inside the classroom.

Learning happens inside the classroom. And it also happens outside the classroom. I work hard to take science concepts beyond the text book and show real life applications. Below you will find classroom projects, as well as worksheets from optional field trips and extra credit movie worksheets.

Fellow teachers, feel free to use any lesson plans!

 

belmont park

The optional Saturday field trip to Belmont Park is always one of my best attended events. Belmont Park is an oceanfront playground, perfect for studying the Laws of Momentum.

Notice the green elastic before.

Now the green elastic shows acceleration.

 

waves

Here I pull the paper while hold market pens stationary to demonstrate the period and frequency of waves.

A classic Slinky demonstrates wave enery.

These two videos demonstrate constructive interference.

 

 

ELECTRICITY

 

 

I teach a lesson where my students have to develop a monthly budget for the energy needs of an apartment. No, not all of their electric bill can go towards running their XBox. Check out My Apartment Energy Guide by Ted McColl

Is it cheaper to pay the water and electricity to do your laundry at home or to go to a laundromat?

Kids can figure that out using the Laundrymat vs Wash at Home Lesson by Ted McColl

This handy dandy guide Energy Budget from SDG&E gives kids the info they need to calculate their energy needs.

 

POINT LOMA LIGHTHOUSE

A trip to the Point Loma Lighthouse at Cabrillo National Monument is a great opportunity to chat about light refraction, erosion and other concepts.

 

THE ART OF SCIENCE

I use famous works of art to illustrate science concepts.

Street Noise Invades the House by Boccioni.

Descending Staircase by Marcel Duchamp.

Desending Staircase Study by Marcel Duchamp.

Detroit Industry by Diego Riviera.

Other Detroit works by Diego Riviera.

 

Miramar Airshow

The Miramar Airshow is one of the largest in the nation. Hundreds of thousands of people come to see jet fighters, helicopters, biplanes and everything in between. And without realizing it, they’re also seeing some mighty fine physics principles at work.

Check out the Air Show Extra Credit Worksheet here.

California Center for Sustainable Energy

 

The California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating change for a clean energy future. They have excellent resources for teachers.

Check out the CCSE Worksheet here.

 

San Diego Maritime Museum

The San Diego Maritime Museum, which includes 13 ships including the Star of India, the oldest continuous sailing ship in the world, is a place where the concepts of wind, steam, power, and navigation come alive. It also has some of the best oceanography exhibits. Check out the Maritime Museum Worksheet here.

Midway Field Trip

Calculating the acceleration of a catapult launch at the U.S.S. Midway, a decommissioned aircraft carrier docked at a San Diego’s harbor, is a physics wonderland.

Check out the Midway Earth Science Worksheet here.