Gr.9 #science Day 11: Current #electricity is often taught as distinct from static. Poor science! What happens when we connect a wire between a charged and uncharged sphere? With an LED in between? Are spheres charged after? Evidence for current! #tdsb STAO

Gr.9 #Science day 12: We replace the traditional quiz with a Performance Task, a more authentic use of skills. In groups students get equipment and have two challenges: get a plastic bottle and pop can rolling using static electricity. Then they discuss the ideas .... #tdsb

.... in preparation for the individual work. The quiz page asks them to explain how these situations worked. This part looks like a normal quiz except they have had real physical experiences and discussions to support their thinking. The final step is ... #tdsb

... self-assessment. They add corrections and improvements to their quiz pages using my model answers. Feedback is most effective when it is immediate! They receive a few marks for how well they do their corrections. This helps turn an assessment into a learning experience. #tdsb

#STEM #physics #science teachers! Check this out! OAPT Physics conference provides financial support for professional learning! oaopt.wildapricot.org/Conference-Sub…

Gr.9 #Science Day 14: Taking up a bit of homework - each group puts a question on a whiteboard, students circulate and correct their work. Also, electric #circuits ! Single wire, bulb and battery - make it light! Students work out necessary configuration for circuit #tdsb

Static #electricity: Charging a metal by contact. Add marbles one one point, they begin to overflow everywhere. Add electrons at one point, electron sea shifts and is pressed up on to surface of metal all around. Surface charge! #physics #tdsb

gr. 9 #Science : Many #static electric series in textbooks and online are wrong! Most do not reference any scientific source. I had contradicting experimental results and found acetate and ebonite are misplaced on many. Beware unreferenced data! Good data in picture. STAO

Kick off to the #OAPT2019 conference with a presentation by Andrea McPhee (JarvisCI) . Look at all those keen #physics teachers ready to learn! Challenge accepted = tweet a highlight each day or per session. Help other physics teachers connect with the conference.

#oapt2019 Discussing the challenges of the university high school transition. How can we help students do better? Cope with the new demands? Learn without someone always watching over your shoulder.

#OAPT2019 John Donohue from Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) leads physics teachers through quantum boot camp: exploring superposition of polarization states.

#OAPT2019 Carolyn Sealfon is sharing insights for enriching large, lecture style classes based on her experiences at University of Toronto . Increase engagement by acting out scenarios with student volunteers.

#OAPT2019 Our volunteers act as the charge objects in the problem. The audience does the thinking as Carolyn calls upon them to provide information and feedback. Are they set up correctly? What will happen?

#OAPT2019 Alasdair shares predict, observe, explain activities about electric circuits. Lots of great discussion among the teachers! Great for grade 9 or 11.

Approaching a black hole! This great amateur rendering by Michael Biebl captures most of the physics & all of the wonder of a gravitational sinkhole. behance.net/gallery/789664…

Results from this year's OAPT Grade 11 Physics Contest accessible here: oapt.ece.utoronto.ca/leaderboard/ Schools: you can now download and print off certificates for your participating students! *tentative* date for next year's contest: May 20, 2020

Sample Contest Question: An object is released from rest at height H above the ground. Consider the gravitational potential energy to be zero at the ground. How high above ground is the object when its kinetic energy is equal to three times its gravitational potential energy?

If your school had 10 or more students participate in the Ontario Association of Physics Teachers Grade 11 Physics contest, a prize has been mailed to your school for your top finisher!

"We must become impatient" Great article by OAPT Physics's Chris Meyer on positive results from modest interventions to address gender imbalances in high school physics. newsletter.oapt.ca/files/we-can-f…

And if you are interested in presenting, please submit a proposal! Visit OAPT.ca