Week 5 Blog: Due Sunday, September 30, 2012

Think about The Ultimate Graphing Challenge game we played in the library on Wednesday.  If you were absent or want to try again, here is the link:   www.theuniverseandmore.com  .  Which graphs or concepts did you have difficulty with?  What level were you able to reach in class?  Do you think the game helped you with your understanding of graphing motion?  Please give me a reflection on the activity and if there are any changes you feel I should make.  Make sure you post your response by 11:00 pm on Sunday night.  REMEMBER:  you must make an original comment PLUS reply to one other post in order to receive full credit.  If you have questions or any problems posting, please send me an email BEFORE 11:00 pm sunday.

Week 4 Blog: Due September 23rd, 2012

This past week we have been working on Mousetrap cars.  Since this is the first year I assigned this project, I know it can use some adjustments and changes.  I would like your honest feedback on this activity such as what you liked and what you didn't like.  I would also like to know if you have any suggestions on how I can make it better for next year.  You guys did a great job overall and I hope you had a lot of fun!  Remember, you must have one original comment and comment on at least one other person's blog entry.  If you have questions, please try to ask them in class before Sunday.  If your blog will not save/post, please send me an email and I will post your comments for you.

Mousetrap Cars - Due 9/17/12; Race Day 9/18/12

Mousetrap Car Building Basics: A mousetrap powered car is a vehicle that is powered by the energy of a wound-up mousetrap's spring.  The most basic design is to tie one end of a string to the tip of a mousetrap's snapper arm and then the other end of the string has a loop that is designed to "catch" a hook that is glued to a drive axle.  Once the loop is placed over the axle hook, the string is wound around the drive axle by turning the wheels in the opposite direction to the vehicle intended motion.  As the string is wound around the axle by the turning of the wheels, the snapper's lever arm is pulled closer to the drive axle causing the mousetrap's spring to "wind-up" and store energy.  When the drive wheels are released, the string is pulled off the drive axle by the mousetrap causing the wheels to rotate.

Words of Wisdom:  Your grade is directly proportional to the time you spend on this project.  It is extremely difficult to earn a "C" or better without adequate research, design, testing and redesign.  A large portion of your grade depends on your car's performance; make sure your car will perform when the time comes.  That means design it, build it, test it, re-design it, re-test it and repeat this process as many times as necessary to achieve your goals.

This assignment was adapted from Mr. Shepherd's Mousetrap Car Project, http://www.piketon.k12.oh.us/Downloads/Mousetrap%20Car%20Project2.pdf.

Other resources can be found here:
http://cpphysics.homestead.com/mousetrap.html

Other helpful hints:
-look up youtube videos
-use google

September 10th, 2012 Week 3 Blog

This week I am introducing the concepts of scalar vs. vector quantities, speed vs. velocity, and instantaneous vs. average.  Think about these concepts as they are important to your everyday life.  Compare and contrast at least one of the concepts mentioned above.  If you have questions, please let me know.  Remember to post an original comment and comment on someone else's blog entry.

Vocabulary Assignment Due Thursday, 9-13-12

Here are the directions for the vocabulary assignment:
Find a picture for each of the vocabulary words you were assigned. Describe the picture using this vocabulary.  You must have a minimum of 3 pictures (one per word).  The pictures can be hand drawn, printed from the internet, cut from magazines, etc..  If you have any questions, please let me know.  The vocabulary and their definitions are posted on edmodo.com if you lost your words and definitions.  If you have any questions, please let me know.

September 4th, 2012

Since we have been learning basic math skills this week, I want you to think about the metric system.  This week's blog post is going to be a metric system scavenger hunt!  You only have to find or guesstimate one of the following measurements.  Have fun, keep it clean, and remember to make an original comment and reply to someone else's post.  NO DOUBLES, so you have to come up with your own item.

Something that has a mass of 3 kilograms.
Something that has a mass of 75 kilograms.
Something with the circumference of 2 meters.
Something with the length of 50 meters.
A place 2 kilometers from school.
A place 24 kilometers from school.
Something with a height of 20 meters.
Something with a height of 4 centimeters.

Remember, you only have to find an object for one of the measurements, not all of them.