First Summer 2008
ASTRO 602 Section 1W/PHYCS 602 Section 1W
Observational Astronomy Workshop for Teachers
Reference Number: 25407/25416
3 credit hours
June 9-13

Scope: Participants will learn how to plan and conduct astronomical observing sessions using common resource materials such as star charts and graphic timetables of the heavens.  Celestial coordinate systems and astronomical time systems will be discussed.  The basic properties and use of small telescopes will be presented.  Basic techniques in CCD imaging will be presented.
Instructor:  Dr. Thomas Jordan, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy

Second Summer 2008
ASTRO 582 Section 1W
Planetarium Program Production
Reference Number: 23236, 3 credit hours
July 7-11

Scope: Modern technology has significantly expanded the available options for planetarium programs. This has also brought new challenges, such as the need to adapt to digital photography. Also digital audio has replaced analog tape decks and digital video will, in many situations, replace slide projectors. A hands-on approach will allow workshop participants the opportunity to creatively explore the potential of these technologies.
Instructor:  Dr. Ronald Kaitchuck, Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy

Second Summer 2008
ASTRO 604 Section 1W/PHYCS 604 Section 1W
Physical Foundations of Astronomy Workshop
Reference Number: 23260/23278
3 credit hours
July 7-11

Scope: Centers on the applications of the fundamental laws of nature as applied to the space program, for space travel and in nuclear energy generation.  Teachers learn the basic principles of physics presented in the context of modern astronomy and astrophysics.  They learn the basics of celestial mechanics and space exploration.  This workshop contains many hands-on exercises to help re-enforce the concepts and applications.
Instructor:  Dr. Thomas Jordan, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy

Second Summer 2008
ASTRO 606 Section 1B/PHYCS 606 Section 1B
Stellar Evolution and Black Holes
Reference Number: 17951/17943
3 credit hours
July 21-25

Scope: Provides teachers with a broad background in stellar astronomy and stellar evolution. This workshop discusses the physical properties of stars and the nature of gravitational oddities like black holes.  This allows teachers to discuss these topics and concepts in meaningful ways with their students. The workshop introduces teachers to a variety of stellar topics. Discussion of basic stellar properties is presented in lectures. Laboratory activities demonstrate how astronomers measure these properties and glean meaningful data from their observations. Exotic objects such as white dwarfs, neutron stars, pulsars, and black holes are discussed in the context of stellar evolution.
Instructor:  Dr. Thomas Jordan, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy

Second Summer 2008
PHYCS 685 Section 1W
Computational Physics Workshop for H.S. Teachers
Reference Number: 23227
3 credit hours
June 23- 27

Scope: The course provides teachers with tools for giving high school students an edge in the use of computers for data analysis by the computer in college laboratory coursework in the sciences, and it provides an excellent preparation for introductory-level college computer science courses.  Applications will cover aspects of everyday physics accessible to computational simulation which would otherwise be hard to treat in an introductory level, such as the physics of baseball, nonlinear motion and chaos, and random dynamics. In addition the workshop will treat basic algorithms and best practices in writing your own programs to solve problems in physics while emphasizing the simple concepts of physics that underly the simulation of the natural world in research and such applications as computer games.  Also, software and other resources for developing programs will be examined with a focus on Python, a high level MATLAB-like language which is freely available, and designed in part for education and yet used in scientific computational research.
Instructor: Dr. Antonio Cancio, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy


Second Summer 2008
PHYCS 685 Section 2W
Advanced Placement Physics B and C Workshop for Teachers – Mechanics
Reference Number: 23244
3 credit hours
July 7-11

Scope: Physics content is the focus of this workshop on Advanced Placement Physics B and C mechanics.  Teachers actively participate in problem-solving sessions including calculus-based (C teachers) and non-calculus problems (B and C teachers).  An overview of the Advanced Placement Physics B and C program in physics will be given and the philosophy, structure, and grading of the Physics B and C tests will be briefly discussed.  (For new and experienced Advanced Placement Physics B and C teachers.)
Instructor: Dr. Eric Hedin, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy


Second Summer 2008
PHYCS 685 Section 3W
Advanced Placement Physics B and C Workshop for Teachers - Electricity and Magnetism
Reference Number: 23252, 3 credit hours
July 14-18
Location: On campus
Scope: Physics content is the focus of this workshop on Advanced Placement Physics B and C electricity and magnetism.  Teachers actively participate in problem-solving sessions including calculus-based (C teachers) and non-calculus problems (B and C teachers).  An overview of the Advanced Placement Physics B and C program in physics will be given and the philosophy, structure, and grading of the Physics B and C tests will be briefly discussed.  (For new and experienced Advanced Placement Physics B and C teachers.)
Instructor: Dr. Eric Hedin, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy

Second Summer 2008
Advanced General Science
PHYCS 691 Section 1B
Reference Number: 17969, 3 credit hours
July 21-25, 2008

Scope: This week-long workshop emphasizes hands-on activities using commonly available materials and inexpensive technologies that teachers can readily adapt for classroom use at every level. Daily topics include concepts from Mechanics, Waves, Sound and Light, Static and Current Electricity, and Nuclear Physics. In addition to student activities, participants will construct several make-and-take demonstration devices. Appropriate for teachers at all levels – elementary, middle, and high school who wish to increase their content knowledge and learn of additional resources and hands-on activities that will make all their students excited about studying physics topics.
Instructor: Dr. Joel Bryan, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy

Second Summer 2008
PHYCS 691 Section 1B
Advanced General Science
Reference Number: 17969
3 credit hours
July 21-25

Scope: This week-long workshop emphasizes hands-on activities using commonly available materials and inexpensive technologies that teachers can readily adapt for classroom use at every level.  Daily topics include concepts from Mechanics, Waves, Sound and Light, Static and Current Electricity, and Nuclear Physics.  In addition to student activities, participants will construct several make-and-take demonstration devices.  Appropriate for teachers at all levels – elementary, middle, and high school – who wish to increase their content knowledge and learn of additional resources and hands-on activities that will make all their students excited about studying physics topics.
Instructor:  Dr. Joel Bryan, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy

Second Summer 2008
PHYCS 696, Section 001W
Modern Developments in Physics Teaching
Reference Number 26064
3 credit hours
June 11-15

Scope: A one-week intensive workshop covering recent developments in secondary physics curricula, multimedia, teaching methods, national and local trends in physics teaching.  Laboratory work, textbooks, and tests.  Projects covering a special tpic will be developed by the participants and presented to the class.  THe course grade will consist of quizzes, lab reports, media reports, projects, and class presentations.  For more information, contact James Watson at (765) 285-8860.

Workshops for Teachers
Teacher Updating/Retraining Programs
For more information on fees, application and registration, contact Thomas Robertson, Department of Physics and Astronomy at (765) 285-8860, or visit the web site at http://www.bsu.edu/physics/