You know you are doing something right when your student is willing to rush down from his place (not even near where I stay) to come for lessons. This, I am truly humbled, and all the more, adds the reason to my passion.
Back to topic. Today’s lesson was on different surface ramps and the frictional force acting on the same car, on different variables. You can somewhat guess which is a constant variable, and which is/are not.
Brainstorming on how to conduct the experiment. I believe in giving space for my students to think critically and logically. I throw alot of questions for them to answer, this help to shape their angle to solve problems. It took me quite a bit of them to fulfil what I asked them to think.
It took them a few tries to get that right on the first ramp and the numerous NGs were captured. That taught them not to give up and try till they got it.
Boys getting really hands on to roll, measure and record. No, not them, the toy car. đŸ™‚
A slight disagreement on how to measure and record. They discussed and agreed on certain issues. Good pair work and problem solving.
They took turns carry out the experiment and throughout, they were discussing on how to make the car roll straight, and how to make things easier for them. Ah! They got it, through their own mouths.
Observe the above, did you spot any difference? They discovered an easier way to roll the car and that was by placing a heavy weight object on top of the ramps, as compared to the earlier videos/pictures, they had to hold each ramp individually.
Getting comfortable in the experiment, from sitting straight to measure to lying down and stretching at the same time!
Wrapping up the first experiment, the boys got down to business, to cut out their template and form a model car. This was actually last lesson’s work.
Got it! After many tries of folding and pasting. As usual, they ‘almost’ forgot what they had learnt last lesson, but when they completed the model, they instantly recalled and made connections. This proves that something tangible that children do or have, when they see it, their memories are triggered. So I try to incorporate such objectives in my lessons.
