Implementing Physics First at El Dorado High School

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Implementing Physics First at El Dorado High
School

• Earl Legleiter

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Early 90 Course Sequence
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Modeling Method at ASU95 96

• Students design their own experimental procedures
• Students must justify their interpretations of
  data in teacher-guided Socratic dialogs
• Models created from experimental interpretations
  are deployed in carefully selected problems, each
  of which is designed to illustrate aspects of the
  model
• Solutions are presented by students to the entire
  class on whiteboards

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The model is distributed over multiple
representations
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Multiple Representationsa particle moving at
constant velocity
with explicit statements describing relationships
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98 Curriculum Problem

• Principles of Technology
• Was not challenging our best students
• Out of field teacher
• Biology major
• Proposed Solution
• Invert the curriculum
• Offer Modeling Physics to freshman

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Barriers to Implementation

• Convince the district curriculum committee
• Status quo of physics last
• Physics is too hard
• State Assessments

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Why physics first

• Build knowledge of science and the concurrent use
  of mathematics following the hierarchical nature
  of science as it has unfolded over the past
  century
• More students take advanced science
• Improved college entrance exam scores

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Physics Needed for Chemistry

• Particle Model
• Mass
• Kinematics Behavior
• Force
• Charge
• Energy
• Particle Interactions

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Physics Needed for Chemistry

• Systems and Surroundings
• Energy
• Thermodynamics
• Conservation of energy
• Process Skills
• Experimental Design
• Data Analysis

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Chemistry Needed for Biology

• Carbon chemistry
• Covalent bonding
• Polar molecules
• Catalyst

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Changes in Chemistry

• Used learning-cycle materials from the University
  of Oklahoma
• M. R. Abraham
• J. W. Renner
• E. Marek
• Adapted to a Modeling Approach
• Collaborative Action Research team
• Experienced teacher from neighboring school
• Dr. Ed Marek

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Current EHS Science Sequence
EMS
Con. Physics
Int. Science
Chemistry
Biology
Adv. Biology
Ecology
Physics
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Physics First Evaluation

• Force Concept Inventory
• Worlds of Fun Physics Olympics
• Kansas State Science Assessment Scores

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FCI

• Test conceptual understanding of mechanics
• 30 multiple choice questions
• Developed at ASU
• Used as the standard in physics education
  research
• Average gain nation-wide is 26 - 42

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Freshman FCI Scores
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World of Fun Physics Olympics

• Measurement on rides and a one hour multiple
  choice test
• Physics students from a four state area compete
• A. P. Students are included
• First time freshman students enter the event

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Physics Olympics Results

• One freshman group earned honorable mention
  recognition
• All groups scored above the average

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State Assessment Scores