as swim in the lake. Virachey National Park is also located here, or you can visit the Wat Rahtanharahm where you can find the famous reclining Buddha. There are also a lot of wonderful waterfalls that you can visit here like Cha Ong and Kan Chang.
7.) Battambang
These are the must-go-to places in Battambang. You have to visit Wat Banan or what they call small Angkor Wat, and you have to go to Wat Baydamram or the bat temple where you can see fruit bats live in hundreds. Wat Ek Phnom is also a must-see place in this area.
8.) Resort town of Kep
This is a favorite seaside destination in Cambodia. Here, get to enjoy the Cambodian sun as you dine in platforms and eat fresh seafoods, and this is a great place where you can just relax and enjoy the sun and the sea. Visiting the Rabbit Island is also a must as you will definitely enjoy its white sand beaches.
9.) Koh Kong
Koh Kong is more for the nature lover as you will definitely enjoy majestic views of mountains and waterfalls as well as jungles. You can also visit their local zoo and the casino here if you want a more modern touch. Boat tours are popular here as you visit its islands and mangroves.
10.) Siem Reap
It is another favorite tourist spot in Cambodia. What you can see here is the Landmine Museum, which is dedicated to teaching and educating both the locals and the visitors about the hazards of land mines. You can also find a floating village here called the Kampong Phluck.
Read more at http://ezinearticles.com/?Visit-Ten-Historical-Places-of-Cambodia&id=1005868
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
The Kingdom of Cambodia belongs to the Southeast Asian nations. Cambodia relies solely on its textile and garment production and industry as well as tourism to sustain the needs of the country. As for tourism, everybody wants to go visit Cambodia's historical places, and here are some of them.
1.) Angkor Archaeological Park
This is the location of the world-famous Khmer civilization, a civilization so modern during its time that it still awes its present-day visitors. Here, you can visit the Temple of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom as well as the Bayon Temple. The best way to view all that Angkor has to offer is to take one of their tours, since they are more comprehensive than by just touring it yourself.
2.) Bokor National Park
This national park is the site where an old and dilapidated French hill station is located. It is rich in history as a lot of Khmer lost their lives for the creation of this used-to-be magnificent building. But other than this, you can also see a myriad of floras and faunas in the national park.
3.) Kampong Cham
This is Cambodia's third biggest city and is also a popular tourist destination, although not as popular as Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. You can also see a lot of beautiful places here like the Nokor Wat as well as the Bamboo Bridge that connects Koh Paen to Mekong. This city is also rich in French influence.
4.) Kompong Luong
This floating town is a must-see if your destination is Cambodia. This is a floating village in Tonle Sap where you can experience Cambodian culture firsthand. It is a delight to any foreigner to see schools and houses and restaurants float over the lake of Tonle Sap.
5.) Phnom Penh
Recognized as the biggest city of Cambodia, it is also Cambodia's capital city. There is a lot you can do here like visiting the Sisowath Bay where you can enjoy its quasi-carnival ambiance. This is also where The Royal Palace is located as well as The National Museum.
6.) Banlung
Here in Banlung, you will definitely enjoy visiting Yeak Laom Volcanic Lake where you can take picnics as well as swim in the lake. Virachey National Park is also located here, or you can visit the Wat Rahtanharahm where you can find the famous reclining Buddha. There are also a lot of wonderful waterfalls that you can visit here like Cha Ong and Kan Chang.
7.) Battambang
These are the must-go-to places in Battambang. You have to visit Wat Banan or what they call small Angkor Wat, and you have to go to Wat Baydamram or the bat temple where you can see fruit bats live in hundreds. Wat Ek Phnom is also a must-see place in this area.
8.) Resort town of Kep
This is a favorite seaside destination in Cambodia. Here, get to enjoy the Cambodian sun as you dine in platforms and eat fresh seafoods, and this is a great place where you can just relax and enjoy the sun and the sea. Visiting the Rabbit Island is also a must as you will definitely enjoy its white sand beaches.
9.) Koh Kong
Koh Kong is more for the nature lover as you will definitely enjoy majestic views of mountains and waterfalls as well as jungles. You can also visit their local zoo and the casino here if you want a more modern touch. Boat tours are popular here as you visit its islands and mangroves.
10.) Siem Reap
It is another favorite tourist spot in Cambodia. What you can see here is the Landmine Museum, which is dedicated to teaching and educating both the locals and the visitors about the hazards of land mines. You can also find a floating village here called the Kampong Phluck.
