German „Outreach“ ActivitiesGerman „Outreach“ Activities

Michael KobelBonn University

OPAL, ATLAS, D0

European Particle Physics Outreach Group Meeting, Geneva, 20.10.2001

New Web pages Summer Academy Rostock Master Classes Bonn

Particle Physics in Curriculum for 16-year-olds in North Rhine Westfalia

1.) German Outreach Web Pages1.) German Outreach Web Pageshttp://www.physik.uni-bonn.de/outreach http://www.physik.uni-bonn.de/outreach

First Version (nearly) finished, online since August( M.K., D.Schmitz, student teacher)

Aim: German Info-Center forHEP Physicists (e.g. Material for talks, open days, etc)

High School Students (e.g.„master classes“)

Students (e.g. teaching systems, lectures)

Teachers (e.g. training)

Journalists (e.g. news)

Public (e.g. material, links)

2002: Merge into professional web management systemEnables announcements of events or storage of material remotely by all HEP groups in Germany

Examples (talks for schools, material, etc)

2.) German Summer Academy2.) German Summer Academy

Regularly 6 academies each summer, since 1994Organized by: Verein Bildung und Begabung (Association for Education and Talents)Supported by:

BMBF (ministry of education)Stifterverband der dt Wissenschaft (German Science Foundation)

First Particle Physics Course: Rostock 19.7.2001 – 4.8.2001 (16 days!)Participants Skilled 17-19 year-old High School Students (12. und 13. form)Lecturers:

Ariane Frey (CERN)Ekkehard Sieker (Physicist, Science Journalist)

Largest number of applicants (160) for a single course, ever16 participants selected, very variable a priori knowledge

Some detailsSome detailsOrganisation:

3 hours morning, 2 hours afternoon (in between sports etc)i.e. over 70 hours total 4 seminar talks (a ~ 20 min) by groups of 4 students, eachprepared w/in course timeInformal discussions3 hours total work on PC teaching packages(and unlimited in free time)32 pages final report, written by students (last 4 days)

Content:Overview, 3-4 days Quantum Mechanics and RelativityParticles, Forces, Standard ModelExperiments, DetectorsSymmetries, Higgs

FeedbackOverwhelmingly positiveEspecially appreciated:

Computer based teaching material for repetition and in depth studies in free time

Informal discussions at any time

Summary: Very special format, intensive work, successful

3.) Master Classes Bonn3.) Master Classes Bonn

Translate Part of Manchester Particle ID package into GermanEx mpa e (some pages new)

Usual program (embedded in events of Physics Department)1 h lecture (for all, about 100-300 students)

1.5 h workshop on PC (for a subset)

1st event: about 40 students (17-18 year olds) in 2 groups

2nd event: about 40 students (15-16 year olds) in 4 groups

Lot of fun, despite short time available(no prior knowledge of particle physics!)

Could make even basic measurement: Lepton universality

R = B(hadrons)/B(leptons) = 20 ~ 15 = 3 colors * 5 quarks

4) HEP in school curriculum, 10th form4) HEP in school curriculum, 10th form

Why?Last time mandatory physics

80% of students (97% of female) drop physics at this earliest opportunity

Topics for 9th and 10th form: Force, Pressure; Energy, Work, Power

Oscillations, Waves, Acustics

Radioactivity and Nuclear Energy

Problems:

Mainly physics of 18. u. 19. century

Presented in gory details

Abrupt transition to nuclear physics at end of the year

Global physics picture is missing completely

Why could particle physics help?Why could particle physics help?

Refers to most basic questionsOrigin of the universe

Structure of matter What are the fundamental building blocks?

Structure of forces 4 fundamental forces effective forces

Connection to everyday lifeRadiation (Sun, TV, Radioactivity)

Application in Medicine

Relation Forces Types of radioactive decays

Way to achieve thisWay to achieve this

Student Teacher Thesis (Dagmar Schmitz, Bonn)comprising

Concept for 12 hour (6 week) course(need to be expanded to 20 hours)

Supporting Html Web-Pages withTeaching and Learning-material

Interactive „Quiz“-Pages

Animations

Simulations

> 100 page thesis withTeacher-material

Student-material

Experience from an 9 hours trial teaching in a 10th form

Concept for 12 (20!) hoursConcept for 12 (20!) hours

1. Introduction and motivation: Contexts: Big Bang, radiation

2. Small structures

3. Building blocks: molecules atoms fund. particles (1.generation)

4. Mass energy (E=mc²), antimatter

5. Radioactivity

6. Medical applications, radiation protection

7. Nuclear power stations

8. Interactions as forces, decay, production ( 9. The Standard Model (and its open questions)

10. Identification of particles and interactions

11. Cosmology

12. Historical background and final discussion

Experiences and FutureExperiences and Future

students very interested in topic

supporting use of PC positive

still many basic problems in detail

Evaluation (Questionnaire)interested in modern physics

general interest in physics increased

presence of a „real scientists“ well received

Future:support from education authorities already existing

broader trial in more schools starting 01/2002

second iteration of material

inclusion in next round of curriculum in North Rhine Westfalia

--> 14 more Bundesländer to do