Mr. Merrell's Physics Lab at Kingswood Regional High School, Wolfeboro,NH,USA
Welcome to Kingswood Regional High School's Physics Lab
Some Physics Students
Physics Day at Canobie Lake Park
May 15, 1998
Tom Merrell - Room 262
Location
We are located in Wolfeboro, NH, USA in the beautiful lakes region in the central part of the state. Wolfeboro is on Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in New Hampshire. While in Wolfeboro you can board the famous Mt. Washington, a large lake cruising tour boat.
4 x 4 Block Scheduling
Beginning with the 1995-1996 Sch ool Year, Kingswood Regional High School is using a 4 x 4 Block Schedule. This means that we have four 90 minute classes each day. Courses which used to take a full year with 48 minute blocks are completed in one semester. The extended periods each day help us to complete labs with less set-up and tear-down time. We now have time for more student-centered and project learning. Hopefully, the use of the Internet will become a valuable tool.
Click here to find out about another school in another state that is using another form of block scheduling.
Data Sharing Projects- Throw a Baseball!
We are looking for ways to build our database of measurements made during fun physics labs. We are now collecting data for the following lab: We go outside with a baseball, a measuring tape or a rope, a meter stick, a stopwatch and a clipboard. We have each student do a simulated throw while another measures and record s the distance (d) through which the force will act. Then the throw is made. The horizontal distance (x) the ball travels and the time (t) it is in the air are recorded. We also need the mass (m) of the ball. You would be surprised to find out the wealth of calculations and conclusions we can get from analyzing this type of data. Care to find out more and/or contribute and participate? Send correspondence to Mr. Merrell's e-mail address:
email: HannolineM@aol.com
PLEASE THROW A BASEBALL AND E-MAIL US your d, x, t and m measurements FOR EACH STUDENT!
THANK YOU!
Amusement Park Physics
Every year we take part in the Physics Day at Canobie Lake Park in New Hampshire, USA. This would make a good picture tour for the web. We take lots of me asurements while observing the rides. Back at the lab we complete the calculations and conclusions about the physics of the rides.
South Pole Station
We have an alumna who was the only austral winter cook at the South Pole Station. Her name is Emily Buesser. She was in the dark from March 21st until September 21st. When the sun came back more cooks and more researchers joined her. She spent a full year there. Emily e-mailed us many answers to questions we had about Antarctica.
Fermi National Accelerator Lab
I was fortunate enough to be part of the Topics in Modern Physics National Institute at the Fermilab. I brought some quarks and leptons back to the Kingswood Physics Lab. Also check out the Fermilab Education Home Page.
Visit the First Annual GWRSD Summer Academy Computer Camp Page
Computer enrich ment programs are held each summer for students entering grades four and up. Nick Bagg, a camper who was entering fifth grade in September, authored this First Annual GWRSD Summer Academy Computer Camp Home Page. Nick was back for the second annual GWRSD Summer Academy Computer Camp held this last summer.