The GearUp teams traveled to Discovery Place in Charlotte, North Carolina following breakfast at the sunken patio by the Academic Center.
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Ms. Joy Jones (sitting center) and Ms.
Latoya White (standing) are
organizing the Green Team before the trip
to Discovery Center
Divided amid two buses, the teams outlined plans for the awards ceremony following the events of the last Saturday for this term which would also be Rocket Day.
While at the Discovery Center, the kids pretty much went about the place on their own though they tended to stay together in small groups. With a sheet of prepared questions pertaining to exhibits and activities, they roamed the three floors testing out all of the hands-on exhibits and nearly all attended the planetarium show following lunch. Here is a sample of the questions to which they sought answers.
- When you hold the Jacobs Ladder button the sparks go higher the longer the button is held. Explain why?
- What caused the aluminum ring to shoot up?
- If you weight twice as much as your friend, how should you position yourselves on a seesaw to balance?
- How many volts does an electric eel discharge when it is moving? What makes the electricity?
- Find the exhibit that has the bicycle wheels and that you can stand on a spinner. Stand on it and spin. Hold your arms close to your body while spinning and then extend them. What happens? Why?
- Why are stars round and galaxies flat?
- Sketch the "finger prints" of argon, helium and hydrogen.
- List a special characteristic of each planet.
- Sketch and explain how a research telescope works.
- Sketch and explain how an eye works.
- How are telescopes and eyes similar and different?
- What evidence did the phone company find in support of the big bang theory?
- What do you see in the big circle of dots? Does everybody on your team see the same thing? If not why?
- What keeps the floating ring up?
Questions prepared by Alan Grier. Spring 2000
"Discovery Place was a hit! We had 43 students, 10 staff, and seven parents accompany us to Charlotte for this trip. Students enjoyed the exhibits, particularly the ones where they got to do things – make perfume, touch the sea creatures, ride the bicycle to make the radio work, and so on. They were extremely well-behaved and seemed to appreciate our trusting them enough to let them walk around the museum as they chose rather than making them stay in groups." - Diane Carr.
Ms. Rose Jenkins, Ms. Holly Miller, Ms. Joy Jones, Charles, and Noah prep for
the trip.
Ms. Stephanie Gleaton is to the right with her back to the camera.