Read more at http://ezinearticles.com/?Visit-Ten-Historical-Places-of-Cambodia&id=1005868
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
The Art of Slipping in Some Learning
The Art of Slipping in Some Learning.
Off to the side of Eric Azcuy’s cluttered desk were two products from Nissin Foods: one Cup Noodles and one box of Chow Mein. It looked like lunch, but it was actually the day’s art lesson.
The inspiration came from an NPR story Mr. Azcuy had read earlier describing how the design of instant soup cups makes them tip over easily, spilling their hot contents on, and often burning, young eaters. So, Mr. Azcuy figured, why not see if his students could come up with a better, safer model for the cups?
“It’s something relevant,” he said calmly, his black curly hair, dark-rimmed glasses and plaid collared shirt making him appear just a bit hip. “It goes to show you how important design is.”
The lesson plan was typical for Mr. Azcuy, 35, who is in his sixth year of teaching art at the Urban Assembly School for Applied Math and Science, a grades 6-12 school of almost 600 students in the South Bronx, where 91.2 percent of the children come from families with income low enough to qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. It gives the students a chance to be creative while also letting them know that art can have some practical applications, even for people who don’t intend on becoming the next da Vinci.
The attitude has led to projects that include painting a giant periodic table of the elements, creating a mural based on “The Great Gatsby” and the day’s effort at redesigning the Cup Noodles container.
Still, Mr. Azcuy doesn’t rely exclusively on these types of assignments. He recognizes that sometimes it’s best to just let his students use art class as a time to draw.
“It can also function as an escape to a place that has nothing to do with the tests and the SAT and the college pressure and this kind of thing that’s happening in a lot of their classes,” he said. “It’s like a way for them to just zone into their art and creative world.”
Mr. Azcuy grew up in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and attended LaGuardia High School, Cooper Union and Columbia University, where he achieved a Master of Fine Arts. He was initially brought on at A.M.S. as a substitute, but he was hired full time after the school’s previous art teacher went on pregnancy leave and didn’t return. Almost immediately he began linking his students’ art projects with what they were learning in their academic classes.
One of the first things he had his sixth graders do, for example, was use four drawings to transform an object they had in front of them into an object from their imagination. The first drawing would be 100 percent object, the last would be 100 percent imagination, and the second and third would be 75 percent object, 25 percent imagination, and vice versa.
In other words, this wasn’t just a chance for students to transform a stapler into a five-headed dragon. It was also a chance for them to understand how percentages could be visually conveyed.
“The math, it was kind of just snuck in there,” Mr. Azcuy said. “They don’t really notice it. It’s snuck in under the fun of art.
Mr. Azcuy has found several benefits to teaching art class this way. It allows students to see that art is “in everything,” not just in one large, paint-splotched room at A.M.S. It gives students who aren’t as naturally gifted at drawing a chance to do well on the academic parts of the projects. And it’s a lot of fun, too.
“The more linked different subjects are, the less they are different subjects,” said Mr. Azcuy. “The more it’s just about the learning experience, and I think it’s just more comfortable for them.”
Earlier this year, Mr. Azcuy began his sketchbook class by placing the Cup o’ Noodles on a board, holding it up in front of his students, and tilting it to illustrate how quickly the cup could fall over. He then did the same with the more rectangular Chow Mein to give his students an idea of what type of redesign they might attempt.
After the demonstration, the students dove into their sketchbooks, and what Mr. Azcuy referred to as a “cool, relaxed, art-making vibe” took over the class.
“This room … it’s like a creative kind of space for them,” Mr. Azcuy said of his students. “A safe, creative space where they can feel free and comfortable to explore things.”
Most of the students in Mr. Azcuy’s sketchbook class agreed with this description. They applied it not just to the room but also to Mr. Azcuy himself.
“He lets you express your feelings,” said Joel Tolentino, an 11th grade student. “It’s a good stress reliever.”
Mr. Azcuy has no plans to stop teaching or leave A.M.S. anytime soon; he’s far too excited about the opportunity to grow the school’s art program. The one word that keeps coming up when he discusses the future is “more.”
More classes, more field trips, and more collaboration — all while the married father of one (soon to be two) tries to maintain a balance between his work life and his home life.
“I feel like it’s also important to let go in order for me to rejuvenate my creative self,” he said. “To then bring that back to the students so I’m not this kind of rundown person in the front of the room.
“It’s a balancing act,” he continued. “That’s what life is for everyone, I guess.”
