Summer 2012 with Jacobs Physics

Several folks have asked about my summer schedule.  As usual, I'll be running several AP summer institutes.

Do note -- you don't have to be teaching AP to come to an AP summer institute!  We discuss far, far more than simply "How do I teach my students to game the AP exam."  In fact, we don't discuss gaming the test at all.  Rather, we discuss physics teaching as professionals.  

I share what has worked for me, and for other teachers who have taught me; participants share their own ideas.  I do quantitative demonstrations on a variety of topics.  I share my tests and problem sets, for all levels that I teach.  You get to take home a CD containing not only some of my own handouts and ideas, but also the official College Board released exams -- with rubrics.  All of these materials can be used at every level of physics teaching.

Want to sign up?  Here's where I'll be:

June 25-29, Richmond, VA (through VASS, Virginia Advanced Study Strategies.  I don't know whether this one is open to the public or not -- send an email to the link at the VASS website, and ask!)

July 10-13, Kennesaw State University, Georgia (This one's four long days rather than five short days.)

July 16-20, North Carolina State University, Raleigh

July 30-Aug. 3, Manhattan College, New York City (Manhattan College is in The Bronx.)

Loose Ends and Tidbits



from the University of Wisconsin website



Tonight my colleague Paul Vickers and I will be performing the "science demonstration" show for students who have been accepted to Woodberry for next school year.  It's a cross between a game show, improvisational comedy, and an explosion fest.  If you know of a boy between 7th and 9th grade who might be interested in coming to Woodberry Forest in a few years, stop by and see the show at 8:15.

Now's as good a time as any to post some loose ends and tidbits:

(1) I will be running three week-long summer institutes.  Please join me for one of them!

• NC State University in Raleigh, July 18-22

• UNC Charlotte in, um, Charlotte, July 25-29

• Manhattan College in, um, the Bronx*, August 1-5.

* Manhattan College is just north of the Bronx-Manhattan border.

(2) I spent a lot of time over spring break with Burrito Girl reading xkcd. Useful comics for the classroom include “Converting to Metric” and “Gravity Wells” but probably NOT “Numerical Sex Positions.”

(3) Alexis Brett has listed this blog in his “Top 100 High School Teacher Blogs.” I started writing online in 2005, before everyone and his dog had an online presence, and when there probably weren’t even 100 high school teacher blogs in existence. Alas, my “Nachoman’s Baseball” blog never acquired more than a small but devoted following.

(4) Listen in today, or any day there's a home game, to my audio broadcast of Woodberry Forest varsity baseball. 

Come to my AP Physics Summer Institute

Folks, I will be at Manhattan College in New York City from July 27-31 for an AP Physics Summer Institute. We spend a week going through the AP curriculum, doing quantitative demonstrations, and generally sharing our ideas about teaching AP physics. Next to the AP reading, the Summer Institutes are the best professional development available for physics teachers, whether at the AP or sub-AP level.

Thing is, we only have a couple of folks signed up right now. I'd really like to get a few more people involved. Please contact Pam Kerrigan at apinstitute@manhattan.edu to get sign-up information. The option to stay in the (very nice) on-campus dorms is available. The institute runs Monday - Friday, in the neighborhood of 8:00-5:00, with class ending at noon on Friday. If you're not from the New York area, I still recommend attending. Stay in the dorms, and experience New York city in the evenings!

The nicest part about the Manhattan College institute is that you can earn graduate credit for your attendance. If you have questions about the logistics, please contact Pam at the address above. If you have questions about what will be covered at the institute itself, please email me: greg_jacobs@woodberry.org. I'll give you a call if you'd like.