Physics of Imagineering - Schedule

FS 20 - The Physics of Imagineering
Fall 2015 - Schedule

Class will meet in Appleton Hall of Numbers room 117

Note that this schedule is tentative and all plans are subject to change.

Tower of terror photo

Thursday, September 3 9:00-11:00 am - Introductions and Registration preparation
- Before the class, check out some disney web sites:
Goals for today:
- Meet everyone in the class and discuss individual goals:
  - Where are you from?
  - What do you hope to get out of your four years here?
  - What is your favorite thing about Disneyland (ride/character/story)?
- Discuss course goals
- Discuss Disneyland:
  - Have you been to Disneyland? How many times?
  - What is your favorite ride(s)?
  - What are good websites with information about Disneyland?
  - Where have you wondered "How do they do that?"
- Discuss registration
  - Open houses for various majors - determine which to go to so you don't book advising at the same time
  - Placement testing
  - Demonstrate webadvisor & course catalog
  - Intro to LAFs
  - Set up schedule for advising
  - CIRP Survey will be Monday to accomodate Disney trip
  - Set up Disneyland trip for Sunday
    - Get everyone's cell phone number
    - Times for survey moved to today
    - Fill out field trip forms
    - Pick time to leave
    - Does anyone already have a disney pass?
- Homework for advising
Assignments:
- Fill out Advising prep form
- To prepare for registration, think about what classes you might like to take. These websites might help:
  - http://www.redlands.edu/
  - http://www.quintcareers.com/first-year_success.html (Also check out the links at the bottom of the article)
  - http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/college-success/27746.html
  - Redlands course catalog
Tuesday, Sept. 8 - Magnetism
Goals for today:
- Learn basic properties of magnetism
- Experiment with magnetic materials
Assignments:
- Bring print-out of assignment or computer (or smartphone) to class.
- Notebook with answers to assignment #1 due Wednesday, September 9th by 1 pm.
Thursday, Sept. 10 - Discussion
Goals for today:
- Go over Yesterday's lab
- Let's get meta and discuss grades and the adjustment to college
- More magnetic field discussion:
  - Discuss whether it's possible for an object to have a north pole and no south pole
  - Why do both sides of a magnet attract a paper clip?
  - Discuss how Disneyland uses magnetism to give a sense of place
  - Discuss possible magnetic illusions
Assignments:
- Homework questions due by e-mail to me on Monday, September 14th at 9 am. You can use books or the internet for reference, but be careful to use trustworthy sources. Also, you must cite your sources.
  1. In what sense are all magnets electromagnets?
  2. Why is it inadvisable to make a horseshoe magnet from a flexible material?
  3. A "dip needle" is a small magnet mounted on a horizontal axis so that it can swivel up or down (like a compass turned on its side). Where on Earth will a dip needle point most nearly vertically? Where will it point most nearly horizontally?
  4. Your friend says that, when a compas is taken across the equator, it turns around and points in the opposite direction. Your other friend says that this is not true, that people in the Southern Hemisphere use the south magnetic pole of ht ecompass to point toward the nearest pole. You're on; what do you say?
Tuesday, Sept. 15 - Electricity
Goals for today:
- Learn the basic properties of electricity
- Conduct experiments with electric circuits
- Perform a calculation using estimation
Assignments:
- Bring print-out of assignment or computer (or smartphone) to class.
- Notebook with answers to assignment #3 due Wednesday, September 16th by 1 pm.
Thursday, Sept. 17 - Estimation
Goals for today:
- Discuss estimation excercises and how they can be applied to Disneyland
- Estimate how many riders get on Pirates of the Carribbean in a day
- Discuss current courses you are enrolled in, see if anyone else in in the same course
- Discuss how to handle illness in college
- Discuss using your own words when getting information from the internet
Assignments:
- Due Monday, September 21st at 9 am by e-mail. Pick two rides (one will end up your final project). Estimate the daily ridership on each. Compare the length of their lines based on experience.
Tuesday, Sept. 22 - Optics
Goals for today:
- Learn the basic visual properties and a few ways we can be "tricked" using visuals
Assignments:
- Bring print-out of assignment or computer (or smartphone) to class.
- Notebook with answers to assignment #2 due Wednesday, September 23th by 1 pm.
Thursday, Sept. 24 - Optics
Goals for today:
- Before class, watch video of Haunted Mansion ride, which was closed during our visit:
  - Video of haunted mansion
  - Video of the introduction to the Haunted Mansion
Assignments:
