Ideas for a Basics version

[patricialoeblein]

At the Status meeting on 9/4, there was a request for Trish to contact some teachers to get some ideas. Trish wrote to 4 teachers, 3 of whom were in the Summer 2014 PhET NGSS workgroup (Sarah Borenstein MS Cherry Creek School District Colorado, Susie Nicholson-Dykstra HS and Debbie Brown MS both from Adams 12 School District Colorado) and one teacher from Texas who had been part of UTEACH Austin (Elyse Zimmer HS KIPP Houston Public Schools, but she has also helped author several MS activities). The the original email subject title:" Ideas about Waves on a String Basics" (the responses will each be added as a new comment) "Hope your school year is going well. We are working on making an Html5 version of Waves on a String http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/wave-on-a-string . I know some of you are MS teachers and some have worked on lessons using the sim for HS. We are wondering if we should consider a Basics version to help teachers use the sim more easily or with fewer directions. Since you all use more than one PhET sim in your classroom, we thought you might have some ideas.

In Basics versions, sometimes we have an Introduction tab with less controls, and then have more complex scenes (Scene is a new word for Html5, we used “tab” in the Java sims). You can see what I mean by checking out Force and Motion Basics http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/forces-and-motion-basics which is a Java sim. Other times, we just make one scene for the Basics version and have a separate simulation with more scenes for more in depth learning goals. You can see what I mean by checking out pH Scale http://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/ph-scale/latest/ph-scale_en.html and pH Scale Basics http://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/ph-scale-basics/latest/ph-scale-basics_en.html

Please consider these questions:

1. Do you see a need for a Basics version of Waves on a String? Why?
2. Which features would you keep/remove? Why?
3. Would you want just one scene for the basics or would you want to have more scenes available ? Why? It would help us if you had learning goals or NGSS references that drive your reasons.

Please respond just to me and Amy. I (Trish)will compile your thoughts for discussion for the design team. Thanks for your thoughts and time.

[patricialoeblein]

Borenstein replied: Yes I see a need for a Basics version. It's part of our curriculum. Our GLE for the unit is as follows:

REcognizes that waves such as electromagnetic, sound, seismic, and water have common characteristics and unique properties.

NGSS PS4A, PS4b, and PS4C. I'd write it down but I have a track meet to get to! we don't use the damping feature. just pretty much wavelength, frequency, amplitude and pitch. We want them to see that if you change the wavelength, frequency changes.

[patricialoeblein]

Nicholson-Dykstra: Like Sarah, the one aspect of the sim that I don't normally use is the damping. In general, however, we normally use all of the other tools/functions, but not in the same labs. I've used this sim for two different labs: one for evaluating which variables affect the speed (set with no end) and the other for evaluating wave behaviors with fixed and loose ends when investigating standing waves in open and closed tubes. For me, it would make sense to have one scene that just has an open end, and another that has the option of fixed/closed ends.
If I were to add anything, I would add in a tool to show the wave speed--although the speed calculation isn't difficult, it would make it easier/faster for students to elicit key relationships between specific wave characteristics and wave speed. That said, I would much prefer an HTML version over a basic version. Thanks so much!

And then in another email: Oops--I meant to say that it would be nice to have one scene that is open end, and another that is fixed/loose.

[patricialoeblein]

Zimmer replied: Hi Patricia,

Yes a basics version would be helpful. I'd eliminate the "loose end" and "no end" feature and damping. As you can see below with our TEKS for Texas, neither are covered. I think one scene would be fine. I think I'm just repeating what other folks have said. We use the sim really to teach 7B below - velocity, frequency, amplitude and wavelength.

Here's the standards that we address using the Waves on a String Sim... (7) Science concepts. The student knows the characteristics and behavior of waves. The student is expected to: (A) examine and describe oscillatory motion and wave propagation in various types of media; (B) investigate and analyze characteristics of waves, including velocity, frequency, amplitude, and wavelength, and calculate using the relationship between wavespeed, frequency, and wavelength;

[patricialoeblein]

Brown wrote: Waves is no longer a part of what I teach at the 8th grade in my district, but is in the 6th grade curriculum. Like everyone else do not really use the damping part, kids don't seem to get it. Our focus is more on the frequency, wavelength, etc. A basic version (Html5) would be nice and having the different tabs allows for leveling or teaching some different concepts.

[patricialoeblein]

KP wrote also:One other consideration -- the NGSS discusses energy and waves quite a bit. As we consider making a basics version would should also consider the possibility of including an energy focus in one screen.

K