Design Projects
Each quarter, students are given a design problem and asked to construct a solution. This allows students to apply physics concepts to practical engineering problems. They do initial research and draw/plan a preliminary design, then test that design and improve it for performance for the final test. This counts as a test grade and is an alternate method of assessment from traditional paper and pencil tests. Click here for a list of past projects.
B2. Skills and Traits of Technological Design
Performance Indicators & Descriptors
Students use a systematic process, tools and techniques,
and a variety of materials to design and produce a solution or product that
meets new needs or improves existing designs.
a. Identify new problems or a current design in need of improvement.
b. Generate alternative design solutions.
c. Select the design that best meets established criteria.
d. Use models and simulations as prototypes in the design planning process.
e. Implement the proposed design solution.
f. Evaluate the solution to a design problem and the consequences of that
solution.
g. Present the problem, design process, and solution to a design problem including
models, diagrams, and demonstrations.
Astronomy Research in Chemistry & Physics
ds9 (a free software for download) allows educators, students, amateur astronomers and the general public to perform X-ray astronomy data analysis using data sets from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the "ds9" image display program, and astrophysical software analysis tools. The goal is to provide a system that allows the student to experience much of the same analysis process that an X-ray astronomer would follow in analyzing the data he or she has received from a Chandra Observation. Contact me for available ds9 activities for chemistry and physics that I have developed as a Chandra Resource Agent as well as suggestions for science fair projects. These activities have been presented to teachers at NSTA, AAVSO, Chandra, and AAPT conferences all over the country and have been field tested on LHS students and students at other high schools.
Activities I have developed on the Chandra website (background information by Donna Young):
D1. Universe and Solar System
Performance Indicators & Descriptors
Students explain the physical formation and changing nature
of our universe and solar system, and how our past and present knowledge of
the universe and solar system developed.
a. Explain why the unit of light years can be used to describe distances
to objects in the universe and use light years to describe distances.
b. Explain the role of gravity in forming and maintaining planets, stars,
and the solar system.
c. Outline the age, origin, and process of formation of the universe as currently
understood by science.
d. Describe the major events that have led to our current understanding of
the universe and the current technologies used to further our understanding.
Wright Center at Tufts - Innovative Science Curriculum Series
About the series:
This Innovative Curriculum Series is not meant to develop a whole new curriculum of science instruction. Rather, we honor the diverse and individual efforts of our Fellows by encouraging them to produce short modules that are designed to supplement and enrich existing curricula in the sciences.
As a Wright Center fellow, I developed the module, Beyond the 1930's Atom, which was listed on the NOVA website as a resource for their program, The Elegant Universe. From my introduction to the module:
Particle physics concepts are important in astrophysics, especially in trying to determine how conditions during the first few minutes of the Big Bang could have governed the formation and nature of matter today. Amazingly, to understand such large scale objects as galaxy clusters, one must start with the smallest fundamental particles of matter and the rules governing their interactions.
Project 2061’s Benchmarks says that by the 12th grade students should know that: “Increasingly sophisticated technology is used to learn about the universe...accelerators give subatomic particles energies that simulate conditions in the stars and in the early history of the universe before stars formed.” From studies of cosmic rays, supernovae and black holes to the origin and fate of the universe, high energy astrophysicists are working to answer the largest yet most basic questions about our Universe.
This unit introduces students to the Standard Model of Fundamental Particles and Interactions and conservation laws which govern the consistent patterns in physical processes. The unit ends with a card game on particle physics as well as guidelines that students may use to create learning games of their own on various topics.
A2. Models
Performance Indicator
Students evaluate the effectiveness of a model by comparing its predictions to actual observations from the physical setting, the living environment, and the technological world.
D1. Universe and Solar System
Performance Indicators & Descriptors
Students explain the physical formation and changing nature
of our universe and solar system, and how our past and present knowledge of
the universe and solar system developed.
c. Outline the age, origin, and process of formation of the universe as currently
understood by science.
d. Describe the major events that have led to our current understanding of
the universe and the current technologies used to further our understanding.
D3. Matter and Energy
Performance Indicator
Students describe the structure, behavior, and interactions of matter at the atomic level and the relationship between matter and energy.