2020 WAPT SPS Joint Meeting

Program for the Joint Meeting of the Wisconsin Association of Physics Teachers and the Society of Physics Students Zone 9

Saturday November 7, 2020
Virtually hosted by the University of Wisconsin – River Falls Physics Department and the Society of Physics Students
Meeting hosted on Zoom, courtesy of the National Society of Physics Students

Links to files listed below in the abstracts

Plenary: FIRE UP for STEP UP!   Video Presentation
Laura Lusardi, Fridley High School

Teaching Real Life Physics From a Medical/Anatomy Perspective
Gary Baier, Stevens Point Area Senior High School

Birds, Bats, & LEGO Limbs: Exploring Moment of Inertia and Gross Motor Motion
Melissa Vigil, Marquette University

Relativistic constant acceleration with MATLAB for 1st year physics students
Duncan Carlsmith, UW – Madison

Where Are the Women Who Get B’s and C’s in Physics and Engineering?
Rellen Hardtke, UW – River Falls

Heat Engines: The Thermodynamics of a Putt Putt Boat
Solomon Simon, Cochrane-Fountain City High School Science Department

Scientific Teaching Using Informal Mini Tests
Nenad Stojilovic, UW – Oshkosh

A Virtual Helmholtz Resonator Lab
Earl Blodgett, UW – River Falls

Rainbow fringed light disks in entoptic phenomena
SwapnilTripathi, UW – Milwaukee

Using iOLabs to teach introductory calculus-based physics online Jennifer Docktor, UW – La Crosse

Conceptualizing Cosmological and Geological Time Using a Billion-Year Marble Clock Simulation
Alan Scott, UW – Stout

WORKSHOP: What is a modeling paradigm lab?
Mark Lattery, UW – Oshkosh

Program Abstracts

Plenary Speaker: FIRE UP for STEP UP! 
Laura Lusardi, Fridley High School.  PDF   Power Point Step Up Website
Abstract: STEP UP is a national movement to provide high school teachers with resources to inspire their students to study physics, to reduce barriers to studying physics and to actively inspire young women to go on to major in physics. The program provides detailed, well-tested curricular materials to showcase the wide variety of careers open to physics majors, and it provides the training and materials to have open and productive conversations about equity in science. The materials have even been adapted for virtual instruction! https://engage.aps.org/stepup/home

Laura Lusardi is trained as a STEM UP Ambassador, to assist other teachers in learning how to utilize the STEP UP resources. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin – River Falls (UWRF) with a Physics major and a Spanish minor, planning on pursuing a career in astrophysics. But then she took a summer job teaching astronomy in a summer camp and fell in love with teaching! She completed the STEMteach graduate certification program at UWRF and is now teaching physics at Fridley High School in Fridley Minnesota. Meet Laura in the Lobby at noon!

Teaching Real Life Physics From a Medical/Anatomy Perspective
Gary Baier, Stevens Point Area Senior High School
Abstract: Making physics relative to student’s future careers should be a concern for all educators. This past summer I have learned much about physics and engineering as applied to the medical profession. I was part of several unintentional experiments in pressure, lab technique, communication, scaling laws, nuclear physics etc. My
goal is to briefly share what I learned and explain how these lessons can apply to our students. There is no substitute for personal experience; mine or the students. Physics is everywhere if you know what to look for.

Birds, Bats, & LEGO Limbs: Exploring Moment of Inertia and Gross Motor Motion  WAPT Presentation   AAPT Summer Presentation
Melissa Vigil, Marquette University
Abstract: Analyzing gross motor motion is important to physical therapy students in IPLS courses. Using the work of Thollesson & Norberg (J. Exp. Bio, 1991) as a starting point, students use LEGO bricks to model the changes in moment of inertia of limbs both from the sum of mr2 terms and from the movement of the model as physical pendulum.

Relativistic constant acceleration with MATLAB for 1st year physics students
Duncan Carlsmith, UW – Madison.  Presentation
Abstract: How long in proper time would it you take to get to the nearest star subject to constant acceleration, without blacking out? What does a relativistic 2d ballistic motion trajectory look like? The motion of a particle accelerated to relativistic speed is examined in a MATLAB Live Script for first year physics students.

Where Are the Women Who Get B’s and C’s in Physics and Engineering?
Rellen Hardtke, UW – River Falls
Abstract: Overt discrimination. Unconscious bias. Sexist jokes. Role Models. Sensitivity training. Dr. Tim Hunt. Nature versus nurture. Mentoring. Cooperation versus competition. Isolation. Critical mass. Spatial skills.
Stereotypes. Supportive advisors. Letters of recommendation… You’ve probably read some of the research, or at least a few blog posts, about why physics and engineering courses and programs are still struggling to enroll more women (and students of color!). Though a thorough discussion would require several books, I’ll discuss the self- selection effect that is the ultimate outcome of the foregoing considerations. Why do so few women pursue physics and engineering and why do many of those who start opt out? What can we, as individuals, do about it?

