Manchester Physics Students Headed To Disney World
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
NORTH MANCHESTER - Jim Myer, Manchester High School physics and chemistry teacher, has been taking students to Disney World, Fla., since the 1990-1991 school year. This year, he plans to take approximately 15 Manchester High School juniors and seniors from his physics class to Disney World March 15-19.
The annual field trip is through a program called YES: Youth Education Series, presented by Disney World to "provide students with a high quality and educationally sound seminar, while never forgetting that fun is a vital part of learning." The program is designed for children in grades two through 12. Myer said this is the fourth year Manchester High School has participated in Disney's program.
The students will travel, with Myer and high school guidance counselor Terri Denney as chaperones, by plane. Cost for the trip is $500 per student, which includes meals, lodging, transportation and admission into Disney World. The group will stay at Disney's "All Star Sports" hotel.
Although this is only the fourth year for the YES program, Myer has been taking students to Disney World to learn and have fun for nearly 10 years, but "with a different program in terms of sponsoring," he said.
Myer found the program through the Internet and said he e-mailed Disney requesting information on educational programs for school groups.
He also said the programs at Disney revolve around "terms and concepts I use in class." But, he said, the programs take education one step further: "then they go behind the scenes and learn."
The program itself has been ongoing for approximately six years, Myer said.
Myer began interacting with the Disney program because "I had been to Disney about five times and it's a fantastic place and a learning experience," he said. Myer wanted to share his educational experiences with his students.
While at Disney World, Myer said, his students will cover electromagnetism, kinetic energy, reflection, sound waves and potential energy, among other topics.
Their first day, students will participate in "Disney's World of Physics," a six-hour seminar to study how the principles of physics are present in attractions at the Magic Kingdom Park as well as in everyday lives.
Key learning points in the seminar include studying the monorail, Space Mountain, the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, Astro Orbiter and Tomorrowland Transit Authority. Students will participate in activities involving electromagnetism and simulate their own roller coaster to test three different track elements to determine which requires the greatest amount of potential and kinetic energy.
Students also will work with the properties of light through the use of the visible light spectrum, prisms and scrim at the Haunted Mansion, and will study speed, inertia and g-forces by using vertical and horizontal accelerometers, stop watches and water at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
The group's next day will include a three-hour seminar, "Synergy in Science," which will allow students to examine the interaction between creativity and technology to see its application to daily life. Students also will study technology and the telecommunications industry; demonstrate how a 3-D image is created; discover how audio and video systems that run Epcot attractions are created, monitored and controlled; and discuss and experience flight simulator technology by traveling through the human body in Body Wars.
"I take them to places where I think they'll enjoy the most," Myer said of the days where seminars are not scheduled.
At this point, Myer said, he has no other field trips planned for his students this year. "This takes up most of my planning time," he said, "and I don't want to take too many days off school."
He said the trip is for his physics class only and final plans and attendees will be set this week.
"Based upon students' reactions to it (the trip)," Myer said, "it's a very positive highlight of their school year." [[In-content Ad]]
NORTH MANCHESTER - Jim Myer, Manchester High School physics and chemistry teacher, has been taking students to Disney World, Fla., since the 1990-1991 school year. This year, he plans to take approximately 15 Manchester High School juniors and seniors from his physics class to Disney World March 15-19.
The annual field trip is through a program called YES: Youth Education Series, presented by Disney World to "provide students with a high quality and educationally sound seminar, while never forgetting that fun is a vital part of learning." The program is designed for children in grades two through 12. Myer said this is the fourth year Manchester High School has participated in Disney's program.
The students will travel, with Myer and high school guidance counselor Terri Denney as chaperones, by plane. Cost for the trip is $500 per student, which includes meals, lodging, transportation and admission into Disney World. The group will stay at Disney's "All Star Sports" hotel.
Although this is only the fourth year for the YES program, Myer has been taking students to Disney World to learn and have fun for nearly 10 years, but "with a different program in terms of sponsoring," he said.
Myer found the program through the Internet and said he e-mailed Disney requesting information on educational programs for school groups.
He also said the programs at Disney revolve around "terms and concepts I use in class." But, he said, the programs take education one step further: "then they go behind the scenes and learn."
The program itself has been ongoing for approximately six years, Myer said.
Myer began interacting with the Disney program because "I had been to Disney about five times and it's a fantastic place and a learning experience," he said. Myer wanted to share his educational experiences with his students.
While at Disney World, Myer said, his students will cover electromagnetism, kinetic energy, reflection, sound waves and potential energy, among other topics.
Their first day, students will participate in "Disney's World of Physics," a six-hour seminar to study how the principles of physics are present in attractions at the Magic Kingdom Park as well as in everyday lives.
Key learning points in the seminar include studying the monorail, Space Mountain, the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, Astro Orbiter and Tomorrowland Transit Authority. Students will participate in activities involving electromagnetism and simulate their own roller coaster to test three different track elements to determine which requires the greatest amount of potential and kinetic energy.
Students also will work with the properties of light through the use of the visible light spectrum, prisms and scrim at the Haunted Mansion, and will study speed, inertia and g-forces by using vertical and horizontal accelerometers, stop watches and water at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
The group's next day will include a three-hour seminar, "Synergy in Science," which will allow students to examine the interaction between creativity and technology to see its application to daily life. Students also will study technology and the telecommunications industry; demonstrate how a 3-D image is created; discover how audio and video systems that run Epcot attractions are created, monitored and controlled; and discuss and experience flight simulator technology by traveling through the human body in Body Wars.
"I take them to places where I think they'll enjoy the most," Myer said of the days where seminars are not scheduled.
At this point, Myer said, he has no other field trips planned for his students this year. "This takes up most of my planning time," he said, "and I don't want to take too many days off school."
He said the trip is for his physics class only and final plans and attendees will be set this week.
"Based upon students' reactions to it (the trip)," Myer said, "it's a very positive highlight of their school year." [[In-content Ad]]