Thursday, April 29, 2010

The Circuitous Route


On Thursday (4/29), we built simple circuits and examined equivalent resistance.

CLASS ACTIVITIES
1) Series and Parallel Circuits
2) Building Simple Circuits

3) Equivalent Resistance

HANDOUTS

1) Unit 9 Worksheet 2 (Unit 9 Worksheet 2 Blank)

HOMEWORK
1) Finish Project Proposal (due Monday [5/3])
2) Unit 9 Worksheet 2

UPCOMING
1) Physics Paper (due 5/17)
2) Final Part 1 (5/19)
3) Physics Project (proposal due 5/3; project due June 1)

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Seeing (and Feeling) Sparks


On Tuesday (4/27), we challenged our potential and got electrons moving.

CLASS ACTIVITIES
1) Discuss Project Proposal (Project Proposal)
2) Introduction to Electricity

3) Electricity demos

HANDOUTS

1) Unit 9 Worksheet 1 (Unit 9 Worksheet 1 Blank)

HOMEWORK
1) Work on Project Proposal (due Monday [5/3])
2) Unit 9 Worksheet 1

UPCOMING
1) Physics Paper (due 5/17)
2) Physics Project (proposal due 5/3; project due June 1)

Friday, April 23, 2010

Looming Disorder


On Friday (4/21), we took the waves test and briefly discussed thermodynamics and entropy.

CLASS ACTIVITIES
1) Brief wave review
2) Waves test

3) Lecture on thermodynamics

HANDOUTS

1) none today

HOMEWORK
1) Work on Project Proposal and Paper

UPCOMING
1) Physics Paper (due 5/17)
2) Physics Project (proposal due 4/29)

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Homework Solutions and Food Sign-Ups

Below are links to homework solutions for Unit 8 and food items people are bringing for after the test.






Waving Goodbye


On Wednesday (4/21), we reviewed optics and some elements of waves in preparation for our test on Friday.

CLASS ACTIVITIES
1) Review of Light (Bend, Bounce, or Burrow)
2) Optics with Bill Nye

3) Discusse Phinal Project

HANDOUTS

1) Waves Test Review sheet

HOMEWORK
1) Prepare for Test
2) Assemble Unit 8 HW packet (Worksheets 1-5)

UPCOMING
1) Unit 8 Test - Waves, Sound, and Light (Friday, 4/23)
2) Physics Paper (due 5/17)
3) Physics Project (proposal due 4/29)

Monday, April 19, 2010

Physics Got Back


On Monday (4/19), we revisited forces and motion before taking a look at sunsets and diffraction.

CLASS ACTIVITIES
1) Discussion of Remaining Big Assignments
2) Force and Motion Diagnostic Test

3) Review Refraction (sunsets, 
4) Diffraction

HANDOUTS

1) Movie E-Motion sheet
2) Physics Project sheet

HOMEWORK
1) Brainstorm Physics movie and Phinal Project

UPCOMING
1) Unit 8 Test - Waves, Sound, and Light (Friday, 4/23)
2) Physics Paper (due 5/17)
3) Physics Project (proposal due 4/29)

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Remaining Big Assignments

As I mentioned in class last time, two of your remaining assignments for the year are a physics project and a paper based on a science fiction movie.  A link to the descriptions of each of these assignments is below.




Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Spring Break Recess

If you are bored out of your mind and are looking for something to do, I'll be at school working on experiments for the rest of the year Thursday (4/15) at 10:00.  You can get a head start. 


I hope you are having a great break!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Somewhere Over the Refracted Light


On Thursday (4/8), we created and analyzed rainbows.

CLASS ACTIVITIES
1) Unit 8 Quiz #3 - Light

2) Under the Rainbow lab
3) Rainbow notes
4) Total Internal Reflection Demo

HANDOUTS

1) Under the Rainbow lab sheet

HOMEWORK
1) Brainstorm Physics movie and Phinal Project
2) Enjoy your break!

UPCOMING
1) Unit 8 Test - Waves, Sound, and Light
2) Physics Paper (check back here for requirements)
3) Physics Project (up to 3 people, 3 physics topics per person); you may collaborate with students from other physics classes

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Fine Tuning of Light


On Tuesday (4/6), we reflected, refracted, and split light into pieces

CLASS ACTIVITIES
1) Color demonstrations and electromagnetic spectrum

2) Notes on reflection, speed of light, refraction, and total internal reflection
3) Worksheet 5 including Snell's Law lab

HANDOUTS

1) Electromagnetic spectrum note sheet
2) Unit 8 Worksheet 5 (Unit 8 Worksheet 5 Blank)

HOMEWORK
1) Complete Unit 8 Worksheet 5
2) Prepare for Light Quiz

UPCOMING
1) Unit 8 Quiz #3 (4/8)

Friday, April 2, 2010

And, Like That, There Was Light


On Friday (4/2), we explored several facets of light.

