🚀 go-pugleaf

I am a new PHYSHARE sub'r.  I joined in the midst of the trig discussion.  A
big thank-you to Joe McLaughlin for sending me a lot of the previous responses
to his original post.

  1.-- My situation--. I have one secion of physics in an 800 student h.s.
I've had it 3 years and I've seen physics enrollment quadruple,   and further
growth is likely.  So, we're adding a conceptual -physics class, and a physics
II class next year.  So, I'm starting to plan for these courses now.

  2.-- Conceptual Physics--.  Sounds like a good idea, but I need help.  I'm
curious about how many PHYSHARE'ers are teaching a conceptual physics class
now, or are developing one for the near future.  I'm developing one for next
year. I see this class aimed at about sophomore level, filled with good
discussion of physics topics, but not very much math.  LOTS of labs/ data
collection/ graphs etc. And, it should cover LOTS of topics, move around
pretty
quickly; a good basic intro to eveything<well, we can hope>, and which might
sell the student on enrolling for more math and science classes.

  3.-- Trig, just the basics--.  A lot of my students in physics are
co-enrolled in trig.  But, we need the law of sines/ cosines much earlier in
physics than it is covered in trig.  (about week #2 in physics, second quarter
in Trig).  So, I just have to stop and teach them.  But, we don't need the
whole trig book, just the basics. Right now, most of my students handle the
trig well, but, my enrollment isn't as large as many of the others who have
replied to PHYSHARE, and as it grows this problem will increase;  since
most of
the top math ability students already enroll for physics.

  4.-- lack of materials/ time -- I feel these are my number one problems.
 So
often, we 'talk about' ideas, instead of actually seeing them.   I have a
strong sense of need for major revision - but lack of time in which to do
it.
Also, a sense of reinventing the wheel. I think sharing problems/ideas via
internet listserv(s) should help.

  So, I'm dealing with the trig/math difficulty mainly by expanding the course
offerings.  Since I'm just starting this, I don't yet know how well it will
work.

  I'd like further discussion on
    --- conceptual physics classes
    --- maximizing minimal lab facilities

sorry this post got so long,
jsd

John Dilsaver, Math/Physics, Ozark High School, Ozark MO
jdilsave@ozarks.sgcl.lib.mo.us