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Physics 123 pageGeneral Description:
This is an inquiry based physics class designed
for students with little to no physics or mathematics background who are interested in
developing a conceptual understanding of the world around them. The class is ideally
suited for elementary education students seeking to improve their understanding of the
physical science concepts stressed by the K-4 content standards.
Introduction
1. Uncertainty and the Nature of Science
Properties of Matter
2. Atoms and the States of Matter
3. Heat
4. Mass, Weight and Balancing
5. Volume, Density, Floating & Sinking
Forces, Motion and Machines
6. Measuring and Graphing Motion
7. Simple Forces & Newton's Laws
8. Investigating Gravity
9. Simple Machines in Action
Electricity and Magnets
10. Simple circuits
11. Making Magnets
12.
Work on projects
13. Project Presentations
14. Project Presentations
Weekly Routine:
1) Inquiry based hands-on lab (3 hrs) [Monday or Tuesday].
2) Web based exercises and instructor feedback [due before lecture/discussion].
3) Lecture/discussion (1 hr) [Wednesday].
Some more detail:
1) The lab session will introduce the week’s concepts and will lead students through
a series of inquiry based hands-on exercises designed to facilitate conceptual
understanding. As much as possible, these exercises will also be designed to illustrate
methods of explaining the same material to K-4 students.
2) After the lab but before the lecture, students will work on brief web based conceptual
exercises designed to confront their understanding of the material covered in discussion.
They will also use the web to provide feedback to the instructor about concepts they still
find confusing and to pose any questions that arise.
3) Using the web-based information provided by the students, the instructor will design
the Wednesday lecture to address any remaining conceptual difficulties. Through the use of
numerous fun and interesting demonstrations, the lecture will also provide some insight
into everyday phenomena that relate to that week’s concepts.
4) Each student will assemble their own hands on equipment as needed for each weeks
inquiry based lab, and will take these home and use them when doing the web-based homework
exercises. At the end of the semester each student will end up with their own
collection of hands on experiments, which is theirs to keep. Since these will be assembled
from inexpensive every-day materials (rubber bands, rulers, paper clips etc), they will be
appropriate for later use by the students in
their own elementary school classrooms.
Textbook:
There is no textbook for this class. We will be developing and supplying
materials as needed.
Grading:
Class Participation (Lab and Discussion): 40%
Web Based Homework & Preflights: 25%
Final Quiz (copied from Homework & Labs):
10%
Final Project (includes write-up & presentation): 25%