Hello Co-op Mentors and Scholars!

I am very excited for our Physics class. I love Physics and I hope that by the end of class all the students will as well. I view our class time as precious and want to use it to accordingly. I know that each student will have had different levels of exposure to Physics and has different needs from this class. I have tried to design the class so that you can fit it to your situation. I plan on beginning with a half hour of demonstrations about the topics in the order of the Exploring Creation with Physics book from the Apologia Series. The second half hour I want to spend with hand-on individual lab experiments. This way if you are studying this book (or any other) at home for credit these demonstrations and labs will support what you are studying. If the student has already studied this book (or any other) the student should still find the demonstrations interesting because I will not be doing the same examples in the book. Some of the student experiments may be very similar to those in any Physics book because of the nature of the subject but they will not be exactly the same in case there is a student that has already completed a Physics text (even Apologia) or plans to in the future. If you are not studying Physics this year at all I think that the demonstrations and labs should still be enjoyable and a good supplement to any science study. I am looking forward to our time together!

Thank you, Katherine Baldwin

Recommended Class Materials List:

Bound Composition Book (you should be able to buy one for about a dollar)

3 ring binder with sections:

1) Class notes

2) Vocabulary

3) Handouts

4) Practice problems

5) Act practice (Scholars) Standardized Test Practice Questions (Mentors)

Blank notebook paper

Pen and pencil

Simple calculator (this may be a good time to practice with the ACT approved calculator but any calculator with simple operations will be fine)

Schedule:

Aug 9 Assembly Day

Aug-16

Module 1 : Measurement and Units

Module 2 : Motion in One Dimension

Aug 23

Module 3 : One-Dimensional Motion Equations and Free Fall

Aug 30

Module 4 : Two-Dimensional Vectors

Module 5 : Two-Dimensional Motion

Sep 6

Module 6 : Newton’s Laws

Module 7 : Applications of Newton’s Second Law

Sep13 Assembly Day

Sep 20

Module 8 : Uniform Circular Motion and Gravity

Sep 27

Module 9 : Work and Energy

Oct 4

Module 10 : Momentum

Module 11 : Periodic Motion

Oct 11 Assembly Day

Nov 1 Module 12 : Waves and Optics

Nov 8 Break

Nov 15

Module 13 : Electrostatics

Module 14 : Electrodynamics

Module 15 : Electrical Circuits

Nov 22 Break

Nov 29

Module 16 : Magnetism

Dec 6 Assembly Day

Dec13 Make up Day

Scholars began a personality inventory called the IPIP, which is based on the Big 5 personality taxonomy. We didn't finish it today, so I provided them with the link on paper. Here is it in case clicking is easier!

http://www.personal.psu.edu/~j5j/IPIP/

Scholars have homework for next week - to watch an 11 minute video on persuasion and influence. It's pretty fun! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFdCzN7RYbw

Here's the cut/paste version of the handout on the Final Project. I posted the Word version in the Facebook Files area for your reference. Please come to class with your chosen experiment Tuesday (feel free to choose an experiment that isn't listed here - these are just suggestions).

Final project: A Mind Map!

What is mind mapping? http://www.mindmapping.com/

The details

Pick one of the following foundational Psychology experiments and create a mind map to describe it. Think about what the experiment was about, what the experimenter(s) did and what was found. Why was it important? How did it contribute to modern theory? Was it ethical?

You’ll need to download a mind mapping program. Don’t worry, you shouldn’t need to pay for one. Many offer free trials, and several are free for educational access. Here are some to look into. You might want to try one or two, as they are different in functionality. You’ll want to get started early as you learn this terrific software that is being used quite a bit for presentations at the collegiate level.

Experiments

1. Harlow’s monkey experiment (1960s)

2. Little Albert experiment (1920, Watson)

3. Bobo experiment (1961, Bandura) - ANNA

4. Milgram’s obedience experiment (1963) - OLIVIA

5. Kahneman & Tversy’s risk aversion experiment (1979)

6. Loftus & Palmer’s memory manipulation experiment (1974) - MICHAEL

7. Asch’s conformity experiment (1951)

8. Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison experiment (1971) - ABBY

9. Mischel’s deferred gratification experiment (1972) - MCKENNA

10. Hawthorne studies (1920’s) - ISABELLA

11. Gibson & Walk visual cliff experiment (1960s)

12. Festinger’s (1957) cognitive dissonance experiment

Mind mapping software (a few options):

Mindmeister - https://www.mindmeister.com/education-software

X mind - https://www.xmind.net/

Mind Manager - https://www.mindjet.com/

Coggle - https://coggle.it/

Mind Node - http://mindnode.com/

I Mind Map - http://imindmap.com/

Free Mind - http://freemind.en.softonic.com/

Prezi – http://prezi.com (this has a free 2 week trial and is free for educational emails)

Scholars, I'm unable to post attachments here, so I will be posting on our Facebook site when there is something to download. 

Hi folks!

To help us keep moving as we change classes, please make sure that you set your cell phone clock to alert you 10 minutes before your class ends. This will allow helpers to begin the shift to their other classes (especially if they are teaching!) and it will also help you keep track of those critical last minutes of class, so that you don't run late. I know that we all have amazing classes full of great ideas, and being on time helps everyone provide the most awesome-ness possible in a one hour class.

*** You might also find it helpful to print the schedule for classes, especially if you're new (it's under "files" on our FB site).

