Category Archives: Teaching

RAPTOR Physics Teachers Out-Reach #physicsed

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The first 2012 meeting of the Rochester Area Physics Teachers Out-Reach group (R.A.P.T.O.R.) will be held on Saturday morning, January 14, 2012, from 9:00 a.m. to noon. The meeting will be located in room 3335 of the Gosnell building, Building 8 on the campus of the Rochester Institute of Technology (http://maps.rit.edu/). Park in Lot U. There is NO restricted parking on weekends so park at north end, closest to buildings.

We start with refreshments, socializing, and introductions. There are many physics high school teachers new to R.A.P.T.O.R. the meeting provides opportunities for them, as well as for veterans, to communicate with each other.

Thomas Frys (Association for Bridge Construction and Design Board Member) will discuss the possibility of involving Rochester Area high school science students in the annual ABCD Model Bridge Competitions.

Preparing Teachers and Students to meet State Standards is our topic of the Day. Teachers will discuss their strategies in the following presentations:

Dan Fullerton (West Irondequoit High School) will give a brief presentation on the APlusPhysics.com web resource and how it can be coupled with a novel approach to Regents Physics review. Guided by the principle "The best review book is the one students will actually use," Fullerton gathered input from a range of teachers and students to write "The APlusPhysics Guide to Regents Physics Essentials." His presentation will focus on utilizing these resources to enhance instruction and support students in a hands-on, interactive, highly constructivist learning environment.

Brendan Noon (Williamson High School) will discuss using “Game Show Review” as a differentiated source of learning engagement. Students actively participate in collecting questions from past regents exams and preparing “Game Show” style Power Point reviews and video presentations for their peers to compete against each other as contestants. Lesson plan templates and sample Power Points will be demonstrated and distributed during this presentation.

Next, Brendan Noon (Williamson High School) will lead a discussion on the critical components involved in constructing physics units aligned to New York State’s Common Core Standards shifts and how these shifts will impact New York State assessments. He will show the framework used in developing a Unit on Modern Physics and discuss how this framework can be used in developing other units aligned with Common Core Standards Shifts.

The last scheduled item is Sharing. This is a half hour devoted to unscheduled presentations by any participant, of duration between, say, three to ten minutes. It could, for example, be a demonstration, a lab experiment, a way of presenting a topic, a thought on pedagogy, or humor.

Miscellaneous: Parking is available in Parking Lot U .

There are no costs or fees associated with any part of this meeting and it is not necessary to make a reservation in advance.

If you would like a letter of attendance for this meeting please inform me ahead of time so that it can be distributed at the meeting.

The agenda is repeated in capsule form at the end of this message.

Mr. Brendan Noon

Co-Organizer of R.A.P.T.O.R.

Bnoon@williamsoncentral.org

_______________________________________________________________

Agenda

Rochester Area Physics Teachers Out-Reach

Saturday January 14, 2012, 9:00 a.m. to noon

Gosnell Building, Building 8, Rochester Institute of Technology

Room 3335

Parking in Lot U

  • 9:00  – 9:15 a.m. Refreshments, Socializing, Introductions and Announcements
  • 9:15 – 9:20 a.m. Annual Bridge Building Competition for High School Students
    • Thomas Frys Association for Bridge Construction and Design Board Member)
  • 9:20 – 9:40 a.m. Physics Demos that make Students Think!
    • Bring your favorite demonstration that introduces a topic in physics
  • 9:40 -10:10 a.m. A “Novel” Approach to Regents Review with APlusPhysics.com
  • 10:10 – 10:40 a.m. Differentiated Instruction with “Game Show” Review in Physics
    • (lessons and templates will be distributed) Brendan Noon (Williamson High School)
  • 10:40 – 10:50 a.m. Refreshment Break
  • 10:50  – 11:20 a.m. Critical Components of Unit Writing for New York State Common Core Standards Shifts in Physics
    • (Lessons and templates will be distributed Brendan Noon (Williamson High School)
  • 11:20 a.m. to noon  Physics Share-A-Thon

Physics education enthusiasts all over the world can interact and participate in the meetings by registering for free at:

http://www.vokle.com/series/22103-rochester-area-physics-teachers-out-reach

A few other ways you can show your support for physics education and collaborate with other high school physics teachers are by liking the RAPTOR facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Rochester-Area-Physics-Teachers-Out-Reach-RAPTOR/261529007244589

or signing up on the RAPTOR Listserve:

https://lists.rit.edu/mailman/listinfo.cgi/raptor-l

Physics Teacher Out-Reach Web Meeting 1/14/12! #physicsed #physics #edtech

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Brendan Noon The Rochester Area Physics Teacher’s Out Reach (RAPTOR) will hold its first meeting of 2012 at the Rochester Institute of Technology on Saturday, January 14th from 9 am-noon EST.  Physics education enthusiasts all over the world are welcome to attend this meeting live via this link.

The meeting will feature a presentation by Dan Fullerton, author of Regents Physics Essentials, Honors Physics Essentials, and developer of APlusPhysics.com, as well as a presentation and discussion centered around physics lessons addressing New York’s Common Core State Standards and how these changes will affect physics education.

