When physics concepts are demonstrated with a 3' x 4' rollercoaster, a "hover craft" built out of plywood, a shop vac and a bed of nails the size of a human body, class just has to be interesting. The creative contraptions that teacher Stan Bergkamp designs and integrates into his lessons ignite curiosity, interest and a passion for learning among his students. As one student said, Mr. Bergkamp is "a comedian, a cool guy, and a physics teacher." His lessons are not only fun but relevant. When explaining a concept, he demonstrates how that concept occurs in real life, then challenges students to solve a real-world problem related to the concept. A former Peace Corp volunteer, Mr. Bergkamp provides his classes with a glimpse of the world outside their community with an interactive distance learning project involving students in Rwanda. In this and many other ways, he not only teaches physics to his students; he expands their world.
