Sharing ideas and inspiration for engagement, inclusion, and excellence in STEM
Three Light and Wave Physics Investigations with the Go Direct Light and Color Sensor
Ever wonder why car headlights look dim from a distance but shine bright up close? Or how your sunglasses can block out glaring light? These are just a few of the real-world phenomena your students can explore with the Go Direct® Light and Color Sensor. Combining multiple sensors to measure light intensity across the visible and ultraviolet parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, this versatile tool can be used in a wide range of science applications. We’re highlighting three hands-on experiments that invite students to investigate real-world phenomena and explore the physics behind light and waves.
Three Mechanics Investigations with the Go Direct Motion Detector
There are many ways to measure motion in your physics classes, from the classic meter stick and stopwatch method to photogates and sensor carts. But the Go Direct® Motion Detector is one of the most versatile, engaging tools you can leverage in your classroom. This sensor measures the position of moving objects by sending out an ultrasonic pulse (a sound wave at a frequency beyond human hearing) and using the echo from its target to calculate velocity and acceleration data.
Studying Conservation of Angular Momentum with Vernier Video Analysis
British mathematician Roger Penrose once stated, “Sometimes it’s the detours which turn out to be the fruitful ideas.” I am always searching for innovative ways to connect what students are learning in my physics class with the real world.
In late April, during a visit to the Staten Island Target®, a family member yanked my arm so we could “see what cool stuff they had in Bullseye’s Playground,” the area of seasonal products right by the entrance. Amongst the plastic pitchers and 4th of July decor, I spotted the Target plastic Water & Sand Mill, priced at just $1.
Where Math Meets Science: Connecting Vernier Go Direct Sensors and TI-Nspire Technology
Looking for ways to make math more accessible to your students? Help them build confidence in math and science concepts by using real-time data collection! When students are tasked with exploring real-world phenomena, math transforms from an abstract, intimidating concept into a practical tool that students can use to develop and articulate answers to questions like, “Why are headlights on a car dimmer at a distance?” or “Why do I feel warmer wearing a black shirt on a sunny day?”
With enhanced compatibility between Vernier and Texas Instruments, students can now explore math in tangible, real-world scenarios by wirelessly capturing and analyzing real-time data on their TI-Nspire™ CX II graphing calculators. By integrating math and science, educators can enrich student comprehension, deepen their understanding of the natural world, and prepare students for careers in STEM.
How to Introduce Your Students to Data-Collection Basics
Whether studying CO2 changes during photosynthesis or investigating the conservation of momentum during a collision, students need to be able to do more than just plot points on a graph—they need to understand the story that a graph tells. One incredibly effective way to develop this kind of data literacy is to incorporate data-collection technology and investigations into your instruction. Real-time data collection not only helps students build stronger connections between abstract scientific concepts and the real world but also helps students transform raw data into meaningful insights through tabulation, graphs, visualization, and statistical analysis.
Three Ready-to-Use 3D Physics Investigations to Maximize Impact with Vernier Sensors
“What’s going on here?” our principal asks, eyebrows raised, as a foam baby in a car seat attached to a dolly races down a ramp, straight into a brick wall.
Five Trailblazing Female Asian American & Pacific Islander Scientists with Impactful STEM Legacies
May is National Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, an excellent time to help your students learn about the pivotal contributions Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders have made to the STEM fields—and continue to make today! As we celebrate their accomplishments, it’s also important to acknowledge the gaps in visibility within these groups, particularly among AAPI women in science. For example, recent studies have shown women in this demographic are notably less likely to be employed in leadership positions in STEM, even when highly educated. This discrepancy also persists in educational resources, where textbooks continue to underrepresent women and people of color in STEM. To help spotlight their considerable academic and scientific research contributions, here are five influential AAPI women whose stories and achievements you can share with your students, as well as a few experiment ideas to connect with their research.
Ready, Set, Science! Get Your Science Game On with These Four Sports‑Themed Experiments
We had such a blast at NSTA Denver 2024 last week! One of our big highlights this year was getting to mix science and sports with fun, athletics-inspired activities. Below we’re sharing four of our favorite sports-themed experiments you can try out to elevate your classroom game!
