Appendix 1: Syllabus for Methods of Physics Teaching I
PHS 530/PHY 480 Methods of Physics Teaching I
The Modeling Workshop in mechanics is an intensive 3-week course with these goals:
1. educate teachers in use of a model-centered, guided inquiry method of teaching high school physics.
2. help participants integrate computer courseware effectively into the physics curriculum.
3. help teachers make better use of national resources for physics education.
4. establish electronic network support and a learning community among participants.
5. strengthen local institutional support for participants as school leaders in disseminating standards-based
reform in science education.
Syllabus/Agenda
Week 1
Mon
Day 1
Tue
Day 2
Wed
(am) Welcome. Introduce participants, schedules, workshop description, goals,
FCI overview, FCI pre-test
(pm) Unit I: Scientific Thinking in Experimental Settings Pendulum lab,
graphical methods, lab report format, grading of lab notebook
Readings: 1)Hestenes, “Force Concept Inventory,” (on website)
2)Hestenes "Wherefore a science of teaching.” (on website)
(am) Discuss readings, clarify Unit I lab. lab write-ups, worksheets/test unit 1,
(pm) whiteboarding, presentation criteria, discuss unit materials
Unit II: Particle with Constant Velocity. Battery-powered vehicle lab, postlab discussion, motion maps, deployment. Take MBT pre-test.
Readings: McDermott, "Guest Comment: How we teach…"
Arons, ch 1 (special attn: sections 8, 9, 11, 12)
(am) Discuss readings, problems, worksheets/presentations, Intro to Body
modeling, Sonic Rangers
(pm) Unit II lesson plan, Whiteboard WS and test.
Day 3
Intro. Unit III: Uniformly Accelerating Particle Model
Thu
Readings: Hake, "Socratic Pedagogy in the...", Arons 2.1-2.6
(am) Discuss readings, Timer software, ball-on-rail lab, whiteboard results
(pm) Sonic Rangers, post-lab extension: instantaneous velocity, acceleration,
motion maps, deployment worksheet/whiteboard
Day 4
Reading: Mestre, "Learning and Instruction in Pre-College..."
Fri
(am) Discuss readings, Intro to Graphs and Tracks, instructional comments,
descriptive particle models, more deployment exercises. wrap up unit III
materials, test, free fall w/ picket fence
Day 5
Reading: Arons 2.7-19. Minstrell, "Explaining the 'at rest' condition…"
Turn in notebooks for grading
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Week 2
Mon
Day 6
(am) Discuss reading, Unit IV: Free Particle Model-inertia & interactions
inertia demo (Newton 1), the force concept, force diagrams, statics lab, normal
force demo questioning strategies
(pm) deployment worksheets/whiteboard, force probes, paired forces, Newton 3
wrap up unit IV, critique activities, test
Reading: Introduction & chapter 1, Preconceptions in Mechanics, Camp/Clement
Reading: Beichner: Tug-K article and TUG-K2 test
(am) Discuss reading, more deployment exercises. wrap up unit IV materials, test,
test (turn in lab books)
Tues
(pm) Unit V: CDP Model-force and acceleration, weight vs mass lab, modified
Day 7
Atwood's machine lab (compare different equipment)
Reading: Arons 3.1-4. Hestenes, Wells: "A Modeling Method For High School...
(am) Discuss reading, whiteboard results of previous day’s labs, post-lab
extension: derivation of Newton 2, lab write-up
Wed
(pm) deployment worksheets/whiteboard, Unit V test
Day 8 Reading: Arons 3.5-9
(am) Discuss reading, friction lab: pre lab and data collection, whiteboard.
(pm) Unit VI: Particle Models in Two Dimensions, combinations of FP and
Thu
CDP models, deployment
Day 9 Reading: Arons 3.15-24. Rex Rice: Role of lab practica.
(am) Discuss reading; worksheets/whiteboard, projectile motion lab, explore video
technology,
Fri
Reading: "Making Work Work,” by Gregg Swackhamer (on website)
Day 10 Turn in notebooks for grading
Week 3
(am) Discuss reading. Unit VII: Work, Energy, & Power, Stretched spring lab,
work on lab notebooks, graph, whiteboard prep & practice critiques.
