User:Edramsaran
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Edwin Ramsaran
My name is Edwin Ramsaran and I teach physics at Moruga Secondary School. I have been teaching for about fifteen years.I am married to Mala Ramsaran and we have two boys, Adrian and Jared. I grew up in Point Fortin and attended the Point Fortin Senior Secondary School where I completed ordinary and advanced levels. I then proceeded to the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine to pursue further education.
This is Interesting
I find the information about Wiki educator presented in this workshop interesting and useful for classroom applications especially since ICT's are becomming important in the classroom environment. Wikis may further facilitate the engagement of contemporary students in educational activites using the internet. I can now upload pictures onto this page.
(I will do this later)
Physics Lesson Plans
Acceleration
Electromagnets
Duration: Two 1-hour sessions Description: In this lesson students will learn how to construct electromagnets and understand their basic properties. They will also be able to make the connection that the more electricity exposed to the magnetized object the stronger the magnet becomes.
Goals: Students identify the relationship between magnets and electricity. They will also determine the purpose and convenience of an electromagnet in the real world.
Objectives: Students will:
Complete a graph that will display the data gained from hands on activities. Complete lab sheets that have the students predict and record their results and conclusions. Materials: Worksheets & graph C, D, or 9 volt batteries Insulated copper wire 20 penny nails Paper clips Iron Filings Procedure: A. Scientific Explanation:
What is electricity's role in creating an electromagnet and how do electromagnets work?
1. Magnets made with electric current are called electromagnets. Electromagnets are temporary magnets. They can be turned on or off.
2. When an insulated conductor is wrapped around a core of iron, cobalt, nickel, or any alloy with two poles, and a current is set up in the conductor, the core becomes an electromagnet.
3. The current in the wire coil causes the particles in the iron rod to become polarized (N/S).
4. The electromagnet can be turned on or off by closing or opening the electric circuit connected to the coil.
5. The strength of the electromagnet can be increased by increasing the number of wraps in the coil or by increasing the voltage of electricity in the coil.
B. Focus Phase:
1. Review electricity vocabulary with students: circuit, conductor, electrical charge, etc.
2. Students will be asked to write down five things that they know about magnetism. Then they will share what they wrote with their cooperating group. Finally, the groups will be asked to share with the class what they discussed in their cooperating groups.
3. Then ask the students if they think there is a relationship between magnetism and electricity. If so, what is it? Why or why not? ( Pre-lesson Worksheet)
B. Challenge Phase:
1. Students will be given the materials (nail, wire, and battery) to make their electromagnets. They will construct the electromagnets within their groups.
2. Have the students wind the wire around the nail leaving room at each end. Then have them make a closed circuit by attaching the free ends of the wire to the battery.
3. Then have the students test their electromagnet by sticking the nail into a pile of paper clips.
4. Ask students what the electric current did to the nail? (Made it a magnet.)
5. Ask students what happens to the nail when the electric current is shut off? (The nail looses its magnetism.)
C. Concept Introduction Phase: Reinforcer
Use Lab Worksheet
1. Terms and concepts students should be aware of: magnetic field, poles (N/S), opposites attract, likes repel, atoms that make magnets have certain numbers of electrons arranged in certain ways (demonstration of atom use p.306 in the Glencoe text book).
2. To teach the idea that magnets have polar properties, use the following demonstration: place a piece of paper over the magnet then sprinkle the iron filings over the paper. Have the students observe the design made by the filings on the paper. The filings should represent the magnetic field.
3. Do the number of coils around the nail affect the strength of the electromagnet? Ask the students what might be done to the nail to make it a stronger magnet?
4. Have each group design a fair test to examine this question. Have them consider: Will the wires be wrapped around the nail side by side or on top of each other? Will the wires be wrapped around the entire length of the nail or just at its head or tip? Will the wires be tightly or loosely wrapped around the nail?
5. Have the students complete at least two trials. One trial could include wrapping 10 coils around the nail and in the second trial the students could wrap 60 coils around the nail. Which trial produced a stronger electromagnet?
6. Then have students plot a line graph, which shows the relationship between the number of coils and the strength of the electromagnet. The number of paper clips the magnet picks up will determine the strength. (sample attached)
7. Ask students what they can conclude about the data? The more coils the stronger the electromagnet. What other factors might affect the strength of the electromagnet? (Voltage of power source, size of core, presence or absence of a core, type of core, etc.)
8. Have students discuss situations where moving things with electromagnets might be useful. What are the advantages in moving things with electromagnets rather than a permanent magnet? (Picking up cars at a wrecking yard.)
9. Where else in our world do we use electromagnets? Show Superman Roller Coaster video. It demonstrates a practical application of electromagnets.
D. Concept Application:
1. Students will be asked to complete a worksheet, which will check for understanding. ( Lab Worksheet and Graph Worksheet ).
Assessment:
A. Participation: B. Graph and worksheet: (grading was based on thoughtful predictions, participation, and writing out the graph and conclusions)
References:
Barr, B. (1998). Children and science. Cortland, NY: Deerwood Publishing. (p. 171-174).