Exploring the Antarctic with Vernier: A Physics Teacher's Expedition to Inspire Classroom Science
The Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship (GTF) is an experiential professional development opportunity offered through the National Geographic Society and Lindblad Expeditions. This program sends teachers out on expeditions to remote locations to inspire them to inspire their students.
Two Hands-On Motion Investigations with the New Go Direct® Force Plate
Engaging students in physics can be as simple as getting them moving! The Go Direct® Force Plate, our newest physics sensor, invites students to explore the principles of motion through their own actions like jumping, stepping, and pushing. Equipped with wireless capabilities and brand new channels including Hang Time for physics classes, and Jump Height and X- and Y-axis Balance for physiology classes, the Force Plate opens up new avenues for creativity and exploration in the classroom. In this blog post, we are sharing two investigations we recommend to help explore physics fundamentals using the Go Direct Force Plate.
Empowering Students through Career-Based Learning and STEM Representation in Physics and Engineering Classrooms
Anticipating a projected 10.8% growth in STEM occupations over the next decade, the STEM Academy of Hollywood, a pilot high school in Hollywood, California, emphasizes career-focused education. The school centers on two career pathways: Engineering and Biomedical Science, utilizing curriculum from Project Lead the Way. Regine Rosas, who comes from a biomedical engineering background, teaches physics and electives in the engineering pathway to help students prepare for the evolving STEM landscape.
Five Tips for Optimizing Data Collection with Photogates
Photogates, at first glance, are one of our simplest sensors. They can capture incredibly precise snapshots of an object’s motion data utilizing just two LEDs. But despite their relative simplicity, photogates are actually incredibly versatile. They can detect objects in a range of sizes, from a marble to a pickup truck. And with just a brief snapshot, they can measure anything from the swing of a pendulum to the acceleration of a cart on a ramp to the speed of a collision—with the right alignment and precision. Here are five tips to help you get the most out of your experiments using photogates.
Choosing the Right Cart and Track System for Your Physics Classroom
The Dynamics Cart and Track System is at the core of every physics lab. These versatile setups equip students with the tools they need to explore fundamentals in kinematics, dynamics, momentum, and energy.
Smashing Squash and Regurgitating Gourds: Eerie Experiments for Your Physics and Chemistry Classes
As we officially move into autumn and begin creeping closer to the spookiest season of the year, it’s the perfect time to add a little bit of pumpkin spice to your science curriculum.
Empowering Student-Led Discovery in the Physics Classroom: A Conversation with Texas Educator Michelle Jedlicka
Michelle Jedlicka, a veteran teacher at A&M Consolidated High School in Texas, has a packed schedule this fall with four physics classes on her roster: AP Physics 1, AP Physics C, Independent Research, and Integrated Physics and Chemistry. Despite the varying levels of her students, she finds the same principle underpins them all—hands-on experience is crucial to student learning.
Exploring Magnetic Fields: Three Hands-On Experiments with the Go Direct 3-Axis Magnetic Field Sensor
Looking for fresh ways to engage your students in the study of magnetic fields? Guide your students through the invisible forces that influence our world with the Go Direct 3-Axis Magnetic Field Sensor.
Back-to-School Experiments to Kick-Start Your School Year
As we gear up to welcome students back to the classroom, it’s the perfect time to strategically introduce (or reintroduce) the fundamental principles of data collection. No matter the subject, understanding how to collect, analyze, and interpret data is not only key to fostering good inquiry, it’s also a fun way to spark engagement in students as they come back to class from summer break.
We’re sharing our favorite back-to-school science experiments that use some of our most popular sensors, including the Go Direct® Temperature Probe, the Go Direct Conductivity Probe, and the Go Direct Motion Detector. Give these a try to get your students moving, mixing, measuring, and observing in the classroom this fall!
Three Tips to Help You Get the Most Out of the Go Direct Motion Detector
One of the most versatile ways for students to measure motion—a key scientific concept—is the
Go Direct® Motion Detector.
Three Experiments that Highlight How Vernier Graphical Analysis® Pro Can Elevate Physics Learning
Energy, acceleration, and simple harmonic motion are just a few important physics principles for students to learn—and using the Graphical Analysis Pro app with our Go Direct® sensors can help bring these abstract scientific concepts to life.
