Curriculum Redesign Update-Physics
and IPC
• Dr. Kumar, Dr. Saganti, and Mr. Cudnik
continued to work with Ms. Mitchell, Mr.
Kaster, and Mr. Derrick on aspects of
redesign as it pertains to the physical
sciences
• One of the highlights included launches of
model rockets in Ms. Mitchell’s Physics
Class; we used this event to study two
dimensional projectile motion
Curriculum Redesign Update-Physics
and IPC
• Mr. Cudnik has been working on an
activity manual and has completed the
classical mechanics portion of the manual
• This manual is based on the project- and
inquiry-based philosophy of teaching and
contain activities that involve the use of
rollercoasters, rockets, and robotics
• Work will begin on additional units for
sound, light, electricity and magnetism,
and nuclear / modern physics
Curriculum Redesign Update-Physics
and IPC
• The Physics class visited the Department
of Physics on February 27, 2008
• Activities included tours of Dr. Storr’s
research facilities and our labs
• The students also worked on activities
based on the Wii and virtual reality in
Physics
Our Philosophy
• In Physics, we have found that the physics is
more palatable to the student if it involves
something that they can relate to
• We have used this fact to design activities to
make learning physics more meaningful to the
students
• This starts with the “big picture”—an object that
we encounter in daily life such as an airplane,
roller coaster, or automobile; or a real-life
situation
Our Philosophy
• We analyze the situation as a whole to see how
it works overall
• We then break it down to its components and
identify the physics behind the components
• This is were elemental concepts like Newton’s
Laws of motion come into play and can be
taught in a more traditional manner
• While these are taught in such manner, we
continually keep in mind (and have the students
keep in mind) how these individual concepts
come together to produce the everyday situation
that we are studying
An Example Activity—the Marble Mania
Machine (m3)
• First, the students build the structure
• Next they make carefully-selected measurements and
timings using more traditional laboratory equipment such
as stopwatches and rulers
• The students can also use more modern equipment such
as the PASCO Xplorer GLX hand held datalogger and
analysis computer (they may do both and learn something
about experimental error)
• The students then identify the components and the
physics behind the components (e.g. Potential energy,
kinetic energy of motion, friction, position versus velocity
versus acceleration, Newton’s 3 laws of motion, etc.)
An Example Activity—the Marble Mania
Machine (m3)
• Additional concepts and phenomena can
be illustrated such as gears and
machines, and objects going into a black
hole (note within the following video the
marble circulating rapidly around the
opening before dropping in)
• The students get added insight as to how
something works by putting it together
• Example video of the m3 apparatus follows
m3 in motion…
PVAMU and RHS Team Up to Assist
Students in TAKS Test Preparation
• TAKS = Texas Assessment of Knowledge
and Skills
• The following summarizes the work done
with the IPC students on a project that
helped them prepare for TAKS
Law of Conservation of Mass

10 g blood + 10 g guts + 80 g water
100 g blood & guts soup
Balance Chemical Reactions

Counting atoms with Count Dracula
Physical & Chemical Changes



After sucking blood, Dracula likes to bleach
his teeth to keep them white. This is an
example of a
a. physical change
b. chemical change
Solubility




Dracula does not like oxygen dissolved in
his V-8 juice. The best way for Dracula to
get rid of this gas in his V-8 is to:
a. heat it
b. cool it
c. shake it vigorously
Types of Matter

What a vampire’s tooth has to go through
to get to the good stuff!




Hair
Fat
Blood
Iron
Skin
Muscle
Hemoglobin
Nerve
Vein
Carbon Dioxide
Chemical Behavior

Transylvanian Periodic Table




draculum
batimony
bloodium
transylvanium
Lab Results





Density
Viscosity
Polarity
Acid/Base
Electrolyte
Vampire Drawing Contest