Sensing Our World @ ND 2006

June 26 - 30, 2006

A week-long all-day summer camp about physical science,
materials, physics and sensors for students entering 7th or 8th grade

HISTORY:

The Michigan State University Center for Sensor Materials (CSM) developed a summer science program, Sensing Our World, for students entering 7th and 8th grade. The program reached over 300 students since its inception in 1998. Through demonstrations, experiments, hands-on activities and building projects students learn science using different kinds of sensors used in everyday life. Since 2003, the Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics has been involved in the program and beginning in 2006, is replicating the program at Notre Dame!

Sensing Our World, a tested, proven, and highly acclaimed program is coming to Notre Dame this summer!

GOALS:

According to the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) report, U.S. school children start out at the same level as their international peers in elementary grades. However, they fall behind in science and math by the time they reach the middle grades. When they reach high school, they score below the international average. In response to this finding, Sensing our World was designed to expose middle-school students to the exciting world of science, mathematics, and technology in an intensive hands-on environment.

The goal of the Sensing our World is to stimulate middle school students' interest in physical science using familiar objects that operate by important, basic physical principles.

STRUCTURE OF CAMP:

The camp operates during five weekdays in summer from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a one-hour lunch break. All students entering 7th or 8th grades are eligible to apply. Selection is based upon the camp application submitted by the student describing the reasons for wanting to attend the camp in conjunction with a recommendation from a science teacher. Grade point average is not used as a criterion. Scholarships are available.

Sensing Our World will be held on the Notre Dame campus June 26-30, 2006. Twenty middle school students will be selected to participate in the initial debut of Sensing Our World at ND. Classes will be led by an experienced certified K-12 Science teacher with ND faculty and graduate students providing specialized labs.

ACTIVITIES:

The lessons of Sensing our World are designed to align with the Federal Education Standards for the middle school level student.

Hands-on experiments and lecture demonstrations are employed. For example, in a prior session each student built a burglar alarm, using light sensitive CdS photodetectors, thereby introducing semiconductors, conductors and insulators, as well as simple circuits in the process. Students learned about smoke detectors that use a small quantity of radioactive materials.

EVALUATION:

Each student receives a camp manual containing all labs plus supplementary background information about the projects. Resource material on science-giants and science are also included.

A pre-test and post-test are administered for each session. The pre-test informs the instructors about each student's scientific background, which assists in tailoring the session content and level. The post-test gives a quantitative evaluation about the student's progress over the course of the week. A concluding open-ended questionnaire is used to assess the student's feelings about the camp.

The camp concludes with demonstrations of self-made sensors by the students to an audience consisting of parents, family, ND faculty and staff. Each student is presented a certificate in a short award ceremony.

Camp Sponsors:

Sensing Our World '06 is sponsored by the Joint Institute for Astrophysics (JINA), a grant from the Arthur and Helen Shireman Fund and the Community Endowment Fund of the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County, the Department of Chemistry, the Department of Physics, The Kaneb Center for Teaching and Learning, the Nuclear Structure Laboratory and individual faculty researchers at the University of Notre Dame.

2005 was designated the World Year of Physics (WYP 2005) as a worldwide celebration of physics and its importance in our everyday lives. Physics not only plays an important role in the development of science and technology but also has a tremendous impact on society. Sensing Our World '06 especially aims to continue to raise awareness of the role of physics and the relevance of physical science education both in and beyond the classroom.

Contact Information:
Mary DeWitt
JINA Outreach Specialist
Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics (JINA)
225 Nieuwland Science Hall
UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME
Notre Dame, IN 46556

Office address: 180 NSH
Office phone: 574/631-8297
Email: mdewitt@nd.edu

Application forms:
Description | Teacher Recommendation | Application Form 1 | Application Form 2

The Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics
February 4, 2006