The following are three online resources that will be helpful.
NASA Science Online
http://science.nasa.gov/
This website has articles relating to current events in physical science. This will be a good resource to bring current science and technology discussions into the curriculum.
Physics World
http://physicsworld.com/
Similar to the NASA Science Online website, this website has articles related to current events in physical science. This will be a good resource to bring current science and technology discussions into the curriculum.
An Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plan
http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/lesson_plans/science/physics/
This websites lists lesson plans and unit plans for topics in physics and general science. The lessons range from 1 day to 3 weeks. They also list the grade level it is intended for, which will be helpful in creating differentiated lesson plans, activities, and homework assignments. Lesson plans include sample questions to ask the students to assess learning.
Possible Assessment or Snow Day Activity:
Monty Python and the Holy Grail - She's a Witch scene
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrzMhU_4m-g
This scene presents an incredible example of "applying" the scientific method and getting a disastrously wrong conclusion.
Observation: a woman is wearing witchy clothes, has a long nose, and a wart.
Scientific Question: Is she a witch?
Do Background Research: Witches burn, so does wood. Wood floats in water, and so does a duck.
Hypothesis: If the woman weighs as much as a duck, then she is a witch because she must be made of wood.
Test the Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment -
Experiment Procedure: comparatively weight the woman and a duck
Materials: a set of scales, the woman, and a duck
Conduct the Experiment: the woman goes on one side of the scale, the duck on the other
independent variable - the duck
dependent variable - the woman
control variable - the scale
Analyze Your Data: The woman and the duck appear to balance on the scale, therefore the woman weighs as much as a duck.
Draw Your Conclusion: Because the woman weighs as much as a duck, she is a witch.
Communicate Your Results: The crowd is informed the woman is a witch.
Did the scientific method fail? If not (big hint here), what was missed?
(possible answers include lack of error analysis, is a duck really an independent variable, failure to use multiple dependent variables, failure to provide verification of the accuracy of the scales, and the fact that a mob is not a unbiased peer review)
Briefly discuss the accuracy and precision of this experiment.
My concern: While my intention is to make learning engaging, I am using a venue that is humor based and not everyone has the same sense of humor or sensitivities. I have no wish to offend any Wiccan or Wiccan supporters. Thoughts?
Sue,
ReplyDeleteHow do the resources you selected evidence your beliefs about how a "good teacher" teaches her content?
GNA
Thank you for your comment. Nasa Science Online and Physics World are interesting websites that host articles and discussions about current science and technology events and theories. According to the Self Determination Theory, students are intrinsically motivated to learn, and they learn best when given the opportunity for autonomy, competency and relatedness. I think including autonomous (e.g., student-directed), collaborative Internet Projects that investigate current events and theories of physics would be interesting for my students and me and (hopefully) increase their feeling of competency in Physics.
ReplyDeleteThe Educator’s Reference Desk Lesson Plan is a great resource for ideas on how to differentiate lesson plans, activities and homework. A good teacher needs to understand her students: what issues they bring with them, their interests, their challenges, their barriers for entry, and their goals. With this information, adjustments can be made to make the classroom a safe and non-punishing learning environment for each student.