- Due Monday, September 28th at 1 pm by e-mail: List of "How'd they do that?" questions for Disneyland. If you heard the question from someone else, you must name them. Be clear about which ride, what section of the ride, etc. Also, include any guesses you have for how the effect was achieved.
- To prepare for Tuesday's class, complete the assignment and email your responses to both the instructor and Paige_Mann@redlands.edu by Monday, September 28th at 8 am.
Tuesday, Sept. 29 - Intro. to Library
Goals for today:
- Meet in Library's CILLab (3rd floor, past the women's restroom and water fountain)
- Navigate the library web site in order to locate the library catalog, specific databases, and get help from a reference librarian
- Search the library catalog
- Develop criteria to evaluate sources
- Learn how to cite a source
Assignments:
- Due Monday 10/5 at 9 am by e-mail:
  - Using the "Questions to Ask" on "Evaluating Information" tab at http://library.redlands.edu/imagineering as a starting point, evaluate each of the resources you found.
Thursday, Oct. 1 - Optics
Goals for today:
- go over optics assignment from last week.
- Discuss How'd they do that questions. What are some things you see in rides that aren't there?
  - Haunted Mansion ghosts in the dining room
  - Hat Box ghost
  - Randall in Monster's Inc
  - Ghost in car at end of Mansion
  - Mouths on cars in Racers
  - More?
- Learn about specific illusions used at Disneyland:
  - forced perspective
  - pepper's ghost
  - floating image
  - freaky faces
- Share forced perspective images from last week's assignment
- Discuss which disneyland rides use these (and other optical) techniques
- Figure out who will attend the optional field trip on 10/15
Assignments:
- Before class, read these web sites and view videos:
- Due Monday, October 5th at 9 am - Forced Perspective Calculation
Tuesday, Oct. 6 - Gravity
Goals for today:
- Learn about forces (especially the gravitational force), acceleration, and how forces create thrills.
Assignments:
- Bring print-out of assignment or computer (or smartphone) to class.
- Notebook with answers to assignment #3 due , Obtober 7th by 1 pm.
Thursday, Oct. 8 - Discussion
Goals for today:
- Discuss how gravity works in rides
- On which rides doe you feel an increase in the gravitation force? Where is there a decrease?
- What does Star Tours have to do with gravity?
- What new experiences did you have at Disneyland?
- Discuss final project ideas and results of library search
Assignments:
- Due Friday, October 9th by email:
  - An old DCA brouchure claims that California Screamin' goes from 0 to 60 mph in about 4 seconds. During that acceleration, how many g's are you feeling?
  - In his famous novel Journey to the Moon, Jules Verne stated that occupants in a spaceship would shift their orientation from up to down when the ship crossed the point where the Moon's gravitation became greater than the Earth's. Is this correct? Write about 1/2 to 1 page defense of your answer.
Tuesday, Oct. 13 - No class
Fall Break
Thursday, Oct. 15 - Optional Field Trip
Goals for today:
- Everyone meets for class at 11 am for discussion
- Dicsuss how things are going so far
- Discuss possibilities for December Guest Lecture
- Learn about animatronics
- leave for field trip at 11:30 am, return ~1:30 pm
Assignments:
- Before class, check out the web page for Garner Holt Productions
- Due Monday, October 19th by e-mail, an updated annotated bibliography. Must include at least 6 sources. At least 2 each about each of your rides and at least 2-3 in your chosen area of concentration.
Tuesday, Oct. 20 - Friction
Goals for today:
- Learn about the force of friction and the normal force.
Assignments:
- Bring print-out of assignment or computer (or smartphone) to class.
- Notebook with answers to assignment #5 due at the end of class.
- Make sure you bring a laptop (if you have one) and your ID number to class on Thursday.
- Before Thursday's class, read online about the Disney College Program
  - http://cp.disneycareers.com/en/about-disney-college-program/overview/
  - http://micechat.com/tag/kevin-in-wonderland/
Thursday, Oct. 22 - Guest discussion on Disney College Program
Goals for today:
- Complete Surveys
  - https://www.beckdavidson.com/studentportal/studentlogin.aspx
  - https://iastateeducation.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8x1kPQLf9fbMfVX
Assignments:
- Due Monday, October 26th by 10 am. E-mail the instructor a paper comparing the 2 rides you wrote about previously. You must use at least 2 new sources and remove one earlier source that wasn't helpful.
  Your previous annotated bibliography had information on 2 rides and one non-science topic. In this paper, use your sources for the rides only and summarize and compare the information you have found. Be sure to synthesize, not simply list facts.
Tuesday, Oct. 27 - Newton's Laws
