Transcript Physics-Chemistry-Biology: A Logical and Effective Sequence Deborah and Rex Rice Clayton High School Clayton, Missouri.

Physics-Chemistry-Biology:
A Logical and Effective Sequence
Deborah and Rex Rice
Clayton High School
Clayton, Missouri
Physics First: Not a New Idea
• Physics and the High School Sophomore (Hamilton, TPT, 1970)
• Physics in the Tenth Grade (Sousanis, TPT, 1971)
• The Illogic of Teaching Bio Before Chem and Physics (Palombi,
TPT, 1971)
• Take Physics to Ninth Graders With Budget Savers (TPT, 1974)
• High School Physics Should be Taught Before Chemistry and
Biology (Haber-Schaim, TPT, 1984)
• Physics Before Chemistry (Bolton,TPT, 1987)
• A Case for a Better High School Science Sequence in the 21st
Century (Myers, TPT, 1987)
• Freshman Physics (Hickman, The Science Teacher, 1990)
Haber-Schaim Article
• Average of 23 Chemistry Prerequisites in
Biology Textbooks
• Average of 31 Physics Prerequisites in
Chemistry Textbooks
• No Biology Prerequisites in Physics
Textbooks
• Average of 2 Chemistry Prerequisites in
Physics Textbooks
Committee of Ten
National Education Association
1892
Recommendations Regarding Physics:
• The study of chemistry should precede the
study of physics.
• The study of physics should be pursued the
last year of high school.
Reasons for Traditional
Biology-Chemistry-Physics
Sequence at Turn of Century
Start with biology because:
1. Relied mostly on memorization
2. Required almost no mathematics
Reasons for Traditional
Biology-Chemistry-Physics
Sequence at Turn of Century
Follow with chemistry because:
1. Relied mostly on memorization and
detailed experimental procedures
2. Required only modest amounts of
mathematics
Reasons for Traditional
Biology-Chemistry-Physics
Sequence at Turn of Century
Make physics last because:
1. Required greater mathematical
fluency
2. Relied heavily on problem solving,
analysis, and critical thinking
Advantages of Teaching
Physics to Freshmen
(Hickman, 1990)
• Algebra is still fresh in students minds
• Freshmen are enthusiastic and motivated
• Most students who start with physics complete
the science sequence
• Increased interest in math courses
• Enrollment in senior physics course increases
• AP Biology can be the first biology course if
physics and chemistry have been studied
Disadvantages of Teaching
Physics to Freshmen
(Hickman, 1990)
• Shortage of qualified physics teachers
• Opposition to change from “proven” sequence by parents,
teachers, administrators, school boards
• Freshmen are more active, noisier, less coordinated
• Measurement and estimation skills are not good
• Trigonometry has not been studied
• Problems of transition of from middle school to high school
level course
• Lack of problem solving and test taking skills
Clayton High School
Clayton, Missouri
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One high school in district
About 800 students in grades 9-12
Fairly affluent suburban school district
About 20% of students are African
American students from neighboring city of
Saint Louis
Physics First at
Clayton High School
• Quantitative Science in place since early ‘60s
• Other course thought of as “dummy course”
• Best students already followed the PhysicsChemistry-Biology sequence
• Algebra taken by all students in Eighth Grade
Physics First at
Clayton High School
• Presented “Inverted Sequence” idea to
curriculum committee in Spring of 1991
• Full inversion considered too radical a change
• Two courses, Honors Freshman Physics and
Freshman Physics, proposed
• School Board approved change for the start of
1991-92 school year
Freshman Physics: ‘91/92
Text: Conceptual Physics-Hewitt
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Light
Waves and Sound
Kinematics
Newton’s Laws
Work, Energy, Power
Circular Motion and Gravitation
Properties of Matter
Heat
Electricity and Magnetism
Honors Freshman Physics: ‘91/’92
Based on “Quantitative Science”
• Geometric Optics
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Plane Mirrors
Pinholes
Curved Mirrors
Refraction
Lenses
Honors Freshman Physics: ‘91/92
Based on “Quantitative Science”
• Mechanics
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Uniform Motion
Uniform Acceleration
Newton’s Laws
Work, Power, Energy
Honors Freshman Physics: ‘91/92
Based on “Quantitative Science”
• Electricity and Magnetism
1. Electrostatics
2. D.C. Circuits
3. Magnetism
Transition to
Physics-Chemistry-Biology
• Chemistry teachers initially resisted moving
chemistry to 10th grade
• Initial resistance to “inversion” faded with
departmental discussion
• Complete inversion led by biology teachers
• Period of one year where chemistry was offered to
sophomores and juniors
• “Inversion” completed by 1995/96 school year
Reactions /Results
• Chemistry teachers found that sophomores
did fine with chemistry
• Biology teachers were elated with their
ability to upgrade the biology program
• A.P. Physics “worked” as a one-year course
since students entered with a physics
background.
