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The Magic Hooey Stick

THE NATURE OF SCIENCE

 SYNOPSIS

 CONCEPTS

Science deals only with natural patterns and mechanisms.

Understanding science enables one to differentiate it from pseudoscience and non science.

 MATERIALS

 See list of materials and assembly procedures below, following this formatted lesson outline, under The Incredible Magic Hooey Stick.

To get a FREE SAMPLE of a working Hooey Stick, see the note near end of the instructions for making The Incredible Magic Hooey Stick.

 TIME

 STUDENT HANDOUTS

(see end of lesson for the formatted handouts).

 TEACHING STRATEGY

This lesson may be best introduced after doing some lessons which focus on the real nature of science. It provides an enjoyable "test" to see if your students truly have learned to become more skeptical and critical, and press hard to challenge your "magic", or still tend to readily accept supernatural explanations for seemingly "magical" phenomena.

See "Unfolding Drama" below for details.

EXTENSIONS

& VARIATIONS

 COURSE OPENER: This activity could also be used as an attention grabber for your course opener at the beginning of the year, leading into your introduction to the nature of science, before you have discussed the critical, skeptical nature of how science operates, and could serve as an example of how we tend to be drawn to supernatural "magical" explanations for puzzling phenomena (especially if your students do indeed seem to do that!). If they do lean heavily that way, get them to consider OTHER possible explanations for the phenomenon, and how those could be checked out (i.e. "tested").

If your students are generally sekptical that you are really "magical", then congratulate them, and explain that they are showing an essential scientific attiude, and could become not only good scientists, but more critical consumers, and less likely to be conned by charlatans. Continue into lessons which focus on the techniques and other attitudes of science....

The natural world has many illusory phenomena (e.g. the apparent daily movment of the sun across the sky). This lesson is a good springboard to exploring illusions, and the role of science in exposing them. Try the many suggestions for using illusions on this site. Your library also probably has some books on illusions. These are fun to use as "sponge" activities when you have a little extra time... a fun way to remind your students that science is a very efective way to understand the illusions in nature. Try our NEW LESSON in which students INVESTIGATE the CAUSES of ILLUSIONS: "PERCEPTION IS NOT ALWAYS REALITY."

A further fun extension into the realm of illusions is to learn some simple sleight of hand "magic", or use some magic shop gimmicks, to insert as appropriate throughout your course (e.g. make a coin disappear when introducing laws of probability in genetics, or work with cards or dice in the same way). See resources below.

PROMOTE SKEPTICISM: Whenever you present something seemingly magical or "supernatural", train your students to shout out "TRICKERY" all together. For example, after you show them the Magic Hooey Stick, with as much flair and aura of mysticism as you can muster, if nobody raises any doubts or challenges its magic, ask them "Is there anyone who suspects that this might not be magic, but rather has some natural or physical explanation? Does anyone suspect 'trickery'?" When you get some agreement, tell them "Well, I should hope so! Good scientists are always skeptics. Whenever you see something (at least in this class) that is presented as mystical or supernatural, I want you all together to shout out 'TRICKERY!' Got it? Good. Let's do it: 1,2,3, TRICKERY! Very good. Don't forget, now. Then, we'll explore the phenomenon further." It's good to reinforce this with one or two additional examples of "magic", or discrepant events, so they can practice shouting "TRICKERY!"

If they ask what a skeptic or skepticism is, explain that skeptics try to hold an open, provisional approach to the explanations for unusual phenomena. They realize that the world holds many natural illusions. They challenge mystical or supernatural explanations with close observation and reasoned logic, because 1) such "explanations" do not really provide any details, and 2) such explanations, upon closer scrutiny, usually turn out to be false, and are replaced with ones that fit known natural laws. Good scientists always assume natural explanations are working, and test them by trying to disprove them. If they survive the challenge, they are stronger for it. Remember the dictum: "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence."

OTHER RESOURCES

 1. Video: NOVA, Secrets of the Psychics (Magician and McArthur Fellowship winner James Randi explores the claims of psychics and puts them to scientific tests) 60 min. (1993).

2. Video: Galileo: The Challenge of Reason. (The Shaping of the Western World Series:) Outstanding video productions recreate the human drama and spectacle of history. These productions are of feature film caliber, starring well-known actors and filmed in actual historical locations around the globe. Scholars from the world's greatest universities acted as consultants). 30 min. (1978) $59 from Coronet/MTI, 800-221-1274.

3. Some Classroom Magic Resources.....recommended by Walter Wogee (ENSI '93):

**Magic and Showmanship for Teachers by Alan McCormack published by the Idea Factory. This is the best overall source of ideas for using magic in the classroom. I think that it is available through the NSTA Book Store, or Amazon.com (currently $15.50).
**Mathemagics by Arthur Benjamin and Michael Shermer is a good source of magic effects based on math.
**Fun with Science Magic and Fun with Math Magic is a series of books by Donald W. McCarthy published by University Classics. I am not sure if they are still available.
** Wonder Workers by Joe Nickell is a good source of explanations of logical explanations of magic and paranormal events for students.
** There is a Magic for Dummies book and a Magic for Idiots book out that are good introductory magic books.
** The NOVA video, Secrets of the Psychics with James Randi is a great video to use.
** The Scientific American Frontiers Video with Alan Alda on Paranormal and Pseudoscience is also good.
** CSICOP video, Beyond Belief is good if it is still available.

 ATTRIBUTIONS

Some of the ideas in this lesson may have been adapted from earlier, unacknowledged sources without our knowledge. If the reader believes this to be the case, please let us know, and appropriate corrections will be made. Thanks.

1. Original Source: John Banister-Marx (ENSI 1994)

2. Reviewed / Edited by: Martin Nickels, Craig Nelson, Jean Beard

3. Edited / Revised for website by L. Flammer 3/99; Revised 3/01

 THE INCREDIBLE MAGIC HOOEY STICK

Here's an exciting idea to teach the real scientific method, the edifice of science - - critical thinking. Of course we're talking about skepticism, empircism and logic. And the Magic Hooey Stick is just the activity you've been looking for.

You'll find the construction plans below.

Allow 1 Magic Hooey Stick per team of two students. Per dozen Magic Hooey Sticks purchase the following:

MATERIALS:

(2) 3-foot x 3/8 inch dowels, (2) 3-foot x 1/4 inch dowels, (12) 3d 1-1/4 inch smooth box nails

TOOLS NEEDED FOR MANUFACTURE:

- hammer (to set nail in main shaft)
- belt/disk sander (to smooth edges)
- drill press or hand drill (to drill "propeller" hole and tap hole for nail)
- band saw, hand saw, or hack saw (to cut dowels to length)
- bastard half-round or round file (to create the 11 grooves in the main dowel shaft); bench grinder works faster
- vise (for holding the larger dowel piece as you use the file to create the grooves)

ASSEMBLY PROCEDURE: (lengths are approximate due to cutting loss)

1. Cut each 3/8" dowel into six 6-inch lengths.

2. Cut each 1/4" dowel into six 4-1/2 inch lengths, and six 1-3/8 inch lengths. Check to make sure you now have twelve 3/8" dowels of 6" length, twelve 1/4" dowels of 1-3/8" length and twelve 1/4" dowels of 1-3/8" length.

3. Sand the ends and edges of all dowels to prevent splintering.

4. Using a 1/16" drill bit, drill a hole exactly centered at one end of the larger (3/8") dowel to a depth of ~5/8".

5. Make a mark with a pencil exactly 1" from the end of the dowel with the drilled hole. From this mark, place 10 more pencil marks exactly 1/4" from each other for a total of 11 pencil marks running approximately half the length of the dowel.

6. Using a 1/8" drill bit, drill a perpendicular hole all the way through, at the exact middle of the small 1-3/8" long 1/4" dowel.

7. Check for drill hole splinters on this small piece and sand smooth around hole.

8. Sand polish the ends of this small 1-3/8'piece.

9. Place the larger 3/8" dowel piece in a vise and create the 11 grooves using the bastard half round file. This will take approximately 6-8 strokes to create each 1/8. deep groove. Best to have the groove somewhat v-shaped.

10. Tap the nail in place to secure the propeller to the main, now notched. shaft.

Hope you enjoy it!

For a FREE SAMPLE Hooey Stick, mail your request on school letterhead to:
John Banister-Marx
c/o Governor Dummer Academy
1 Elm Street
Byfield, MA 01922

UNFOLDING THE DRAMA
AND RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Unfolding the drama: Once you have a class set of Magic Hooey Sticks, I recommend unfolding the drama as follows:

1. Make name and date changes on the top of the cover letter from the Psychic Centers of America. Make an overhead copy of the letter.

2. Place dozen Magic Hooey Sticks in a shipping box, along with the overhead copy of the cover letter. Seal it as if it were being shipped.

3. Have the box delivered to your room by a staff member saying "This just arrived special delivery Ms / Mr...." You act excited and open the box with the class looking on.

4. Play with a Magic Hooey Stick but fake having no success. Discover the cover letter and put it on your overhead and read it out loud to your class, being as serious as possible.

5. After reading the magic mantra, successfully operate the Hooey Stick. Try to convince the kids that you must have psychic powers (hopefully you have already covered the importance of skepticism, empiricism, and logic as the foundations of modern science). Some will question your ability. Let them offer various challenges ... "you're just blowing on it" -- so show them you can do it with your head turned. etc. Show them that you can even do it telepathically - - be sure to squint your eyes and grunt a little; look like this takes some effort - -great special effect. When they offer a challenge that would result in you not being able to actually make it work (like if they ask you to hold the rubbing stick in a way that would make it impossible to make the Hooey Stick propeller to change direction) say "Hey, there are about a dozen more in here, why don't you guys try it with me and see if you have psychic powers too."

5. Read the mantra again with them and have them join you saying it out loud, in a "repeat after me" style.

6. Pass out the Magic Hooey Sticks, 1 per team of two, and watch them go to work. Funny sight!! :-> If they ask to see what you are doing again, go ahead and demo again, but be sly. They will be observing very closely. Have discussion on the hooey stick results the next day so that they have had time to stew over it. Never deny your psychic powers.

7. For reasonable answers to the Discussion Questions, how to get hooey stick to work, and the physics of the hooey stick, request this from THE WEBMASTER (using your school email address).

For adding a quantitative component you could have the students mass the hooey sticks and measure the lengths in metric units and then share data to create a histogram or line plot.

Additional resources:

1. Video: NOVA, Secrets of the Psychics (Magician and McArthur Fellowship winner James Randi explores the claims of psychics and puts them to scientific tests) 60 min. (1993) web site: <http://www.randi.org/jr/ptspoon.html>.

2. Video: Galileo: The Challenge of Reason. (The Shaping of the Western World Series:) Outstanding video productions recreate the human drama and spectacle of history. These productions are of feature film caliber, starring well-known actors and filmed in actual historical locations around the globe. Scholars from the world's greatest universities acted as consultants). 30 min. (1978) $59 from Coronet/MTI, 800-221-1274.

PSYCHIC CENTERS OF AMERICA
777 Lucky Avenue
Manitoba, Canada, NB 349

March 1, 1999

Mr. John Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx High School
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, AZ 86xxx

Dear John,

Thank you for your request for a set of our Magic Hooey Sticks. We think that you will agree that they are the finest quality and possess the most active Hooey spirits that money can buy. To activate any of your Hooey Sticks begin by chanting the following mantra:

Itzabeem locotada manzuneetee kolaseetseim

Once you have chanted the magic mantra several times you are ready to begin. Merely rub the serrated stick with the thin stick and the small propeller will turn. You can then test your psychic abilities by saying the word "Hooey." If you are concentrating fully, you will be able to change the direction of the propeller. People with especially strong psychic abilities have even been reported to be able to communicate telepathically to get the Magic Hooey Stick propeller to reverse direction.

Should vou have an interest in checking the scientifc periodical literature regarding the proven nature of the Magic Hooey Stick we recommend that you obtain a copy of either of the following:

Bosonivich, Ima. "Quantitative Experimental Analysis of the Psychic Nature of Rotation in the Magic Hooey Stick" Journal of Scientifc Inquiry. vol. 712. March. 1994. pp39-44

Trictya, Shoulda. "Enzyme Analysis of Spirit Entities Regulating Reciprocating Rotational Inertia of a Magic Hooey Stick." True Science Magazine. November. 1995.

Thank you so very much for your money and your interest.

Sincerely.

Yora Nideot
Customer Relations
Manitoba. Canada, NB 349

 Name__________________________________ Period____ Date________

Investigating the Magic Hooey Stick

After investigating and attempting to master the psychic forces of the Magic Hooey Stick, answer the following questions:

1. Were you able to make the Magic Hooey Stick respond to your commands?

2. Explain the difference between a scientific explanation and a supernatural explanation. Is one explanation "better" than the other? Explain your position.

3. Why is a supernatural explanation for the motion of the Magic Hooey Stick not acceptable in a science class?

4. Why would some cultures actually prefer one type of explanation over another?

5. What is your scientific explanation? How sure are you that your explanation is the correct explanation? What else could you do to increase the confidence in your explanation?

6. If someone were unable to collect scientific evidence to explain how the Hooey Stick works, does this absence of evidence provide "proof,' for the claim that the Hooey Stick operates under influence of psychic powers? Explain why or why not?

7. If someone were able to develop and verify a scientific explanation for how the Hooey Stick works, does this necessarily eliminate the possibility of a supernatural cause for your teacher's ability to make the stick move? Explain.

Extension: In a pre-scientific age an appropriate explanation for the Magic Hooey Stick might have focused on its mythical origin and some moral lesson or theistic power. Develop a one paragraph myth that is relevant to some culture (real or fictitious) and does not attempt to be scientific, but is emotionally pleasing, morally instructive, and socially reassuring

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