Read more at http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/04/06/the-art-of-slipping-in-some-learning/?ref=education
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
Off to the side of Eric Azcuy’s cluttered desk were two products from Nissin Foods: one Cup Noodles and one box of Chow Mein. It looked like lunch, but it was actually the day’s art lesson.
The inspiration came from an NPR story Mr. Azcuy had read earlier describing how the design of instant soup cups makes them tip over easily, spilling their hot contents on, and often burning, young eaters. So, Mr. Azcuy figured, why not see if his students could come up with a better, safer model for the cups?
“It’s something relevant,” he said calmly, his black curly hair, dark-rimmed glasses and plaid collared shirt making him appear just a bit hip. “It goes to show you how important design is.”
The lesson plan was typical for Mr. Azcuy, 35, who is in his sixth year of teaching art at the Urban Assembly School for Applied Math and Science, a grades 6-12 school of almost 600 students in the South Bronx, where 91.2 percent of the children come from families with income low enough to qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. It gives the students a chance to be creative while also letting them know that art can have some practical applications, even for people who don’t intend on becoming the next da Vinci.
The attitude has led to projects that include painting a giant periodic table of the elements, creating a mural based on “The Great Gatsby” and the day’s effort at redesigning the Cup Noodles container.
Still, Mr. Azcuy doesn’t rely exclusively on these types of assignments. He recognizes that sometimes it’s best to just let his students use art class as a time to draw.
“It can also function as an escape to a place that has nothing to do with the tests and the SAT and the college pressure and this kind of thing that’s happening in a lot of their classes,” he said. “It’s like a way for them to just zone into their art and creative world.”
Mr. Azcuy grew up in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and attended LaGuardia High School, Cooper Union and Columbia University, where he achieved a Master of Fine Arts. He was initially brought on at A.M.S. as a substitute, but he was hired full time after the school’s previous art teacher went on pregnancy leave and didn’t return. Almost immediately he began linking his students’ art projects with what they were learning in their academic classes.
One of the first things he had his sixth graders do, for example, was use four drawings to transform an object they had in front of them into an object from their imagination. The first drawing would be 100 percent object, the last would be 100 percent imagination, and the second and third would be 75 percent object, 25 percent imagination, and vice versa.
In other words, this wasn’t just a chance for students to transform a stapler into a five-headed dragon. It was also a chance for them to understand how percentages could be visually conveyed.
“The math, it was kind of just snuck in there,” Mr. Azcuy said. “They don’t really notice it. It’s snuck in under the fun of art.
Mr. Azcuy has found several benefits to teaching art class this way. It allows students to see that art is “in everything,” not just in one large, paint-splotched room at A.M.S. It gives students who aren’t as naturally gifted at drawing a chance to do well on the academic parts of the projects. And it’s a lot of fun, too.
“The more linked different subjects are, the less they are different subjects,” said Mr. Azcuy. “The more it’s just about the learning experience, and I think it’s just more comfortable for them.”
Earlier this year, Mr. Azcuy began his sketchbook class by placing the Cup o’ Noodles on a board, holding it up in front of his students, and tilting it to illustrate how quickly the cup could fall over. He then did the same with the more rectangular Chow Mein to give his students an idea of what type of redesign they might attempt.
After the demonstration, the students dove into their sketchbooks, and what Mr. Azcuy referred to as a “cool, relaxed, art-making vibe” took over the class.
“This room … it’s like a creative kind of space for them,” Mr. Azcuy said of his students. “A safe, creative space where they can feel free and comfortable to explore things.”
Most of the students in Mr. Azcuy’s sketchbook class agreed with this description. They applied it not just to the room but also to Mr. Azcuy himself.
“He lets you express your feelings,” said Joel Tolentino, an 11th grade student. “It’s a good stress reliever.”
Mr. Azcuy has no plans to stop teaching or leave A.M.S. anytime soon; he’s far too excited about the opportunity to grow the school’s art program. The one word that keeps coming up when he discusses the future is “more.”
More classes, more field trips, and more collaboration — all while the married father of one (soon to be two) tries to maintain a balance between his work life and his home life.
“I feel like it’s also important to let go in order for me to rejuvenate my creative self,” he said. “To then bring that back to the students so I’m not this kind of rundown person in the front of the room.
“It’s a balancing act,” he continued. “That’s what life is for everyone, I guess.”
Read more at http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/04/06/the-art-of-slipping-in-some-learning/?ref=education
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
Project Idea: Does Eliminating Grains from a Meal Leave You Hungry?
Project Idea: Does Eliminating Grains from a Meal Leave You Hungry?
Grade Level: 6th - 9th; Type: Health Science
Objective:
See if eliminating grains from a meal will often leave people feeling hungry.
