The UBC Physics and Astronomy Outreach Program offers professional development workshops 1-2 times a year. These workshops are designed for both physics teachers and for teachers of all sciences.
Upcoming Workshops (2022-2023)
This November 17th, 2022 we will be hosting an online workshop for Teachers interested in participating in the 2023 Physics Olympics! What are the events? How can you prepare your class to both participate and succeed? Meet experienced presenters who will share their hands-on knowledge and best tips for preparing physics classes for the labs, pre-builds, quizzics and fermi question sessions. See our Physics Olympics webpage for teacher workshop registration and more information about the main event on March 4th, 2023. We look forward to seeing you there!
2020 Workshop
We will be running a workshop on February 28th, 2020 for the Burnaby Professional Development District Day .
2019 Workshop
We ran a teacher Pro-D workshop on October 25, 2019 with a focus on introducing circuits to students by playing and making. This workshop will cover topics of circuits, voltage, current, and resistance that are part of the BC Grade 9 Science Curriculum, but all teachers who are interested in learning basic electronics are welcome, as some activities would be of interest and appropriate for Grade 4-7 students.
The cost of the workshop is $60.00 (discount for teacher candidates available), which will cover the cost of a take-home kit for the teacher, supplies for hands-on activities, coffee, and lunch. Teachers who complete this Pro-D will also be eligible to borrow the “Lend an Experiment” (LEx) kits we put together to use with their own classes.
Agenda:
9:00 – 9:15 Registration (Hennings 208), heading to workshop location (LIFE 2108)
9:15 – 10:30 Intro to soldering. Introduction to circuits and electrical components. Working/playing with circuit kits
10:30 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 12:00 Measuring voltage, current, and resistance using a multimeter.
12:00 – 12:30 Lunch
12:30 – 13:30 Hands-on projects with circuits: making a tricolour flash light.
Teachers are invited to join the Beaty Biodiversity Museum after 1:30pm for their teacher-oriented programming available until 3pm (museum is open until 5pm). For more information, visit the Beaty Biodiversity eventbrite page. Teachers and student candidates receive free admissions to UBC Beaty Biodiversity Museum. Make sure to bring your teacher or student ID for free entry
About the “Lend an Experiment” (LEx) kits:
The lack of funding to purchase supplies for hands-on activities is a significant barrier for teachers to teach physics and climate change in their classrooms. A new program we are starting this year is “Lend an Experiment”– 25 hands-on kits will be assembled and put into boxes for local teachers to borrow. Teachers attending this Pro-D event will be eligible to borrow LEx boxes for us in their classrooms; those from Vancouver Downtown Eastside will receive priority in borrowing the LEx kits.
We would like to thank Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions and other donors for their generous support for the development of LEx kits and relevant educational materials.
PAST WORKSHOPS
- 2016 – current Workshop: “Introducing circuits by playing and making”
- 2015 Workshop: “Bring Renewable Energy and Electronics into Your Class”
- 2013 Workshop “Electronics in Your Class – Arduino Boards and Sensors for Creative Projects”
- 2010 Workshop “Teaching Physics Using 21st Century Methods: Social Media, Digital Technology and the World Wide Web”
- Download the workshop information sheet HERE
- Download workshop presentations below:
- 2009 Workshop – Physics Teaching for the 21st Century: Making physics relevant to global issues: Renewable Energy, Climate Change
- Download the workshop information sheet HERE
- Visit the “Physics Teaching for the 21st Century” website
- 2008 Workshop – Hovercraft and LED flashlight
- Download the workshop information sheet HERE
- Download workshop presentations below: