Upward Bound - Summer 2014
Course: Physics Teacher: Jason Stark
Course Website: http://jasonstark.com/ - follow the link for UB Physics.
Course Description: This course will engage students in the investigation of real-world physics situations and allow students to develop and apply the fundamental models that describe the behavior of all mechanical systems. Students will explore hands-on physics situations, collect quantitative data, analyze that data, and summarize their findings in a generalized model that describes the underlying principles of physics. Participation and engagement with this course will prepare students for success in a first-year physics course.
Course Policies: Students must abide by the policies contained in the "Residential Summer Enrichment Program Rules and Regulations." In addition, students in this class must:
Abide by all tribes agreements (mutual respect, attentive listening, participation, and appreciations) at all times.
Adhere to all laboratory safety guidelines contained in the lab safety contract, follow all instructor directions promptly, ask questions of the instructor if there is ever any doubt about conducting a lab safely, and practice commonsense safe practices.
Be attentive and involved, and put forth maximum effort during class and group work time. Physics is challenging, but by engaging with the in-class activities and being involved in group work, all students are capable of deeply understanding the course content. You will operate near the limits of your comfort zone, but do not give up when you encounter something that is difficult to understand--be persistent and proactive to ask questions and listen carefully as your peers share their own understandings.
Be on time and in attendance during each class session. Note that two tardies are counted as an absence. Should an absence be necessary, please arrange with the UB staff and notify the teacher (in advance if possible). Bring all necessary documentation and complete all make-up work on time. Students are responsible for arranging to make up any missed work.
Keep a section in your binder to take notes and organize all handouts and completed work for physics. Textbooks will be available in the classroom and are available to check out if needed (check with the instructor). However, the course content will be based primarily on the experimentation done in class, your analysis and discussion, our lab conclusions, and their application to the problem-solving tasks that you complete in groups and share with the class.
Grading: Students will receive a report on their progress at mid-term and will receive a final grade at the end of the course. Graded assignments will be returned to students with feedback from the instructor.
Quizzes will be administered periodically throughout the course at the conclusion of each topic. Quizzes will make up 40% of each student's grade.
Students will write short lab reports detailing what was learned for each paradigm lab. Students will work with a group to perform the lab and collect data, but students must complete their lab reports and conclusions independently. These lab reports will comprise 30% of a student's grade.
A brief homework assignment will be assigned each Thursday for Academic Friday. Homework is your chance to practice applying what you have learned and ensure you have an adequate understanding of the course concepts. These homework assignments are due on the following Monday during class. I expect to see a genuine attempt for each problem assigned. If you have questions while working on homework or lab reports, please post them on the course website. Homework and in-class work comprises 30% of a student’s grade.
Course Content & Schedule: The following topics will be introduced and addressed in UB Physics:
- Analyzing relationships in science - collecting data, graphing data, analyzing graphical relationships, developing meaning of quantitative data (slope and y-intercept).
- Kinematics - developing a descriptive model for understanding constant velocity (CV) and uniformly accelerated (UA) motion and applying these models to novel physics situations.
- Forces - investigating and modeling the causes of particle motion, applying Newton's laws of motion to common situations.
- To be determined: depending on the preferences of the class and time available, students may investigate projectile motion, energy, or electrical charge and circuits.
The following table is a tentative schedule of the physics content that will be addressed throughout the course. We will try to stick to this schedule, but it may be necessary to adjust it due to the pace of the class and how quickly the class is able to move on.
Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Academic Friday1 / Introductions / Course information, Spaghetti bridge lab / Spaghetti bridge lab conclusions, graphical analysis / Water height lab and analysis / Homework: graphical analysis worksheet
2 / Water height lab discussion/conclusions
Quiz 1: scientific methods and graphical analysis / Buggy lab data collection and analysis / Buggy lab discussion and conclusions, model development
Begin CV problem solving / Multiple represent-tations, CV problem solving, group whiteboards, and discussion / Homework: buggy lab report, practice problems
3 / More CV problem solving, group whiteboards, discussion / CV deployment lab challenge
Quiz 2: CV concepts / Inclined ramp lab, data collection and analysis / Lab whiteboards, discussion, conclusions, model development / Homework: Inclined ramp lab report, practice problems
4 / Multiple representations, UA problem solving, group whiteboards, and discussion / Falling objects lab, data collection and analysis, group presentations / UA problem solving with gravitation, problem solving, group whiteboards
Quiz 3: UA concepts / Force demos/obstacle course, force diagrams, practice whiteboards / Homework: force diagrams worksheet
5 / Force diagrams recap, spring scale lab, conclusions on mass and weight / Quantitative force diagrams, practice, whiteboards
Quiz 4: Force diagrams / Unbalanced force lab, data collection and analysis / Unbalanced force lab discussion and conclusions / Homework: Unbalanced force lab report
6 / Unbalanced force diagrams and problems, practice, whiteboards / Unbalanced force lab practicum
Quiz 5: Unbalanced force problems / To be determined / To be determined