1] The Tangential, circular motion Halloween candy toss contest: Students love contests and "Physics IQ tests". Trying to "reprogram" students to the misconception of  CENTRIFUGAL FORCE can sometimes be difficult. Students
enjoy when a teacher swings a ball around their head and is able
to predict where to release it to "bop" a kid in the corner of the
classroom. A variation on this is to have the students whirl a
bag of candy around their head and try to hit the target. To
do so requires that they know that the projectile will fly off
tangent to the circle and end up in projectile motion. If
they hit the target they win the prize.

2] The Total Internal Cylindrical Laser Light Pipe - If you can
find a plastic cylinder (3"- 4" in diameter) or fashion a similar pipe
cut a jagged edge about 4" down one side and shine a laser into the
jagged edge. The laser will make a beautiful helix on the inside of
the plastic as it travels to the bottom of the pipe.

3] The Kinetic blow guns - (See separate diagram)
A convincing way to prove that Work equals change
in Kinetic Energy.
 
4] "Feeling" Series and Parallel Resistance with straws - Many of us have used students as electrons to emulate series and parallel resistors. The Stray Cats have come up with an interesting way to feel resistance. Simply blow through straws connected in Series then Parallel. (For an increase benefit try small plastic straws to gain an appreciation for how difficult it must be for a person with asthma to breathe.)
 

5] The indoor Coriolis merry go round rotating frame of reference - It is quite easy to create an indoor merry go round with a simple turntable used for rotational motion. Simply clamp
a 2x6 to the turntable with C clamps and fashion three
seats: two with wheels on the outside and one in the middle.
While other students (or electric motors) spin the ride one
student tries to throw a ball to the other over the center person’s
head. Results may be videotaped.

6] "The Classroom of The Future: The Spaceship Classroom" (http://www.idsi.net/~flholt) Many people feel that students in the future will learn in a more efficient and accelerated fashion utilizing the promise of emerging "High Technology". To this end we have created a futuristic learning environment: Computer modeling tools, Universal Lab Interfaces and probes, Video Analysis, Color documents and transparencies, and a variety of others all will provide the student and instructor with more time to analyze and interpret results. A] Using technology to improve Physics instruction- Student learning can be greatly  enhanced by using digital cameras, computer projectors, laptops, teleconferencing, etc.
 For example, demonstrations, video presentations, student presentations, web research,  etc. can often be more powerful if they are displayed on a large screen.
 B] Sharing ideas electronically- Creating your own HOMEPAGE on the World  Wide  Web - I have included instructions on how to create your own website which  may  be written:Using HTML; With Microsoft Frontpage; Netscape Composer; Toolbook,  etc.

7] The enigma of the rotating college ring - Can you explain this one? Spin a ring (with a sizeable stone) with the stone side down. If done properly, it
 will invert itself during the spin with the heavier end upward.
The explanation is not easily understood.

8] The Falling Chain and mass race - How good is your Physics
intuition? Can you guess which of the two systems will fall first.
Check with your neighbor to see why and how.

9] The Stray Cats "Supernatural Powers" - If one concentrates
very hard you can achieve the "power" to make things move with
the "force of your mind".

10] The Helicopter Egg drop contest - Eggs may be used in Physics
class in many ways: in seatbelt cars; eggdrop contests; dropping them
on foam rubber and a host of others. An interesting challenge is to have
students design a gyrocopter [out of two (2) sheets of white paper and
20 cm of masking tape] capable of allowing an egg to survive when
dropped from the ceiling onto a hard surface about 10 feet below.

11] The collapsing soda can - Place a block of wood on top of
an aluminum soda can and lower a very light person on top of
the wooden platform [having one person hold them on each side]
Now shoot a rubber band at the soda can creating a small dent
and watch the entire can crumble. This demonstrates the
compression strength that materials can have such as cars
in a collision or the forces on the hell of a submarine.

12] The Running Chain - Once a chain is set in circular motion by
spinning a wheel attached to a variable speed drill the "centrifugal"
force will hold it outward and keep it rigid. It may even be made
to travel in a trajectory. When the chain drops to the floor it will
travel at least 10 meters or reach the classroom wall.

13] The large waiter’s tray - A larger version of an "artificial
gravity" gadget. Question - Does the tray have to be flat or can
it be tilted for the demonstration to work?

14] The Flying Mirror - You may obtain a plastic or glass
(preferably 1/4" thick) mirror and have someone hold it
vertically. While one foot is stationary behind the mirror
carefully lift the other on the viewer side up and back
while flapping your arms giving the illusion of flying.
A nice addition is to build a wooden frame as illustrated
and "lift your self by the seat of your pants" or other
variation. The cube looks complete and a transparency
demonstrates that images in plane mirrors are really not reversed.

Conclusion: Capturing the student’s imagination in a profound way surely enhances the learning process. Seeing "Indiana Jones" swinging across a river (The gymnasium), launching bowling balls out of the window and utilizing video analysis or instant replay of these and many other real world events affords the teacher extremely motivating activities whereby the laws of Physics may be tested.: Potential and kinetic energies as well as velocities, accelerations and tensions etc. may be calculated right on the video screen. With computers, CBL’s, color copiers and other teacher resources becoming more readily available it seems that so many wonderful ideas are waiting to be discovered. I’m sure that, through a collaborative effort, we will find them.

Dedication: Lastly, I will retire in June, 2000 and I wish to thank my family, my colleagues and students who have been an inspiration to me; all those at STANYS and especially those who have faithfully attended all of these conferences in an effort to further their facination with the wonders of Science. Most especially I would like to thank George Amann for all the good times we had, all the adventures we shared and for providing a  clear voice of reason (and "second opinion") as we navigated through the challenging journey of Physics edcuation. His dedication to Excellence and remarkable insight are meritorious and I consider myself very fortunate to have taught together with him for all of these years.

Enjoy,
 

Floyd T. Holt
Walt Disney American Science Teacher in Science for the United States
Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science in the USA
Physics Teacher Resource Agent for the United States
Princeton Woodrow Wilson National Fellow