Exploring Physics

Ever had students wonder whether to draw bar graphs or line graphs? Or have them think you just pick your favorite? Cringe no more, here is a tutorial movie that explains how to draw a bar graph, and when to present data as a bar graph rather than a line graph. The movie is posted on […]

The Report Back method can work as an alternative to the presentation method for post-lab discussions where several questions help students analyze data, view their results in more than one way, and develop the model of the concept they investigated. While you could assign one or two questions to each group and have them present […]

Groups of students stand in front of the class and present the information on their whiteboards. The whiteboards are displayed such that everybody can see the content; students present and explain their thinking and the drawings, graphs, data tables and any other info on their whiteboards. Students in the classroom, as well as the teacher, […]

In this method, students display their whiteboards in a circle. If the configuration of your class allows it, all groups hold their whiteboards up at their tables so all students can see all whiteboards as they look around the classroom. The circle method works well if your students are predicting something that can be drawn […]

In a museum or gallery walk, student groups line up their whiteboards, propping them against the wall or on a chair. All students walk past each whiteboard and discuss what they see. This gives all students a chance to view and discuss everyone’s work. The groups then come together as a class and discuss their […]

Excerpts from an article written by Casey Zahner, Tom Struckmann, Amy Campbell, Christie Ortiz and Jackie Neeley, all 9th grade Physics First teachers in Missouri high schools. Whiteboarding may not be intutive for students. It is useful to address potential problems at the beginning of the year and repeat classroom expectations as the year progresses. Problems include: Partners do not equally […]

As your students start whiteboarding during class, it is worthwhile establishing some rules, and providing guidelines to help them develop whiteboarding skills. Erekson suggests the following Dos and Don’ts: Do Don’t Include names of team members Include lengthy data tables Place a title on the whiteboard Include extreme detail (e.g., into graphs) Sketch the findings (e.g. graph of experimental results) […]

Whiteboards, or small dry erase boards, allow students to work collaboratively in small groups, and present their thinking in a visual way as part of the learning process. Using whiteboards, students working in groups can “report out” to the entire class. More than one student can contribute to the group’s whiteboard, so students can easily […]

Christy Dablemont, a physics first teacher in the Hermitage R-4 district in Missouri found ways to use brief moments to collaborate with math teachers in her school. Here is an excerpt from her article in the December 2013 issue of the A TIME for Physics First Newsletter. The greatest challenge I have faced in collaborating […]

Although freshman physics focuses on concepts, it reinforces math content taught in 9th grade math classes. Thus student success in Freshman Physics or Physical Science requires coordination between science and mathematics teachers. However, the disciplines of math and science are often considered to be quite different in nature. Science is viewed as complex and “messy” […]