Mon
(pm) Gravitational potential energy, work-kinetic energy theorem,
Day 11 Reading: Arons 4.1-5, 8, 9. Hestenes: Modeling Methodology for Physics"
(am) Discuss readings, Further discussion of working/heating as means of
changing internal energy of system. Energy practicum
Tue
(pm) Unit VIII: Central Force Model, uniform circular motion lab,
Day 12
collect/analyze data; further use of spreadsheets
Reading: Arons 5:1-6. Hestenes: Modeling Methodology for Physics" (re-read)
am) Discuss readings, circular motion lab practicum. Alternative tests and testing.
(pm) Unit IX: Impulsive Force Model, conservation of linear momentum lab,,
Wed
collect data, plot rfinal Vs rinitial .
Day 13 Submission of lesson plans for those contracting for an A grade
(am) deployment worksheets, worksheets/tests, instructional comments, test
(pm) a look at second semester materials w/ modeling approach. Notebooks.
Thu
Take FCI posttest
Day 14 Turn in notebooks for grading
(am) Take MBT posttest. w/b presentations, more deployment exercises,
Fri
Day 15 worksheets, closing remarks
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Supplemental readings, recommended by Kathy Harper, Ph.D., a physics education researcher and
Modeling Workshop leader at the Ohio State University (April 2008)
Trowbridge, D. E. & McDermott, L. C., "Investigation of Student Understanding of the Concept of
Velocity in One Dimension," AJP 48,1020-1028 (1980).
Maloney, D. P., "Rule-governed Approaches to Physics - Newton's Third Law," Phys. Ed. 19, 37-42 (1984).
Van Heuvelen, A., "Learning to Think Like a Physicist: A Review of Research-based instructional
Strategies," AJP 59, 891-897 (1991).
Van Heuvelen, A. & Zou, X., "Multiple Representations of Work-Energy Processes," AJP 69, 184-194
(2001).
Comments:
The Trowbridge and McDermott article shows concrete examples of student misconceptions in a way that's
tough to argue with.
The Maloney article addresses common student difficulties with Newton’s third law; and it shows a
systematic way of looking at how a series of questions can probe for a consistently used wrong idea.
The Van Heuvelen article presents a slightly different take on the same basic ideas of the workshop, and it
provides a nice platform to inform teachers about the ALPS kits.
The Van Heuvelen and Zou article helps to sell teachers on work-energy bar charts. (highly recommended
article!)
Grading Scale
90-100%
A
80-89.99%
B
70-79.99%
C
60-69.99%
D
Below 60% F
Relative weighting:
Laboratory Notebook
Instructional Unit Design
Blackboard and Class Participation
Exam Scores
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Appendix 2: Syllabus for Integrated Physics and Chemistry
PHS 540: Integrated Physics and Chemistry
Catalog Description: The chemical and physical properties of matter and interactions. Emphasis on
coordinating concepts of physics and chemistry. Evaluation of curriculum materials and design of
coherent instructional units.
Course Objectives: To explore the common conceptual foundations for physics and chemistry and their
implications. Emphasis on qualitative modeling and reasoning.
Supplemental Text: Chemical Bonding Clarified Through Quantum Mechanics by George C. Pimentel
and Richard D. Sprately (1982) See PHS 540 Textbook Information
Grading
Each student is expected to spend 45 hours per semester credit hour
Letter grade vs. satisfactory-fail: satisfactory grades may not transfer
A-B-C grades: B means average; a 3.0 GPA is minimum requirement for MNS and other graduate
degrees
Incomplete: only for special circumstances
Attendance: Grades are based on attendance, participation, and final project
Final project: a usable module that integrates physics and chemistry. Presented during last week;
electronic copy required
Course Content (Major topics in bold. Suggested topics below each major topic.)
I. Particulate structure of matter
Macroscopic vs. microscopic descriptions.
