For those who do have Internet access, and want to have a more visual way of learning and understanding calculus, there is a well-done channel of 12 videos you may want to check out. Calculus is the math that is essential for understanding how things change with respect to others, and is necessary for the sciences and all other dynamic disciplines. Check it out!
Link to Determination of g using a Pendulum lab sheet.
For a physics class studying anything about gravity, this is a simple and quick experiment that will allow students to determine the acceleration of gravity, g, which is typically 9.8 m/s^2, and is actually the measure of the strength of the gravitational field of the earth, using nothing but a simple pendulum!
What's more, if you know g, then you can also calculate the mass of the entire planet!! With a piece of string and a little weight tied to the end that can swing!
Check out this lab. The only materials includes a piece of string and something to tie at the end, perhaps a small stick, or paperclips or a washer. Also a ruler and a way to measure the time it takes the pendulum to swing once back and forth. That time is called the period of the pendulum. The lab gives the formula for the period of the pendulum, and by inserting the length and period time, one can calculate the acceleration due to gravity, g.
But then we can use the notion from Newton's law of gravity, that g = GM/R^2, where G is the gravitational constant and R is the radius of the earth (given in the lab), and M is the mass of the earth that a student can solve for. Students can get good results to within a few percent if they are careful with their time measurement of the period.
Check out FreeRice.com, where answering any question in numerous categories will donate, through the United Nations, 5 grains of rice to areas of extreme poverty and hunger. Help the hundreds of millions of people who are suffer from extreme hunger by playing this game...and you will even learn some new things, too!
Lesson for Ohm's law lab Video demonstration of Ohm's law lab Computer simulated Ohm's law experiment if there is Internet accessibility
Many schools do not have access to all the equipment needed to build their own simple resistor circuits, or the means of measuring resistance, current, and/or voltage. This lab provides actual data collected by students doing the experiment outlined in the provided video. There is a second option using a computer simulation for those classes that have Internet access - students can do a simulated experiment and collect data to do the analysis set of questions.
Ohm's law is an essential piece of understanding how the most basic circuits work, and the relationship between the 'Big 3' of all circuits: voltage, resistance, and the resulting electric current.
Lesson plan for Punnett square and Dice Game lesson Video to learn about Punnett square use and the math
Punnett squares are useful 'tools' used when studying genetics. The squares allow us to think about the types of genes from the parents for a particular trait - such as eye color, hair color, straight or curly hair, the size and shape of ears - and then determine the probabilities of the offspring inheriting one of those traits. This lesson is useful for students and teachers to determine probabilities and learning how to interpret the results. This is a good lesson for showing a relatively rare use of math in a biology class, as well.
To many, science is the process of discovery and trying to find the 'facts' of how the world works. It is supposed to be unbiased, nonpartisan, and pure. But don't ever forget that science is done and practiced by human beings, all of whom are imperfect, have biases, and make mistakes, just like everyone else. We are not 'all knowing' and have all the answers, and we never will.
There is a stereotype in many places and among different groups of people that subjects and professions in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are dry, regimented, rigid, and for geeks and nerds. There is often a sense there is a lack of emotion, and humanity, in these types of studies and professions.
But unless you are actually involved and participating in STEM areas, it can be difficult to understand the excitement and true passion we have for our areas of interest. And what's more, while it is the job of politicians and others to develop and vote on policies that affect our lives, and also to address the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) over the next decade, we all must realize and understand that STEM will help provide the solutions to those SDGs, and help make the world better for the next generation of humanity!
Some of the qualities, concerns, and passions of STEM professionals is beautifully addressed by Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger, a former teacher and NASA astronaut, who now spends her days addressing sustainability issues around the world because of her science background. The goals, concerns and personal characteristics of an astronaut are precisely those that we need to tackle the world's most pressing issues. The talents and skills of STEM workers, along with a love for humanity, is the combination that will move the world forward for all of us! This is another way of thinking about the importance of our SEE SAW project, and to encourage and grow the STEM talents in all nations...it is in part to help save our world! By the way, this project is in honor of SDGs #4, 9, 10, and 17, primarily, but again, there is overlap with just about all the SDGs; in honor of our one human race!!
This video is the first in an upcoming series put out by our friends at the SOS4Love Project!
