cents and tell us all about it.
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May 12
2009
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Math & Science Day at Kings Dominion - When a day at a theme park is more than just a day in the park.Posted by: pr on May 12, 2009 |
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Students are heading to Kings Dominion this Friday, May 15, 9 a.m.-4 p.m to study science. That's when the Science Museum of Virginia and Kings Dominion turn the theme park into a giant laboratory for Math & Science Day. Students explore the science behind the rides while they ride such notorious scream machines as Dominator; Volcano, the Blast Coaster; Ricochet; Anaconda and the Rebel Yell. At the end of the day students might be exhausted from the excitement, but they're also wiser about how things work.
Students see scientific theories and mathematical principles come to life. They measure ride heights as well as vertical and horizontal acceleration. They compete with other students to build their own roller coasters.
Students test their balance at the Science Museum's BioExpress area. These aren't carnival games. As students interact with these hands-on exhibits, they investigate and understand scientific concepts. At the Science Museum's Science-by-Van activities, under the Eiffel Tower, elementary students put together a human skeleton and investigate optical illusions and colors. Pupils create a path to the moon and back in the gravity well, discover what makes stars shine and find out how much they would weigh on different planets at the Science Museum's Space Travels.
Participants compete in Field Day events. Students in grades 9-12 build card towers, hit a target with a pendulum hurler and design crash-proof capsules to protect very fragile eggs for an egg drop. Students in grades 3-8 load their aluminum foil barges with pennies, fly paper airplanes and build paper towers. Ribbons are awarded to the winners of individual events. Trophies go to the overall winners. Pupils can expect an explosion or two when scientists from Mad Science unveil secrets behind movie special effects.
Thousands of pre-registered elementary, middle and high school students from Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. have Kings Dominion to themselves on Math & Science Day. Activities in this special program match the curriculum in the Virginia Math and Science Standards of Learning.
Kings Dominion is 20 miles north of Richmond and 75 miles south of Washington, D.C. Take Interstate 95 to exit 98. Math& Science Day is sponsored by Kings Dominion and the Science Museum of Virginia.
