This inquiry-based lab, written by PhET’s Noah Podolefsky, is great to teach Middle Schoolers about kinetic energy, potential energy and conservation of energy–before they hit the skate park for real over the summer!

We’re excited to announce that we have been chosen as the 2nd Place Winner in the 2012 SIGOL Online Learning Awards. This award recognizes innovative educators worldwide for their leadership and creativity in providing e-learning opportunities for elementary through university students. As part of the award, come see us at ISTE 2012 June 24-27th in San Diego, CA.

Space is limited. Please contact Mary Bartholomew at mbartholomew@cherrycreekschools.org to register for the workshop.

Cost: $10 (pay at door)

Location Details:
Instructional Support Facility (ISF)
Cherry Creek School District
5416 S. Riviera Way
Centennial, CO 80015

Check out the new tab, “Real Molecules,” in the Molecule Shapes or Molecule Shapes: Basics sims. By clicking on the tab, you can compare the VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) model to real molecules.

The presentation will be about 35 minutes with some time for questions. Sponsored by Oregon Virtual School District, the webinar is free and open to everyone.

Date: Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Time: 3:45 pm, Pacific Daylight Time (San Francisco, GMT-07:00)
Meeting Number: 928 566 534

To join the online meeting:
1. Go to https://oregoned.webex.com/oregoned/j.php?ED=180718897&UID=0&RT=MiM0
2. If requested, enter your name and email address.
3. This meeting does not require a password.
4. Click “Join”.

To view in other time zones or languages, please click the link: https://oregoned.webex.com/oregoned/j.php?ED=180718897&UID=0&ORT=MiM0

To join the audio conference only:
To receive a call back, provide your phone number when you join the meeting, or call the number below and enter the access code.
Call-in toll-free number (US/Canada): 1-877-668-4493
Call-in toll number (US/Canada): +1-408-600-3600
Toll-free dialing restrictions: http://www.webex.com/pdf/tollfree_restrictions.pdf
Access code:928 566 534

Teachers, we need your input!

We have been experimenting with the addition of a new “Teacher” menu in our simulations. See “Teacher” along the upper left hand navigation in Molecule Shapes or Molecule Shapes: Basics. There you can change the background color to white.

Can you let us know how you might use this new Teacher menu and/or “white background” option in the comments below?

These inquiry-based activities are ideal for Grades 5-8. Through these activities students will be able to describe what air looks like at a microscopic level, explain how air applies pressure, and predict how various changes affect the pressure.

This inquiry-based activity enables students to design their own experiment where they learn how to determine the gravitational acceleration on Planet X.

See these new adaptations at Texas Instrument Booth #336 at the 2012 National Science Teacher Association (NSTA) National Conference in Indianapolis, March 29 – April 1.

If you want to become a sponsor, go to CU Foundation PhET Project Fund. Or, e-mail kathryn.dessau@colorado.edu. Depending upon the level of sponsorship, your logo can appear on our website which has had over 70 million sims served!