• More students took two or more A.P.
science courses since many were able to
take A.P. Biology as a first-year course
Shift to Modeling Methods
• In summer, 1995 I attended the first of three years
of training in Modeling Methods in High School
Physics at Arizona State University
• In 1995-96 I started using Modeling in all of my
physics courses, including freshman physics
• Since then, all five physics teachers have been
trained in Modeling and are using it in Freshman
Physics.
How Has Modeling Changed Our
Freshman Physics Program?
• Models have replaced topics
• Breadth has been sacrificed for depth
• The teaching has become much more student
centered and less teacher centered
• Students leave the course with better thinking
skills, analysis skills, and ownership of the
concepts they have studied in physics
• In Honors Freshman Physics, the depth of study
has been significantly increased.
• Modeling Cycle has been modified to better suit
freshmen.
History of CHS transition to Modeling
• 1995-2000 – Rex adapts his freshman physics classes
to use modeling methodology
• 2000-2005 – All freshman physics teachers receive
modeling training, and modeling becomes the standard
methodology. Modifications are not formally
documented.
• 2006 – Debbie, Gabe, Rex become involved with a
Missouri grant called “A Time for Physics First.”
• Debbie, Gabe, and Rex begin the formal process of
modifying Modeling Physics materials for freshmen.
Modeling Cycle
• Development begins with paradigm
experiment.
– Experiment itself is not remarkable.
– Instructor sets the context.
– Instructor guides students to
• identify system of interest and relevant variables.
• discuss essential elements of experimental design.
The Modeling Cycle
• Model Development
• Model Deployment
Five E learning cycle approach--Inquiry Learning (BSCS)
Engagement
Object, event or question used to engage students.
Connections facilitated between what students know
and can do.
Exploration
Objects and phenomena are explored.
Hands-on activities, with guidance.
Explanation
Students explain their understanding of concepts and
processes.
New concepts and skills are introduced as conceptual
clarity and cohesion are sought.
Elaboration
Activities allow students to apply concepts in
contexts, and build on or extend understanding and
skill.
Evaluation
Students assess their knowledge, skills and abilities.
Activities permit evaluation of student development
and lesson effectiveness.
• Five E Model – Engage
Learner has a need to know, therefore, defines questions,
issues or problems that relate to his/her world.
• Inverted Sequence using Modeling
Pre-paradigm Exploration
A high interest activity which:
• engages the learner
• provides a common classroom experience to begin model building
• allows student to see the need for building a model
• foreshadows limit to current model and possible need for an additional
model
Unit 1 Pre-paradigm Exploration
Bag O’Cars
Bag O’Cars
Uniform Motion--Activity 1
After testing each car and listening to the white board session, fill in the
chart with the best possible representation of each car. If you do not have
enough room for your representation, make a table on a separate sheet of
paper.
Unit 2 Pre-paradigm Exploration
Homemade Hover Puck
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In this activity you will try to determine how to make the
Homemade Hover Disk speed up and slow down.
Draw a diagram of the home made hover disk system
below.
Describe all the different ways that you were able to make
the hover disk speed up.
