The Cosmology and Computing group at Kenyon provides two outreach programs available to middle school students in central Ohio. Information for parents, educators and other groups interested our programs can be found at the bottom of the page.
Girls' Science Saturdays
Girls' Science Saturdays is a unique opportunity for the girls of Knox County to become excited about science. We inspire interest in the physical sciences by providing a fun and encouraging environment to learn and practice scientific thought. Led by Kenyon College students and scientists, participants will use cutting-edge techniques to explore new ideas and learn scientific methods used in contemporary scientific research. The program is completely outside the standard science curricula, and experiments include exploding gummy bears!
The Invisible All Around You
Saturday, November 12, 2016; 9:00 am - 1:30 pm
You’re inside a box, and the only thing you can see is a slit of light. Can you tell if it’s sunlight or a street lamp? No? Can you see particles that are too fast and small for any camera to catch? We’ll build tools to help you do both, and solve other problems as we explore the darker side of light.
Physics All Around You
Saturday, February 18, 2017; 9:00 am - 1:30 pm
What do an ice skater, the space station and a centrifuge have in common? Why are light bulbs the shape they are? And why is bungee jumping safer than it appears? We will discover the answers to these questions and more by exploring the world of physics all around us.
Ready to Register?
If you are registering an individual, please visit the registration page.
If you are a group please download our group registration materials or contact Tom Giblin or Connie Miller for information.
LADS: Learning and Doing Science
LADS (Learning and Doing Science) is a program created to extend boys' science education beyond the classroom and develop their appreciation for the pursuit of scientific discovery. Experimenting alongside the students and scientists of Kenyon College, the lads of LADS will probe the complexity of the world of the ordinary and the world of the extraordinary! We will present to the participants material that is fun, exciting and totally new.
Engineering All Around You
Saturday, October 22, 2016; 9:00 am - 1:30 pm
Bridges and motors and robots, oh my! Did you know you can build a working motor with a battery and a magnet? We'll try our hand at this and bridge building at our Engineering All Around you session! We'll even control robots with iPhones!
Lights, Lasers and Magnets All Around You:
Saturday, February 4, 2017; 9:00 am - 1:30 pm
What does a magician whipping a tablecloth out from under a glass have in common with bouncing balls and waves in a pool? Come try your hand at the magic trick and find out! You’ll learn how quantum mechanics affects us in the real world, and what keeps the glass on the table.
Ready to Register?
If you are registering an individual, please visit the registration page.
If you are a group please download our group registration materials or contact Tom Giblin or Connie Miller for information.
Information for Parents and Educators
All of the lesson plans for Girls' Science Saturdays and LADS: Learning and Doing Science compliment the Ohio Department of Education: Academic Content Standards for middle school grades 6-8. The course material is developed in small groups led by undergraduate mentors, graduate student mentors and professional scientists and presented in a personalized way that addresses the learning ability of the students involved.
Copies of our lesson plans, including information on safety, regulations and how our lesson plans address the Ohio Academic Content Standards are available by request by emailing Tom Giblin.
