Students learn while leaving a teaching
legacy
Dorian McIntire PE
Program Coordinator
dmcinti1@tctc.edu
General
Engineering
Technology
Tri-County Technical College
Pendleton, South Carolina
Why
Projects?
A sample project
Phases of the project
More projects
Inspirations
List of ideas

Pros
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Engage students
Students can be students best teacher.
Create valuable props for teaching
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Put on a physics show
Create a STEM outreach center
Hone students presentation skills
So many ideas – so little time
Cons
Demanding for instructor
Cost management
Space management
 Tools required
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 Principles
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Magnetism
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demonstrated
Magnetic vs non-magnetic materials
Concentrating magnetic fields
Electro-magnetism
Even strong magnets don’t work like Wiley Coyote magnets.
Resistance – Ohms law
Current (I2R rule)
Voltage
Physics Media\Stem Presentation.avi
 Research
phase
 Proposal phase
 Building phase
 Presentation phase
 Grading
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Have students forms groups of 3 to 5 students
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Give students some time to research a project idea.
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Spread groups over different disciplines to avoid too many
projects in only a few disciplines. Some disciplines include:
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Mechanics
Energy
Sound
Light
Electricity
Fluids
Thermodynamics
Be careful to avoid low difficulty projects.
 Each
should email a formal proposal with
the following information:
Project name
 Discipline covered
 Concept revealed
 Description
 Parts required
 Approximate size
 Approximate cost
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A working area with access to simple tools is a must.
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Insist students maintain the work area.
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Introduce workshops on certain lab days to address
common problems faced by groups.
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Working with materials
Simple circuits
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Many times it is discovered that some students have
never handled tools.
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Stress the importance of safety.
 Hovercraft
 Jacobs
ladder
 PVC pipe instrument
 Induction Furnace
 Energy conversion tower
 Air vortex launcher
 Newton’s cradle
 Tesla coil
Physics demonstrations ideas:

Wonders of Physics
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Episode 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGMt5hPsNBc
Episode 17:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW6XqPFKgHk&fea
ture=related
Episode 26:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvAf9a2_lIg&featu
re=related
Physics demonstrations ideas:
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National Stem Center:
http://www.nationalstemcentre.org.uk/elibrary/
collection/491/physics-demonstrationfilms#collection-resources
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AU:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYXuOFjvb7w
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Phun Physics:
http://phun.physics.virginia.edu/demos/
Physics demonstrations ideas:
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WFU demonstrations
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http://www.wfu.edu/physics/demolabs/demos/avimo
v/bychptr/bychptr.htm
Wonder Works (the upside down
building) - bring your camera
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The Epcot Center – bring your camera
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The Children's Museum; Greenville
South Carolina.
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YouTube searches
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The Amateur Scientist; C. L Stong

125 Physics Projects for the Evil
Genius; Jerry Silver

Ring Launcher
 Vortex Shooter
 Electromagnet
 Newton's Cradle
 Stirling Engine
 Energy storage tower
 Resonance tube instrument (Blue Man)
 Aluminum Plate Levitator

Transformer Experiments Microwave Oven
transformer (magnets, iron filings)
 Tesla Coil
 Ion Gun*
 Induction Furnace*
 Electric motor/generator
 Jacobs Ladder
 Walking Chain
 Battery Powered Hovercraft
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Merging colors using LEDs
 Magnet drop generator (lights LEDs)
 Waterdrop Strobe*
 Gravity strength detector (laser pointer used in
torsion balance) *
 Solar steam generator*
 Doppler effect demonstrator
 Superconductivity *
 Light-beam communication (LED and Solar)
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Sound patterns (speaker, salt)
 Non-Linear fluid (speaker, signal generator, corn
starch and water mixture)
 Webcam physics (how can inexpensive webcams
be used to freeze motion in physics experiments)
 Bed of nails
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