Article,

Swept Away: Exploring the Physics of Curling

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Science Scope, 35 (4): 36-39 (2011)

Abstract

Studying the Olympic sport of curling is a fun and engaging way to learn about the concepts of friction, forces, momentum, and Newton's laws. Each winter, the author takes her eighth-grade physical science class on a field trip to experience curling firsthand. This field trip has become a favorite of the eighth graders at Capitol Hill Day School and is talked about among all the middle school students. One of the reasons they have so much fun with the trip is that it is a new experience for everyone, and the kids are working on a level playing field. Using sports as a way to teach students about physics gets them up, moving, and talking about what they are learning. Employing different modalities to teach a concept helps a teacher to reach all learners. Finally, sports are real-world applications of what students are learning in class. It is important to show them that science does not only occur in the lab--and that it is a lot of fun, too. (Contains 1 figure and 5 online resources.)

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