The following is a list of in-class projects assembled to promote active learning. I encourage the students to work individually or together. Please contact me if you are interested in obtaining a copy (paper or electronic) of any/all of these projects.
For each activity, I list the title, a short description, the equipment required, and the approximate amount of time it took my class to perform.
1) Angular Measurement - measure angles with fist; degree/arcmin/arcsec; measure height of building by measuring angle and one leg of right triangle - no equipment - 30 min.
2) Origin of Lunar Phases - observe phases on model moon orbiting your head - requires (4" styrofoam) ball for each student, bright lightbulb (150watt) - 25 min.
3) Gas Pressure and the Sun - understand relation between particle motion, temperature, and pressure - no equipment - 15 min.