Hey
This is for section 002 but may be applicable to section 004 as well - we just haven't started class yet.
Today's class was intense - we are confronted by several obstacles in doing this work. New content. New skills. Overcoming previous discomfort with science concepts and skills. Perhaps some confusion on the specifics of the assignment. This is all bound to create some anxiety and discomfort. Understandable. I would strongly suggest doing some reflecting on both the content and the skills that we are working on. I will read these if you write them. The writing will help you to identify areas of knowledge and areas of uncertainty for both of us.
If you are uncomfortable with blogging - send me an email.
Thanks for all your hard work, enthusiasm and good humor.
See you on Tuesday. I will send a later email or blog to tell you what we are going to be doing.
Matt
Showing posts with label motion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label motion. Show all posts
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Some updates and a suggestion
Good morning
So, I have nearly completed all the grading. It was a lot of work but compared to years past was much more rewarding. Maybe I am deceiving myself because I am trying a new tactic but I found examining the Prezis and reading the various blogs more enjoyable and illuminating in terms of seeing your growth and where more growth is required. If you have any questions, please ask.
We have a few more classes on motion and then we will be moving on to energy (briefly) before launching onto (or into) astronomy. The "big" assessment for physics will be a capstone project and a short exam that will test your knowledge of the physics concepts and skill level. As a start, I would suggest that you spend some time reflecting on what you have learned so far. This can be done on a blog that you share with your team partners, other students in the class or perhaps students in other classes. For example..
Despite the many years of teaching this topic it always intrigues me - the simplicity of it but yet the complexities in the details. Constant velocity is pretty straightforward - an object moves over regular intervals for a set period of time. Motion diagrams show that objects are evenly spaced. Graphs are nice and straight with the slope equal to the average velocity. Average and instantaneous velocity are the same. Acceleration is zero. Now when you get to variable velocity things get all funky - distances vary with time, instantaneous velocities change, slopes are curved on distance vs time plots, final velocities need to be calculated from average velocities. And then when we add freefall into the mix - the world becomes even more complicated. But it started out so simple! Next we want to add the why? Why do objects move? What will stop them or why do they stop. And then if we extend our observations to the celestial sphere - what about the moon, planets, stars, they move as well? Are motion processes on earth the same as motion processes in the stars? Or is that the realm of gods? Before Newton - that is what people thought.
I could continue but will stop - I strongly believe that is you take some time to do this exercise, it will improve your understanding and, not to put too fine a point on it, your performance.
So, I have nearly completed all the grading. It was a lot of work but compared to years past was much more rewarding. Maybe I am deceiving myself because I am trying a new tactic but I found examining the Prezis and reading the various blogs more enjoyable and illuminating in terms of seeing your growth and where more growth is required. If you have any questions, please ask.
We have a few more classes on motion and then we will be moving on to energy (briefly) before launching onto (or into) astronomy. The "big" assessment for physics will be a capstone project and a short exam that will test your knowledge of the physics concepts and skill level. As a start, I would suggest that you spend some time reflecting on what you have learned so far. This can be done on a blog that you share with your team partners, other students in the class or perhaps students in other classes. For example..
Despite the many years of teaching this topic it always intrigues me - the simplicity of it but yet the complexities in the details. Constant velocity is pretty straightforward - an object moves over regular intervals for a set period of time. Motion diagrams show that objects are evenly spaced. Graphs are nice and straight with the slope equal to the average velocity. Average and instantaneous velocity are the same. Acceleration is zero. Now when you get to variable velocity things get all funky - distances vary with time, instantaneous velocities change, slopes are curved on distance vs time plots, final velocities need to be calculated from average velocities. And then when we add freefall into the mix - the world becomes even more complicated. But it started out so simple! Next we want to add the why? Why do objects move? What will stop them or why do they stop. And then if we extend our observations to the celestial sphere - what about the moon, planets, stars, they move as well? Are motion processes on earth the same as motion processes in the stars? Or is that the realm of gods? Before Newton - that is what people thought.
I could continue but will stop - I strongly believe that is you take some time to do this exercise, it will improve your understanding and, not to put too fine a point on it, your performance.
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