PhET ESP: discovery document
- Caren Watkins
Energy Skate Park: Basics
Interactive sim
CONTENTS
Background and pedagogical theory
PhET sims (https://phet.colorado.edu/) are math and science computer simulations intended for use in learning environments from grade 5 (usually 9-10 year-olds in the north american public school system) to university level.
“PhET sims are based on extensive education research and engage students through an intuitive, game-like environment where students learn through exploration and discovery.” (https://phet.colorado.edu/en/research)
The sims are intended to be part of the delivery of STEM curriculum facilitated and designed by teachers. In support of this model PhET has a robust teacher component. Teachers can join and access scaffolds to help deliver the curriculum. Sims have teaching resources, including video primers, tips and downloadable in-class and home work activities designed by educators from educational institutions.
PhET Immediate interests are:
• Use of analogy to construct understanding
• Simulations as tools for changing classroom norms
• Specific features of sims that promote learning and engaged exploration
• Integrating simulations into homework
(https://phet.colorado.edu/en/research)
Analysing the visual and interactive makeup of the SIM “Energy Skate Park: Basics”
(https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/energy-skate-park-basics)
Requires basic understanding of kinetic and potential energy:
• kinetic energy is the energy of motion (energy an object has due to its motion)
• potential energy is dependent on position
Intro screen when sim is first opened (starting point)
Screen with data visualization supports checked and visible
Key ENERGY concepts (as seen in Energy Bar Graph):
Potential energy
In physics, potential energy is energy possessed by a body by virtue of its position relative to others, stresses within itself, electric charge, and other factors.[1][2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potential_energy)
Kinetic energy
The cars of a roller coaster reach their maximum kinetic energy when at the bottom of their path. When they start rising, the kinetic energy begins to be converted to gravitational potential energy. The sum of kinetic and potential energy in the system remains constant, ignoring losses to friction. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_energy)
Thermal
internal energy (https://www.britannica.com/science/thermal-energy)
Total?
Key concepts that affect interaction:
Speed: controlled by track structure and starting point of where skater is placed on track
Mass: effects thermal amount (is that work?) Total on bar chart begins with an amount and maintains that amount until the skater comes to a stop. The Thermal bar meets the (predicted?) Total
Other terms not represented on sim interface:
Conservation of energy (In physics, the law of conservation of energy states that the total energy of an isolated system remains constant—it is said to be conserved over time.[1] Energy can neither be created nor destroyed; rather, it transforms from one form to another. For instance, chemical energy can be converted to kinetic energy in the explosion of a stick of dynamite. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_of_energy)
Work (energy transferred to a body by a force?)
Transfer of energy
Position
Direction of motion (up and down; backward and forward)
Analogy used to facilitate understanding:
Skateboarder outside with the use of various tracks
Representation of a fully mobile upright person standing on a skateboard in foreground
Skateboard track in various shapes and inclines both stationary and interactive
Description of environment:
2d line drawing with flat colour fill
Blue sky, gradated
Three snow capped mountains, left, small to indicate background
Mid-tone brown ground perfectly flat from left to right of image
No midground representation
Integration of sim into learning activity
Learner expectations:
Engage
Explore
Elaborate
DATA
gather
analyze
interpret
EVIDENCE
descriptions
explanations
predictions
Models
To understand how an educator may integrate the Skate Park sim into a classroom I’ve chosen the Activity “Energy Skate Park Basics Lesson” by UTeach Middle School PhET Team. This teacher-submitted activity is a gold-stared lab designed for middle school students. Gold stars are awarded by PhET to activities that are “high quality, inquiry based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines” (https://phet.colorado.edu/en/teaching-resources/activity-guide). The activity is comprised of 5 sections based on a 5E learning sequence: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate. For the purpose of this discovery the first two sections, Engage and Explore, will be used to help uncover how a student may explore and discover through the sim.
Activity Objectives: Students will be able to
Examine how an object’s potential and kinetic energy change as it moves and how an object’s total energy remains constant.
Determine the variables that affect an object’s potential and kinetic energy.
Propose modifications to the Energy Skate Park Basics PhET simulation.
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/contributions/view/3567
Notable:
This Activity targets grades 5-8 and group activity.
In module 2 (35 minutes) students are paired up and assigned to be driver or navigator and switch roles half way through the exercise.
Next steps: Session A
Execute section 1 and 2 of Activity with one student (sighted, 10 yr old, grade 5)
Execute section 1 (Engage) using hotwheels track and car with figure afixed
Did not do. User was well aware of concepts.
Execute section 2 (Explore) as per Activity questions below and Activity Sheet attached.
Executed Sunday March 26. Excluding activity sheet.
See transcription and observations here
Collect detailed notes of following:
5 minutes to explore the sim:
2) How does student explore the sim to discover answers to these questions:
• How is your simulation similar/different from the real world?
• What advantages does using the pie chart have?
• What conclusions can you make about how speed influences kinetic energy?
• If you were to design a skate park, what would you use? How would it look? Why?
• If the total energy bar remains the same, what does that tell you about the total energy of an object?
• How does mass affect the total energy of the skater?
3) How does student explore the sim to discover these questions:
• How could you determine what kinetic and potential energy depend on using the simulation?
• In the first tab, what does the simulation not consider?
• How would friction affect the motion of the skater?
• What observations can you make about the energy of the skater as he rolls up and down the ramp?
• What happens to the total energy bar?
• What can you change in the simulation?
• What evidence are you using to support your conclusions?
Activity sheet for module 2