The Physics class uses Apologia Physics. (NOT Physical Science.) We meet twice a week.
Week One:
1. Pre-Assessment for Physics
2. Accuracy and Precision Activity
3. Density Series of Activities
4. How to Graph
Once, we complete these preliminary exercises, we'll start Module 1.
Module 1
Metric Measures
Module 2
Excel for Physics
Motion Overview Powerpoint
Our class is following the Apologia Physics textbook. (Either edition is fine.) We did start with a unit on measures. I had the kids measure a variety of objects: marbles, metal cubes, water with a graduated cylinder, etc. The kids measured with calipers, rulers, digital scale, and density by displacement. (This lab is similar.) During this unit, we covered measures, metrics, percent error, precision, accuracy, significant figures, and working with exponents. I wanted the kids to demonstrate basic lab skills, such as using a weigh boat with a digital scale.
The next lab was with motion. We wanted to measure speed. We used simple wooden ramps and Hot Wheels ramps with balls and small cars. I gave the kids Go Pro with Hot Wheels (which connects with an iPad) and two meters of Hot Wheels track to determine speed. The kids measured both the time the car took to cover the track and the distance of the track. To determine the speed, we used the number of frames on the GoPro video to travel a certain distance. The lab became an inquiry activity. (FYI, Lowes cut meter length boards we use as ramps.) The goal was to understand how to measure speed.
The third unit is Excel. The class needs to know how to use Excel (or Google Sheets) before college. The Excel for Physics was our guide. The kids entered and graphed data for speed and acceleration. Using this data the class produced a graph and performed calculations of speed and acceleration. It is important to be able to write formulas that refer to the cell references to perform calculations and not use actual numbers. I discovered I needed to help most students one at a time with the concept of writing formulas using cell references and proper algebra (order of operations, use of parentheses, etc.) It is important that students use Excel to organize data and perform calculations without first writing the same information on paper. We also learned to interpret graphs using the slope of the line to determine where a subject was accelerating, decelerating, holding a steady speed, and turning around.
