2024 Summer Institute/Workshop
FREE Professional Development for precollege teachers will be provided by the AAPT/ PTRA Cadre of Master teachers. A 3-day Physics and Physical ScienceWorkshop will be sponsored by the PTRA Continuation Fund. It will begin the afternoon of July 10 and end July 12 at approximately at 5pm.
Location: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA
Topics include: Video Analysis, Classroom Practicums, Electricity using CASTLE,
TIPERS, Make and Takes and MORE.
Cost: FREE, stipends available and equipment for all K-12 teachers in the classroom.
The PTRAs have been providing high quality professional development for over 35 years. This is the continuation of PTRA.
Please complete this google form to apply. https://forms.gle/TXQNuoBktCswCcxe7
2023 Highlights https://youtu.be/3jEU22IMgTI
The 2023 Summer Institute was held June 23-25, 2023 at Martin High School, Arlington, TX. The PTRA Leadership Institute is typically designed for PTRAs to be updated in technology and content to better serve their colleagues, however we invited all secondary physics and physical science teachers to join us for a weekend of make-n-take, demos, and sharing of best lessons.
In addition, there was a special demo show, provided by PIRA, a nationally recognized group of physics colleagues that perform demo shows all over the country.
Friday June 23: Attendees joined us on the last day of our Quantum for All Institute as we learned about laser cooling!
Saturday: June 24: We made launchers to be used in the classroom for both 1 and 2D motion. These launchers have been one of the all time favorite make-n-takes over the past 35 years and participants got one to take back to their classroom!! Thanks to David Sturm, we also had a PIRA demo show where students and families were invited to attend. We closed out the day with a picnic.
Sunday: June 25: We made energy tubes from irrigation pipe and enjoyed the beautiful sunshine in the afternoon to experience favorite astronomy lessons.
2022
PTRAs had their Leadership Institute July 13-15, 2022, in Grand Rapids, MI. Two days focused on revised Perimeter Institute Resources including Climate Change, Bohr to Quantum, Black Holes, and Measuring Fields. The last day was spent learning ways to use Glowscript in the classroom. These topics can easily be transferred to K-12 classrooms in chemistry, physics, physical science, and computer science. Contact us for more information on professional development in your district.
March 2022
There are multiple sessions being given at the national NSTA meeting in Houston and the TSAAPT meeting in Abilene.
TSAAPT sessions are March 10-12 and the presenters are Janie Head and Kenric Davies.
NSTA sessions are March 30-April 2. PTRAs helping with the sessions include Jan Mader, Emma Smith, Kenric Davies, Janie Head, Tommi Holsenbeck, Stacy Gwartney, Cathy Barthelemy, and Karen Matsler.
November 2021
November 5-MAST conference, presentation by Steven Henning
November 11-12 Members of TSAAPT will be providing several sessions at the Texas Conference for Advancement of Science Teaching (CAST).
Nov. 11: 2:30-3:30 PM The Golden Rules of Quantum. Session 5074
Nov 11: 4-5PM Where is the Quantum in Chemistry? Session 5073
Nov. 12: 9:30-10:30AM Malus Law and Mutual Exclusive States. Session 5075
Nov. 12: 2:30-3:30 PM Wave Particle Duality Introduction Session 5076
July 2021–NSF is funding a workshop on QIS. Since the participants will receive a stipend there will be a limited number of participants. For more information go to quantumforall.org
April 24: A NES/PTRA workshop will focus on how a NSF project is providing an opportunity for educators to learn principles and applications of QIS (Quantum Information Science). The objective of the session is to strengthen background knowledge and provide some activities that can be used in the classroom. QIS Core concepts include superposition, qubits, entanglement, cryptography etc. For more information contact Steve Henning physfsh@gmail.com
November 2021
November 5-MAST conference, presentation by Steven Henning
November 11-12 Members of TSAAPT will be providing several sessions at the Texas Conference for Advancement of Science Teaching (CAST).
Nov. 11: 2:30-3:30 PM The Golden Rules of Quantum. Session 5074
Nov 11: 4-5PM Where is the Quantum in Chemistry? Session 5073
Nov. 12: 9:30-10:30AM Malus Law and Mutual Exclusive States. Session 5075
Nov. 12: 2:30-3:30 PM Wave Particle Duality Introduction Session 5076
July 2021–NSF is funding a workshop on QIS. Since the participants will receive a stipend there will be a limited number of participants. For more information go to quantumforall.org
April 24: A NES/PTRA workshop will focus on how a NSF project is providing an opportunity for educators to learn principles and applications of QIS (Quantum Information Science). The objective of the session is to strengthen background knowledge and provide some activities that can be used in the classroom. QIS Core concepts include superposition, qubits, entanglement, cryptography etc. For more information contact Steve Henning physfsh@gmail.com