​CalTeach Majors Deliver UCI Physics Assemblies to Area Elementary Schools

CalTeach undergraduates Martin Lopez and Snow Lu (pictured below) are doing their best to awaken a love for physics among area elementary students. During fall and winter quarters, they travel to area schools and host a UCI Physics Assembly, where they engage students in demonstrations and activities designed to promote STEM education. 

During a recent assembly in Tustin, Snow and Martin used various equipment, ranging from advanced mechanisms to simple day-to-day tools, to help the students learn the fundamentals of physics - in this case, sound waves. 

To start the assembly, Snow and Martin led a series of short games to introduce vocabulary words that would allow the students to increase their science vocabulary and expand their understanding of physics concepts.

• When we introduced the children to the idea of frequency and amplitude, we first defined it in terms of "how often something vibrates per unit time" (frequency) and "how far something vibrates" (amplitude).
• Having defined the vocabulary, we demonstrated how a hand vibration/wave would look, combining the ideas of high/low frequency and large/small amplitudes. The children then play a little game where they practice making hand vibrations. It is after this that we apply the vocabulary to sound waves, where the children then play a small game practicing making various types of sound waves using nothing but their own voices.

Following this introduction, Snow and Martin used their equipment – e.g., springs, dowel chain, musical instruments, oscilloscopes, air track and cart - to reinforce how sound waves work. Then, students were given opportunities to experiment with some of the equipment on their own while role-playing a scientist at work learning about sound waves.

Area teachers are delighted with the UCI presentations. Following the Loma Vista Elementary [Tustin USD] assembly, fourth grade teacher Liz Marengo communicated,

• Today Loma Vista had their UCI Physics assembly and all of the students and teachers were very impressed! I spoke with our fifth grade teacher, and he said he loved how the presenters were using academic vocabulary, used students to demonstrate concepts, and allowed students to play/explore with the science equipment. Fourth grade thought it was the perfect way to end our Wave Study. It was such a valuable learning experience for our scholars.

Snow and Martin are Juniors, majoring in Physics. As students in the undergraduate teaching program CalTeach Science & Math, they will graduate with their STEM degree plus a California Teacher Credential in four years. Snow and Martin credit inspirational high school teachers for their interest in science, Mr. Thinh Luong from Mark Keppel High School for Snow, and Mr. Michael Towne from Citrus Hill for Martin. Snow comments,

• Mr. Luong was a very inspirational teacher and role model to me during my high school career. I was in his AP U.S. History class, psychology class, and his teacher's aide. I spent half my school days working with him! He was a tough grader, I struggled to keep up in his class, but he motivated me to try harder and do my best. Through Mr. Luong's efforts, I became more motivated and started doing better in his classes. At the end of the school year, I was able to get a B in his history class and A in his psychology class. I was very proud of my grades because I know I worked very hard to achieve my goals. Mr. Luong's teaching style encompasses the methods we learn and practice in CalTeach. I hope to have a similar kind of impact on my students one day!

Martin comments,

• Mr. Towne is truly the only reason I decided to pursue an education in physics and a career in teaching. His methods of teaching were peculiar at first, nothing like the rest of the teachers from Citrus Hill High School. It wasn't until I took my first CalTeach class that I learned that his methods followed really closely the methods and strategies taught by CalTeach. Overall, Mr. Towne is the greatest teacher and greatest person I have ever met. He inspired me to challenge myself and believed in me when no one else would.

Snow and Martin have volunteered to lead the UCI Physics Assemblies partly as a community service activity, however, as they explain,

• We consider this an opportunity to expand our teaching experience and apply much of what we have learned in the CalTeach program.

​
The UCI Physics Assemblies delivered at area schools were the inspiration of Physics Professor William Heidbrink. He and John Rosendahl started elementary physics assemblies at the school where Professor Heidbrink's children attended. Then, to excite children about science and math, they expanded the program to include schools in Santa Ana. In the early days, the assemblies were funded by an NSF grant housed in the Center for Educational Partnerships (CFEP) called FOCUS!  More recently, Professor Heidbrink and Professor Phillip Collins approached CalTeach with the idea that presenting at the physics assemblies would be an authentic teaching experience for CalTeach undergraduates.  During fall and winter quarters, CalTeach student volunteers present these assemblies to various elementary schools in area districts, including Santa Ana, Anaheim, Tustin, and Newport Mesa.

For additional information about UCI Physics Assemblies, please visit: http://www.physics.uci.edu/~outreach/
​
The undergraduate teaching program UCI CalTeach has been ranked the #1 teacher education program in the Western U.S. and recently lauded by the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics.