My students need a FLIR thermal imager. It allows them to see infrared and attaches to an iPad. It comes with a free app and is a great use of modern technology in the class.
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Students
I have hard-working students with dreams. I teach Physics and Astronomy. For a lot of my students, the things that I show them are new and surprising. It's the first time they've seen it. I pride myself on the fact that the type of equipment they learn to use and the skills that I teach them are things they are able to share.
Our school is a Title I school, which means that a majority of the families in our area fall within the poverty guidelines.
Some of my students are holding down jobs and going to school. This situation can make it difficult for my students to picture a future. They are often too busy dealing with every-day life so there is little energy left over to plan for their future. I try to expose my students to as many STEM activities as possible and tie them into different careers. All it takes is one spark of interest to fuel a life-long love of learning and a possible career.
My Project
This year, I teach Physics and Astronomy. Some topics coincide, and the electromagnetic spectrum is one of those. I have been putting together a kit to help students visualize the different parts and introduce them to some of the equipment physicists and astronomers use. The spectroscopes we have are a great hit, and they help students understand the components of the visual spectrum.
Students need to understand that the electromagnetic spectrum isn't all about rainbows.
Light is the easiest for them to understand because it is the part that we can see. There is so much more to the em spectrum, and I have struggled to find ways to model it, especially infrared and radiation.
A teacher recently brought in a FLIR thermal imager. It attached to an iPad, and it was a hit. I was able to demonstrate how water interferes with an image and what problems that can cause in Astronomy. The students were able to use different materials to see what could block an image. The app was easy to download and it was easy to attach the imager. They were so excited and engaged. They had so many questions, and I was able to explain how it was used in different careers. I knew that with that response that this was something I needed to add to my em spectrum kit.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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