Bowling
ball hockey illustrates Newton’s laws of motion
 |
| Physics
First students see Newton’s laws of motion for themselves while
guiding bowling balls. |
 Force
and inertia, two ideas that govern the behavior of objects, reared their
ugly heads Oct. 6 in the hallway outside of the cafeteria in the form of
bowling balls unwilling to stay on course.
Physics First classes
used hockey sticks and bowling balls in their study of Newton’s
laws of motion. The goal was to navigate a course that included stops,
turns and a “no touch” zone, all in the name of learning about
bodies in motion.
Freshmen
are studying physics starting this year instead of the traditional biology
offerings as part of a trend to have students begin their high school science
studies with an examination of how the world around them behaves.
Physics First classes
typically have more hands-on activities than traditional freshman science
classes and an emphasis on conceptual understanding instead of mathematical
calculations. Learning by doing is the hallmark of freshman physics coursework.
Teachers participated
in a week-long training session in June to prepare for the curriculum change.
They used the same textbook and completed some of the same lab assignments
that their students are being asked to do. |
