Bree Barnett Dreyfuss

#Teach180 Day 75
AP Physics had their Momentum assessment and Physics continued to practice incline planes calculations. Since teaching is more than just the class periods, there was also help after school. I probably had 20 kids come by to drop off late work, complete make-up labs and do retakes.🧪🎢

A brick is wrapped in white paper and rests on an incline plane of a wooden ramp. A hand js in between the brick and the ramp.

#Teach180 Day 74
AP Physics returned to their before break partner challenge. Unlike other years, few were successful in solving it originally, not recognjzing the similarities to the optional HW assigned...
Physics began studying forces on incline planes, notes mixed with some activities.🎢🧪

Congratulations to the 2025 #PhysTEC National Teacher of the Year, Deborah Armstrong! Deborah teaches at Mineola High School. Each year, one national winner and several local winners are recognized for their exemplary work as high school physics teachers. ow.ly/qPEh50Xx1mP #ITeachPhysics

#Teach180 Day 73 cont
Physics did a statics lab with little wooden signs I made. They measure the angle between the strings and the force on each string. Then they calculate the force of gravity for several trials and compare to the actual weight of the sign. Lots of light bulbs going off today. 🎢🧪

#Teach180 Day 73
AP worked on a challenge problem about conservation of Momentum & energy. Its the same set up for everyone but each group rolls a pair of dice for their specific values. It proved more challenging for them this year than in years past so I will have to check their work & see why.🎢🧪

Yep! I inherited my carbon paper so a lot of it is older than me...

#Teach180 Day 72
Physics did some demos about static equilibrium and learned how to calculate the force in two strings holding up a sign at an angle.
AP Physics even blocks completed the same conversation of momentum lab. While the set up can be temperamental, it is so satisfying when it works. 🎢🧪

Looking head on the muzzle of a pasco launcher that has one yellow projectile in the muzzle and one resting on the "tee" in front of it but just off set.

#Teach180 Day 71
AP Physics used Pasco launchers to create 2D collisions. We move all the tables together to form "Pangea" so they are shooting away from other groups. Lots of adjustments so it takes awhile but usually the data is pretty good. I yell "Continental Drift!" when its time to clean up.🎢🧪

I'll be there! I'm so excited not to have to change time zones. 😆

I love that framing.... and its a good excuse for them to revisit previously solved problems!

I have a lot of precut strings of different lengths with different lab sets. I usually pre-tie the ends into loops and I loop one end through the other to eye hooks and usually have an open hook something or on the other end. I grabbed paperclip to attach to the eye hooks for this & it worked great.

Two wooden blocks are labeled with their masses (0.4200 and 0.4075 grams) with eyehooks on top. A paper clip on each eye hook connects them to a string. The blocks rest on an orange tray with a set of brass masses and a pulley clamp.

#Teach180 Day 70
Physics started 2D forces with pulleys. We start with force diagrams then switch to an activity. Two similar blocks connected by a string over a pulley will move until they add more mass to the one on the table. They try to find just the amount, to hold them then find static mu.🧪🎢

Dollar store for the win!

A Pasco launcher is in front of a suspended oatmeal can. The launcher rests on a book with a yellow plastic projectile and a metal projectile.

A Pasco launcher is shown next to a green basket which has the ramrod and ballistic pendulums attachment in it.

#Teach180 Day 70
AP learned about ballistic pendulums, working through a sample problem I got from @the-physics-well.net so I can show his Flir video of it afterwards. I also demo it by shooting a ping pong ball then use the launcher with the plastic and metal spheres. Then they do it. 🧪🎢

A Pasco launcher is in front of a suspended oatmeal can. The launcher rests on a book with a yellow plastic projectile and a metal projectile.

A Pasco launcher is shown next to a green basket which has the ramrod and ballistic pendulums attachment in it.

#Teach180 Day 70
AP learned about ballistic pendulums, working through a sample problem I got from @the-physics-well.net so I can show his Flir video of it afterwards. I also demo it by shooting a ping pong ball then use the launcher with the plastic and metal spheres. Then they do it. 🧪🎢

#Teach180 Day 69
Physics had an end of unit test on forces while AP continues conservation of Momentum. The sheer number of variables in multiple object collision problems can be daunting, especially those that didn't take pre-req physics and are hearing all these concepts for the first time. 🎢🧪

#Teach180 Day 68
AP had a small quiz on the p & J graphs & polynomial equations, and started reviewing Conservation of Momentum. Physics wrote their own problems about forces as a review activity before their upcoming unit test. They were very creative and good at considering realistic numbers. 🧪🎢

#Teach180 Day 67
AP Physics did some misc impulse demos involving the Happy/Sad bouncing/sticking balls, some TIPERs related to impulse and graphs then got to play with air tracks. Simple observations this time because when we set up photogates the numbers aren't "perfect" and they complain. 😅🎢🧪

#Teach180 Day 66
Physics did the tape roll friction lab I got from @danhosey.bsky.social which really makes them think. Also lots of opportunity to think about error. After we learn about inclined planes they'll predict the initial after they measure how far the roll goes up the incline.🧪🎢

#Teach180 Day 65 was the day before a 4 day weekend, almost as tough as Halloween.
AP reviewed Momentum & Impulse basics & did a desmos (now Amplify) card sort, graph drawing & calc practice activity.
Physics reviewed their Fnet quiz and started reviewing some problems based on common mistakes.🎢🧪

#Teach180 Day 64
Physics started on their friction lab today, they determined what they wanted to investigate as possibly affecting the magnitude of the force of friction. One class had variety with students testing texture, mass and speed. The other all tested textures. They write the procedure. 🧪🎢

Poster presentation submissions are being accepted for #AAPTWM26. The submission deadline is November 14th. ow.ly/kXao50X0aF5 #AAPTConference #AAPTMeeting #ITeachPhysics #PhysicsEducation #PhysicsTeachers

#Teach180 Day 63
AP had a test on Gravitation (Force & Ug). We also started reviewing center of mass. Such a change from "find the balance point for fun objects" to CoM of multi-object systems and variable density. Not sure how difficult to make problems about the latter with the CED changes.🎢🧪

#Teach180 Day 62
AP Physics practiced Kepler's 3rd Law by collecting class data using AstriaGraph satellite information. We also applied it to Halley's comet and solar system objects.
Physics learned a bit about friction but not what causes it exactly. They started drafting an inquiry lab. 🎢🧪

#Teach180 Day 61
AP learned about Kepler's Laws and derived the third one. They worry about it not being on the equation sheet until we derive it for a circle.
Physics did a max force lab, making use of string that I was gifted that falls apart very easily. Continuing to reinforce Fnet vs others.🎢🧪

A mesh bag holds 9 orange foam pumpkins on a lab table.

I may have purchased 9 small foam pumpkins on sale ... I may make this theoretical problem into a lab practical. 🎢🧪

#Teach180 Day 60
Halloween.
Minimum day.
Band was gone for a field trip.
Direct instruction learning would be tough. AP worked on a practice problem about g at the bottom and top of Olympic Mons, if Mars was spinning or not.
Physics reviewed some practice and had a short quiz on vertical Fnet.🧪🎢

#Teach180 Day 59
Physics completed a mini-elevator lab, investigating how the lifting force changed with different types of motion. Little stuffed animals went for a ride in old server racks. 🎢🧪

I feel like you could strap a phone to some of the big RC cars. I feel like this should happen!

When a TA "fixed" mine he oiled it and replaced a belt. This seems more serious...
There are simple pump systems now, would the experiments be something you could do with a smaller/cheaper one?