Gabel Reading We discussed how in 1996, when this article was first presented, there was a call for more Chemistry Education Research, but here we are in 2026…saying the same thing. The conclusion I ended up writing in my notes was that students will ask themselves: How do I know this is factual? It critiquesContinue reading “Day 7 & 8: Energy, States of Matter, Mixtures & Compounds”
Category Archives: Modeling
ModChem Day 6: Heat Capacity
Talanquer Reading The reading discussion focused on Johnstone’s Triangle. Chemistry education rarely gives opportunity to bring all three: Macroscopic, Submicroscopic, and Symbolic together. Yet, all three are (mostly) required for students to gain a deep understanding that we’re seek. As educators, it is easy for us to move through between the different representations of Chemistry.Continue reading “ModChem Day 6: Heat Capacity”
Physics Day 10: Buggy Lab
The beginning of the velocity unit has always been a bit hairy. This is when the “true” modeling part of teaching comes out. I ask: “is the buggy moving?” In the past, it has become a controversial question and students leave the room wondering if it really is or isn’t. This year, the students wereContinue reading “Physics Day 10: Buggy Lab”
Day 7: 2-Argument Functions
It has finally dawned on me why teaching Pyret felt both foreign and familiar. We are teaching the same material, but in a different order. At this point, we would have drawn some pictures using Pyret already. I absolutely understand why we skipped the playing with Pyret portion of the introduction. We simply don’t haveContinue reading “Day 7: 2-Argument Functions”
Day 30: Quiz and turning our motion maps
We’re about 10 days out from taking the final, and we’re just now taking the first quiz for velocity. During the next-x discussion, a lot of the students LOOKED like they were paying attention. There were lots of copying down whatever was being written down on the board. However, today, after looking at the quizzesContinue reading “Day 30: Quiz and turning our motion maps”
Days 7 & 8: System Schema and State Diagrams
Day 7: Flipbooks Today, we finally go the chance to introduce the Physicists of 406. I normally like to do this on Day 2 or Day 3, with Day 1 being a 45-minute period. I had no idea that missing that normal Day 1 would throw me off my timing so bad. Regardless, students filledContinue reading “Days 7 & 8: System Schema and State Diagrams”
Days 5-6 Observation Stations continues
I really should have lumped Days 4-6 together since it covers Observation Stations, but it looks like I was feeling particularly ambitious about posting each day. Day 5: Progress Check + Presentations Since it was our first year last year rolling out the Computational Modeling- Physics First #cmpfb curriculum, it was not as intuitive forContinue reading “Days 5-6 Observation Stations continues”
Day 5: Observation Stations Part 1 #cmpfb
Started the class with having students reflect on their Pyret homework assignment. They came up with some great reflections about what they noticed about Pyret. There are still a lot of students calling the feedback messages errors, so that just means I’ll have to be way more intentional about calling them FEEDBACK instead of errors.Continue reading “Day 5: Observation Stations Part 1 #cmpfb”
Amelia Bedelia and Pyret #cmpfb
Physics Day 3 Today, I planned to do a notebook setup, go over the syllabus, finish Vector Force, and do a team challenge activity with Solo cups. What actually happened: barely got through notebook setup, rushed through syllabus, did not touch Vector Force, Block 3 did the team challenge with the cups…and had them startContinue reading “Amelia Bedelia and Pyret #cmpfb”
First 2 Days of Physics #cmpfb
Alleluia! We are back in person. It’s not exactly back to pre-pandemic times. We are masked indoors (so yes, that means the classroom) and the windows have to be open. Right now, the Bay Area weather is lovely so I’m happy to have the windows wide open and to be outside to enjoy lunch. I’mContinue reading “First 2 Days of Physics #cmpfb”
Learning with Ms. Medrano 
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