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Re: teaching vectors



Hi
Two games for making students think about how vectors add:

Vector Buddies:
Each student receives a card with a random magnitude and angle (
something like 90 units at 233 degrees). Tape the cards to students.
Ask students to form groups with goals such as smallest magnitude,
largest magnitude, nearest to a magnitude, nearest to an angle.
Students will have to jump from group to group to win. (this activity
came from some past issue of TPT, but I cannot remember which)

Vector Gin:
More effort,
create a deck of vector cards (mag and angle). Groups of 3-5 students
draw 2 or more cards to start (more is challenging). Students take
turns drawing and discarding until they think they have a low hand (or
high). At that point that student 'knocks' and everyone adds their hand
up. If the student who knocked has the lowest hand every else get the
difference between their hand and the winners hand added to their
score. If the student who knocked is not the lowest (he/she) collects
the difference of all other hands.

I spend only one period on these games ( aided by a sack of small candy
bars), but does make a significant difference in improving student
vector intuition.

Scott


**********************************
Scott Goelzer
Physics Teacher
Coe-Brown Northwood Academy
Northwood NH 03261
603-942-5531e43
sgoelzer@coebrownacademy.com
**********************************

On Wednesday, October 2, 2002, at 06:46 PM, Raeghan Graessle wrote:

I am looking for a creative way to teach vectors
to my conceptual physics class (high school level).
Any suggestions?

Raeghan Graessle
Student Teacher
University of Chicago Laboratory Schools

This posting is the position of the writer, not that of SUNY-BSC, NAU
or the AAPT.


This posting is the position of the writer, not that of SUNY-BSC, NAU or the AAPT.