Come for the free donuts and stay for the demos, and if you can’t attend in person, join us online!

Special thanks to Brendan Noon of Science With Mr. Noon for organizing this event.

 

Agenda

Rochester Area Physics Teachers Out-Reach

Saturday January 14, 2012, 9:00 a.m. to noon

Physics Building, Rochester Institute of Technology

Rooms TBD

 

9:00  – 9:15 a.m.     Refreshments, Socializing, Introductions and Announcements

9:15 – 9:35 a.m.     Physics Demos that make Students Think!

                                   Bring your favorite demonstration that introduces a topic in physics

9:35 -10:05 a.m.      A “Novel” Approach to Regents Review with APlusPhysics.com

                                   Dan Fullerton (West Irondequoit High School)

10:05 – 10:30 a.m.  Differentiated Instruction with “Game Show” Review in Physics

                                   Brendan Noon (Williamson High School)

10:30  – 10:55 a.m.   Critical Components of Unit Writing for New York State Common Core Standards Shifts in Physics

                                     Brendan Noon (Williamson High School)

10:55 – 11:00 a.m.    Refreshment Break

11:00 a.m. to noon  Physics Share-A-Thon

 

 

RIT has a nice interactive map at: http://maps.rit.edu/    If you search “Gosnell building, Building 8” it will pinpoint the location and show a photo. The Room # is 3335.

Honors Physics Essentials Only $12.95! #physicsed #physics

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Happy Holidays!

clip_image002I am thrilled to announce the release of Honors Physics Essentials, an algebra-based physics book designed to assist beginning physics students in their high school and introductory college physics courses as an invaluable supplemental resource in class as well as a review guide for standardized physics assessments such as the SAT Subject Test in Physics, PRAXIS Physics, and CST Physics exams.  You can find it online at Amazon.com for only $12.95.

Honors Physics Essentials is an easy-to-read guide to algebra-based introductory physics, featuring more than 500 worked-out problems with full solutions and covering topics such as: kinematics, dynamics, momentum, impulse, gravity, uniform circular motion, rotational kinematics, work, energy, power, electrostatics, circuits, magnetism, microelectronics, waves, sound, optics, thermal physics, fluids, and modern physics.

The 384-page 6”x9” paperback book is integrated with the APlusPhysics.com website, which includes online question and answer forums, videos, animations, and supplemental problems to help students master Honors Physics Essentials.  You can find more information at http://www.aplusphysics.com/honors.  Volume discounts and e-book versions are available, as are class and site licenses for electronic versions starting as low as $3 per student.

I have so many people to thank for their contributions to this endeavor that I hardly know where to begin.  First, I’d like to thank all the fans of the first book, Regents Physics Essentials (RPE), and fans of the APlusPhysics website.  It was your requests, feedback, and encouragement that prompted the writing of this book.  Following the release of RPE, reader response was tremendous, and your requests for a similar book extending beyond the scope of the NY Regents Curriculum that could be used in physics classrooms across the country as well as for standardized test preparation made the development of this book a personal necessity.

Second, I must thank my two outstanding editors, Jeff Guercio and Joe Kunz, who graciously took many hours out of their busy lives to help make this book (and Regents Physics Essentials) clear, concise, and readable.  I’d also like to thank my student Emily, who first proposed turning our course notes into a review book, and Andrew, who reinforced that you can do anything if you set your mind to it.  I’d also like to thank Muse, whose enthusiasm for this book has been contagious.

Last, but certainly not least, I’d like to thank all the teachers and professors who contributed to this endeavor.  In attempting to write a physics book that would serve the needs of Honors Physics students across the country (and beyond), the input of these teachers and professors has been instrumental in tailoring this book to the needs of a majority of students, while at the same time keeping the length (and cost) low enough to remain attractive to its intended audience.

I’ve enjoyed working on this project throughout the past two years, but as in any extended project, I’m breathing a sigh of relief to have reached the finish line (at least for now).  I hope you find the APlusPhysics website and family of resources a useful tool in your study / instruction of physics, and I look forward to growing our online learning community in the coming years.  Thank you, thank you, thank you, and best wishes on an amazing 2012!

New Book Release: Honors Physics Essentials #physics #physicsed

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HPE-Cover Honors Physics Essentials is an easy-to-read guide to algebra-based introductory physics, featuring more than 500 worked-out problems with full solutions and covering topics such as: kinematics, dynamics, momentum, impulse, gravity, uniform circular motion, rotational kinematics, work, energy, power, electrostatics, circuits, magnetism, microelectronics, waves, sound, optics, thermal physics, fluids, and modern physics.

This book is designed to assist beginning physics students in their high school and introductory college physics courses as an invaluable supplemental resource in class as well as a review guide for standardized physics assessments such as the SAT Subject Test in Physics, PRAXIS Physics, and CST Physics exams.

Honors Physics Essentials is integrated with the APlusPhysics.com website, which includes online question and answer forums, videos, animations, and supplemental problems to help you master high school physics.  Check it out at http://www.aplusphysics.com/honors.