Re: physics final project

[Calvin Kalman <KALMAN@VAX2.CONCORDIA.CA>]

> I'm a 10th grade conceptual physics teacher ("Physics First") -- new =
> to the group.  I'm curious if anyone has any ideas/suggestions for a =
> culminating or final project in physics that somehow involves say all=
>  of a semester's main concepts in one meaningful, tied-together, mult=
> iple part, theme?
>
> For example, a project that includes concepts of heat, heat transfer,=
>  waves & vibrations, sound, light, and electricity & magnetism.
>
> Any suggestions?=20
>
>
>
> thanks,
>
> mfoster

Sorry for the late reply I use the course dossier
(see "Writing to Learn"
           J . Kalman and C .S. Kalman
           Am. J. Phys 64,954-956(1996)


Course Dossier
Reflection: Suggested length five pages, but there is no page limit.
In advance of the class read the assigned material for the next
week's class.   Read each section very carefully trying to zero in on
what you don't understand, and all points that you would like to be
clarified during the class. Next, write the section description on a
sheet of paper as a heading, with the time and date beside it.
Underneath the heading freewrite about what you have read. When you
have finished freewriting on all the sections reread your jottings
and produce a 1 page preview of important ideas to be discussed in
class that week. The freewriting will not be marked, but unless you
hand in an adequate amount of freewriting with your preview sheet,
the preview sheet will not be marked.

concept (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary):
2. an abstract or generic idea generalised from particular instances
Concept formation: the process of sorting specific experiences into
general rules or classes.
Beyond simple classifications, concepts may also serve as norms or models.

Critique: 1 page presentation of some concepts that particularly
interest you that were discussed in the class of the previous week.
Different students may select entirely different concepts. Critiques
must be presented in properly written paragraphs. Use normal writing
or 12 pt. font and as few equations as possible.  Marks will be
deducted for unnecessary use of mathematics. Extra pages will not be
read.

End of course:  Collect the critiques.  Write a single overview using
the following procedure:
First entries:  have two friends read the material you have collected
and make comments.  Record the comments.
Second entries:  Reread the material you have collected and write
freely about what strikes you about the material.
Third entries:  Use your second entries to develop some common
theme(s) that you see running through your work.
Fourth entries:  Develop the themes into a draft of an overview.
Fifth entries:  Have your two friends read your draft and record
their comments.
Final entries:  Revise your draft into an overview of the course.
Suggested length ten pages, but there is no page limit.
Submit the entire research log with all your critiques no later than XXXX
If any entry is missing from the dossier, the dossier will not be marked.


Best wishes


                     Calvin


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_/  Calvin S. Kalman                   Phone:    (514) 848-3284
_/  Professor,Department of Physics    Fax:      (514) 848-2828
_/  Fellow, Science College
_/  Member, Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance
_/  Concordia University
_/  Montreal,P.Q.  H3G 1M8             KALMAN@VAX2.CONCORDIA.CA
_/
_/ Also Adjunct Professor, Department of Educational and
_/ Counselling Psychology McGill University
_/
_/  Senior Executive Editor Academic Exchange Quarterly:
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