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Wednesday afternoon
facilitate the idea of science as a cooperative endeavor. Scientists continu-
ally use research conducted by others, critically review the work of others,
and work in teams to solve problems. In the classroom, this can take the
form of a whole class discussion, during which students present their
findings from experimental data. Groups can analyze the effect of different
variables to prevent repetitive presentations and allow for meaningful shar-
ing of information. Students will gain valuable insights into determining
the credibility of a source, creating a persuasive presentation by displaying
information aesthetically, and communicating their results in an efficient
manner. As students become more proficient in these discussions, they
will come to understand a key component of the science and engineering
communities.
GD05:
1:40-1:50 p.m. Patterns Approach: Building Scientific
Reasoning by Breaking Models
Contributed – Jordan Pasqualin, Rowe-Clark Math & Science Academy,
Chicago, IL 60625;
Within the confines of The Patterns Approach to Physics one important
topic is Model Failure. There is much pedagogical value in having students
attempt to apply a predictive model or pattern to experimental data and
fail. As students use The Patterns Approach to build scientific reasoning
skills, they gain expertise in detecting and explaining patterns in nature.
There is plentiful opportunity for students to experience the very real
limitations of using scientific models to make predictions about systems.
Models are useful inasmuch as they are able to make accurate predictions,
but students often cling to familiar models, even when inappropriate.
When models fail it creates opportunity to evaluate assumptions embedded
in a scientific investigation and ask new questions, two key skills that are
critical to genuine scientific pursuit. When students are taught to break
models they are better able to deal with failure, refine understandings, and
extend the inquiry process.
GD06:
1:50-2 p.m. Patterns Approach: Integrating STEM Within
Engineering Projects
Contributed – Bradford K. Hill, Southridge High School, 9625 SW 125th Ave.
Beaverton, OR 97008;
Within the confines of the Patterns Approach to Physics, one means of
bridging engineering, math, and science practices is to embed inquiry
investigations (the science) within engineering design tasks. Students seek
patterns within the data to build mathematical models (the math) used for
optimizing engineering design decisions. Four such engineering projects
are presented: Wind Turbine, Bridge Design, Barbie Bungee Adventure,
and Dynamic Paintings. In all of these examples students must both engage
in the engineering cycle to address the problem and the inquiry cycle to
generate data to inform their design. These projects, while familiar to many
physics classrooms, are presented in the context of the Pattern Approach
to teaching physics so the supporting materials and examples discussed
would allow a teacher to easily use them.
GD07:
2-2:10 p.m. Using Engineering Design to Engage Middle
School Students in Physics
Contributed – M. Colleen Megowan- Romanowicz, Arizona State University,
Tempe AZ 85282;
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) call for science teachers
to design instruction and engage their students in eight specific Science
and Engineering Practices. Many of these practices are familiar to middle
school teachers and are already embedded in their teaching practice, but a
few--specifically “defining problems” and “designing solutions”--are novel
ideas to them. Many teachers express concern that they have no formal
education in engineering design nor do they have the experience, time, and
resources necessary in their classrooms to create meaningful engineering
activities for their students. In this session I will describe a project that is
specifically designed to increase teachers’ confidence and competence in
implementing the eight NGSS science and engineering practices in their
middle school classrooms. I will describe some of the PD in which teachers
engaged and how teachers ultimately enacted engineering projects in their
classrooms.
(HPC) and CUDA presents massively parallel performance as a budget
friendly, and extremely effective, option. We will demonstrate how to
use CUDA, along with Python, to improve computational speed by three
orders of magnitude or more using a “stock” laptop.
Sponsored by: Eric Ayars
Session GD: Bridging Engineering,
Math, and Physics
Location: Tate Lab 170
Sponsor: Committee on Physics in Two-Year Colleges
Date: Wednesday, July 30
Time: 1–2:10 p.m.
Presider: Renee Lathrop
GD01:
1-1:10 p.m. Lessons Learned from an Integrated
Calculus and Physics Learning Community
Contributed – Dwain M. Desbien, Estrella Mountain Community College,
Avondale, AZ 85392;
Rebecca Baranowski, Holly Dison, Estrella Mountain Community College
For the last three years, EMCC has been offering and integrated Calculus
I and University Physics class. This talk will share results comparing tradi-
tional classes to the integrated courses on the FCI and exams. Discussion
of the reordering of topics to better match will also be discussed along with
future directions and goals.
GD02:
1:10-1:20 p.m. Fatal Friction Flaw
Contributed – Alan J. Scott, University of Wisconsin-Stout, 800 Broadway St.,
S. Menomonie, WI 54751;
On the evening of Aug. 13, 2011, a temporary structure used to provide
cover and support concert entertainment equipment at the Indiana State
Fair collapsed when hit with straight-line winds from an approaching
storm. Seven people died and 58 were injured. The methodology and
results of the forensic physics analysis (or engineering analysis) will be
presented in addition to a case-study, simplified model of the incident ap-
propriate for an introductory physics classroom. The engineering company
Thornton Tomasetti, Inc., out of Chicago was hired for the investigation
which is the same company that investigated the I35W bridge collapse in
Minneapolis back in 2007.
GD03:
1:20-1:30 p.m. Patterns Approach (Introduction): Engag-
ing Students in Scientific and Engineering Practices
Contributed – Heather Jean Moore, Fairfax County Public Schools, Arlington,
VA 22206;
The Patterns Approach for Physics is driven by the recurring question:
“How do we find and use patterns in nature to predict the future and un-
derstand the past?” Students are continually engaged in scientific practices,
starting with anchoring experiments that contextualize four common
mathematical patterns in physics: linear, quadratic, inverse, and inverse
square. Inquiry and engineering experiences serve to spiral these anchor-
ing patterns with new physics concepts, developing conceptual, graphical,
and symbolic understanding. Students are asked to compare low- to high-
evidence predictions, collaboratively build models based on data, assess the
quality/limitations of their models, develop proportional reasoning skills,
and harness the power of computational reasoning. Bridging math, science
and engineering in this way builds a coherent, experiential case for the
process of science and student interest in STEM careers. The Patterns Ap-
proach has been used within freshman through IB courses and is published
in
The Science Teacher
March, 2013.
GD04:
1:30-1:40 p.m. Patterns Approach: Classroom White-
board Discussions
Contributed – Scott J. Murphy, St. Joseph’s Preparatory Academy, Philadel-
phia, PA 19146;
Within the confines of The Patterns Approach to Physics, it is important to
