Archive for April 2008
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$$$ for equipment
In the Colts Neck Science Department we currently have PASCO motion equipment. In 1998 the school opened its doors to 400 freshman and sophomores, since then the physics program has sprouted to seven sections: Advance Placement (1), Honor Lab Physics (2) and Lab Physics (4) totaling 150+ students. There are ten sections of 220+ students in Physical Science.
The first unit in physics is kinematics—the study of motion, changes in position, velocity and acceleration. Later on in the school year, the Physical Science classes explore motion. We begin with an in depth examination of constant motion, velocity and acceleration. We utilize the PASCO equipment for this unit which consists of a computer interface with motion sensors, rolling carts, inclined tracks, cannons that shoot marbles, ticker timers (that create dots on a ticker tape to be analyzed) and various moving objects. The data gathered from the motion sensors creates various mathematical relationships to be graphed and investigated.
When the computers are up and the PASCO equipment is operational the students enjoy working with it. These examinations of motion are the cornerstone to developing vital concepts and equations. During the labs, students are focused at the task at hand and put forth a tremendous effort to understand and enjoy the ideas behind each lab. During the whiteboarding sessions students become enthralled with the discussions, questioning and debating ideas. Students are eager to state their opinions and work on misconceptions.
To enhance the current physics/physical science program and capture the students attention, I would substitute the ticker tape lab with a time elapsed stroboscopic motion lab. Students will create their own personal multi-flash pictures of objects falling. With a meter stick in the background for scale, students will take a time elapsed photograph in the dark with a strobe light to examine the positions of the object falling. The resulting photographs are equivalent to those found in all physics and physical science textbooks of an object falling, however the lab becomes personalized and internalized for the students when they create the pictures themselves. Each successive shot of the falling object has a greater distance traveled. With a meter stick in the background of the photograph, students have a scale and can measure distances between successive flashes. In turn they graph and analyze the motion for mathematical relationships.
The digital camera is key to the experiment. It allows for quality of photos and easy prints such that students can begin to assess them immediately. This lab can be modified in numerous ways to examine all kinds of motion, especially projectiles, which remain to be a difficult topic for all high school physics students. The setup can also be utilized for demonstrations and labs in Physics or Physical Science for objects traveling up and down inclines.
Cannon – PowerShot 5.0 MP Digital Camera S2 IS: $500.00
InFocus – SVGA DLP Projector X2: $800.00
Hewlett-Packard – Photosmart All-In-One Printer/Copier/Scanner: $200.00
3. How will these products enhance your existing program? (250 words or less)
The cameras and projector would be a fantastic addition, due to the fact we do not have projectors or digital cameras in our department. The cameras would be utilized for the labs and demonstrations and later on to examine geometric optics and lenses. The projector would be a hot item in the department and it would be used by everyone. The cameras will also allow us to capture projects in the science department to be displayed on bulletin boards throughout the school.
By incorporating a projector, each class can examine another’s lab results and carry on discussions about the motion of each photograph, or any other lesson. As a teacher you can incorporate important visuals, animations, videos, diagrams, etc. via the projector into every class. Students can do projects and power points for the computer that we would be able to display it for all to see. There are endless possibilities and we are looking to try them all. Thank you for your time and your interest in this project.