Research Questions:
Grains are rich in fiber, iron, and B vitamins which help us grow healthy and strong. They are also quite filling. In this experiment, we compare how "full" people feel after consuming two meals with the same number of calories. One meal, however, will have grains, while the other will not.
Materials:
* Test subjects
- 50 will have a no-grain breakfast for one week and switch
- 50 will have a grain breakfast for one week and switch
* Food
* 50 meals in same calories but with no grains each day
* 50 meals in same calories but with grains each day
* Sizable location to do the experiment
* Watch
* Pen/paper for notes
Experimental Procedure:
1) Prepare 50 dishes of breakfast with grains for 50 of your test subjects. A suggestion would be an egg sandwich or cereal.
2) Prepare 50 dishes of breakfast w/o grains for 50 of your test subjects. Include fruits and vegetables that are equal in calories to the grained breakfast.
3) Gather your test subjects in one spot and serve them the breakfast.
4) Instruct your test subject to finish all of the breakfast dish!
5) Tell your test subjects to resume to their daily activities, but write down the time of which they started to feel hungry on a dated piece of paper.
6) Repeat the above steps for one week.
7) During week two, we will now switch the flip-flop the test subject groups. In other words, the 50 people that had the grained breakfast will not have it this week and the people that did not have grains in their breakfast, will have it this week.
8) Repeat steps 1-6 for the second week.
9) Compare the responses for “hunger times” for your test subjects and see if you notice any trends.
Terms/Concepts: Grains; Nutrients; Fiber; Iron; B vitamins; Hunger; Food Pyramid
Read more at http://www.education.com/science-fair/article/eliminating-grains-meal-make-people-feel-hungry/
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
Grade Level: 6th - 9th; Type: Health Science
Objective:
See if eliminating grains from a meal will often leave people feeling hungry.
Research Questions:
Grains are rich in fiber, iron, and B vitamins which help us grow healthy and strong. They are also quite filling. In this experiment, we compare how "full" people feel after consuming two meals with the same number of calories. One meal, however, will have grains, while the other will not.
Materials:
* Test subjects
- 50 will have a no-grain breakfast for one week and switch
- 50 will have a grain breakfast for one week and switch
* Food
* 50 meals in same calories but with no grains each day
* 50 meals in same calories but with grains each day
* Sizable location to do the experiment
* Watch
* Pen/paper for notes
Experimental Procedure:
1) Prepare 50 dishes of breakfast with grains for 50 of your test subjects. A suggestion would be an egg sandwich or cereal.
2) Prepare 50 dishes of breakfast w/o grains for 50 of your test subjects. Include fruits and vegetables that are equal in calories to the grained breakfast.
3) Gather your test subjects in one spot and serve them the breakfast.
4) Instruct your test subject to finish all of the breakfast dish!
5) Tell your test subjects to resume to their daily activities, but write down the time of which they started to feel hungry on a dated piece of paper.
6) Repeat the above steps for one week.
7) During week two, we will now switch the flip-flop the test subject groups. In other words, the 50 people that had the grained breakfast will not have it this week and the people that did not have grains in their breakfast, will have it this week.
8) Repeat steps 1-6 for the second week.
9) Compare the responses for “hunger times” for your test subjects and see if you notice any trends.
Terms/Concepts: Grains; Nutrients; Fiber; Iron; B vitamins; Hunger; Food Pyramid
Read more at http://www.education.com/science-fair/article/eliminating-grains-meal-make-people-feel-hungry/
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
Friday, April 6, 2012
Project Idea: The Wave - The Golden Mean
Project Idea: The Wave, The Golden Mean.
Note: Knowledge and experience in analytical geometry, origami, and computer programming are required for this project.
Purpose
To determine if there is any possible relationship between the origami fold known as the ''wave'' and the Golden Mean or Ratio, the numerical value of which is This will be accomplished by determining the equation of the wave's spirals.
Materials Needed
* several sheets of 1-foot-(30-cm-) square origami paper (or more)
* 1 sheet of 20-inch-(50-cm-) square origami paper
* ruler
* 2 sheets of graph paper
* personal computer with 2megabytes of memory
* software for writing a program that will create and calculate geometric and trigonometric figures and calculations
Experiment
The origami paper will be folded into patterns known as "waves." Each pattern will use a different number of divisions to demonstrate the effects of this on the resulting model. A geometric analysis will be performed to derive equations that describe characteristics of the folded models. Measurements of the models will be taken to be used as data to be elated by polar equations. A basic program will be written on a personal computer with the use of software, to draw polar spirals of the logarithmic or equiangular variety, which will be adjusted to match the spirals found in the wave.
