Colleagues:
Below are excerpts of a few posts to the modeling listserv (which has 400
subscribers nationwide, all of whom use the Modeling Method of physics
instruction) on PHYSICS FIRST.
**************************
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999
From: E
Subject: 9th grade physics
Dear Fellow Modelers:
Today my principal handed me an article that appeared recently in the
New York Times entitled "Push to Reorder Sciences Puts Physics First."
This movement to teach conceptual physics in ninth grade is being advocated
by Leon Lederman, Nobel Prize-winning physicist. The movement is not big
yet. According to the article, about 100 schools have adopted the "physics
first" approach. Some of them are in the Chicago area.
I'm interested to know if any modelers have experience with this idea
and how it is working. If you don't have direct experience, I'm
interested in hearing your opinions.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999 21:57:08 EST
From: Fran
Hi, E,
I'm sure you'll hear from several of us on this topic. Here in Philadelphia
the push for 9th grade physics mentioned in the NYT article is motivated
primarily by the testing the superintendent imposed on the schools to judge
achievement levels. The test is the SAT-9, or Stanford Achievement Test,
9th Edition. In the Science section of the test, there are physics
questions. Since the test is administered to 11th graders, the schools
have suddenly found out that they have to teach physics before 11th grade.
------------------
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999 22:52:57 -1000
From: C
----- HS requires four science credits for graduation, and a
"demonstration of scientific method" (Science Research project, e.g.) in
the graduation portfolio. In August 1993 we started requiring Physics of
all our freshmen; by then we had already been requiring Chemistry of all
sophomores; and biology of all juniors. The Grade 9 Physics class is taken
in the same Trimester as the student's math class (Algebra 1, Geometry, or
Algebra 2). Likewise the Chemistry class is taken in the same Trimester as
the student's math class (Geometry, Algebra 2, Algebra 3). The Biology
class is taken with Ethics (Religious Education). In their Senior year,
the students have a choice among the AP courses (Bio, Chem, Physics),
Biotechnology, Marine Science, Global Science.
... We find that the students learn scientific
skills, observing phenomena, asking questions, designing experiments,
collecting relevant data, analyzing and synthesizing - critical thinking;
they learn to quantify their results (they use the TI82/83 in their math
and science classes) and predict events. They also learn oral
communication skills. Overall, we are not unhappy with the results. But,
being scientists, we continue to explore other ideas. :-)
I like the Active Physics approach, and their activities are not the "usual"
physics activities. When I used the Sports module, our PE teacher got very
interested and actually made the students connect with ideas of physics in
his classes. Some of the activities are outdoor-sy, and we don't have the
space for them, so I modified some of them. This year, my own grade 9
class is on the "modeling" approach.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 1999
From: Colleen
re: 9th grade physics....we inverted our science sequence 3 years ago and are
already seeing good gains in standardized test scores...we do conceptual
physics in 9th grade (I add a lot of math to Hewitt's program), regular chem
in 10th grade and bio in 11th grade....in addition to better SAT II test
scores, many girls (my school is all girls) get 2 years of physics before they
graduate...they take honors physics or AP in their senior year...another side
benefit that I'm seeing that may be attributable to this sequence is an
increased number of our students who major in engineering or one of the
physical sciences upon entering college...but the chief benefit in my opinion
is that they are better prepared for chemistry upon entering it, and better
prepared for bio, having already completed the chemistry that usually occupies
the first 8 weeks of that course...
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 1999
From: Liz
I am now teaching physics to all ninth graders. For the three years previous
I taught physics to the honors section of grade 9. We are an all girls
independent school, preK-12 in the Philadelphia area. There
are several reasons that we decided to go with physics in grade 9:
1)The biology teachers like teaching bio after chem since the push for
bio-chem even in high school means the students need more chemistry.
Having chem first
(grade 10) before bio (grade 11) makes sense.
2) So that leaves physics or an integrated science in grade 9. We teach
IPS to grade 8 (everyone). We tried an integrated science in grade 9 for
many years. However, when we started to teach physics to honors students,
the non-honors students expressed interest in having physics too.
3) We do push AP courses and if physics is taught in grade 12, students have to
double up with physics and an AP science - also AP physics is essentially
left out.
4) Give, me an enthusiastic, lively, interested 9th grader rather than
a blase, into college, lethargic, over-extended senior any day!
In the Philadelphia area, there are about 4 independent schools teaching
physics in grade 9.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 1999
... I have been working with Leon Lederman
and the ARISE Program for 3 years. This program for many schools
presents an alternative to the typical way science teachers present the
overall three year program (ie. Biology, Chemistry and Physics). For
many years the Chicago Public School system has required a 2 years
science prerequisite for graduation. This means that only 10 - 14% of
the student body has ever attempted physics. I am a strong believer that
everyone should experience the world of physics (Physics for the
Masses). I also think that the topic should be taught so that every one
has a chance to learn how our world works. Placing physics at the 9th
grade level gives the schools an opportunity to show a direct
relationship in the algebra, which is most often taught at this level
and its practical application to science. We are attempting to teach
our students the algebra and show how its used in the physics. ----- High
School is now three years old. We have just started our
third year science course "Biology". I think the students are far
better prepared to deal with topics such as genetics and Biotechnology,
because they have had some exposure to chemistry and physics. ...
--------------------------------
Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999
From: Colleen
Mine is one of those schools that requires physics first, that Lederman talks
about and it is a MUCH better sequence, I think. It teaches them to think and
investigate quantitatively before they study chemistry and to use ratios and
proportionality. It teaches them chemistry before biology so you don't have
to use the first 10 weeks of bio to teach them enough chem to get by--you can
teach a full year of bio. And LOTS of students are taking honors physics
also....imagine leaving high school with TWO years of physics under your belt?
(One even took three...she took honors as a junior concurrently with biology
and then took AP Physics C as a senior.) We've been doing it for four years
this way and kids are getting better SAT 2 scores, more are declaring majors
in the physical sciences and engineering than previously. I'm really pleased
with the outcome. However, I must say that it's a bit of a headache to change
over and transfer students will aways be out of step, so our director of
admissions doesn't like it, but it has been well worth it for the students, I
believe.
Jane Jackson, Director, Modeling Workshop Project
Box 871504, Dept.of Physics, ASU, Tempe, AZ 85287
480-965-8438/fax:965-7331. http://modeling.la.asu.edu
"the gift of fantasy [creative imagination] has meant more
to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge."
Albert Einstein