Physics! Blog!
physics
Building the Unbalanced Force Particle Model
Note: This post details my version of the paradigm experiment for what is Unit 5 (Constant Force Particle Model) of the Modeling Instruction Mechanics curriculum. My paradigm experiment is different from the official one (which uses a modified Atwood’s machine), and my students build this as their fourth model. Hey guys, I want to show you something cool. Bring … Continue reading
Building the Constant Acceleration Model
Note: This post details my version of the paradigm experiment for what is Unit 3 (Uniformly Accelerating Particle Model) of the Modeling Instruction Mechanics curriculum. My interpretation varies a bit from the official materials, and my classes build this as their third model and after they have seen Newton’s 1st and 3rd Laws. Hey guys, I want to show … Continue reading
Building the Balanced Force Particle Model
Note: This post details my version of the paradigm experiment for what is Unit 4 (Free Particle Model) of the Modeling Instruction Mechanics curriculum. My interpretation varies a bit from the official materials, and my classes build this as their second model and before the constant acceleration model. Hey guys! [Turn on hover disc. Wait a moment. … Continue reading
Effort vs Luck
Now that we are out of September, my students have enough work to do outside of class that I don’t need to assign any specific homework. Still, this view of in-class and out-of-class work is a huge paradigm shift for my students. Do they still have physics homework if there’s never anything “due” or that … Continue reading
Monk Whiteboarding
Last spring, a large number of students at my school observed a day of silence. Since so many of my students wouldn’t be speaking in class, and since I don’t find it very productive for me to do the talking in class, I decided to come up with an alternate plan. I decided to have … Continue reading
Physics Exam Review: Recitation Problems
My Honors Physics exam is a Big Deal. Most of my students do their best work of the semester, and the test itself is the most difficult they’ve seen. It is their final opportunity to demonstrate mastery, depth of understanding, and creative thinking. The final preparation for this test is therefore very important. For the … Continue reading
The Mistake Game
Whiteboarding sessions have been stagnating in one of my regular physics classes for a while. The class has a lot of loud, goofy personalities, and tends to lose focus when their group isn’t presenting (or, honestly, even when their group is up front). At the same time, that class has been crushing the other section … Continue reading
Physics Objectives So Far
In response to a comment asking for a list of the objectives that I’ve been using in my classes, here there are. These are the objectives through the end of the third quarter in both of my classes. The lists are very similar. The main differences are: some of the A objectives in Honors Physics … Continue reading
Goal-less problems
I talked about my use of goal-less problems on my physics semester exam. The essential idea is that the question is actually just a description of a situation. The student’s job is to model the situation as best they can using the physics they know. First step: say which models apply and why. Second step: draw … Continue reading
First Semester Course Evaluations
Here are the responses to one of the questions on my course evaluation. This is the first semester I’ve ever used standards-based grading, and it is a huge paradigm shift for these kids. Almost everyone likes the system (or says that they do). Some posed good critique and questions about it. Some had misunderstandings about … Continue reading
