Physical Science for Teachers

University of Massachusetts > STEM > 2008 Physical Science for Middle School Teachers

Physical Science for Middle School Teachers

Karl Martini (Professor, WNEC), K12 teacher (TBD)

The course is built around the strategy of first finding empirical relations (inquiry) in a given field of exploration, generalizing the relations to a physical law and then applying these general physical laws to other phenomena and circumstances in nature, thus showing the underlying structure and working of science. For example, the study of measurement (space and time) will lead to a study of motion culminating with the Newtonian synthesis. This knowledge is applied to the motion of planets and moons in the solar system. Similarly, ideas from the study of energy will lead to more general thermal physics and are ultimately applied to atmospheric phenomena leading to an understanding of Meteorology and Climate Change. Waves and interference will be a uniting concept from the macroscopic to the microscopic and after an application in optical science will be revisited in the modern concepts of atoms and nuclei. The simple atomic laws in combination with thermal insights will lead to an overview and some simple applications in Geology. Thus the course will provide the student with a unifying approach to the different fields of Geology, Meteorology, Astronomy and Chemistry. Graduate 3-credit option available through continuing education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. This course has 4 required follow-up sessions during the 2008-09 academic year that must be completed in order to receive the $800 stipend.

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