Re[2]: teaching material -Reply

["Eric L. Darois" <daroiel@naesco.com>]

     I have done this dress-up many times.  The positive communication 
     benefits far outweigh the risks of a questioning parent, especially 
     when done well.  In fact, when concerns come forth you have created 
     another opportunity for communication !!!  2 for the price of one..
     
     After having done this a few times I still got elected to the school 
     board... 
     
     Eric Darois
     daroiel@naesco.com


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: teaching material -Reply
Author:  radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu at Internet
Date:    10/11/96 10:58 AM


I would avoid use of PPEs...yes, the kids LOVE dressing up...but, be careful 
what will be discussed around the dinner table:  "Ya know what, ya know 
what?!, there was this guy, an' he showed us RADIATION stuff an' we had to 
dress up in this stuff, ya know special gloves an' stuff..."   mmmm-hmmmm...  
     
I would use natural sources of radioactivity:  rocks, soil and so 
forth...the collection of radon products on a filter (vacuum and coffee 
filter) worked very well..we could discuss the concept of half-life as we 
tracked cpm over time.  
     
Actually, I have found turning the kids into two atoms (consisting of 
protons, neutron, electrons) and letting them "interact" was lots of fun.
     
The one activity children REALLY love is using your detectors:  hide a few 
rocks, lantern mantle, etc.  Demo the distance and shielding principles and 
let them search for the items.
     
I would like to share a letter with you from one student.  I had given each 
child a set of marbles (one clear crystal and one exposed to a Cs-137 source 
demonstrating a color change...thank you Linda @ ORISE) and I thought this 
one was a particular "hoot": 
     
"Dear Mrs McIntyre, Thankyou for taking time off from your work and telling 
us about your job.  I had a fun time.  You have a cool job.  Thanks for the 
marbles.  I was in the bathroom and it fell into the toilet bowl.  I flushed 
it and it made a funny noise.  It never came back up.  I lost my marbles. 
Thankyou, Your Friend Sean Rothe " (the accompanying picture was "cool" too!)
     
     
Kathleen McIntyre
BNL
mcintyre@bnl.gov
Kathleen McIntyre
Brookhaven National Laboratory
129B
Upton, New York 11973-5000
516-344-5868
516-344-7497 (fax)
     
mcintyre@bnl.gov