Lesson Plan What Is Physics

Lesson Plan: What is physics?
Class level Class Time Materials

Middle School  3 min video  Computer & Projector
 15 min discussion  Internet access
 45min in-class or homework  Photocopy of images (or use projector)
extension  Copies of questions during video
 Copies of worksheets
Objectives:
 Explain physics in relation to other scientific fields and explain what a physicist does.
 Emphasize that anyone can be a physicist.
 Expand on interesting research pursuits in physics.
Overview:
As a class, the students will discuss ideas of what a physicist does/ looks like. The students will
choose from a series of photos (including Albert Einstein and Big Bang Theory character
Sheldon Cooper). Then the teacher should explain a bit about physics, and what physicists do.
Then students will watch the video. After this the students will go through discussion questions.
If there is extra class time, there is an optional in class assignment that could also be a homework
assignment.
Place in Course?
Beginning Motivation and introduction (especially to physics section in a Physical Sciences
course)
Middle For a substitute teacher; Between course units or after a test
End Include an extension where students find connections between the material they
studied in class and what the women discuss in the video
Background:
HERStories is a series of videos recorded at the 5th International Conference on Women in
Physics at Waterloo, Canada, August, 2014. All interviewees were delegates to the conference.
The project was supported by the National Science Foundation Grant #1419453 and presented by
the American Physical Society, the American Association of Physics Teachers and the Society of
Physics Students. The videos share experiences and wisdom from women in physics in order to
encourage young girls to explore a career in physics.
Common Core Standards:

CCS.ELA-LITERACY.SL6.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative
CCS.ELA-LITERACY.SL7.1 discussions with diverse partners on grade 6 (7 or 8)
CCS.ELA-LITERACY.SL8.1 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and
expressing their own clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.2 Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text;
provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from
prior knowledge or opinions.
Teacher Guide:
1. Present Who Are Physicists photos below and ask students to identify which of these
people they think are Physicists?
Answer Key: All except one.
Albert Einstein Marie Curie Not a Physicist.

An actor: Jim Parsons
Stephen Hawking Silvia Torres-Peimbert Renee Horton

(in the video) (in the video)
2. What do students think Physicist’s do?

Answer (from http://www.physics.org/article-questions.asp?id=18):
 A physicist is a scientist who studies matter, energy, and the interaction between
them, but what that really means is that physics is about asking fundamental questions
and trying to answer them by observing and experimenting.
 Often physicists ask questions like how did the universe begin and what are the basic
building blocks of matter.
 Physicists work as engineers, astronomers, computer scientists, biomedical engineers,
scientific policy makers and in all kinds of other scientific fields. Some physicists
work for NASA and others help develop video games and sports equipment. Some
physicists work on how to treat cancer and predicting earthquakes.
3. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o49H76Y2Xc. Students watch and take
notes (see sample questions).
4. Discussion questions:
 What did the women say got them interested in Physics and science?
 What do you think is interesting about science?
 What things are the women working on in physics?
 Do you think anyone can be a physicist? Do you think you could be a physicist one day?
 What areas in science generally or physics specifically do you find compelling? What
would you be interested in studying further? How might you pursue this field of study?
5. Possible Homework or In Class Assignment:
Have each student go home and look up an area of Physics (possible choices: atomic and
molecular physics, astronomy, biophysics, chemical physics, computational physics,
condensed matter physics, cosmology, laser physics, materials science, nuclear physics, and
particle physics) and complete the attached worksheet or write a paragraph about that area of
physics that answered the following:
 Why is this field important?
 How are scientists making discoveries in this field, are they conducting experiments, are
the building models, are they doing calculations, etc.?
 Who is a scientist that has played a major role in this field? What are they famous for?
 What is one question in this field that you find particularly interesting?
Additional Resources: Seven Myths About High School Physics:

http://www.aps.org/programs/education/highschool/teachers/7myths.cfm
http://www.aps.org/programs/education/upload/7-Myths-About-High-School-Physics.pdf
Photo credits:
Silvia Torres-Peimbert: http://icwip2014.wlu.ca/?id=page&slug=participants
Marie Curie: AIP Emilio Segre Visual Archives, W.F. Meggers Gallery of Nobel Laureates:
https://photos.aip.org/history-programs/niels-bohr-library/photos/curie-marie-a2
Albert Einstein: Photograph by Oren Jack Turner.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein#/media/File:Albert_Einstein_Head.jpg
Renee Horton: http://uswip.org/Delegation.html
Stephen Hawking: NASA. Public Domain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hawking#/media/File:Stephen_Hawking.StarChild.jpg
Credits for Big Bang Theory Photos (in worksheet and video):
CBS Networks. Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper. Digital image. CBS.com. Web.
CBS Networks. Sheldon and Cooper contemplate physics. Digital image.CBS.com. CBS
Network, Web.
Who Are Physicists?
Worksheet: What is Physics?
Name___________________________________________________ Date___________
Answer the following questions while watching the video:
1. What did the women say got them interested in physics? (list at least 2 reasons)
2. What are some of the things that the physicists in the video do? (list at least 2)
3. What advice do the women in the video have for future scientists?
4. What areas in science generally or physics specifically do you find interesting?

Homework: What is Physics?
Name___________________________________________________ Date___________
1. What is the field of physics you are researching?
2. How are scientists making discoveries in this part of physics? For example, are they
conducting experiments or making models or doing calculations? (Answer in complete
sentences.)
3. Find the names of some scientists that work in this area. (List the names and locations.)
Describe what one of them is working on and why it is important for the field. (Answer in
complete sentences.)
4. What would you ask of someone that works in this field? (Answer in a complete
sentence.)

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Lesson Plan: What is physics?

Class level Class Time Materials

Common Core Standards:

Albert Einstein Marie Curie Not a Physicist.

Stephen Hawking Silvia Torres-Peimbert Renee Horton

2. What do students think Physicist’s do?

5. Possible Homework or In Class Assignment:

Additional Resources: Seven Myths About High School Physics:

Answer the following questions while watching the video:

4. What areas in science generally or physics specifically do you find interesting?

1. What is the field of physics you are researching?

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