July 26–30, 2014
35
Workshops – Sunday, July 27
All workshops are held at the University of Minnesota
W22: Activities for Learning About Climate and Climate
Change
Sponsor: Committee on Science Education for the Public
Co-sponsor: Committee on Space Science and Astronomy
Time: 8 a.m.–12 p.m. Sunday
Member Price: $60
Non-Member Price: $85
Location: STSS 432B
Brian Jones, Physics Department, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
80523;
Paul Williams
During the day, the Earth is warmed by sunlight that shines on it. This is
something that your students can see, something that they can feel. But,
over the course of a day, the surface of the Earth receives more radi-
ant energy from clouds and the lower atmosphere than it does from the
Sun. The influence of this thermal radiation is critically important for an
understanding of the Earth’s climate and how it is changing. In this work-
shop we’ll share activities that make this invisible form of energy transfer
tangible. We’ll also share activities that illuminate other important but
complex concepts, such as how climate models work, how feedbacks—both
positive and negative—affect the climate. Our goal is to give you a set of
tools to give your students a real understanding of the Earth’s climate and
how scientists predict its development in the future.
W23: Creating Interactive Web Simulations Using HTML5
and JavaScript
Sponsor: Committee on Educational Technologies
Time: 8 a.m.–12 p.m. Sunday
Member Price: $60
Non-Member Price: $85
Location: STSS 530A
Dan Schroeder, Physics Department, Weber State University, 2508 University
Circle, Ogden, UT 84408-2508;
Andrew Duffy
HTML5 and JavaScript have replaced Java and Flash as the leading
technology for in-browser software, with the ability to deliver high-
performance, graphics-intensive simulations over the web to both personal
computers and mobile devices. Participants in this workshop will learn to
use this technology to create educational physics simulations that students
can run on almost any computer, tablet, or smartphone that can browse
the web. The workshop will cover HTML basics, the JavaScript program-
ming language, graphics using the HTML5 canvas element, and essential
user-interface controls. Participants should have some prior programming
experience (in any language) and must bring their own laptop computers
with up-do-date versions of Firefox, Chrome, and a programmer’s text edi-
tor such as Notepad++ or TextWrangler. Participants are also encouraged
to bring ideas for simulations they would like to create.
W24: Integrating NGSS, Design, and Literacy
Sponsor: Committee on Professional Concerns
Co-sponsor: Committee on Physics in Pre-High School Education
Time: 8 a.m.–12 p.m. Sunday
Member Price: $60
Non-Member Price: $85
Location: STSS 144
Alice Flarend, 209 W 15th Ave., Altoona, PA 16601;
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) call for integrating science
content, practices, and engineering design. This workshop will allow the
participants to explore engineering projects that tie in real science content,
rather than guess and check methods, as well as highlighting science
practices. The Claims, Evidence and Reasoning model of scientific com-
munication will be used throughout. This workshop is appropriate for all
pre-college science teachers as well as teacher educators. Post-secondary
W20: Introductory Physics for Life Science – Curricular
Materials and Activities
Sponsor: Committee on Laboratories
Time: 1–5 p.m. Saturday
Member Price: $80
Non-Member Price: $105
Location: STSS 530B
Nancy Beverly, 555 Broadway, Mercy College, School of Health and Natural
Sciences, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522;
Nancy Donaldson, Ralf Widenhorn, Dan Young, Evan Frodermann, Kim
Moore
The recent Conference on Introductory Physics for Life Science, the Gor-
don Physics Education Research Conference on the Complex Intersection
of Physics and Biology, and the
American Journal of Physics
special issue on
the Intersection of Physics with Biology, have all broadened the scope of
possibilities for activities and implementation for the Introductory Physics
for Life Science. This workshop will present highlights from these events,
as well as resources and repositories for the increasing number of materials
for activities and curricular ideas. Participants will have the opportunity to
experience some activities and materials as well as discuss their implemen-
tation issues, particular to their student population needs and institutional
challenges.
W21: Simple Experiments for Learning the Strategies that
Mirror Science Practices
Sponsor: Committee on Teacher Preparation
Co-sponsor: Committee on Physics in High Schools
Time: 1–5 p.m. Saturday
Member Price: $65
Non-Member Price: $90
Location: STSS 512B
Gorazd Planinsic, Faculty for Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljublja-
na, Jadranska 19 1000, Ljubljana, SLOVENIA;
Bor Gregorcic
This is a hands-on workshop designed for teachers interested in using
Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE) system to engage stu-
dents in practical work that mirrors scientific practice and thus helps them
develop scientific habits of mind. Creation of successful practical ISLE
problems relies on finding suitable experiments. The key features of such
experiments are that they are simple, easy to build, that they allow students
construct multiple explanations within the accessible curriculum domain
and that they provide opportunities for the students to actively experience
how experiment and theory are interwound. Obviously the requirements
are tough and therefore it is understandable why such experiments are
not easy to find. In the workshop participants will be solving different
problems based on simple experiments with computer scanner and mobile
phones using ISLE approach. Participants will work in rotating groups. At
the end there will be a discussion about the results.
Canceled