Heat Engines: The Thermodynamics of a Putt Putt Boat
Solomon Simon, Cochrane-Fountain City High School Science Department
Abstract: This talk will demonstrate a high school thermodynamics lab that utilizes toy Putt Putt Boats. This activity helps students understand how heat engines are utilized to perform work, and allows them to calculate Carnot efficiency and actual efficiency to approximate the boats performance.

Scientific Teaching Using Informal Mini Tests
Nenad Stojilovic, UW – Oshkosh
Abstract: Scientific or evidence-based teaching is teaching in the same way as conducting scientific experiments. In particular, scientific teaching requires experimentation, creativity, and the rigor of performing real science. Although scientific teaching can be based on effective teaching pedagogies documented in educational literature, very often there is space for innovative teaching approaches to enhance students’ learning. It is too late to find out in the middle of the semester that students did not learn material, and frequent mini tests, given at the end of the lecture, help students focus on lectures and engage in learning. They show promise not just as an assessment tool, but as a learning tool, also. In this presentation I will discuss the effects of frequent testing on students’ learning in General Physics and some upper-level physics classes.

A Virtual Helmholtz Resonator Lab.  Homework.    Ocarina Challenge
Earl Blodgett, UW – River Falls
Abstract: My upper level Acoustics course was thrust into virtual mode. I designed a ”do this at home” lab exercise which my students could perform with readily available equipment found at home. We did a quick study of the Helmholtz Resonator by using an empty 2 L soda bottle, a measuring cup, a ruler and a smartphone. By measuring the frequency with different amounts of water in the bottle, the students were able to extract a good value for the volume of the empty bottle from their graphical analysis of the data. (Many of them were surprised to discover that it is NOT 2.0 L.) As an assessment of their ability to extend the analysis, an exam question provided them with data for a small pendant-style ocarina, from which they were able to deduce the interior volume of the ocarina. Both the lab and the extension will be described.

Rainbow fringed light disks in entoptic phenomena                                 Swapnil Tripathi, UW – Milwaukee
Abstract: I will talk about the mechanism with which rainbow colored light disks appear in our vision when looking at bright sources of light.

Using iOLabs to teach introductory calculus-based physics online Jennifer Docktor, UW – La Crosse. https://pages.uoregon.edu/sokoloff/IOLabInst32120.html  https://physlets.org/tracker/   http://www.iolab.science
Abstract: Due to COVID-19 many courses are being taught in a hybrid or online format during 2020-2021, including the introductory physics courses at UW-La Crosse. In this talk I will describe how my students are using Interactive Online Lab (iOLab) wireless devices to conduct lab experiments at home. The iOLab is a cart that contains several built-in sensors for data collection and analysis such as position, velocity, acceleration and forces (see http://www.iolab.science/). In addition to demonstrating the device, I will also provide examples of laboratory experiments we have developed so far in the calculus-based mechanics course.

Conceptualizing Cosmological and Geological Time Using a Billion-Year Marble Clock Simulation
Alan Scott, UW – Stout
Abstract: A myriad of illustrations exists to help students proportionally reason the depths of geologic and cosmologic time. Clocks, calendars, and football fields are popular metaphors for such proportional scaling. Herein is a unique approach using a Billion-Year Marble Clock combined with timelines, illustrations, images, and a clock- like chronometer.

WORKSHOP: What is a modeling paradigm lab?
Mark Lattery, UW – Oshkosh
Abstract: Modeling Instruction is an approach to physics teaching that centers on scientific models and modeling, and the modeling cycle (Hestenes 1997; Brewe et al. 2010; Jackson et al. 2008; FIU 2020). A central feature of MI instruction is the “modeling paradigm lab”. What are modeling paradigm labs? How can they be implemented in an online environment? Join us for this 2-hour workshop using Pivot Interactives to find out! (The workshop and Pivot access are free.) The maximum number of workshops participants is 10. High school teachers are given preference, otherwise first-come-first serve. If you’re interested please email Professor Lattery by tonight (11/6) at midnight (11:59 pm) at lattery@uwosh.edu to receive materials and instructions in advance of the workshop. Stop by the virtual Lobby at noon to ask questions about the workshop!

SPS Zone 9 Meeting – informal sharing time for SPS members and advisors
SPS members, advisors and supporters are invited to an informal session to share news of national SPS programs and awards that chapters and students can apply for, share stories of activities that chapters are doing even in a pandemic, brainstorm things that chapters can do WITH EACH OTHER in a virtual world and whatever fun topics the discussion veers onto!

WAPT Annual Business Meeting – all physics instructors welcome to attend.
This is anticipated to be an abbreviated meeting to share announcements from the current officers, elect the next President and Vice-President and discuss any new business that may arise.