Learning Physics by Helping Others Author(s): Michael Franzblau Source: The Science Teacher , September 2011, Vol. 78, No. 6, MOTIVATING AND ENGAGING STUDENTS: TEACHING TODAY'S TEENAGERS (September 2011), pp. 65-67 Published by: National Science Teachers Association Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/24148370

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This content downloaded from 86.59.13.237 on Tue, 15 Jun 2021 11:14:28 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms Why it works who cancan mirror mirror write?" write?" I have I have never never what what they they are are doing. doing. They They are are visual- visual Why it works had aa studentstudent whowho could could do do so so at at the the izing izing how how the the letter letter looks looks forward forward and andMirror Mirror writing writing asks asks students students to lookto look beginning of the activity.activity. I1 thinkthink thisthis isis backward.backward. I tellI tell students students that that it's goodit's goodat everyday at everyday things things from froma different a different mostly because they've nevernever thoughtthought toto look look at at ideas ideas and and problems problems from from perspective. perspective. It also It alsoencourages encourages them them to to about doing doing it. it. I tell I tell them them they they can learn can differentlearn different perspectives. perspectives. try something try something out of out the of ordinary.the ordinary. As As to mirrormirror write,write, andand that that it's it's very very easy. easy. In In the the final final demonstration, demonstration, I write I write a teacher, a teacher, you you have have the the ability ability to introto intro I then inviteinvite studentsstudents toto try, try, and and normally normally with with my my right right hand hand and and mir- mir duce duce your your students students to tonew new and and chal chal ask themthem toto shareshare what what they they are are think- think ror ror write write with with my my left left at theat the same same time time lenging lenging learning learning experiences. experiences. When When ing aboutabout whenwhen mirrormirror writing writing with with (Figure (Figure 3A). 3A). I then I then mirror mirror write write with with ever ever my mystudents students are arestruggling struggling with with their dominantdominant hands. hands. Most Most students students my my right right and and write write normally normally with with my mya newa new science science concept, concept, I remind I remind them them reflect thatthat it it is is a avery very different different pro- pro left left at theat thesame same time time (Figure (Figure 3B). This 3B). of This the of mirror the mirror writing writing experience. experience. I ask I ask cess compared toto howhow theythey normally normally is iseasier easier than than it soundsit sounds and and looks, looks, but butthem them how how they they got got better better at mirrorat mirror write—the lettersletters dodo notnot start, start, stop, stop, or or itit doesdoes getget some some disbelieving disbelieving looks looks writing, writing, and andthey they always always say: say: "By "By prac prac attach to to one one another another in familiar in familiar ways. fromways. students. from students. tiring." Then ticing." I ask Thenhow I theyask how will they make will make Students findfind theythey needneed toto visualize visualize Throughout Throughout the school the school year, year, I have I havethis new this science new science concept concept their their own, own, and and what aa letterletter lookslooks likelike in in reverse reverse and and students students continue continue to practice to practice mirror mirror their reply their is replythe same: is the "By same: practicing!" "By practicing!" how itit attaches attaches to tothe the next next letter. letter. writing. writing. On someOn some exit exitsurveys, surveys, I en I en "The next step," I tell students, "is"is toto courage courage them them to to answer answer questions questions this this Deena Deena S. Harper S. Harper (deena_harper@tamu [deena_harper@tamu mirror writewrite inin cursivecursive with with your your non- non way. way. I alsoI also use use mirror mirror writing writing for foran- ancommerce.edu) commerce.edu) is an isassistant an assistant professor professor dominant hand."hand." II demonstratedemonstrate thisthis nouncements nouncements or assignmentsor assignments that that stay stay at Texas at Texas A&M A&M University University in Commerce.in Commerce. (Figure 2B) 2B) and and then then challenge challenge them them on the on whiteboard. the whiteboard. Students Students catch catch on to on to Reference to trytry it,it, too. too. I Imention mention that that when when they they why why I doI do this—they this—they know know they they have have to to write likelike this, this, they they are are going going beyond beyond take take extra extra care care to readto read and and understand understand National National Research Research Council Council (NRC). (NRC). 1996. 1996. the obvious,obvious, and and really really thinking thinking about aboutthe message. the message. National science education National science standards. education standards. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. figureFIGURE 3a 3A I ■ WritingWriting with dominant handwith while mirror dominant writing with hand while mirror writing with nondominant.nondominant. Learning Physics Learning Physics by by Helping Others I recently came outout ofof retireretire ment to teachteach atat thethe samesame schoolschool I left almost 2020 yearsyears ago.ago. II missed teaching physicsphysics andand was looking forward toto anan excitexcit ing and challenging yearyear ahead.ahead. FIGUREFIGURE 3B^ ÎB H 'I ' But I was unsure how I would WritingWriting with nondominant with nondominanthand motivate mywhile students: They mirror had writing hand with while mirror writing with dominant. already lost two physics teachers that year, and I was to become their third in as many months. At the school where I taught, every student takes one of four physics courses: Advanced Placement B or C, Regents, or