Meeting the Needs of All Learners in Every Vernier Connections™ Lesson
At Vernier, our goal is to help all students become STEM-literate citizens. So, as we develop lessons for Vernier Connections, it is critical that we design a journey that will support the learning of all students.
Three Experiments for Exploring Physics with the Go Direct® Force and Acceleration Sensor
Understanding key physics concepts, such as Newton’s laws of motion, gives students a solid foundation for exploring real-world physics applications—and the Go Direct Force and Acceleration Sensor is a great tool for laying that groundwork and building on it.
How to Choose the Right Spectrometer for You
Spectrometers are a great tool for helping your students explore important scientific concepts across a range of biology, chemistry, and physics courses—and Vernier offers a suite of spectrometers that are fast, compact, and easy to use.
Five Ways to Take Physics Learning on the Go with the Go Direct® Acceleration Sensor
With the right tools, your students can explore important physics concepts in the real world—even when they’re traveling.
Hands-On Physics Learning with Water Rockets, Mousetrap Race Cars, Bridges, and Wind Turbines
All students benefit when they can apply physics principles and concepts by building something. Having that real-world connection can help make physics easier to understand. As an added bonus, it can also increase student engagement.
Hands-On Teaching Strategies to Help Students Understand the Physics Behind Electricity and Sound
Let me begin with a confession: I majored in chemical engineering, not physics. In addition, when I was in college, calculus-based physics and electrical fundamentals courses were used to weed out would-be engineering majors.
Five Tips for Collecting High-Quality Video to Analyze in Vernier Video Analysis®
Motion is an important concept that can be challenging for students to comprehend. However, Vernier Video Analysis makes studying motion easy and accessible.
Unlock Scientific Innovation with These College Experiments
Vernier offers more than 1,000 experiments in biology, chemistry, engineering/robotics, and physics that can promote STEM literacy and help you integrate data-collection technology into your courses.
Elevate Hands-On STEM Learning with These K–12 Experiments
Vernier offers more than 1,000 experiments in biology, chemistry, engineering/robotics, and physics that can promote STEM literacy and help you integrate data-collection technology into your classes.
K–12 Experiments of the Month: Elevate Hands-On STEM Learning
Vernier offers more than 1,000 experiments in biology, chemistry, engineering/robotics, and physics that can promote STEM literacy and help you integrate data-collection technology into your classes.
Five Research-Based Best Practices for STEM Education
The quest for high-quality STEM education starts with having a solid foundation grounded in research. But what exactly does the research say about high-quality STEM education?
Using Stirling Engines and Vernier Technology for Hands-On Physics Investigations
Note: A version of this story was originally posted on the Vernier website in August 2021.
Versatile Go Direct® Light and Color Sensor Helps Illuminate Concepts Across the Science Curriculum
Good things come in small packages—including the Go Direct Light and Color Sensor.
Getting Students Involved and Invested in Their Own Learning with User-Friendly Vernier Technology: A Q&A with Alexandra Boyd
Alexandra Boyd teaches AP Physics at Apex Friendship High School in Apex, North Carolina. Last year, she won a 40th anniversary educator grant from Vernier, which included $1,000 in Vernier technology. We sat down with Boyd to discuss the impact of the grant on her and her students. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
College Experiments of the Month: Unlock Scientific Innovation
Vernier offers more than 1,000 experiments in biology, chemistry, engineering/robotics, and physics that can promote STEM literacy and help you integrate data-collection technology into your courses.
College Experiments of the Month: Unlock Scientific Innovation
Vernier offers more than 1,000 experiments in biology, chemistry, engineering/robotics, and physics that can promote STEM literacy and help you integrate data-collection technology into your courses.
K–12 Experiments of the Month: Elevate Hands-On STEM Learning
Vernier offers more than 1,000 experiments in biology, chemistry, engineering/robotics, and physics that can promote STEM literacy and help you integrate data-collection technology into your classes.
Python® and LabQuest®: Opening Up Opportunities for STEM Educators and Students
When you think about ways to teach science, coding might not be the first thing that comes to mind.
