The Codes:
Green is the color or your Goal: What should you know by the end of this day?
Purple is the Reading from the textbook. The textbook is available on the syllabus, which you can find on the main class webpage.
Video Links are in Blue, but turn to purple after you see them.
Red is important
Day 1: Monday
Know how the class is run differently from traditional classes and the resources students have available.
Visit my office sometime this week and say “HI” and consider how nice the 6th floor of Baker Science is to gather in groups. Please make note of when my office hours are (located on class main page), but you can come by to say hi any time – I just might be busy or not there if it’s not an office hour.
Before Monday’s Class:
1. If you haven’t done it yet, please first fill out the survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CLASS-S16
2. Please get connected with PlayPosit by watching the videos below. When you hit the link, the video will ask you for your Email and a password and have you enroll in the website for the Winter 2016 class. It’s free. You need to do this to get credit for homework. Please record your password somewhere when you do this. It is not easy to get a new one if you forget your password. NOTE: PlayPosit used to be called “Educanon”, so you will likely find that I use the two names interchangeably, as I adjust to the new name.
2. Watch the video about the different way we will learn physics: How we are learning physics
3. Read the syllabus (link on main website), then watch the video explaining the syllabus.
4. Go to Open Stax College Physics Textbook and decide which format will work for you. The syllabus has some options. But you may want to go to this website to get a more interactive online version.
During Class:
We will introduce ourselves
We will spend a short time discussing the videos. How is this learning format going to work for you?
After Class:
Organize learning resources and prepare for class tomorrow, see below.
Day 2: Tuesday
Units: distance (meters), speed (meters/second), or speed is the time derivative of distance: v=dx/dt, Force (Newtons)
Before Tuesday’s Class:
1. I posted problem set #1 on the main class website. Please take a look at it, especially problem #4, as we’ll do it today.
2. View “Four Concepts” video, 4 kinds of physics questions
3. View Displacement and Velocity
4. Watch Veritassium video, Say the Wrong Thing Read more about confusion if you like at NPR: Confusion is How it Feels to Learn
5. Read the introduction to kinematics, dynamics, energy, and momentum:
- Kinematics: Chapter 2 Introduction and 2.1, 2.3
- Dynamics: 4.1
- Energy: Chapter 7 introduction, 7.6
- Momentum: Chapter 8 introduction, 8.3 (up to figure the first figure, Fig. 8.6)
During class:
We look at a collision on an (almost) frictionless surface. Momentum and energy are conserved in a closed system. However, can momentum or energy change forms?
We Look at Problem #4 in the first problem set.
After Class:
Consider the cart collision Tuesday in class:
1) Is momentum conserved? How do you know?… Or don’t you know?
2) Is energy conserved? How do you know?… Or don’t you know?
3) Are there forces and accelerations? Please describe directions and sizes!
4) What about motion? Can you make a speed vs time graph for each cart? Can you make a displacement vs time graph for each cart? Can you make an acceleration vs time graph for each cart?
Study workshops: The first workshops are tonight 6:10-7:30 or 7:40-9pm in 20-128, and you can just show up if you want to.
If you want to enroll in the study sessions, please contact Colin Webster at cgwebste@calpoly.edu
Day 3: Wednesday:
We are learning to be conscious of the lens (concept) we are looking through or if we are not using a lens. We are practicing using the four different lenses.
Before Class:
1. View Energy Flows
2. View Acceleration Video
3. Read the introduction to kinematics, dynamics:
- Kinematics: 2.4
- Forces, 4.1 – 4.3 Development of Force Concept (Free Body Diagram, Dynamics intro)
4. See if you can finish Problems #4 and #5 on Problem Set #1 (main class page), and consider the other problems.
Wednesday we look at things falling and compare times to fall and speed at the end. The goal is to practice using the 4 different concepts and recognize that we are reluctant to use them. Instead of invoking the new tools we are introduced to, we often revert to methods of reasoning that we have used before! The goal is to start using the new tools. Can we examine our inherent familiarity with how physics works in nature; can we see the way something should happen?
Friday and over Weekend
I am holding office hours for Thursday and Friday – see you there! by my office… where and when is that? See the main webpage please!
1. Reflect on “roller coaster” predictions that you made.
2. Finish Problem Set #1.
3. Make sure you see the next set of videos before Monday’s class – see website for week 2
Videos I find helpful
Veritasium’s Cool Science Home