Re: Physics First

[Lowell Herr <herr@catseq.catlin.edu>]

> This might be a totally unworkable idea, but...
> would it be possible to rotate through each subject, spending a third af a
> year on each?  Does that get around the need to have teachers qualified in
> more than one area?  You'd still want some cross over, of course, but maybe
> that would minimize it?

Over the years our integrated program has undergone many revisions for 
more reasons than I can recall.  Just two years ago, we made more changes 
and right now our 9's do take approximately 1/3 year of each of the major 
sciences.  For example, I share two junior and two freshman classes with 
another teacher.  She will teach the bio-chem material while I handle the 
physics.  For the two junior classes, I will teach them optics, light, 
and classical mechanics up to Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation.  I 
take two terms to do this while the freshman are getting the basics in 
biology and chemistry.  Note:  These are very strong students in both 
classes.  

For the spring term, I give up the two junior classes and pick 
up two freshman classes.  The juniors will finish up the biology material 
studied freshman and sophmore years and I work with the freshman in what 
may be called, "baby physics."  I use Uri Haber-Schaim' Physical Science 
II materials.  Totally through experiment, a student will develop the 
ideas of thermal energy, tie it to electrical energy, move from 
electrical energy to gravitational potential energy, on to elastic 
potential energy through thermal energy, and finally to kinetic energy.  
It is great material for freshman who have a basic understanding of 
algebra.  One of our teachers helped to pilot this material back in the 
late '60's and we have used it with great success ever since.

Lowell Herr
The Catlin Gabel School