FIU Modeling Workshop - Day 9

I missed this day of the workshop, however, a few of my cohort were gracious enough to take notes.  I'm doing my best to take what they gave me.  Any help to clarify things would be greatly appreciated.

The day began with everyone working on Unit VI worksheet.  Everyone worked individually, and then the groups met to create whiteboards.

- Useful to separate horizontal and vertical givens in table:

-Good to explicitly show + state that t is the same for horizontal and vertical motion
-Good to keep algebra in variable until the last step - then plug in number

#4 Would be interesting in adding a horizontal & vertical motion map for car and ball

-stress constant velocity in horizontal direction

- ESL students have difficulty with "how long" thinking it means distance

LoggerPro basket ball shot analysis follow up
- After students have generated data, insert 3 graphs + auto arrange

• x vs t
• y vs t
• $v_x$ vs t
• $v_y$ vs t

-Highlight first 1.5 second to analyze

•  compare slope of x vs t and average value of $v_x$ from $v_x$ vs t graph
• lead students to see that $v_x$ is constant by $v_y$ is changing (slope is 9.8 $m/s^2$)
• If you want, have students insert a quadratic fit onto y vs t graph and lead them to find what the meaning of the constants are in the regressed equation.

Next on the agenda was to split up an article to have summarized on whiteboards by the groups.

After lunch, Jon and Chris asked for feedback for Unit VI
What worked:
Video analysis lab
Plan for Dart Gun for Classic Monkey Problem
Worksheet #3
Wells Reading
Hammer article about Lisa & Ellen
Group Work
Adaptability of labs to every level of student (*response to comment on what didn't work)

What didn't work:
Transition from 1D to 2D - we would like to see the process
Time constraints
Simplicity of labs*

Jon and Chris then started the paradigm lab for Unit VII
Had 3 volunteers

1. Held a bowling ball and walked at constant speed
2. Pushed against a wall
3. Lift a small mass

Group was then asked, "Who is doing the most work?"

Physics defines work in a more specific way

A change in position due to a force that is applied in the direction of the change in position

-Establish direction early on and physics specific definition of work

-Student "1" does no work on the bowling ball

-Pushing a stuck car - you should push parallel to maximize work
-Teach students the concepts before introducing the math

Jon dropped a bowling ball - had cohort brainstorm different types of energy.
Discussed the energy transfer mechanism -> work

"We" then began Unit VII worksheet 1 before doing any labs.  Worked on the assignment individually and then presented a problem on whiteboards.

#3) still has velocity at the top
Discussion of energy as a scalar

Be careful to use "transfer" instead of "lost" when referring to energy

Jon and Chris then used a Piece of equipment with four wooden track, each with a different shape and unique color  (the only similar product I'm finding on the internet is this).

The students are then asked,

1. "Which ball will reach the end of the track first?"
2. "Which will hit the ground the farthest from the table?"

Answer to #1 - ball on the "blue" track  & #2 - all are the same except the "yellow" track



Then moved on to "Spring Lab"
Mass hanging on a spring, which is hanging from the Force sensor
Purpose: To determine the mathematical and graphical relationships that exists between force and displacement of a spring

Each group was given 2 different spring (1 short & 1 long)
{Overall there were 2 different lengths and 2 different spring constants for this lab.} 
{Some groups randomly selected 2 lengths with same k, others had 1 of each k}


Group plotted F vs x  results on whiteboard