00.1 - Class Mechanics

Learning as a Beginner Applied to Physics

A typical learning cycle will begin with an activity, practical, demonstration, provocation, etc. These are designed to engage you in the learning process. I am a firm believer in the philosophy that you only have one opportunity to be introduced to something you do not know you love. Hopefully, you will find a majority of the introductions to be mentally engaging.

You will then be given an opportunity to explore the topic in more detail. This exploration will include additional lab practicals, online resources or personal research and direct instruction.

As you continue to learn more about the topic, you will be given tasks that require you to apply the topic to new or novel situations.

Finally, you will be given a variety of quantitative problems to solve. The formulaic problem solving comes at the end of the unit to ensure that you understand the relationships amongst the various quantities.

As part of the learning cycle, you will engage in the following collaborative, peer-to-peer presentations of your findings or problem-solving.

• Whiteboard Sessions

  • Using a variety of physics specific tools, students will provide Q&A sessions with their peers. These sessions will range from small group presentations (stay and stray) or whole group presentations.

  • Similar to peer reviewed science journals, these sessions will provide you with the opportunity to defend your answers and thinking in a safe, open environment.

  • The main topics of these presentations will be:

    • Model Creation - Physics Models Overview

      • Lab practicals that will clearly define a particular physics concept.

      • Through quantitative or qualitative data collection, you will be asked to present your findings to your peers.

    • Model Deployment Lab Practicals

      • Lab practicals that will extend your thinking and reasoning to concepts beyond your current understandings.

      • These practicals are designed to mimic both DP exam questions and push your creative problem solving skills.

    • Goal-less Problems

      • You will be given a set-up of a situation, but you won't be asked any specific question. The general approach to these problems is supposed to be:

        • Say which models apply and why

        • Start to model the situation by drawing as many of the appropriate diagrams/graphs as you can

        • Use your diagrams/graphs to do calculations and find as many quantities as possible

      • Example of a Goal-less Problem: Golf Ball Flight

      • Solutions will be presented either as a whiteboard session or short video describing your analysis of the situation.

    • No Variable Problems

      • Similar to the goal-less problem, however you will be given a specific question. Your responsibility will be to

        • identify as many variables as necessary,

        • determine the relationship amongst the identified variables

        • establish realistic / acceptable values for your variables

        • determine an solution to the question.

      • Example of a No Variable Problem: Heating an Alpine Cabin

      • Solutions will be presented either as a whiteboard session or short video describing your analysis of the situation.

    • IB Past Papers / AP Past Exams

      • If you are going to compete in a basketball game, you need to scrimmage in practice. Likewise, if you are going to be tested on your Physics knowledge, you will need to practice past papers.

      • The approach to these problems will vary throughout the course. But ultimately at the end of your course, you will need to be able to solve a series of highly structured exam questions.

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