Additional Crime Scenes for Projectile Motion Unit

• Published in: The Physics teacher Vol. 49; no. 9; pp. 554 - 556
• Main Authors: Fullerton, Dan, Bonner, David
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Association of Physics Teachers 01.12.2011
• Subjects: Concept Teaching; Crime; Criminology; Inquiry; Investigations; Learner Engagement; Logical Thinking; Motion; Physics; Problem Based Learning; Problem Solving; Science Process Skills; Scientific Concepts; Student Interests; Technology Transfer; Thinking Skills
• ISSN: 0031-921X
• DOI: 10.1119/1.3661100

Building students' ability to transfer physics fundamentals to real-world applications establishes a deeper understanding of underlying concepts while enhancing student interest. Forensic science offers a great opportunity for students to apply physics to highly engaging, real-world contexts. Integrating these opportunities into inquiry-based problem solving in a team environment provides a terrific backdrop for fostering communication, analysis, and critical thinking skills. One such activity, inspired jointly by the museum exhibit "CSI: The Experience" and David Bonner's "TPT" article "Increasing Student Engagement and Enthusiasm: A Projectile Motion Crime Scene," provides students with three different crime scenes, each requiring an analysis of projectile motion. In this lesson students socially engage in higher-order analysis of two-dimensional projectile motion problems by collecting information from 3-D scale models and collaborating with one another on its interpretation, in addition to diagramming and mathematical analysis typical to problem solving in physics.