Measuring angles from photo
Amtul asked how to measure angles on a digital photo of light reflecting off a curved mirror, here's how to do it in GeoGebra. First I insert the image (a screen shot from Algodoo). Then make it the background...
Going to extremes
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The big bang
The PhET simulation is great but you can't beat real balloons for introducing electric fields. This year I bought extra big ones, not so good at sticking to walls but they make a big bang....
Unit Plans
Whitgift has spent this academic year gearing up for our five-year review. In the Physics department, this means ensuring that our Unit Plans are up-to-date and live. We have several IB teachers so, to...
Getting started?
It's always humbling to welcome new users to ThinkIB Physics, and to know that we're serving the needs and wants of our experienced subscribers too. As we near the end of Emma's 'vlog series' (two great...
Practical work (and Paper 3)
May Papers 1 and 2 have been and gone and now it's the turn of Paper 3. As well as revising the theoretical content of Measurements and uncertainties we should also remind our students that there are...
Group 4 Project
The Group 4 project is a compulsory 10 hour teamwork task for all IB Diploma students (not just physicists). Unassessed and ungraded, it is often a highlight of the programme for students and teachers...
Single slit distraction
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Extended Essay
We don't have huge IB cohorts at Whitgift, but quite a few of the students choose physics for their extended essay subject. This year I supervised a student who investigated how the concentration of cornflour...
Activities
It's possible to teach physics as a 'lord of the board'. In fact, many of us do. There are many good reasons why, including controlling the pace of learning, ensuring that we cover the course and being...