Rap 'n Tap
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From: John Davidson
Date: 3/3/00
Time: 10:35:03 AM
Remote Name: 206.16.140.254
Tim, The reason I asked is that I have previously tried to help (as volunteer) with lesson plans for a crystal radio and the principles involved are usually far over the head of most kids that age. What I need is a simple understandable principal that can be communicated by building a crystal radio, or any other project, for that matter.
I found that I must watch the "gee whiz" aspect. Things that I find gee whiz are things that seem to defy the laws of physics. But kids dont know those laws as well as I and they are liable to take demos of exceptional behavior as the norm. For example, di-magentism of bismuth. Hang a bismuth crystal on a thread and bring a strong magnet near it, it repels in any orientation. That is gee whiz to me, but after demonstrating it to a kid, he asked me, then why is this screw attracted to my magnet, as if attraction were the exception. That got my attention. What point was I getting across anyway? That science is NOT understandable?
So, please give me a clear concise statement of something you want to teach and we will try to help make a dynamite demo-experiment that has a "gee whiz" climax that drives home the precise point! (Maybe).
Regards, John