Research and Development - PHYSICIST
Activities:
The Physics of Four Olympic Winter Games: A Presentation
Maralinga Testing: A creative response
Biophysics, Photosynthesis & Prof. Graham Farquhar!
Primary
Middle
Secondary
Australian
Curriculum General Capability:
Critical and creative thinking
Australian
Curriculum General Capability:
Personal and social capability
Australian
Curriculum General Capability: ICT Capability
Australian
Curriculum General Capability:
Numeracy
Cooperative
Learning Activity
1. "Why is it so? was the ground-breaking TV series with the enigmatic Professor Julius Sumner Miller - ran on the ABC from 1963 to 1986. Professor Miller's infectious enthusiasm for physics delighted, educated and entertained generations of Australians, most of whom have at some point asked each other 'Why is it so?' in the characteristic Julius Sumner Miller voice." (Source: The Lab)
(Source:
The Lab)
You are to reinvent this show using experiments from Professor Sumner Miller, Dr Karl, The Surfing Scientist or Questacon. In other words, you are to become Professor Julius Sumner Miller and present one video recorded experiment from these sources.
Resources:
 Dr
Karl - Audio - Radio NationalDr Karl is the Julius Sumner Miller Fellow at the University of Sydney, in the Science Foundation of the Physics Department.  |
The
Surfing Scientist |
Questacon  |
|
YouTube:
Results for "Why is it so? Julius Sumner Miller |
2. In groups of two or three
students, look at the different experiments in the resources. Remember, they
have to be a Physics experiment. Choose one experiment to recreate - as a
class make sure that each group has a different experiment. Research the
physics behind your experiment. How will you explain the Physics in a simple
and entertaining way? You are to have fun and express your interest and
enthusiasm for the experiment.
Practice! Did it work out as shown in the resources? Why? Why not? Repeat
the experiment until you are happy with the way you have become "Professor
Sumner Miller"!.
3. Once you are happy with how the experiment worked, you are to divide up jobs -
- one person to be the "Professor" and present the experiment and the physics behind this experiment;
- One person sets up the equipment, is mindful of the safety aspects, and directs the video
- One person to be the camera person
4. Once you have recorded your
video, present your experiment through your video to the class. Watch all
the groups' videos to know more about "Why is it so" in Physics.
Which group was the best at communicating science?
5. You are to enter your video into a National Prize - The Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize
There is a prize pool of $10,000 up for grabs to
be shared between the winners and their schools, and finalist
representatives also win a trip to Sydney for the Australian Museum Eureka
Prizes Award Dinner.
Sponsored by the University of Sydney, the prize encourages students to
explore a scientific concept, discovery or invention, or test their own
scientific hypothesis in a 1-3 minute film.
(Source:
Australian Museum)
Your entry has to be between 1 - 3 minutes in length so you might need to re-record. Good Luck!
The
Physics of Four Olympic Winter Games: A Presentation
Middle
Secondary
Australian
Curriculum General Capability:
Numeracy
Australian
Curriculum General Capability: ICT Capability
1. You are going to investigate the Physics behind one of four Winter Olympic Sports: Snowboarding [cross or halfpipe]; Figure Skating, Speed Skating and Curling!
Read the following articles to get
an idea of what is involved in these sports:
The
Conversation 15 February 2018 |
The
Conversation 16 February 2018 |
The
Conversation 19 February 2014 |
The
Conversation 15 February 2018 |
2. Now that you have some ideas about the sports - select one to investigate the physics of this sport further.
3. You are to use Powtoon or Sway to explain the Physics of your selected winter sport in an entertaining and informative fashion
Maralinga
Testing: A creative response
Secondary
Australian
Curriculum General Capability:
Literacy
Australian
Curriculum General Capability:
Personal and social capability
Australian
Curriculum General Capability:
Critical and creative thinking
Australian
Curriculum General Capability: Ethical Understanding
Australian
Curriculum Cross Curriculum Priorities:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures
Philosophy
This is an individual creative response to this topic
1. Have you heard about
Maralinga and the Atomic Testing in the 1950s? Read the following articles
to get an idea of the topic and its ramifications.
The
Conversation 26 September 2016 |
The
Conversation 28 September 2016 |
Creative
Spirits |
News
16 September 2016 |
SBS:
NITV |
2. Select one aspect from the following list to explore further and present a one minute creative response such as for example: a skit, a poem, a personal reflection, a short story or a drawing/painting.
-
Impact on Indigenous people in the area
-
The difference between fusion and fission
-
The politics of uranium - then and now
-
Radioactive material
-
The Science of Uranium
-
Nuclear waste
-
Nuclear power stations
-
Where can we find uranium in Australia?
-
Impact on the Environment of Maralinga and surrounds
-
The Ethics of Maralinga [lead a class discussion]
Biophysics,
Photosynthesis & Prof. Graham Farquhar!
Secondary
Australian
Curriculum General Capability: Literacy
Cooperative
Learning Activity
1. In groups of 3 - 4 students,
you are to create a Quiz about Professor Graham Farquhar from the
Information Page and the following from
The Conversation 21 October 2015
2. You are to only use ONE of the tools on this page - Quiz Creation. Examine each tool [see below] and then decide as a group which one you will use to create your quiz.
-
Quizlet
-
Kahoot!
-
ProProfs
-
Quizizz, or
-
Metimeter
3. After you have created your quiz, you are to get another group to undertake it. This means that you will have to explain very clearly what this group is to do to obtain the correct result.
Secondary
Australian
Curriculum General Capability: Literacy 
Teacher
- a Physics WebQuest with real life implications
Copyright © On the Job Online