Giving Students Hands-On Experience with the Engineering Design Process
What do you get when you take 40 to 60 high school students from across the northeast corner of the Keystone State, add a bunch of basswood, and throw in physics and engineering concepts?
Ramp Up Physics Learning Using Our Dynamics Cart and Track System with the Go Direct® Sensor Cart
Get all the equipment you need to teach dynamics and kinematics using our Dynamics Cart and Track System with the Go Direct Sensor Cart. This wireless system simplifies experiment setup and allows basic physics experiments to be conducted with or without the track.
K–12 Experiments of the Month: Elevate Hands-On STEM Learning
Vernier offers more than 1,000 experiments in biology, chemistry, engineering/robotics, and physics that can promote STEM literacy and help you integrate data-collection technology into your classes.
College Experiments of the Month: Unlock Scientific Innovation
Vernier offers more than 1,000 experiments in biology, chemistry, engineering/robotics, and physics that can promote STEM literacy and help you integrate data-collection technology into your courses.
College Experiments of the Month: Unlock Scientific Innovation
Vernier offers more than 1,000 experiments in biology, chemistry, engineering/robotics, and physics that can help you inspire students and integrate data-collection technology into your science courses.
All three of this month’s experiments were featured in or inspired by recent Vernier webinars. Our webinars are a great way to see our experienced educational technology specialists demonstrate Vernier experiments, answer your top questions, and provide tips about using our products to engage your students. Visit our website to check out webinar recordings and register for upcoming webinars.K–12 Experiments of the Month: Elevate Hands-On STEM Learning
Vernier offers more than 1,000 experiments in biology, chemistry, engineering/robotics, and physics that can help you inspire students and integrate data-collection technology into your STEM classes.
All three of this month’s experiments were featured in or inspired by recent Vernier webinars. Our webinars are a great way to see our experienced educational technology specialists demonstrate Vernier experiments, answer your top questions, and provide tips about using our products to engage your students. Visit our website to check out webinar recordings and register for upcoming webinars.
STEM Education Innovation: Inspiring Physics Students Through Gaming
Note: A version of this story was originally posted on the Vernier website in August 2020.
College Experiments of the Month: Unlock Scientific Innovation
Vernier offers more than 1,000 experiments in biology, chemistry, engineering/robotics, and physics that can help you inspire students and integrate data-collection technology into your science courses.
All three of this month’s featured experiments involve our spectrometers. To further explore the use of spectrometers, check out our Illuminate Spectroscopy webinar.
Spotlight on Our Go Direct® Spectrometers
Fast. Compact. Easy to use.
K–12 Experiments of the Month: Elevate Hands-On STEM Learning
Vernier offers more than 1,000 experiments in biology, chemistry, engineering/robotics, and physics that can help you inspire students and integrate data-collection technology into your STEM classes.
All three of this month’s featured experiments involve our spectrometers. To further explore the use of spectrometers, check out our Illuminate Spectroscopy webinar.K–12 Experiments of the Month: Elevate Hands-On STEM Learning
Vernier offers more than 1,000 experiments in biology, chemistry, engineering/robotics, and physics that can help you inspire students and integrate data-collection technology into your STEM classes. We will be featuring at least one of our experiments in each edition of The Caliper.
College Experiments of the Month: Unlock Scientific Innovation
Vernier offers more than 1,000 experiments in biology, chemistry, engineering/robotics, and physics that can help you inspire students and integrate data-collection technology into your science courses. We will be featuring at least one of our experiments in each edition of The Caliper.
Spark Scientific Curiosity with These Award-Winning Apps
To help educators reignite students’ love of learning science this spring, Vernier is providing
STEM Education Innovation: Using Water Rockets and Data-Collection Technology to Teach Physics
We’re always excited when educators share the ways they use Vernier products in their STEM classes—and we’re always so impressed by their ingenuity. We will be showcasing at least one example of STEM education innovation in each edition of The Caliper.
Celebrating Latinx Scientists and Their Work: Resources for Your Classroom
National Hispanic Heritage Month offers a great opportunity for students to learn about the many Latinx contributions to STEM.
