The Caliper


A Publication for Users of Vernier Products
Volume 18, Number 2 Fall 2001

In This Issue:

Spectro Pro
Nuclear Radiation
Training CD
Innovative Uses
International Logger Pro
Workshops
Programming a LabPro
Newsletter 15 years ago
Blue Light Specials
Where IS North?
Bits and Bytes
Tech Updates


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Bits and Bytes

Teacher Wins Award Using Vernier Products

David Svrcek, who teaches 7th grade at Miller Junior HS in Aberdeen, Washington, is one of five Washington State teachers selected to receive the "2000-2001 Innovation in Teaching Award" sponsored by Battelle and Digital Blackboard. As part of their winning project, David and his students have been using Vernier LabPro and water quality sensors to collect data and monitor the health of Shannon Slough. The $2,000 awards are given to teachers using technology to teach mathematics and science in innovative ways.
Congratulations David!

Activities for Middle Grades Science with the CBL 2™ and the TI-73

by Debbie Crawford, Ray Leonard, and Cathy Roberts
This new book from Texas Instruments contains 22 middle school science investigations that provide hands-on data collection with a variety of sensors, including temperature, pH, force, motion, voltage, and light. Physical science is explored through properties of matter, motion and force, and transfer of energy. Life science activities investigate living systems, populations and ecosystems, and diversity and adaptations of organisms. The book also provides earth and space science activities. Even though Activities for Middle Grades Science with the CBL 2 and the TI-73 was written for the CBL 2, you can also use it unchanged with the Vernier LabPro interface.
Order Code TI-MGS: $20

Science Humor

Heisenberg is out for a drive when he’s stopped by a police officer. The officer says, "Do you know how fast you were going?"
Heisenberg says, "No, but I know where I am."

Ghostly Data Collection

Our Motion Detector and Magnetic Field Sensor were used and shown on camera in the Discovery Channel program Ghost Detectives. This study of the paranormal (some of us would call it pseudoscience) attempted to detect ghosts moving around at night in an old lighthouse. They did not find any, but this was not due to any failure of our equipment.

Mercury Phase-Out

In October, Oregon joined a number of other states in passing legislation to phase out the use of instructional materials containing mercury by public schools. For more information of similar legislation in other states, see www.mercury-k12.org. Mercury is dangerous and hard to clean up. We think this is one more reason for switching to electronic temperature measurement devices, such as our Stainless Steel Temperature Probe.

Have you checked out www.vernier.com lately?

  • Support Articles for Grant Writing
    If you’re looking for support material for a grant, you'll find a bibliography of articles and research papers about the use of computers and calculators for data collection, many of which are available on the internet.
  • State and National Correlations
    All Vernier curricular materials are correlated to the National Science Standards and the science standards of most states. These correlations are available in PDF format at www.vernier.com/standards. You can also search for curricula that meet specific state and national standards at the ExplorAsource web site, www.explorasource.com.
  • Vernier Idea Board
    Have you written your own experiments using Vernier products? Do you have an idea for a student research project that utilizes Vernier products? Or do you just want to benefit from people who do? We have a place for you on our web site to read entries submitted by other educators and post your own.
 
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