September 2011 65

This content downloaded from 86.59.13.237 on Tue, 15 Jun 2021 11:14:28 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms ¥ Idea Bank

Conceptual. GuidanceGuidance counselors counselors ♦ be distributed ♦ be distributed to the targetto the targetpopula- popula sessment, including sessment, lab experiments,including lab experiments, place studentsstudents in in these these courses courses ac ac- tion by tion a nonprofitby a nonprofit or nongovern-or nongovern quizzes, quizzes, and tests, and 1 was tests, confident I was confident cording to to their their academic academic abilities, abilities, mental mental organization organization (NGO) (NGO) with with that students that students understood understood each of each of and manymany inin Conceptual Conceptual Physics Physics a successful a successful track track record.record. these principles these at theprinciples level required, at the level required. resentresent being beingplaced there. placed The teach there. The teach- We held three We bake held three sales bake in sales March in March ersers work work hard to hardkeep these to students keep these Students students researched Students several years researched and April. several By May, years we had and raised April. By May, we had raised interestedinterested and involved, and but involved, it's always but of Tech it's Award always winners of Tech(see "On Award enough winners money to(see purchase "On enough equip money to purchase equip anan uphill uphill battle. battle.For my students, For losmy students, the web"), los- who theuse technology web"), who in mentuse fortechnology seven nut shellers. in mentWe sent for seven nut shellers. We sent inging their their first two first teachers two only teachersmade creativeonly madeways to creativebenefit society. ways After to thebenefit money society. to the Full After Belly Project, the money to the Full Belly Project, mattersmatters worse. worse. finding dozens finding of potential dozens ofdevices, potential and devices, the organizationand the organization purchased purchased the the In anticipationanticipation of of this this problem, problem, students I students I chose one chose that metone mostthat met equipment most equipment and shipped and it toshipped it to peanut created a real-worlda real-world physics physics project of projecttheir of their criteria: criteria: the universal the universal nut farmers nut farmers in Chilombe, in Chilombe, . We Malawi. also We also I hopedhoped wouldwould engage engage and and excite excite sheller—a my my sheller—a low-tech, low-tech, inexpensive inexpensive included aincluded small video a camerasmall and video in camera and in students. II introducedintroduced the the project project peanut-shelling with with peanut-shelling machine. machine. June, June, we received we received a "thank ayou" "thank video you" video a simplesimple question: question: Did Did they they want want toWe Welearned—to to learned—to our amazement— our amazement— in return. in Our return. nut shellers Our are nut now shellers are now learn physicsphysics while while improving improving lives that lives in 500 that in million 500 million people people in 100 in coun 100benefiting coun- benefiting several thousand several people thousand people a distantdistant country?country? This This immediately immediately tries depend tries depend on on peanuts for their forin Malawi. their in Malawi. struck aa chord,chord, andand students students wanted wantedlivelihood to to livelihood or food supply. or food A supply. dozen This A dozen experience This changedexperience my changedap my ap hear more. more. I explainedI explained that that we could we people couldpeople must must work work all day all today shell to shellone proach one to proach teaching to Conceptual teaching Physics.Conceptual Physics, research innovative innovative devices devices that use that usebushel bushel of peanuts.of peanuts. It's hard,It's hard, tedious tedious Students Studentswere interested were in interestedhow the in how the physics to to help help people people in underdevelin underdevel- work work and oftenand often results results in bleeding in bleeding machines machines worked, so worked, they wanted so they to wanted to oped countries.countries. Once Once we weidentified identified a fingers. a fingers. But Butwith with the theuniversal universal nut learn nut the learn physics the involved. physics They involved. were They were useful device,device, we we could could raise raise money money sheller, sheller, one personone person can shell can ashell bushel amost bushel proud most of theirproud social of theirgood. Onesocial good. One and sendsend the the devices devices to ato needy a needy popula popula- of peanuts of peanuts in one inhour. one Accordinghour. According student commented: student commented: tion. MyMy students students were were pretty pretty excited excited to the to inventor, the inventor, peanut peanut farmers farmers who who aboutabout the the idea. idea. use this machine use this can machine increase can increase their their "To accomplish "To accomplish such asuch huge a huge task task incomeincome tenfold! tenfold! makes me feel makes very me feel strong very strong about about The universal nut sheller StudentsStudents then thencontacted contacted the Full the myself, Full myself,and knowing and that knowing I was a that I was a ThanksThanks to theto flexibilitythe flexibility in our Con in Belly our Con-Project, Belly a North Project, Carolina a North part ofCarolina- something partlike that of is somethingsome like that is some ceptualceptual Physics Physics curriculum, curriculum, I was able based I was nonprofit able based organization nonprofit that organization thing I won't forget. that Allthing of what I won't forget. All of what toto dedicate dedicate one oneclass classperiod perioda week distributesa week universaldistributes nut shellers universal to nutwe learned shellers (including to we the learnedphysics) (including the physics) toto this this project project throughout throughout the school thevillages school in 12 villagescountries, into 12find countries, out grabbed to my find interest out andgrabbed my at my interest and my at year.year. The The first firststep was step to identify was anto howidentify we could an workhow wetogether could (see work tention. together Our class (see learned tention. things Our class learned things appropriate device. device. With With my help,my help,"On the "On web"). the web"). that no one thatever no learnsone ever orlearns knows or knows in in students developed developed a list a oflist criteria; of criteria; Students Students also also prepared prepared a Power a Power- their their high highschool school career." career." thethe device device had to had to Point presentation Point presentation describing describing the the project, and and presented presented it to itthe toPortable the Portable solar light solar light ♦♦ involve involve an understandable an understandable level of level school's of administration.school's administration. As a result, The As following a result, year, The my following Conceptual year, my Conceptual physics,physics, we were able to wepurchase were able a scaleto purchase Physics a scale classes Physics wanted classes wantedto continue to continue ♦♦ solve solve an important an important problem for problem model for of themodel universal of thenut sheller universal the nut project. sheller Students the once project. again vis Students once again vis thethe end end user, user, for our classroom for ourand classroomlearn the and phys- learn ited the thephys ited Tech the TechAwards Awards website website andand ♦♦ be be in inproduction production and cost underand cost under ics icsinvolved—principles involved—principles of of work,work, found found the portable the portable solar light, solar which light, which $100$100 per per unit, unit, energy, levers, energy, torque, levers, friction, torque, and friction, uses nanotechnology-based and uses nanotechnology-based solar ma solar ma ♦♦ bebe fully fully and andimmediately immediately utilized, utilized, simple simple machines—firsthand. machines—firsthand. After After terial terial to collect to collect and store and solar store en solar en andand several weeks of instruction several weeks and of instructionas- ergy. and The as material ergy. The can material be sewn can beinto sewn into

