Physics

MoDEL Physics

MoDEL Physics is a course that is currently under development. In this course, students engage in Model Development through Exploratory Learning to build essential physics knowledge and develop a model-based representation and problem-solving method. When engaging in a MoDEL experience, students work collaboratively in groups to develop new physics concepts from models of motion and diagrammatic models that represent physics concepts and systems. Currently there are MoDEL activities for Momentum, Energy, and Angular Momentum concepts. You can read more about this course here.

Each MoDEL experience builds on the learning from the previous experience, so it is recommended that you use them in order. It is also recommended that students see a demonstration or engage in a laboratory experience prior to each MoDEL. This ensures that they have seen the types of motion present in those activities. Sample laboratory experiences are under development.

All of the Physics MoDEL activities are licensed as: CC BY-SA 4.0 Andrew Totah-McCarty and phenomenafirst.org

If you plan to use them and would like keys to these activities, please contact andrewpmccarty@gmail.com to request those files.

Project-based Physics for Summit Learning

In fall 2018 to summer 2020 we were hired to design a yearlong physics sequence for the Summit Learning program. The curriculum was designed to target the three-dimensional outcomes of the Next Generation Science Standards. In addition, the curriculum incorporates the project-based and cognitive skills approaches taken by the Summit Learning program. Clicking on any of the images below will take you to the teacher-facing version of each project. The projects are undergoing iteration to better meet 3D outcomes.