Stepping outside of school boundaries, Stein notes, helps parents understand that the kinds of things they can do with their kids are not necessarily things that have to happen in schools. The idea is to get to the parents where they are, whether that is standing in line at the grocery store, sitting in a clinic waiting room, or browsing through the community library on a Saturday afternoon. Making learning a valuable part of everyday life, DeCoster and Stein both agree, is what the Massachusetts Parent Involvement Project is all about. Our project hopes to change people's attitudes and help us produce a group of kids who see themselves as problem solvers and mathematical thinkers. When they bang the hanger, the vibration travels to their ears through the string.
Some observations can lead to pretty intuitive answers about how vibration is necessary for sound.
By shaking the can and asking a series of questions, participants try to ascertain the contents. They have the opportunity to place sample objects into an open can and experiment with shaking it to compare the sound and feel with the mystery object in the sealed can.