Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Recommended Resources Physics for young kids

Sorry if this has been brought up before...

I decided to do some afterschooling for my underchallenged DS6 (2nd grade). Looks like we're going with once/week physics. My idea behind this is to give him some math challenge as it comes up in physics - rather than more drill-type math.

Anyone have recommendations for an organized approach to teaching physics to a young kid? Some online (esp. free ) resources would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Hi Jool,

We did a great deal of physics with our DS(now 8) starting when he was three (or even earlier), just because DH and I are both scientists. DS would listen in to our dinnertime conversations and make comments, even at a young age. I remember explaining a lunar eclipse to DS when he was nearly 3. So I think young kids are quite capable of learning the concepts. However, we did not emphasis the mathematical aspects of physics, just because the math can be challenging at this point. There may be tons of free or nearly free physics resources out there that delve into the math component... I'm just not as familiar with them. Several people here have mentioned the Bite Sized Physics on-line class, and I'm sure that they can chime in about it.

We decided to teach the conceptual or intuitive components of physics, or what in college would be called 'physics for poets'. And surprisingly enough, these are the things that most people learn wrong early in life. If you ask most people why we have seasons, they will respond that it is due to the elliptical orbit of the Earth (closer in summer and farther in winter). While the Earth's orbit is slightly elliptical, the main reason for the seasons is due instead to the tilt of the Earth on its axis. (tilting towards the sun in summer and away from the sun in winter). There are many instance where commonly held views about how the world works are not true. And once those ideas have been learned, it is very hard for physics teachers later on to correct them.

So you might find that you can teach a great deal of physics without any math, such as how do you feel the acceleration when you are in an elevator (when it goes up vs when it does down), or what would happen to a ball if you threw it up while riding in an elevator? Even such simple concepts as the difference between velocity and acceleration cause most students problems. Think of the classic example of a bunch of helium-filled balloons in a car... what happens to the balloons when you slam on the brakes for a red light? And then you can also get more esoteric by explaining atoms and the periodic table of elements based on your basic lego bricks.

I guess I'm saying that the world is filled with physics examples that we see every day and never think about: rainbows, why the sky is blue, why does the pitch on the siren on an ambulance change as it goes past you, how do eyeglasses work, why does your tv remote work, why do we pour salt on the roads in winter, why when we drop two balls of different masses do they fall at the same rate, why do things float in the bathtub? All of that is physics. If you just explain the world that surrounds your child to them, then you will be surprised at how much physics they will know.

I propose that if they make our kids suffer through everyday math, there should be a corresponding amount of time in school devoted to "everyday science"!! My DS would have loved that in those early years of elementary school!

And I know that you are looking for a way to apply math to science, in order to supplement the math curriculum. I will have to ask DH about this when he gets home. I'll report back. (or others may answer in the meantime!)

Jool:

I have a guest coming to dinner and a filthy house, so I'm just tossing websites up for you fast. Please forgive the relative lack of commentary, rhyme or reason.

(video of feather and hammer drop on the moon)
http://fantasticcontraption.com/
http://fantasticcontraption.com/credits.html (contains a list of physics games that the FC creators recommend)
http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Physics/8-01Physics-IFall1999/CourseHome/
http://discovermagazine.com/twominutesorless
http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/cms/?pid=1000003 (free subscriptions!)
http://www.edheads.org/ (including simple machines)
http://www.ellenjmchenry.com/
http://www.howtoteachscience.com/freestuff/labs_demonstrations_and_activites.html
http://www.koshland-science-museum.org/teachers/index.jsp
http://www.funschooling.net/2008/10/living-science-ideas-updated-often.html
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/25apr_cvx2.htm?list270826 (the physics of whipped cream)
http://krampf.com/members/experiment-videos
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/teacher_resources/main/activity.html#pc2
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/page/sciencecourse
http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiments/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/inourtime/inourtime_science.shtml
http://www1.curriculum.edu.au/maths300/m300bits/000workm.htm (about working mathematically)

And here are some free worksheets, in case you can find something in all of them that might be useful--I didn't troll through them, obviously!
http://www.didax.com/freeworksheets/

It's a start, at least...

K-

Wow, Kriston. That is a list of science resources that makes me DOK. Thanks!! I look forward to diving in and exploring... <don't mind me if I disappear for a few hours... or days!>

I collect them, though I all-too-rarely use them. ( again!)

Hopefully there's something in there that you can make work for you.

P.S. Just to be clear, this isn't my complete list of science links--I'm only giving you physics-related stuff! I have other sites for biology and chemistry...

I think HSing has made me compulsive about bookmarking every website I might *ever* need! I'm so weird!

Weird is good!

DS8 is doing a unit on 'simple machines' - this phrase googled might get you places...

I found this which sounds a bit like what ebeth is talking about:
http://qbx6.ltu.edu/s_schneider/physlets/main/index.shtml

Kriston, thanks for the resources. E-beth, thanks for your insight. DS loves the book, "The Way Things Work". I definitely want to cover general concepts about motion, force, magnetism, etc. as they apply to everyday life and do some cool experiments.

DS has an easy time understanding these concepts on a basic level. The idea of adding the math component is to give his brain the workout that other kids are getting in school. I was considering doing ALECS or Singapore Math, but Physics just seemed a more enriching use of math to me. Now he does have major gaps in his math knowledge since he hasn't had formal math acceleration, but with the use of a calculator and his understanding of arithmetic and algebra, maybe it could work...

"How It's Made" and "Mythbusters" might be good TV shows to work in, maybe. They're good for showing science in action anyway.

And I agree, Chris, weird is good.

Chris: That web site is really cool. The physlets are completely awesome. I did the steering the boat to get ice cream, and it was fantastic. Thanks for the link!!

Does anyone know how to post a file that others can download? I could post a sample file of "physics for poets" test questions, if anyone was interested. That would let you know what the average, non-scientist, college student knows and understands about physics, which is painfully little. (one student couldn't do a simple test question about seasons because they didn't know where Australia was???) I also have a file that describes how to build an electronic rooster from Snap Circuits that people here might like. It uses a simple photodetector to trigger an alarm... When the sun comes up, i.e. light shines on it, the alarm will go off. I would love to share, but don't know how?

I wish I could help, ebeth. I'd love to get my hands on that info! (All of it!)

I hope you figure it out. Thanks for being willing to share.