Handbook of Engaged Learning Projects
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Project Summary
Subject/Content Area: Physics
Target Audience: This project primarily targets grades 9-12. The
relevant curricular guidelines include the Center of Mass, the
Doppler Shift, Universal Gravitation, Kepler's Laws, Orbital
Velocity, Conservation of Momentum, and offers the potential to
integrate this project with a study of the emission of light by
which the Doppler Shift is measured. Skills that are required include
a basic background in the language of science and the ability to
perform independent research (including searching with the Internet),
evaluate obtained information and apply that information to their own
learning while being responsible for that learning. Students also
need to gather information, interact with other learners and experts
such as scientists, perform analysis of information, and analyze data
and develop conclusions from actual extrasolar data applying the
basic concepts of physics mentioned above.
Project Goals: The project will involve engaged learning. The
project directs learning toward the problem while extending student
learning during the application of researched knowledge to actual
extrasolar data. Students will post their project on the Web. This
Web page will summarize their research and will include their well
substantiated conclusion and information summary.
Students will demonstrate the ability to:
- use the scientific process.
- demonstrate understanding of physical concepts.
- apply those concepts to actual extrasolar data and a new
problem identified and studied by students.
- demonstrate the ability to work with others cooperatively and
collaboratively.
Learner Outcomes:
Students will demonstrate their ability to:
- apply the scientific method to a problem and draw logical
conclusions from systematically collected and analyzed data.
- use appropriate terminology to describe and explain the operation
and purpose of experiments that have discovered extrasolar
planets.
- use basic physics equations of Center of Mass, the Doppler
Shift, Universal Gravitation, Kepler's Laws, Orbital Velocity and
Conservation of Momentum to describe the position and mass of
orbiting planets and how the position and mass of these extrasolar
planets vary with the variation of gathered data on a given sun's
period of rotation and k generated from the given sun's velocity
vs. time graph.
- use basic physics equations of Center of Mass, the Doppler
Shift, Universal Gravitation, Kepler's Laws, Orbital Velocity and
Conservation of Momentum to determine the position and mass of an
actual orbiting extrasolar planet given data on a sun's period of
rotation and k generated from the given sun's velocity vs. time
graph.
- apply basic physics equations of Center of Mass, the Doppler
Shift, Universal Gravitation, Kepler's Laws, Orbital Velocity and
Conservation of Momentum to a self-generated study of how the
position and mass of these extrasolar planets vary with the
variation of gathered data on a given sun's period of rotation and
k generated from the given sun's velocity vs. time graph.
Alignment with National Standards and State Goals:
Alignment with National Standards:
This project demonstrates some elements of:
- Science Teaching Standards
A,
B,
C,
D,
E,
F
- Science Assessment Standards
A,
B,
C,
D,
E
- Science Content Standards
A,
B,
C,
E,
F,
G
- Science Program Standards
A,
B,
C,
D,
E,
F
Alignment with Illinois
State
Goals (See Science Learner Goals):
This project demonstrates some elements of:
- State Goal 11 (A, B, C, D)
- State Goal 12 (D, E, F)
- State Goal 13 (A, B)
Assessment of Students: Students will be assessed with rubrics
for their information summary,
their lab design, their
conclusions and Web posting,
their presentation and will be
summarized on a student information
sheet which also includes observations of students which will
include things like group work and interactions with experts and
other schools. Each rubric will be assessed at three leves. The first
level will be the group assessing itself, the second level will be
another group assessing the group's work and the third level will be
an assessment by the teacher.
Author:
Brian K. Wegley from
Glenbrook South High School, Glenview, IL.
Handbook of Engaged Learning
Projects sponsored by Fermi National
Accelerator Laboratory Education Office
and Friends of Fermilab.
Funded by the North Central Regional Technology
in Education Consortium based at the North
Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL).
http://www-ed.fnal.gov/help/97/et/etprjsm.html
Created: July 9, 1997
http://www-ed.fnal.gov/help/97/et/etprjsm.html