II. Energy additivity and conservation
Kinetic energy (translational, vibrational, rotational)
Interaction energy
III. Particle composition and basic properties
Molecules, atoms, nuclei and electrons, protons, neutrons,…
Mass additivity and matter conservation
Electric charge additivity and conservation
IV. Atomic models
Nuclei and electrons. Atomic number and mass
Coulomb interaction
Electron orbitals; “clouds”
Quantized energy levels
Periodic table
Mass-energy conversion
V. Molecular models
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Chemical bonds
VI. Molecular collisions
Chemical reactions
Activation energy
VII. Thermodynamics
Equilibrium, irreversibility, and entropy
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Appendix 3: Syllabus for Matter and Light
PHS 560: Light and Matter
Catalog Description: Interactions of light with matter. Lasers and spectroscopy. Prerequisite: two
semesters of college physics and one semester of calculus.
Course Objectives:
This course has three primary goals:
1. To develop classical and quantum models of the interaction of matter and light, and explore how
they can be used to understand a variety of phenomena.
2. To stimulate the development of materials and approaches that help high school teachers in their
efforts to bring these topics into their classrooms.
3. To experience the beauty of physics and mathematics.
Basic philosophy
The fundamental physics experience is not the memorization of facts such as the number of quarks in a
proton but the consistent modeling of reality based on a few basic laws. Unfortunately, serious modeling
at the frontiers of physics requires a level of mathematical and physical sophistication that even graduate
students of physics find extremely hard to achieve. Consequently, teachers at the university or high
school level must switch at some point from a modeling to a descriptive approach. The pressure to do so
is probably stronger at the high school level, where students presumably prefer to discuss neutrinos and
black holes rather than Atwood machines or free fall.
The frontier between the modeling and the descriptive approach is not fixed, but can be shifted in
favor of the modeling approach with the help of pedagogical innovations. This course will attempt to
stimulate such innovations in the field of light and matter interactions.
The classical models will be developed at what the instructors consider to be the minimum level
required for complete quantitative modeling. The quantum models will be developed at a level
appropriate for some quantitative and some qualitative modeling. In both cases, this will often be a
higher level than that of a standard high school class. Therefore, the challenge for the participant
teachers will be to ascertain to what extent the materials can be further developed and adapted so that
serious modeling on light and matter can take place in their classrooms.
Course Content:
The course will begin by reviewing and/or introducing—during the first week—basic mathematical and
physical concepts, such as the use of derivatives, the physics of the harmonic oscillator, and complex
numbers. Two weeks will be devoted to exploring light and matter interactions from the perspective of
the classical theory of electromagnetic fields and simple models of matter. Next the limitations and
contradictions of the classical approach will be discussed, and the subject will be presented from the
perspective of quantum mechanics for the last two weeks. Possible topics for application of quantum
models include LEDs and transistors, lasers, superconductors, and astronomy.
Prerequisites:
Algebra-level knowledge of Newtonian mechanics, electricity and magnetism will be assumed. Some
calculus (primarily derivatives and partial derivatives) and vectors will be used. These will be
developed in class, but students will benefit greatly if they have a chance to review them on their own
ahead of time. The mathematical level will be somewhere between standard ASU algebra-level and
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calculus-level courses.
Instructional approach:
There will be little lecturing in the traditional sense. At the beginning of each session the students will
receive a handout with a guided list of activities. Depending on the activities, the students will perform
experiments, run computer simulations, or work in groups at a whiteboard. Often students will be
divided into groups to work on different problems and report their results later to the entire class.
If the particular session requires working as separate groups, the entire class will sit together to draw
conclusions at the end of the session.
Where appropriate, at the end of a session the group will discuss the possible uses of the topic in a
high school context.
Grading:
A-B-C grades will be reported: B means average; a 3.0 GPA is minimum requirement for MNS and
other graduate degrees
Attendance: Grades are based on attendance, participation, and final project
Final project: a usable module that integrates physics and chemistry. Presented during last week;
electronic copy required
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