Hey Scholar parents!

I am very excited about this semester, and like every semester, I'm sneaking in a core skill for them to use. This time, I'm working on Mind Mapping (something that is becoming very popular with my grad students). It is very fun, and it will allow your Scholar to use a lot of creativity. I'll go over it on Day 1 so that they undertand what it is, and then we'll launch into more details in Psychology in the next weeks. For Week 1, we will go over introduction stuff and work on rapport more than anything. I'll be intentionally staying away from a lot of Clinical issues (e.g. mental illness) because that can hit close to home and it can also bring up some topics that I think you'd prefer to cover yourselves with your Scholars. 

Each week, we'll be doing hands on type stuff, and many times, Scholars will be trying things out on you - please be willing to help with their "experiments" and "data collection" as needed. For some "experiments", I"ll need data sent to me ahead of time so that we can compute things (e.g., mean, SD). Helping your Scholar send in results will bolster our discussion as appropriate. 

I am excited for this class - in the most geeky Psychologist way! See you soon!

Hello, Scholars!

I am following up from Tuesday's class (August 25) to review what opportunities you have for learning at home this week in preparation for our next co-op day.

The learning materials used throughout the course are found on bighistoryproject.org. We will be using this site every week so I hope you become very familiar with navigating through it. If you haven't done so already, it is necessary to get on the website and "join a class," using our unique class code given out last week. Here it is again: SBGQBY.

Register a username, password and email address, then you will be directed to check your email for a message linking you directly to the Big History class materials. Click on it, and you are in! After that, just log onto the site using the password you created in your registration process. Less than half of our scholars had the opportunity to do that last week, so I would encourage you to make time at your earliest convenience.

The class is divided into 10 units. Each unit offers several lessons which include videos, activities and articles. We are on unit 1, obviously, and have introduced lessons 1.0 and 1.1 in class. There are videos in each of those lessons you will enjoy watching a lot. There is also a quiz at the end of each lesson. Take it! There are less than 10 multiple choice/true false questions. No one will see the results. It is for your own benefit and you can take it as many times and you want.

Lesson 1.2 I am asking you to do on your own at home. Very interesting! It has articles summarizing the origin stories of 8 cultures -- Greek, Chinese, Efik, Zulu, Iroquois, Mayan, Judeo-Chistian, and Modern Scientific. Each article is extremely short! Some are maybe two paragraphs. You might see each file having 9 or so pages, but rest assured, much of it is blank cover pages and illustrations. Whew!

I passed out a worksheet in class entitled: Origin Stories. It is a table for you to fill out that will highlight the differences and any similarities between the stories. Occasionally you will have to put "not enough information" when some piece just isn't covered in the article. If you didn't get that worksheet (Anna and Andrew), it is included in the materials for lesson 1.2 under the file name "Intro to Origin Stories." Bring the completed worksheet to class next week. What? Really? Yes, please.

There is an article entitled: Cosmology and Faith. It is also short -- 3 3/4 pages. I don't even need scientific notation to communicate that. I encourage you to read this and share it with your families for their thoughts. AND lastly, don't forget the quiz for unit 1.2.

Really lastly, finish reading The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. We will have the book discussion at my house as well as visit a local football field to mark off and photograph ourselves standing on the Big History Timeline. You are finishing up the Big History on a Football Field worksheet, I am confident. If you lost it or, again, did not get it (Anna and Andrew) it is with the materials for lesson 1.1. You can print it out.

You might be thinking that just reading this lengthy email should count as enough homework for one day. Ask your mom. OR take a bathroom break, grab some sustenance, then log onto the Big History website and go exploring! All of this could realistically be done in one afternoon. I think you will love it!

Class discussion was great today. I enjoyed hearing all the different input and ideas. Next week, I will remember to turn off my 'home' alarms so I don't accidentally cut class short again though lol 

Wed 8/19: Read pgs 42-46 and do exercises

Thurs 8/20: Read pgs 47-51 and do ch. 1 Review exercises (skip exercise C on pg51)

Fri 8/21: Poster project. Create a poster depicting at least one of the fallacies you learned in chapter 1. You can use pictures from the internet or draw your own. Include color and your own details about each fallacy. The poster can be an advertisement (real or made up) or a cartoon with a witty caption. Be prepared to present and discuss in class.
*As I explained in class, this does not have to be poster sized. As long as it is neat and large enough to be seen by the class when you present it. 

Mon 8/24: Complete poster and bring it to class tomorrow for presentation

Tues: 8/25: Turn in posters, discuss and review chapter 1

If they need to catch up:

Week 1 Homework

Wed 8/12: Read pgs 7-13 and do exercises

Thurs 8/13: Read pgs 14-23 and do the exercises. This video will help explain the difference between formal and informal fallacies

https://youtu.be/T_yFszI7Aso?list=PLaBMul2FogTKNhsRuq4CF796wzCQHpYDC

Fri 8/14: Read pgs 24-36 and do exercises.

Mon 8/17: Read 37-41 and do exercises.

This video will help explain ad hominem fallacies.

https://youtu.be/qBkj-AYYg7w?list=PLaBMul2FogTKNhsRuq4CF796wzCQHpYDC

If they don't yet have their book, you can use the online sample to get them started. The Art of Argument Book can be found here http://www.classicalsubjects.com/samples/AA_sample.pdf