ERIC Number: EJ1162117
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017-Dec
Pages: 1
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0031-921X
EISSN: N/A
Using Guided Inquiry to Teach Academic Language
Parent, Kelley
Physics Teacher, v55 n9 p584 Dec 2017
Introducing new physics phenomena through inquiry labs has been a staple of the successful physics teacher for years. Introducing new vocabulary through lab work, however, is less common. This paper offers an example of a simple and short lab that does just that, and one that I have found to be quite useful in my college prep physics courses to help students construct (and retain) functional definitions of the oft-transposed terms "distance" and "displacement." A standard definition for "displacement" is a change in an object's position, while "distance" would be the entire path traveled by the object, yet my students were using the two terms interchangeably, often saying distance when they really should have referred to displacement. I wanted them to be able to clearly distinguish between the two terms, so I designed a brief experiment that allows students the chance to engage with the concept. My colleagues and I have found that putting the students in charge of their learning with this simple activity helps the students better understand the difference between these two terms.
Descriptors: Science Instruction, Inquiry, Teaching Methods, Physics, Vocabulary, College Preparation, Secondary School Science, Science Laboratories, Scientific Concepts, Concept Formation, Science Experiments
American Association of Physics Teachers. One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740. Tel: 301-209-3300; Fax: 301-209-0845; e-mail: pubs@aapt.org; Web site: http://aapt.scitation.org/journal/pte
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A