Where Students and Teachers are Exploring the World Together!

Teacher Inquiry Into Student Thinking • Teacher Inquiry Into How Students Learn • Teacher Inquiry Into The Physical World

Online Professional Development opportunities currently available (for K-8):

CHE901 - Basic Chemical Principles

Participants will investigate some basic chemical principles that govern many everyday observations in the physical world.

I.	Matter and Atoms
	A. Matter and Elements B. History of Atomic Theory to Raisin Pudding Model C. Gold Foil Experiment D. Discrete Energy Levels E. Probability and Quantum Theory
II.	Making Compounds
	A. Charges and Charge Interactions B. Elements and Atomic Number C. Periodic Table Columns D. Electrons and Reactions - Inert Gases E. Transferring Electrons - Ions F. Formulas for Ionic Compounds G. Bases Using The Hydroxide Ion
III.	Making Molecules
	A. Covalent Bonds B. Acids - Covalent, But Give Ions in Aqueous Solutions C. Nonpolar Molecules D. Polar Molecules E. Intermolecular Forces

PHY901 - Physical Science Math

Participants will investigate basic mathematical principles as applied and used in the Physical Sciences. The ability to use mathematical concepts will be developed by using them to better understand physical phenomena. Students will better understand and appreciate the role of the following mathematical concepts as they apply to the physical sciences: numbers viewed as experimental data, tables, graphs, and equations.

I.	Understanding Basic Mathematical Reasoning in Physical Science
	A. Arithmetic and Basic Algebra in physical science B. Reporting Numbers - How do we know when data is significant? C. Understanding Equations - Where do equations come from? D. Tables, Graphs, and Equations - How are they connected?
II.	Understanding Graphs in Physical Science
	A. Basic Graphing Review B. Interpreting Graphs in Physical Science C. Predicting Graphs in Physical Science D. Combining Graphs for real physical situations
III.	Application: Investigating a car wreck.
	A. Motion without acceleration. B. Motion with acceleration due to friction.

PHY902 - Physical Science Investigations

Participants will study puzzling observations drawn from the physical world and identify the physical science principles that underlie and describe the behavior of the phenomena in question. Strategies for scientific investigations will be developed as the course progresses. The role of intermediate theories and student beliefs will also be incorporated into the investigations.

I.	Science Investigations
	A. Identifying observations - Floating Forks. B. Identifying variables. C. Conceptualizing theories. D. Developing an experiment. E. Collecting data. F. Understanding data. G. Modifying/changing theories.
II.	Balls floating or sinking in beakers.
III.	Ball rolling down a ramp.

Online Professional Development opportunities currently available associated with workshops:

CHE906 - Light and Color

Participants will investigate some basic principles about light and color. Four ways to produce color will be investigated. Some questions that will be addressed are: Why is the sky blue? Why do we see red sunsets? Why are leaves green and tomatoes red? Why are lakes blue? How do sodium lamps work? How does a breath-a-lizer work? How do we test for lead in our water?

See the workshop description where you can register for this online professional development.

Draft Workshop Schedule

I. Welcome, Registration, Questionaire, and Lab Notebook

II. General Principles

1. Monochromatic Light and our Eye
2. Colored Pencil Color Wheel
3. More Color Wheels - mixing light, paint?
4. Primary Colors
5. Filters - Drawing Pictures

III. Selective Emission

1. Creating Monochromatic Light - Background
2. Gas Discharge Tubes and Color
3. Determining Sodium in Water

IV. Selective Absorption

1. Aborb Blue and Green - See Red Tomatoes!
2. Green Leaves, Blue Lakes
3. Filters - uv-vis instrument?
4. Breath-a-lizer
5. IR

V. Selective Scattering

1. Scattering Light
2. Blue Sky
3. Red Sunset

VI. Selective Reflection

1. Gold
2. Monitor Applications

Other online Professional Development opportunities (for 9-12):

CHE902NO - Chemical Equations and Stoichiometry

Participants will build on basic chemical principles to investigate chemical equations.

I.	The Mole
II.	Chemical Equations
III.	Unit Conversions
IV.	Molar Mass
V.	Simple Stoichiometry
VI.	Limiting Reactants
VII.	Molarity

PHY905 - High Tide Opposite the Moon

Participants will build a background to understand how a high tide can be formed on the side of the earth opposite the moon.

I.	Linear Motion - Why does the coin roll so far?
	A. Motion Without Acceleration - Why we slam into the windshield B. Acceleration Due to Friction - Investigating car wrecks C. Acceleration Due to Gravity - How to determine the depth of a deep hole D. Combining Horizontal and Vertical Motion - Dropping CARE packages from airplanes
II.	Circular Motion - How to deviate from straight line motion
	A. Centripetal Force - How to keep dry under a rotating bucket of water B. Centrifugal Force - Does it really exist?
III.	Tides - The attraction between earth and moon?
	A. Gravity - Is there gravity on the moon? B. High Tide Opposite the Moon - How does that work?

1. Determining if a theory has scientific merit.
2. Choosing between two theories that both have merit.
3. How to generate scientific theories.
4. The parameters of good science experiments.
5. Balls racing down different shaped tracks.
6. Bell and dropper experiment.
7. Conservation of energy.
8. Etc.