On Friday, I was so pleased to be able to return to one of my favorite days of the year, High-Interest Day at Brookfield Elementary School. This is a day where I have been able to bring the concepts of physics to k-5 graders. You may be asking yourself, "Elementary students doing physics?" YES! Not just experimenting, but understanding the concepts behind the physics of electricity and sound. This is a very special day I have had the opportunity to be involved in since 2017. So, how are we able to bring the concepts of electricity and sound traditionally taught to high school 11th and 12th graders to the elementary level? There are a few keys 1) make it a hands-on experience 2) remove the mathematical calculations and make it practical. In the past, I had the luck of bringing a handful of my physics students with me to guide the elementary students through the concepts that they had learned over the course of the year. But in my new role as a Teaching and Learning Speciali
It's almost like once you're made aware of how broad STEM fields are, one starts seeing them everywhere. Today, we went to see the new film Joy by David O. Russell which tells the story of inventor, business mogul, and STEM girl Joy Mangano. Joy's ideas come from the world around her. Her innovations solve authentic problems she faces. At a young age, she saw that her dog would tie itself up and choke itself. This was a problem of importance to her and she looked for a solution. So, her first great invention was a dog collar that had reflective tape for visibility and an anti-chocking release. Sadly, she didn't have the resources to have it patented and others eventually sold a similar collar idea to be manufactured by the Hartz Mountain. The invention that brought her success was the Miracle Mop. A truly innovative device I remember from my youth. The idea was born from a need that Joy had. Her creativity made her see that there had to