At a Glance
Discipline
- STEM
- Physics
Instructional Level
- College & CEGEP
- University
Course
- Electricity and Magnetism
Tasks in Workflow
Social Plane(s)
- Individual
- Group
Type of Tasks
- Collecting & seeking information
- Solving problems
- Analyzing
- Reading
Technical Details
Useful Technologies
- EdEX
Class size
- Large (100-250)
Time
Brief segment of class period (< 20 mins)
Instructional Purpose
- Preparation & knowledge activation
Socio Affective Engagement
- Array
- Array
Overview
In this reading activity, students read the assigned reading on Edx and observe 6 scenarios given of rain falling on a house (the angle/number of the windows varies as does the angle of the rain). Students then give an equation out of words of how much rain would end up in the house. After the real equation is given, the concept of field vectors is introduced. Finally, in class, the instructor introduces Gausses Law which they have seen analogously in the house scenarios.
The aim of the activity is to prepare for future learning, noticing salient features and paying attention ...
Read More +In this reading activity, students read the assigned reading on Edx and observe 6 scenarios given of rain falling on a house (the angle/number of the windows varies as does the angle of the rain). Students then give an equation out of words of how much rain would end up in the house. After the real equation is given, the concept of field vectors is introduced. Finally, in class, the instructor introduces Gausses Law which they have seen analogously in the house scenarios.
The aim of the activity is to prepare for future learning, noticing salient features and paying attention for example to the relation between the field lines and the area. This activity benefits the students as it gives students analogies to instinctually come to the more abstract physics law.
Read Less -
Instructional Objectives
Students are introduced to Gauss’s law and have done so in a way that they build the equation themselves.
Workflow & Materials
Contributor's Notes
Georg Rieger
University of British Columbia
Benefits
- This ensures that the reading the students do before class is also active in learning.
- Abstract concepts in physics are introduced to students in this activity through analogy in a physical scenario.
Tips
- Give questions in class to check in with students and make sure that they understood the analogy. This can be in the form of the scaffolded worksheet or the clicker questions.
Applied Strategies
Published: 05/07/2022
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