German „Outreach“ Activities New Web pages Summer Academy Rostock Master Classes Bonn Particle Physics in Curriculum for 16-year-olds in North Rhine Westfalia Michael Kobel Bonn University OPAL, ATLAS, D0 European Particle Physics Outreach Group Meeting, Geneva, 20.10.2001

1.) German Outreach Web Pages http://www.physik.uni-bonn.de/outreach First Version (nearly) finished, online since August ( M.K., D.Schmitz, student teacher) Aim: German Info-Center for HEP Physicists (e.g. Material for talks, open days, etc) High School Students (e.g.„master classes“) Students (e.g. teaching systems, lectures) Teachers (e.g. training) Journalists (e.g. news) Public (e.g. material, links) 2002: Merge into professional web management system Enables announcements of events or storage of material remotely by all HEP groups in Germany Examples (talks for schools, material, etc)

2.) German Summer Academy Regularly 6 academies each summer, since 1994 Organized by: Verein Bildung und Begabung (Association for Education and Talents) Supported by: BMBF (ministry of education) Stifterverband der dt Wissenschaft (German Science Foundation) First Particle Physics Course: Rostock 19.7.2001 – 4.8.2001 (16 days!) Participants Skilled 17-19 year-old High School Students (12. und 13. form) Lecturers: Ariane Frey (CERN) Ekkehard Sieker (Physicist, Science Journalist) Largest number of applicants (160) for a single course, ever 16 participants selected, very variable a priori knowledge

Some details Organisation: Content: Feedback 3 hours morning, 2 hours afternoon (in between sports etc) i.e. over 70 hours total 4 seminar talks (a ~ 20 min) by groups of 4 students, each prepared w/in course time Informal discussions 3 hours total work on PC teaching packages (and unlimited in free time) 32 pages final report, written by students (last 4 days) Content: Overview, 3-4 days Quantum Mechanics and Relativity Particles, Forces, Standard Model Experiments, Detectors Symmetries, Higgs Feedback Overwhelmingly positive Especially appreciated: Computer based teaching material for repetition and in depth studies in free time Informal discussions at any time Summary: Very special format, intensive work, successful

3.) Master Classes Bonn Translate Part of Manchester Particle ID package into German Example (some pages new) Usual program (embedded in events of Physics Department) 1 h lecture (for all, about 100-300 students) 1.5 h workshop on PC (for a subset) 1st event: about 40 students (17-18 year olds) in 2 groups 2nd event: about 40 students (15-16 year olds) in 4 groups Lot of fun, despite short time available (no prior knowledge of particle physics!) Could make even basic measurement: Lepton universality R = B(hadrons)/B(leptons) = 20 ~ 15 = 3 colors * 5 quarks

4) HEP in school curriculum, 10th form Why? Last time mandatory physics 80% of students (97% of female) drop physics at this earliest opportunity Topics for 9th and 10th form: Force, Pressure; Energy, Work, Power Oscillations, Waves, Acustics Radioactivity and Nuclear Energy Problems: Mainly physics of 18. u. 19. century Presented in gory details Abrupt transition to nuclear physics at end of the year Global physics picture is missing completely

Why could particle physics help? Refers to most basic questions Origin of the universe Structure of matter What are the fundamental building blocks? Structure of forces 4 fundamental forces « effective forces Connection to everyday life Radiation (Sun, TV, Radioactivity) Application in Medicine Relation Forces « Types of radioactive decays

Way to achieve this Student Teacher Thesis (Dagmar Schmitz, Bonn) comprising Concept for 12 hour (6 week) course (need to be expanded to 20 hours) Supporting Html Web-Pages with Teaching and Learning-material Interactive „Quiz“-Pages Animations Simulations > 100 page thesis with Teacher-material Student-material Experience from an 9 hours trial teaching in a 10th form

Concept for 12 (20!) hours Introduction and motivation: Contexts: Big Bang, radiation Small structures Building blocks: molecules  atoms  fund. particles (1.generation) Mass energy (E=mc²), antimatter Radioactivity Medical applications, radiation protection Nuclear power stations Interactions as forces, decay, production « (a, b, g) The Standard Model (and its open questions) Identification of particles and interactions Cosmology Historical background and final discussion

Experiences and Future students very interested in topic supporting use of PC positive still many basic problems in detail Evaluation (Questionnaire) interested in modern physics general interest in physics increased presence of a „real scientists“ well received Future: support from education authorities already existing broader trial in more schools starting 01/2002 second iteration of material inclusion in next round of curriculum in North Rhine Westfalia --> 14 more Bundesländer to do