LHC Physics in the Classroom @ NSTA - Fall 2025

November 2025 NSTA: LHC Physics in the Classroom

Friday, 14 November, 2025 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM CT

Minneapolis, MN

Convention Center Room:

Small URL for this page:

Agenda:

Time (CT)	Activity
8:00 AM	Opening - Shane (slide) Introductions What is QuarkNet? Setting the stage: Big to small The Data Activities Portfolio (DAP)
~8:10 AM	DAP Activity Overview: Shuffling the Particle Deck - Shane (slides) What are the elementary particles that make up the Standard Model? Virtual Particle Cards (full set in one group) Virtual Particle Cards (grouped) Standard model, and standard model
~8:15 AM	DAP Activity: Rolling with Rutherford - Mike Using indirect evidence to "see" the invisible. Tracks Cloud chamber Slides - for reference
~8:35 AM	DAP Activity: Calculate the Z Mass - Shane & Mike Using conservation laws (energy/momentum) to calculate the mass of a particle. Slides Data/events Spreadsheet (for quick total momentum calculations) Plots: CMS, ATLAS, Higgs (4l, animated)
~8:50 AM	Discussion & Evaluation Thoughts on implementation? Tour of QuarkNet.org and Data Actvities Portfolio Q & A
9:00 AM	End of workshop

Contacts

Shane Wood, QuarkNet National Staff
Michael Plucinski, QuarkNet Fellow

NSTA Program information:

60-minute Workshop Session Info

Title

Large Hadron Collider (LHC) Physics in the Classroom

Conference Strand

Designing and Implementing High-Quality Instructional Materials and Assessments to Support 3D Teaching and Learning

Description (This description will be used for review purposes and appear in the Conference Session Browser and app. Please limit to 1000 characters.)

Join us for an engaging workshop that brings cutting-edge particle physics into your classroom. Explore how scientists at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN tackle fundamental questions about the universe—and how their discoveries connect to high school science. Through hands-on activities from the NSF-supported QuarkNet program, you'll experience ways to integrate real data, current research, and core physics concepts into your curriculum, all aligned with national science standards.

One Main Takeaway (This statement defines what attendees will learn at the session. Please limit to 300 characters.)

Attendees will leave with examples of standards-based classroom activities that link cutting-edge physics research to core concepts taught in high school physics and physical science.