Links for the week

I hope the rest of the week is great for everyone!

For periods 1-2, 8-9:

Wednesday
Check out and take notes on a video about the parallel-axis theorem. This is a nice way of getting moments of inertia in certain instances.
Also, let's try to figure out rolling without slipping, and finding things like the friction and accelerations associated with rolling objects.

Thursday
Today, let's try two other cases. The first is rolling without slipping, but then going up a frictionless incline. Then, the dreaded rolling WITH slipping!

Friday
Can watch the video "Runaway Universe," on DVD. Check out the methods used to figure out what the universe is doing. Have a good weekend!

Monday
Check out an introduction to angular momentum. We will pick up with this Tuesday.


For Period 3:
Wednesday
Here is a bit of a break from electricity. Let's watch the video "Runaway Universe," on DVD. Check out the methods used to figure out what the universe is doing; write down some techniques you see in the video.

Thursday
Back to electricity. Today let's get an introduction into some basics of an electric circuit. Check out a Khan video about a circuit and Ohm's law. Then, check out some basics of materials we find in a circuit, with resistivity and conductivity.

Friday 
There's an interesting documentary on electricity - check it out and take notes on different applications of electricity, and the main concept behind the applications. Have a good weekend!

A good description of what schools SHOULD look like, but don't

Anyone who knows me is aware of my stance on what schools generally are doing to prepare students for the world, compared to what schools SHOULD be doing...I have been preaching for years that we are NOT running schools the way we should that would best benefit the students, but do to politics, we continue to think in terms of accountability and standardized test scores, and the traditional schedule and curricula. One model for what a high school could look like is here, and another model for a grade 9-10 science course can be found here. I've had these lying around for some number of years, and am always looking for thoughts and feedback, and a chance to try them!

Ted Dintersmith does a really nice job in this talk as he addresses this issue. He is responsible for the film "Most Likely to Succeed," and as someone who made his money as an innovator, he has firsthand experience of the qualities, skills, and topics schools should be getting to the next generation.