My name is Alexandra Solender and I will be using this blog to share and reflect upon my Kenan Fellows experiences throughout the year.  I teach all levels of physics at Holly Springs High School and have been teaching for 3 years.  I have wanted to become a Kenan Fellow ever since I got to HSHS and began working with a Kenan Fellow.  It was clear to me that this opportunity would help me continue my personal education within the teaching field as well as provide me with resources, tools, and a teacher network like none else!

Me and Dr. Witelski in the SAMSI office

The goal of my internship is to learn how to create an inquiry based lab/activity/unit for my physics students that is based on my experiences at the Statistical and Applied Mathematical Sciences Institute (SAMSI).  Dr. Witelski and I are investigating the chaotic dynamics of a bouncing ball.  The general idea is that students will work through the physics and mathematics of a ball bouncing on a moving plate, and through the use of a computer program be able to see the chaotic behavior, or synchronization, as time progresses.  It is my hope that my students will learn valuable researching skills that are comparable to a college experience.