MODELING WORKSHOPS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS
by Bob Baker, El Camino Fundamental HS, 4300 El Camino Ave, Sacramento 95821
916-971-7434, bbaker@sanjuan.edu
Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2000
From: Bob Baker
2nd Grade Modeling
Two months ago I had a discussion with a second grade teacher about how physics is
developed using the modeling. The teacher was very interested in this approach to teaching
science. I told her that I felt the modeling techniques used with high school students would also
work with elementary school students but I had not heard of anyone trying this before. I offered
to present a modeling lesson to her second grade rapid learner class and she agreed to try it. On
March 23, 2000 I started a lesson which develops unit of measure with a three by five card. The
students name their unit of measure and perform a lab of height depending on wing span,
extended arms finger tip to finger tip. The students performed this experiment, whiteboarded it,
and presented the results to their classmates. Each presentation generated 10 to 20 questions
from the other students. After the students asked questions, I asked a few clarifying questions.
After recess, we started the next experiment, the buggy lab. The students completed the
experiment recording data in the mini-lab books I provided. After the lab activity I gave the
students a one page modified for 2nd grade reading on motion maps. After a few minutes of
silent reading, we took the class outside to perform an experiment with students clapping hands
once every two seconds while a student was pulled in a wagon at a slow constant velocity,
setting down a cone during each clap. A second cone-setting run was made at a faster velocity.
The students then went inside and made motion maps of the activity. The students completed the
motion maps at 1:20 PM. The teacher was left to do the follow-up whiteboarding, discussion,
and administering of the worksheets which I rewrote for second graders.
I e-mailed the second grade teacher to see how things went after I left. Here is her response.
"Dear Bob,
I apologize for being so tardy in my response. Things have been crazy for me these last few
weeks! The children are in the process of finishing up the worksheets you left. We had a very
nice sharing of data from the "buggy lab" and the subsequent discussion went very well. The
children had obviously done some thinking over the weekend, because I asked them to draw
another motion map and they could do it perfectly, even though they were confused on Thursday
when you were here and I had not done any teaching on the concept.
It was so exciting to see that they were processing information well after the lesson. I really
believe that this was happening because of your style of student exploration. The children were
not given the truths but were given the power to find them for themselves! I felt exactly the same
way!!! I feel so empowered to try your methods in Science and in other areas of the curriculum. It
seems so important to me that we "teach" these kids to be invested in their own education and to
allow them to explore to find the tools they will need to be learners forever, not just textbook
smart regurgitating the information, but really thinking.
We would love to have you come back again! Your prep period is a great time for us any day
of the week. Although our schedule is pretty full until after Spring Break. Thanks for coming to
my class and allowing them to share in your passion for physics but also thanks for letting me see
that my instincts are right, that I should follow them and not succumb to the pressures of getting
lessons taught in the most expedient way."
**************************
Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2000
From: Bob Baker
Hi Jane,
I am in the second week of teaching a modeling physics workshop to k-6 teachers in our
district. The workshop is going very well. Our district is paying each teacher $600 to take the 8
day, four hour a day workshop or giving each teacher optional inservice credit for our salary
scale. I will write up a summary of the workshop once it is completed. Perhaps you would like
to send a note to the superintendent of our 45,000 student school district.
**************************
Date: Sat, 01 Jul 2000
From: Bob Baker
Hi Jane,
The following is a summary of the Elementary School Teachers Modeling Physics Workshop.
Feel free to post or use the information any way you think is appropriate.
Modeling Physics for Elementary School Teachers
A 32 hour physics modeling workshop for K-6 elementary school teachers was held June 20 - 29
at El Camino Fundamental High School. The physics concepts developed in the workshop
include unit of measure, constant velocity, acceleration, and force interactions. Each concept
development started with a lab which was followed by a lab write-up, group whiteboard
presentations, and worksheets written for grades 2-6. The following comments are from teachers
who attended the workshop.
"It is amazing to me that I could learn so much in such a short time. I felt unthreatened though I
had had no previous courses in physics. The whiteboarding technique used in the presentations
was very effective. I intend to use whiteboarding in various areas of the curriculum. The labs
and graphing that accompanied the labs is a perfect medium to help meet the standards in both
math and science.”
"The best thing about this workshop was that it clarified any mathematical and physical science
misunderstandings that I had. Modeling physics methods clarified the 'why' and 'how' in a way
that made it possible for me to take these experiences back to my third grade class. They will
enjoy the labs and learn the math and science concepts in line with the standards."
"My problem solving skills were improved and more finely honed. I developed new ways to
look at everyday experiences and I developed a new way to analyze what was happening. I
questioned more. I found this to be an exciting, challenging, do-able experience even though my
math and science background is limited and old!"
"The course 'Modeling Physics for Elementary School Teachers' given by Bob Baker from June
20th through June 29th, 2000 was a marvelous experience. I had not had physics since high
school and this course made me realize how many misconceptions I have. One of the best parts
was the experiments themselves. Being able to see the concepts actually happening was
wonderful. Working in groups and having to explain graphically and mathematical what we
observed was very challenging. I had to use my thinking skills more than I've had to use them in
a long time. I'm hoping there is a follow up workshop next year. Whiteboarding the experiments
and sharing with others was also a really great teaching technique."
"The workshop, Modeling Physics for Elementary Teachers, was an inspiration. You may ask
yourself how much an elementary school speech therapist, someone who works in the area of
special education, could benefit from a class emphasizing physics. Even though the class was
modeling teaching techniques for physics, I believe one can apply the techniques to any subject
or any teaching situation. The teacher did not allow us to give up. I found I liked working in
small groups that changed. Depending on the other student's abilities, I could experience roles of
both learner and contributor. I really appreciated being able to handle and care for the supplies
and equipment. Being able to move around the room to observe information, use the computer,
and chart whiteboards lead me to feel as if it were my room, my investment. At no time was the
four hour class easy but the labs were fun and the questions were intriguing. As challenging as
the thinking was I knew the teacher recognized it was my battle and I was capable of success.
Using whiteboards to share information is an innovative tool for organization and
communication. In conclusion, the workshop demonstrated that teachers can have hands on,
structure, and supreme challenge for all levels of students, all at the same time."
**************************
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2001
From: Bob Baker
Modeling Physics for Elementary Teachers
On July 2-12, 2001, nine elementary teachers, 3rd - 6th grade, attended the second annual
modeling physics 36-hour workshop for elementary teachers. Workshop labs included 1) a
developmental lab for unit of measure, 2)pendulum lab, 3) buggy constant velocity lab, 4) rail
acceleration lab, 5)spring scale weight lab, 6) car acceleration lab, and 7) spring energy lab.
Activities included 1) riding on wagon while placing cones to claps motion map activity, 2)
pushing a person on cart with scale acceleration activity, 3) three spring scale force activity, and
4) force on string at different angle over pulley activity. Whiteboarding was used throughout the
workshop.
All of the elementary teachers were highly enthusiastic about developing motion and force
representations in their classes this fall. We discussed at what grade level each representation
should be introduced. It was generally agreed that 2nd and 3rd graders could handle motion
maps, 4th and 5th graders graphs, and 6th graders constant slope mathematical expressions. The
teachers also liked the model of using observation and determining what can be measured for
developing an experiment. Teachers brought science materials for their curriculum and we
discussed how the materials could be modified to teach science from an experimental basis.
After the workshop, the teachers asked to get together during the school year. We created a
special physics k-6 list serve for posts from all participants. We have a meeting scheduled at the
end of September to select an experiment that all participants will perform in the fall. We plan to
develop special K-6 worksheets for the experiment and then meet in the spring to discuss the
results of the lesson.