Butler, L. e.t.al. (1999). Glencoe science; An introduction to the life, earth, and physical science. New York, NY: Glencoe McGraw-Hill. (p. 357-365).
Worksheet 1 (pre lesson) Name:______________________Date:_________
1.) Write five things you know about magnets.
2.) What is the relationship between magnets and electricity?
Worksheet 2 (lab sheet)
Name:______________________Date:_________
Prediction:
Results:
Conclusion:
Describe what happens to the atoms when something becomes magnetized.
Look Back at what you said about magnetism and electricity – how has that changed?
Graph Worksheet
Electromagnetic Strength
Name:__________
50
45
- of 40
Paper Clips 35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
- Wraps
(these are the numbers that we used for graphing and had an excel printout of this graph. The number of wraps on the nail increase by five and the number of paperclips increases by five.)
Electrical Circuits
Duration: 45 minutes Description: Students will be provided with a battery, insulated wire, and a light bulb. They will be asked to create an electrical circuit that will light the light bulb.
Goals: Students will understand the concept of electricity and electrical circuits.
Objectives:
Students will be able to construct an electrical circuit. Students will be able to describe and identify open circuits and closed circuits. Materials: batteries insulated wire light bulbs teacher-made worksheet (see Procedure for details) Procedure: Scientific Explanation: Questions: How do you use electricity in your daily lives? How would it affect you if you could not use these items for a week? Focus Phase: Divide students into groups of four and present each group with a set of materials (battery, insulated wire, and light bulb). Ask students, "Do you think that you could make a light bulb light with two wires and a battery?" Ask them to test their hypothesis by constructing a circuit, which would light the light bulb with their materials.
Allow students to build their circuits while you go around the room observing and asking them thought provoking questions. Give subtle suggestions to those that are becoming frustrated. Ask questions to those that have successfully constructed their circuit.
Can you make the light bulb light a different way? What would happen if you turned the light bulb sideways? How many different ways can you get the light bulb to light? What would happen if the wire were underneath the light bulb? Challenge Phase: After students have had time to successfully construct their electrical circuits, ask them to compare their results with other students. Have them discuss why the light bulb lit. After a short period of discussion ask a student or a group of students to draw a diagram of their circuit on the board. Discuss the diagram with the rest of the class. Do they agree or disagree with the diagram? Have groups that disagree draw a diagram of their electrical circuit on the board. Discuss these diagrams. After a classroom consensus has been reached, begin asking discussion questions:
What made the light bulb light? What was the power source? What did the wires do? Is this circuit open or closed? Did electricity flow through the wire when the circuit was open? Did electricity flow throughout the wire when the circuit was closed? Concept Introduction Phase: To reinforce the concept, demonstrate a closed electrical circuit and an open circuit. Have students make a circle holding hands. Have one person squeeze a hand. Once that student's hand is squeezed, have him or her squeeze the next person's hand and so on. Now remove one student from the circle so there is a gap; have them try squeezing hands. Have students sit back down and discuss open vs. closed circuits. Ask questions: What happened when we broke hands? What kind of circuit was it when we broke hands? What kind of circuit was it when we were all holding hands? What kind of circuit did you make today with the battery, wire, and light bulb? Concept Application: Pass out the teacher-made worksheet. [Note: The authors regret that the original worksheet could not be included with this lesson plan. Teachers can create their own worksheet by drawing examples of open and closed circuits. Students will need to identify which circuits are open and which circuits are closed.] Students will use their knowledge to predict which circuits will light the light bulb and which will not. If time allows, go over the worksheet and discuss the correct answers and why they are correct/incorrect.
Assessment: Were students on task? Were students working cooperatively with their groups? When asked a question regarding their circuit, were students able to relevantly respond to the question? Did students demonstrate an understanding of electrical circuits on their worksheets?
Reflection of Light
OVERVIEW: Teaching Laws of reflection to students presented a problem to me until I started to use this activity. Students develop the Laws of Refection by use of their own experimentation and observation. I give them as little help as possible making them come up with something that will work. The student must write in report form what ever procedure and conclusions that come from the activity.
PURPOSE: To develop the basic Laws of Reflection by observation of images of objects in plane mirrors.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS: 20 cm by 30 cm piece of card board ( to stick pins into), dissecting pins, small plane mirrors, clay (for mirror supports), protractors, rulers, and clear sheets of paper.
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES: I let the students develop their own experiments. (These are suggested steps to follow)
draw a line across the center of a sheet of paper this becomes the reflective line in the experiment. place this sheet of paper on the piece of cardboard. place the mirror upright along the line on the paper support with clay or other type of mirror support place two dissecting pins in front of the mirror. One of the pins becomes the object the other the observer pin. while observing the image of the first pin rotate the card board so that the image and the second pin are in line with each other. make marks on the paper along the line of sight between the two. "image and observer" remove the paper from the card board, mark the lines of sight with a ruler, and measure the angles formed. repeat the experiment placing the pins in new location compare the angles in each trial.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER: This one experiment can start one off on a whole series of experiments about plane mirrors. I usually ask the students to come up with a statement about how far behind the mirror is the image.
