The links on the table below lead to portable document files that can be viewed and printed on any computer with Adobe Acrobat Reader.
The documents and all material contained therein are © Dean Baird. All rights reserved. They may be used by teachers and students for classroom instruction. Beyond that, no part of these documents may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.
| GUIDES | |
| 1 | The
Scheme of Science Develops a Venn diagram to show how physics, chemistry, biology, and earth science relate to each other. Note: this document's PDF is combined with "Why-How?" |
| 2 | Why-How
Tree Introduces the Why/How Tree, an inquiry process that leads to one of the very few Rules of the Universe. |
| 3 | Rules of the
Universe An explicit list of the fundamental principles that can be used to explain all natural phenomena. |
| 4 | Orders of Magnitude Develops the ideas of powers of ten and order of magnitude "rounding." |
| 5 | Greek
/ Symbols Reference The Greek alphabet and mathematical symbols listed with usage descriptions. |
| 6 | Scientififc /
Engineering / SI Prefix Notation Reference The rules of scientific, engineering, and SI prefix notation are explained. Includes examples. |
| 7 | Units &
Quantities Reference The units of measure (meters, kilograms, seconds, etc.) are listed and described. |
| 8 | Motion
PhyzExamples Quantities and their symbols, units and their abbreviations, equations, and work-ot numerical problems. |
| 9 |
Graphing
Technique + Percent Error · Percent Difference ·
Unit Conversions Reference A very handy reference sheet throughout the year when doing lab activities. |
| JOBS | |
| 1 |
The
Why-How Tree Springboard at TPT Introduces the Why/How Tree, an inquiry process that leads to one of the very few Rules of the Universe. |
| 2 |
Numeric
Notation Springboard at TPT Develops the need for and mechanics of scientific notation, engineering notation, and SI prefix notation |
| 3 | Powers of Ten
Estimating Job at TPT Powers of Ten/Orders of Magnitude estimating exercises involving the sizes of objects. This is a new kind of rounding; practice is required. |
| 4 |
Space
and Time Springboard at TPT What do we mean by "distance" and "interval"? And how can we calculate speed? |
| 5 |
Making Motion Graphs Springboard at
TPT Classroom discussion of motion graphs. |
| 6 |
Speeding
Thru Motion Springboard at TPT Classroom discussion of motion concepts. |
| 7 |
Motion Matching at TPT Various simple motions described, illustrated, graphed, and characterized... but scrambled. Match the descriptions to corresponding illustrations and to corresponging graphs and to corresponding characterizations. Then organize the matches (on the back). |
| LABS - The unlinked titles below are available in the Conceptual Physics lab manual from Pearson Education - Amazon link [ISBN: 0321940059 - ISBN-13: 978-0321940056] | |
| 1 |
A
Notion for Motion Experiment Low-tech motion lab activity involving constant velocity cars. |
| 2 |
Sonic Ranger High-tech motion lab involving motion sensors. |
| 3 |
Carts
and
Tracks Lab Prep Introduction to the PASCO carts and tracks (IDS). |
| 4 | Going
Through the Motions - Follow-up
Presentation HD (Interactive QuickTime) A lab activity for learning about acceleration and the Pasco Visual Accelerometer. (Years ago we did this lab with a line/bubble level in place of the Visual Accelerometer.) |
| OTHER | |
| 1 |
Introduction
to Motion Begins with an M (QuickTime) Part of the "Physics Begins with an M" series. Zipped Interactive QuickTime export of a Keynote presentation. Trust me, neither Keynote nor PowerPoint are the Great Saviors of education. I recommend using them sparingly if at all. Better to teach! |
| 2 |
Powers
of Ten (1977) at TPT Powers of Ten takes us on an adventure in magnitudes. Starting at a picnic by the lakeside in Chicago, this famous film transports us to the outer edges of the universe. Every ten seconds we view the starting point from ten times farther out until our own galaxy is visible only a s a speck of light among many others. Returning to Earth with breathtaking speed, we move inward- into the hand of the sleeping picnicker- with ten times more magnification every ten seconds. Our journey ends inside a proton of a carbon atom within a DNA molecule in a white |
| 3 |
Conceptual
Physics Alive! Introduction at TPT |
| 4 |
Conceptual Physics Alive! Linear Motion at TPT |
| 5 |
Mechanical Universe - The Law of Falling
Bodies
at TPT Question set to accompany the high school adaptation of the Mechanical Universe video. |
| 6 |
The
Baloney Detection Kit at TPT Michael Shermer describes a baloney detection kit as suggested by Carl Sagan |
| 7 |
James
Randi - Secrets of the Psychics (NOVA) at
TPT Skeptic James Randi exposes charlatans and debunks a variety of bunk in this episode of PBS's Nova. |
| 8 |
Physics
Crossword Puzzle - 1. Motion at TPT Not a typical academic subject matter crossword. This one adds general high school vocabulary words. Over 100 words and 150 crosses in total. |
| 9 |
Practice Test
Questions and Answers Sample test questions relating to this unit. |
| STRATEGICALLY
REDEPLOYED AS DROP-IN OR HOMEWORK LESSONS (OR
DISCONTINUED) |
|
| The History of
Physics An abbreviated history of physics from the Greeks to Unified Field Theory (fits on one sheet). I don't give this out until the end of the unit. |
|
| Analog
Measurement Techniques 1 - Answers Measurement involving a digit of estimation on the linear scale of a meterstick. |
Click here for a legend and explanation of cryptic terms and abbreviations.
Broken links? Let me know and I'll fix them! If I don't know about them, I cannot fix them. Email me at dean@phyz.org.
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