Describe all the different ways that you were able to make
to make the hover disk slow down.
Make a motion map for the hover puck speeding up and
slowing down below.
Unit 3 Pre-paradigm Exploration
Broom Ball
Unit 3, Introduction to Forces
Activity 1, Broom Ball--The Game
Write a description of Broom Ball. Include the following in
your description:
1. Sketch the track you used for broom ball.
2. What are the rules for broom ball?
3. How does one play broom ball?
4. What three things are the most difficult when it comes to using the
broom to handle the ball??
5. How can a player use the broom to overcome the difficulties
mentioned in question 4 ? (What strategies would you recommend to
a teammate?)
6. What kind of motion does the ball have in the no-touch zone? What
causes the motion of the ball in the no-touch zone?
Unit 4 Pre-paradigm Exploration
Human Dynamics Cart
Adjustments to Curriculum:
Freshman Physics
• Energy Introduction
• CASTLE electricity
– Introduces modeling with minimal math
– Last unit bridges to mathematical representations in modeling
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Uniform Motion
Uniform Acceleration
Forces and Newton’s Laws
Electrostatics
Energy
Mechanical Waves (Good Idea—Rarely Happens)
Adjustments to Curriculum:
Honors Freshman Physics
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Energy Introduction
Uniform Motion
Uniform Acceleration
Newton’s Laws
Energy
DC Circuits (CASTLE)
Electrostatics
Mechanical Waves
How are the Courses Different?
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Expected fluency with algebra
Amount of mathematical problem solving
Required “studentship” skills
Depth of coverage
Placement: Which Students in
Which Course?
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Eighth Grade Teacher Recommendation
Ninth Grade Math Placement
Results of Science Reasoning Test
Results of EXPLORE test
Placement Results
• Typically about 25% of the students end up
in Honors Freshman Physics
• About 70% take Freshman Physics
• The remaining 5% take Conceptual Physics,
a course for kids with special needs.
Who Teaches the Course?
• Value good teacher of freshman over
physics content specialist
• Chemistry and Biology specialists have
taught the course
• Difficult to teach using Modeling Method
without formal training
• Insist on Modeling Training as a condition
of hiring
Does it Replace Physics in the
Junior or Senior Year?
• No! This was not our goal.
• Physics at the Freshman year is the
foundation of our Science curriculum
• Physics in the Senior year is improved and
can now explore a broader range of topics.
• Physics enrollment in the Senior year has
remained fairly steady, averaging about 20
to 25% of the student body
• All students get at least one good course in
physics as a foundation of the high school
science program!
Are Students Successful?
• Low failure rate
• FCI scores for regular freshmen comparable to
those from traditional senior level physics courses.
• FCI scores for Honors freshmen are significantly
above those from traditional senior level courses
and even above those for most modeling courses.
• FCI scores for seniors entering do not diminish
(and even increase) between grades 9 and 12
• FCI scores for seniors at completion are at the top
• Excellent MAP results. Highest in St. Louis
County, 9th in state (2008)
Are Students Successful?
• Winners of Region 12 of Physics Bowl twelve times.
• Top ten national finish in TEAMS competition every
year since 1993
• Eight Varsity national championships in TEAMS
competition. (6 Jr. Varsity national championships)
• Finished first and second in nation in TEAMS
competition four times.
• State Champions in WYSE competition last two years
• First Place in St. Louis Area Physics Teachers high
school physics competition twelve years in a row.
• Over 85% “five” rate on A.P. Physics exam
Conclusions
• Freshman physics makes chemistry more
meaningful/understandable
• Biology teachers are ecstatic about the changes
they have been able to make in the curriculum
• 100% enrollment in Physics
• Nearly 100% enrollment in four years of science
despite two-year (now three) state requirement for
graduation
• Students, Teachers, Parents, and School Board are
happy with the change.
The Inverted Sequence at
Clayton High School
Debbie Rice – [email protected]
Rex Rice – [email protected]
Clayton High School
1 Mark Twain Circle
Clayton, MO 63105