CLASS ACTIVITIES
1) Primary color demonstrations

2) Light Stations

HANDOUTS

1) Light Stations lab sheet


HOMEWORK
1) Observe how light acts in your environs
2) Bring your Great America slips and money to me on Monday!!

UPCOMING
1) Unit 8 Quiz #3 (4/8)

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Great America Forms

Be sure to bring your Great America forms (with signatures) and money to class tomorrow!

Unit 8 Homework Solutions

Below are links to homework solutions for Worksheets 1-4.



Artificial Frequency Adjustments


On Wednesday (3/31), lowered the frequency of our sound unit as we examined the Doppler Effect.

CLASS ACTIVITIES
1) One last resonance demonstration

2) Notes on the Doppler Effect
3) Doppler Effect demonstrations
4) Unit 8 Quiz #2

HANDOUTS

1) Unit 8 Worksheet 4 (Unit 8 Worksheet 4 Blank)


HOMEWORK
1) Unit 8 Worksheet 4

UPCOMING
1) Unit 8 Quiz #3 (4/8)

A Helping Thumb


On Monday (3/29), used our knowledge of frequencies to rescue Ayn Stein from an encasing predicament.

CLASS ACTIVITIES
1) Resonance demonstrations

2) A Ginormous Rescue

HANDOUTS

1) A Ginormous Rescue lab sheet

HOMEWORK
1) Complete A Ginormous Rescue
2) Prepare for Quiz

UPCOMING
1) Unit 8 Quiz #2 (3/31)

Avoiding the Dissonance


On Thursday (3/25), we used keyboards to evaluate the frequencies of different musical notes and explored harmonics and overtones.

CLASS ACTIVITIES
1) Casio lab


HANDOUTS

1) Casio lab sheet


HOMEWORK
1) Unit 8 Worksheet 3 (
Unit 8 Worksheet 3 Blank)

2) Complete Casio lab sheet

UPCOMING
1) Unit 8 Quiz #2 (3/31)

A Class that Resonates with Me


On Tuesday (3/23), we focused on resonance and wave interference and produced standing waves in a string.

CLASS ACTIVITIES
1) Resonance demonstrations

2) More wave notes
3) Standing Wave lab

HANDOUTS

1) Standing Wave lab sheet
2) Unit 8 Worksheet 2 (Unit 8 Worksheet 2 Blank)


HOMEWORK
1) Unit 8 Worksheet 2

UPCOMING
1) Unit 8 Quiz #2 (3/31)

How Fast are You Talking?


On Friday (3/19), we took a quiz on the different parts and types of waves and measured the speed of sound.

CLASS ACTIVITIES
1) Unit 8 Quiz #1

2) Twice, the Speed of Sound lab

HANDOUTS

1) Twice, the Speed of Sound lab sheet


HOMEWORK
1) 
Complete Twice, the Speed of Sound lab sheet

UPCOMING
1) Unit 8 Quiz #2 (Wednesday, 3/31)

Making Waves


On Wednesday (3/17), we watched the group presentations of the toy analyses and ventured toward our next goal: waves.

CLASS ACTIVITIES
1) Toys for Tests presentations

2) Notes on waves

HANDOUTS

1) Unit 8 Worksheet 1(Unit 8 Worksheet 1 Blank)


HOMEWORK
1) Unit 8 Worksheet 1

UPCOMING
1) Unit 8 Quiz #1 (Friday, 3/19)

Presentations Looming


On Monday (3/15), we worked on the presentations of Toys for Tests.

CLASS ACTIVITIES
1) Work on Test presentations


HANDOUTS

1) none today

HOMEWORK
1) Complete Test presentation

UPCOMING
1) Test Presentations (Wednesday, March 17)

Playing with Tests


On Thursday (3/11), our test involved analyzing children's toys that involve energy conversions.

CLASS ACTIVITIES
1) Toys for Tests


HANDOUTS

1) Toys for Tests worksheet

HOMEWORK
1) Prepare Toys for Tests Presentations

UPCOMING
1)