Kathleen Childress

Childress's "K'Necting Kids" project is designed to excite elementary through high school students about physics. Junior and senior high school physics students build racecars equipped with a power motor, and then use a computerized motion detector to test the relationships that exist between velocity, acceleration and energy. The students draw several research conclusions, and then demonstrate mini-lessons to second through fifth grade elementary students. This instructional phase not only helps the older students apply and assess their physics skills, but also inspires elementary students to get connected to physics.