Procedure
1) Fold a smaller sheet of paper following the instructions in the diagram, each time using 3, 6, and 12 divisions. Observe the effect this has on the resolution and shape of the model. Try folding another small sheet with an uneven number of divisions (for example, 16ths at the point, moving to 8ths at the outer edges). Record your observations.
2) Carefully examine the structure of the resulting folds. Derive equations for the angles between consecutive secants of each spiral, as a function of the number of the division from the tip of the "wave," taking the tip to be fold #0. Try to use these equations to determine a polar equation describing the spirals.
3) Practice folding the "wave" a few more times. Then, fold a model using 32 divisions with the larger paper. If necessary, use a ruler to make straight creases.
4) Create a polar axis in the center of one of the sheets of graph paper. Draw a radius every .25Ï€ radians of rotation. Taking the point of the "wave" as the origin, trace the outline of the outer spiral of the "wave" onto the paper. Measure and record the radius length along each of the radii previously drawn.
5) Graph the measurements, using the angle as the x axis and the radius as the y axis, on the graph paper. Using the resulting graph, try to fit the results into an equation. Test the equations by graphing them in the same fashion, or by graphing them as polar equations and comparing the results to the actual spiral of the "wave."
6) Write a program with software that draws polar spirals, with user-definable constants. Include logarithmic spirals as an option. Using this program, adjust the constants to determine the equation that most closely matches that of the spiral of the ''wave.''
7) Express the best equation in logarithmic form: In(r) kθ and r = c°, where k and c are constants.
8) Through observation and experimentation, determine the angular rotations between the three spirals.
Read more at http://www.education.com/science-fair/article/the-wave-the-golden-mean/
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
Note: Knowledge and experience in analytical geometry, origami, and computer programming are required for this project.
Purpose
To determine if there is any possible relationship between the origami fold known as the ''wave'' and the Golden Mean or Ratio, the numerical value of which is This will be accomplished by determining the equation of the wave's spirals.
Materials Needed
* several sheets of 1-foot-(30-cm-) square origami paper (or more)
* 1 sheet of 20-inch-(50-cm-) square origami paper
* ruler
* 2 sheets of graph paper
* personal computer with 2megabytes of memory
* software for writing a program that will create and calculate geometric and trigonometric figures and calculations
Experiment
The origami paper will be folded into patterns known as "waves." Each pattern will use a different number of divisions to demonstrate the effects of this on the resulting model. A geometric analysis will be performed to derive equations that describe characteristics of the folded models. Measurements of the models will be taken to be used as data to be elated by polar equations. A basic program will be written on a personal computer with the use of software, to draw polar spirals of the logarithmic or equiangular variety, which will be adjusted to match the spirals found in the wave.
Procedure
1) Fold a smaller sheet of paper following the instructions in the diagram, each time using 3, 6, and 12 divisions. Observe the effect this has on the resolution and shape of the model. Try folding another small sheet with an uneven number of divisions (for example, 16ths at the point, moving to 8ths at the outer edges). Record your observations.
2) Carefully examine the structure of the resulting folds. Derive equations for the angles between consecutive secants of each spiral, as a function of the number of the division from the tip of the "wave," taking the tip to be fold #0. Try to use these equations to determine a polar equation describing the spirals.
3) Practice folding the "wave" a few more times. Then, fold a model using 32 divisions with the larger paper. If necessary, use a ruler to make straight creases.
4) Create a polar axis in the center of one of the sheets of graph paper. Draw a radius every .25Ï€ radians of rotation. Taking the point of the "wave" as the origin, trace the outline of the outer spiral of the "wave" onto the paper. Measure and record the radius length along each of the radii previously drawn.
5) Graph the measurements, using the angle as the x axis and the radius as the y axis, on the graph paper. Using the resulting graph, try to fit the results into an equation. Test the equations by graphing them in the same fashion, or by graphing them as polar equations and comparing the results to the actual spiral of the "wave."
6) Write a program with software that draws polar spirals, with user-definable constants. Include logarithmic spirals as an option. Using this program, adjust the constants to determine the equation that most closely matches that of the spiral of the ''wave.''
7) Express the best equation in logarithmic form: In(r) kθ and r = c°, where k and c are constants.
8) Through observation and experimentation, determine the angular rotations between the three spirals.
Read more at http://www.education.com/science-fair/article/the-wave-the-golden-mean/
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
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