66 The Science Teacher

This content downloaded from 86.59.13.237 on Tue, 15 Jun 2021 11:14:28 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms clothing,clothing, backpacks, backpacks, or bags or and, bags the and,students, the students, the peoplethe people who whoreceive receive after three three hours hours of bright of bright sunlight, sunlight, the the technology, technology, and and the the teacher teacher who who Want to write provides enough enough electricity electricity to light to a lightleads leads thea the project. project. Imagine Imagine the the poten poten roomroom for for eight eight hours hours or fully or charge fully tial charge tialif hundreds if hundreds of teachers of teachers across across the the for a cellcell phone. phone. country adopted country this adopted project, this project, involv involv Through bake bake sales sales and and individual individual ing thousands ing thousandsof students in of a science students inThe a science Science donations, wewe raisedraised $1,300 $1,300 and and based pur pur- humanitarian based humanitarian effort they will effort they will chased 2020 portable portable solar solar lights. lights. With never With forget! never forget! Teacher? the helphelp ofof anotheranother NGO,NGO, Ubuntu Ubuntu at at Work (see(see "On"On thethe web"),web"), female female Michael mi mi- Franzblau Michael michael.franzblau® Franzblau (michael.franzblau® See our croentrepreneurs inin Bangalore,Bangalore, India, India,gmail.com) gmail.com) is a physics teacheris a physics at Westlake teacher at Westlake are now incorporating these lights High SchoolTirMount Pleasant, New York. Call for PapersPapers intoareinto nowclothing clothing incorporating and other and hand-crafted otherthese lights hand-crafted High SchoolTrH^ount Pleasant, New York. On the web materialsmaterials with with which whichthey can theystart can start orion pagepage 68. aa business.business. Full Belly Project: www.thefullbellyproject.org Full Belly Project: www.thefullbellyproject.org Once again, my students and I Tech Tech Awards:Awards: www.techawards.org www.techawards.org were amazedamazed atat howhow satisfying satisfying it it was was UbuntuUbuntu at at Work: Work: http:llubuntuatwork..org http://ubuntuatwork.org to helphelp peoplepeople in in an an underdeveloped underdeveloped country. And, And, once once again, again, my my students students learned aa lot lot of of physics, physics, including including the the photoelectric effect, effect, p-n p-n junctions, junctions, and and UNIVERSITYUniversity OFof MARYLANDMaryland how electricityelectricity is is stored stored and and used used to to produce light.light. Gsd-OtT Ge/f S-bw+eJl, S+vw-kA, GeT GeT AImu\

"...I finallyfinally did did something something real real and and ma Urpe/ valuable. The The project project helped helped us usbe be more thankful and realize how EnhanceEnhance your your knowledge, knowledge, increase your increase I your I fortunate we are. You taught us expertise,expertise, and advanceand advance your career. your f career. f that we have the power to change someone's life. I will never forget •• DesignedDesigned for formiddle middle and high and school high school #; science teachers teachers f -M-~ - T , —^ this experience." f * T—it sWKYl' • •Offers Offers 30-credit 30-credit online master's degreeonline that ismaster's degree that is interactive and rich in content This student decided to pursue a • Focuses on current research areas in the biological, career in physics as a result of his ex biochemical, and biomedical sciences u\ perience. He is now enrolled in a local • Taught by dynamic experts in the field community college, where he is taking a full load of physics and math courses. Office of of Extended Extended Studies Studies Conclusion oes.umdTedu TiruA

September 2011 67

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