Three Ways to Enliven Remote Learning with Vernier Graphical Analysis Pro
Since COVID-19 cases remain stubbornly high across the country, it’s clear that remote learning isn’t going away. And while this teaching concept isn’t new anymore, many STEM educators are still struggling to beat video conference fatigue and keep students engaged in the remote classroom. For science teachers who depend on hands-on experiments to demonstrate scientific concepts, remote learning presents a unique question: how do you remotely teach science in a way that holds students’ attention?
Vernier Video Analysis® Wins Industry-Leading Award
The Vernier Video Analysis app recently won a Tech & Learning Award of Excellence in the software category. The feature-rich app, which helps students learn key physics concepts and engage in video analysis in both in-person and remote learning environments, was recognized with this industry-leading award for its impact on student learning.
Bring Video Analysis to Your Students in a Dedicated and Streamlined Application
Vernier Video Analysis™, a new member of our family of apps, is available. Right now, you can get a free trial through June and take advantage of our special introductory pricing.
Introducing Kinematics Using Motion Detection and Real-Time Graph Matching
This is my 28th year teaching high school physics. The last 23 years I’ve been at Century High School, in Hillsboro, Oregon, and I’ve taught many levels of physics. An introductory course that I teach covers kinematics, dynamics, energy, momentum, wave fundamentals (including sound and light), and electricity. Through all of my classroom experience, I’ve found that introducing data-collection technology through hands-on experiments that tie into the real world is often the most effective way to help students understand key science concepts and keep them engaged in the classroom.
Infinite Investigations with Go Direct® Acceleration
Martin Horejsi of NSTA Recommends recently tested the Go Direct® Acceleration sensor and called it a “rock-solid piece of science instrumentation” with an “infinite number of uses.” In the article, “Measuring Murphy’s Law with the Vernier Go Direct Acceleration Sensor,” he describes the technology, and details the numerous hands-on investigations he conducted using the sensor.
One Device for Teaching Science and Coding with Scratch
Do you teach force and motion? Equipped with a load cell to measure force and both an accelerometer and gyroscope to measure motion, our Go Direct® Force and Acceleration Sensor is perfect for hands-on science activities. Drag a sneaker across the floor to study friction, or tie Go Direct® Force and Acceleration Sensor to a string and swing it around your head to investigate circular motion. Incorporate the sensor in your LEGO® machines and measure the mechanical advantage of levers and ramps.
Building a Better Mousetrap – A New Vernier Photogate
We are excited to announce a new sensor for physics—Go Direct Photogate. With our first-ever wireless photogate, you get better-than-stopwatch timing accuracy of a cart traveling eight or more meters without having to run wires between the gates. And that is not even its best feature.
Go Direct® Sound Featured on NSTA Recommends
Martin Horejsi, from NSTA Recommends, has collected data with Go Direct Sound just about everywhere on campus. In his review, “The Vernier Go Direct Sound Sensor: See Sounds in a New Light (Bluetooth),” Martin discusses the importance of sound safety, provides a brief history of the decibel, and details various investigations using Go Direct Sound.
The Centripetal Force Apparatus Goes Wireless
The new Go Direct® Centripetal Force Apparatus makes it easier than ever to investigate rotational dynamics. Students can investigate the relationships among force, mass, and radius wirelessly—all you need is the Go Direct Centripetal Force Apparatus, a Go Direct Force and Acceleration Sensor, and a device running our free Graphical Analysis™ 4 app. No additional interface is needed.
How to Collect Data from a Fidget Spinner and a Photogate
Like most people, I have heard the buzz about "fidget spinners", so I could not resist buying one and taking some data with it. Here is a graph of data collected using Logger Pro, LabQuest Mini, and a Photogate.
Quantifying Sources of Systematic Error in Video Analysis Experiments
Video analysis experiments have strong potential to reinforce student learning and build intuition; however, in the intro physics lab, students often find experimental values that are substantially different from the expected results (e.g., a curve-fit derived value for g of 11.59±0.02 m/s2 for a tossed golf ball). Despite giving students specific instructions for setting up video equipment, we frequently see poor experimental results. This suggests that small variations in the experimental setup produce significant systematic errors.
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