April
2009 e-Wave
Alabama
Section of AAPT
Announcing
the Alabama Section’s Barry Walker AAPT Travel Awards for 2009
The Alabama Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) invites secondary school teachers of physics to apply for the Barry Walker AAPT travel Award. This award is in the amount of $300, and is designated to assist the recipient in traveling to the summer AAPT meeting (in Ann Arbor, MI this year). Recipients of the Walker Award will be expected to report to the section on highlights of the meeting by submitting a brief article to the fall section newsletter. Recipients are also invited to say a few words about the summer meeting at the annual meeting of the section in the spring.
An application for this award consists of a letter describing the applicant’s philosophy of teaching, and summarizing their experience. Applications should indicate what the applicant hopes to gain from participation in the summer AAPT meeting, and how the experience can influence the recipient’s teaching practices. The application should be co-signed by your principal in order to show his or her support. Applicants must be members of the Alabama section, (application is attached) and are encouraged to join the national AAPT (which will qualify them for discounted registration fees).
Information about the 2009 summer meeting is available at the following site: http://www.aapt.org/Events/sm2009/index.cfm. Note that dorm rooms are available at a reasonable price, and that AAPT has a room-share service to help participants locate a roommate, further reducing the housing cost.
The Walker Award is intended to encourage high school teachers to take advantage of the many wonderful resources of the AAPT and its membership. Summer AAPT meetings are outstanding experiences, and all secondary physics teachers are urged to apply for this award and to plan to attend the summer meeting.
Applications should be sent to, and further information obtained from:
Stan Jones
AL Section Representative
The University of Alabama
PO Box 870324
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
205-348-3791
Please include your name, address, email, and phone no.
Deadline for receipt of applications is Friday, May 1, 2009
Other News
of Interest:
Try Spiral
Physics. Go to this website at Monroe
Community College to download the Physics modules.
http://web.monroecc.edu/spiral/
I’ve been lucky
enough to attend the ATE Project for Physics Faculty when Paul D’Alessandris
presented. The author, says, “Feel free to use
the materials any way you see fit. You can also discuss and distribute the
materials to other physics teachers, and make copies for student use. The only
restriction is that the materials cannot be sold for a profit. (Although it’s
probably not relevant to your situation, you can sell copies of the materials
to students at a price that recoups the price of copying.)
If you ever have any questions about the materials, please don’t hesitate to contact me. You can extend that offer to other teachers at your PTRA workshops as well.
Try Crayon
Physics. 
is a 2D physics puzzle / sandbox game, in which you get to experience what
it would be like if your drawings would be magically transformed into real
physical objects. Solve puzzles with your artistic vision and creative use of
physics. It is fun for hours!
Pi
Day and Einstein’s Birthday
It's too late for this
year, but don't forget to mark your calendar for Pi Day/Einstein’s Birthday,
next year. Better yet, save these tips from Twisted Physics:
http://blogs.discovery.com/twisted_physics/2009/03/a-coupla-physicists-sittin-around-talking.html
Time to pay your
dues for 2009-2010 to the Alabama Section of AAPT. What a bargain for only $5 per year. The application form is attached. We are using some of our funds to send a
deserving teacher to AAPT’s Summer Meeting.
The only way to continue receiving the e-Wave Update is to continue your
membership. Let me know if you have any
questions.
Alabama Section AAPT
Membership Application 2009-10
Name: ______________________________________________
School Name: ________________________________________
School Address: _______________________________________
________________________________________
_________________________________________
Telephone ( school): ____________________________________
Home Address: ________________________________________
_________________________________________
__________________________________________
Telephone (home): ______________________________________
Other phone: _______________________________________
Email: (please print) _________________________________________________
Occupation: _ K-8 _HS Faculty _2-Yr Coll _4-Yr Coll _ Univ Fac_ Other
Send dues ($5 or check to
Alabama Section of AAPT) to:
Tommi Holsenbeck
Montgomery, AL 36111