Word Document: a revamped Momentum test.  Click here…

Electroscope and Humidity Experiment

Pumpkin Freefall Experiment

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.

My Resume!!!!

Principal (B)Land,

   Our science program is continually being developed stay on top of the latest physics education research and technology.  In the classroom student participation is a necessity for our educational goals.  In particular, we are looking to attain a student response system for us in the classroom, during demonstrations, reviews and anticipatory sets. 

   If students are shy, unsure or do not know their chance of participating is greatly diminished.  This student response system allows all to participate and answer questions anonymously.  The teacher can program the question they can analyze student comprehension, ask specific questions that align with the NJCCCS,  and you can identify with difficulties students may have.   This can be utilized as a quick and effective formative assessment tool, enabling instructors to examine comprehension at specific points in the learning process.  

   It also brings students into the learning process, with a well crafted challenging open ended question students can debate and challenge answers discussing and exchanging thoughts and ideas.   This exchange of ideas is where the learning process takes place,  student to student interaction encourages students to defend, explain or cross examine their ideas and those of their peers.  With the large amount of technology that is out there, this is powerful, easy to use tool that can be incorporated into our curriculum.  If you can find the funding it would be greatly beneficial to our department and staff if we can acertain this technology for our classrooms. 

Learning Goals
To use the Vernier Charge sensor to determine the charged rubbed on objects or induced.
To utilize electrostatic situations to predict an unknown quantity.

Lab description:
Using the Vernier charge sensor (the sensor utilizes a capacitor to determine the charge on a object) determine the charge on the plastic rod and the coke can to test coulombs law. You can charge the coke can by dropping a charged object into it. You could also utilize a conducting sphere… (common in most electrostatic kits). Hold the charged conducting sphere or plastic rod near until it can hits equilibrium. Knowing the mass of the can the charge on the can and sphere you can predict what the angle would be, if the coke can and the plastic rod were at a known distance apart.

See powerpoint presentation for a visual aide.

The model I was examining in NetLogo was for Ohm’s Law, see link below…

In other classes I have explored the pros and cons of simulations for student learning in physics. Ohm’s law was a very good simulation, however in playing around with it I found out there are some pitfalls when using it in the classroom. I believe if we are to utilize simulations we should be critical of what they are a supposed to represent and how they differ from reality. Your personal preference on how critical you would like to be really depends on your learning objectives for class.

The Ohm’s Law simulation is excellent for show the movement of electrons through a conductor. You can trace the motion of an electron through the material and the program measures the potential difference from end to end.

However, there are some difficulties students may run into in utilizing this in class.
a. The electrons collide with other particles which are not shown. So students may think the electrons just travel as if they moving at random.
b. The parts (+/-) of the “battery” are on opposite sides of the screen.

Lunar Lander… and new take on a good oldie.

From the its debut in 1973 at a trade show to demonstrate the capabilities of the DSE GT40 graphics terminal to the arcade… many version of this classic have emerged some from basic programers to more advanced (see PhET lunar lander @ phet.colorado.edu)

this version is a quality amateur version (I couldn’t do any better).

1. Physics Project
2. Why wikia? it is a program where students can easily put in their opinion, settle on certain topics easily and something that is fluid and a work in progress, rather than a post. They also can post photos easily.
3. The learning goals of my project…
   a. To apply impulse/momentum to a real life situation–the crumple zone on a car.
   b. To have students go thorugh the process of editing an researching the physics and its practical application.
   c. To have students learn how to utilize a wiki.
4. Students must create a model crumple zone that will have to hold together an egg, thus trying to affect the force exerted over a period that changes it momentum. Instead of typing a paper, students can do their own research, contribute and edit from home and post it in one convienent place.
5. The wiki will be graded for various aspects at during times for certain criteria… for example an initial design, the research behind their design, a final design with supporting research, and an anylsis of the physics governing their collision and what each group is trying to achieve.
6. The largest challenge is to get everyone to contriubute and to teach them how to use the technology. The opportunities can be tremendous because students can work at all times on this and if done early in the year, you could use it for other quarters.

INNOVATION
The first time I witnessed technology used as innovation was in college for data collection on classic physics experiments using PASCO equipment. While I have the PASCO equipment in high school to use, the computers are from 1998 and are so slow, it is a waste of my classtime. See poor usage.

EFFICIENCY
What was the technology? How was it used? What made it effective?
The first time I utilized technology for the purpose of increasing efficiency was the moodle education webpage, where I began posting homework answers or students post jounral logs, online. I have been able to provide feedback for HW almost immediately and it has eliminated time spent on giving answers, offering suggestions, and keeping track of lab journals. I am still trying to keep up with their homework in general, once I master it by the end of this year it will be very useful for the next school year.

COMMUNITY
The first time I utilized technology for the purpose of increasing community was the forum function on the moodle education webpage, where I had students come together and help each other with their homework or post jounral logs, online. The forum is just like a message board where students post questions and comments about the class to me, or the students. Initially, the questions were directed at me, but after a short period of time students began answering their peers questions. It was effective because I was able to communicate with students outside of the classroom, eliminating time spent on questions inside class. While I am still struggling to keep the website up with my busy schedule, it is evident that I can use it to my advantage in up comming years.

Good Technology is readily accessible, increases efficiency, easy to use and requires a break in period for all. For some the learning curve is higher.

POORLY
Boo! poor use of technology. I see this everyday with the computer system in my school district. We are supposed to take attendance with it, but we still must record attendance in our grade book. Also we must fill in absense sheets when students hit 10, 15 and 20 days to keep track of students in danger of credit withdrawal, when it is already on the computer!!! The point of technology is to make our lives more efficient, however when you have to do the same thing twice or three times it is tripling our work. The online grading program has been in place for 3 years and they are just beginning to use it. There are two things to remedy the situation, (1) the school district can hire people to setup and establish the online grading system and (2) they can actually have these people do professional development so teachers, especially the older folks, can learn how to use programs effectively.

While I have the PASCO equipment in high school to use, the computers are from 1998 and are so slow. Also they are located in one classroom which not everyone teaches in. It is a waste of my classtime. Either provide the funds to equip all classrooms with it or update the computer systems. Otherwise they are really expensive paper weights.

It is my last semester in E’s physcial science masters program.  I am looking forward to finishing the program, but I am very busy working on the Electrostatic Module for the PUM project.  I would look forward to developing videos and utilizing Quicktime Pro to truly edit videos.  I attempted to use blogs with my students and the blog function on our districts Moodle site is not working, therefore I have done a couple jounral entries.  They have worked well, and I am slowly implementing them. 

After finishing my masters, I like to focus on PUM and teaching for a few years, then maybe pursue further education.