Goals for today:
- To be introduced to balancing forces and centripetal force.
- To calculate various forces.
Assignments:
- Bring print-out of assignment or computer (or smartphone) to class.
- Notebook with answers to assignment #6 due Wednesday, October 28th at 1 pm.
Thursday, Oct. 29 - Discussion
Goals for today:
- What rides employ friction? Centripetal acceleration?
- Pick a date and time for final poster presentation.
- Discuss courses available - any questions about requirements?
- Give each other advice for classes to take or avoid.
- Make schedule for advising
Assignments:
- Due Monday, November 2nd by 10 am. E-mail the instructor a second draft of your paper comparing the 2 rides. Use at least 2 new sources, address any questions from the previous paper, and use in-text references.
Tuesday, Nov. 3 - Trajectory
Goals for today:
- To practice using components.
- To draw a trajectory.
Assignments:
- Bring print-out of assignment or computer (or smartphone) to class.
- Notebook with answers to assignment #8 due Wednesday, November 4th at 1 pm.
Thursday, Nov. 5 - Range
Goals for today:
- Go over Physics that we've learned so far.
- To practice trajectory and data collection.
Assignments:
- Bring print-out of assignment or computer (or smartphone) to class.
- Notebook with answers to assignment #9 due at the end of class.
Tuesday, Nov. 10 - Energy
Goals for today:
- To be introduced to Energy.
- To calculate the values of various forms of energy and show that it is conserved.
Assignments:
- Bring print-out of assignment or computer (or smartphone) to class.
- Notebook with answers to assignment #7 due Wednesday, Nov. 11th at 1 pm.
Thursday, Nov. 12 - Design
Goals for today:
- To learn about the design process.
- To participate in a brainstorming session.
Assignments:
- Bring print-out of assignment or computer (or smartphone) to class.
- Notebook with answers to individual questions in assignment #10 due at the end of class. Notes from Discussion groups due Monday at 9 am.
Tuesday, Nov. 17 - Guest lecture on Design of Disneyland
Goals for today:
- Learn about the design of Disneyland
  - What is Disney trying to communicate through its visuals?
  - Why is that the communication? What is the goal?
  - How is are these ideas communicated?
Assignments:
- Before class: Read assigned articles (TBD)
Thursday, Nov. 19 - Discussion
Goals for today:
- Discuss final project ideas.
- Get suggestions for topics to include in final projects.
- Review ride length calculation.
Assignments:
- Final Project proposal due via e-mail Friday November 20th at 1 pm. This must include an outline for the project, an annotated bibliography, and a statement of scientific question to be answered.
Tuesday, Nov. 24 - Discussion
Goals for today:
- Wrap up what we learned this semester.
- Answer any questions about final projects.
- Determine order for presentations.
Assignments:
- By Monday Nov. 30th at 9 pm: Complete the pre-assignment on the "Organization of Knowlwdge" tab at the Imagineering Resource Guide
Thursday, Nov. 26 - Thanksgiving
Tuesday, Dec. 1 - Organization of Knowledge
Goals for today:
- Meet in LIB 112 (tentative)
Assignments:
- Go to the tab titled "Information through Multiple Lenses" at the Imagineering Resource Guide and follow the directions to complete the assignment by Monday, November 25th at 1 pm.
- Due by e-mail Monday, November 25th at 1 pm:
  - What is one aspect of your research topic that may be vulnerable to being a "single story?" How will you address this vulnerability?
  - Given what you've learned about the information cycle and the types of information sources that exist, how will this affect your bibliography? Are there gaps in your sources that you'll need to address? Does this confirm the decisions you've already made? Explain your answers.
Thursday, Dec. 3 - Guest lecture on Sociology in Disneyland
Goals for today:
- Meet in North University Hall, room 112 (NUH 112)
- Discuss how Disneyland tell us about our own customs, traditions, and views
- Meet with Katie Baber and Jim Spickard (via skype)
- Discuss this weekend's disney trip
Assignments:
- Before class, read this article: Crafting Culture
- Come to class with at least 2 different questions for Dr. Spickard.
- Due Monday, December 7th at 9 am via e-mail: List 3-6 major concepts you found most interesting in our conversation with Dr. Spickard. Also include any additional questions you didn't get to ask him and a discussion of any other Disney attractions you think would benefit from a sociological analysis.
Tuesday, Dec. 8 - Final Project Presentations
Goals for today:
- Final papers due
- Ask good questions of each presentation.
Thursday, Dec. 10 - Final Project Presentations
Goals for today:
- Ask good questions of each presentation.
Thursday, Dec. 17 - Final project Presentations
Goals for today:
- Ask good questions of each presentation.