Mark SchoberJul 22, 20211 minAstronomy Curriculum Materials -- Middle SchoolThe materials linked below are designed for a one-quarter middle school astronomy module. The materials I've created for a semester-long...
Mark SchoberAug 14, 20202 minNewton's Third Law Fidget LabI'm interested in curating a series of hands-on desktop activities that allow students to develop physical intuition for physics...
Mark SchoberAug 14, 20207 min3D-Print Your Own Lab ClampsClamps! You can never have too many, and a great table clamp is indispensable when setting up labs in the physics classroom. But table...
Mark SchoberAug 13, 20203 minCollaboration When the C is CircledA number of Modelers have been asked to remove resources from their websites (including me) as this violates AMTA's fair use policy, and...
Mark SchoberAug 13, 20201 minThe Richness of Learning From One AnotherI was interviewed for the August 2020 Science Modeling Talks podcast. Click the image below and have a listen. In this episode, Mark...
Mark SchoberAug 13, 20203 minWhy the Cow? Accidental Classroom Branding Made IntentionalIn 1998, when I participated in the Modeling workshops at the University of California at Davis, (the Aggies) our group created a t-shirt...
Mark SchoberAug 13, 20203 minDis-covering ContentOne of the criticisms I hear of Modeling Instruction and other student-centered, inquiry-based teaching approaches is that they’re “slow”...
Mark SchoberAug 13, 20202 minModeling Instruction in ChemistryTeaching chemistry from a Modeling perspective was a fantastic experience for me. I particularly loved how seamlessly chemistry and...
Mark SchoberAug 13, 20202 minMeteorology Curriculum MaterialsFor fourteen years, I worked with incomparable colleagues Hazel Jensen, Jerry Taylor, Bill Brinkhorst, and Jim Roble to develop a robust...
Mark SchoberAug 12, 20202 minA New Physics Curriculum ProjectThrough a fantastic collaboration between STEMteachersNYC and New Visions for Public Schools, I have the great privilege to work with...
Mark SchoberAug 12, 20205 minAn 8-Step Transition from Points-Based Grading to Standards-Based GradingEven if you're sold on standards-based grading, the transition can be daunting. Here is a roadmap for sequentially implementing key...
Mark SchoberAug 12, 20206 minA Simple-ish System for Standards-Based GradingThe best advice for implementing SBG is to keep it simple. A complex system can do more harm than good if it mires you in paperwork and...
Mark SchoberAug 12, 20204 minCrafting Multipurpose Learning ObjectivesWell-written learning objectives make expectations clear to students, bring focus to instructional time, encompass the external...
Mark SchoberAug 12, 20207 minGrading Scales, Rubrics, and Adding it All UpOnce you have created your learning objectives and determined assessment questions that address those objectives, you next need to choose...
Mark SchoberAug 12, 20202 minPhysics Extra Practice/Quiz TicketsFor the 9th graders I'm now teaching, I wanted them to have some more tangible extra practice before taking an extra quiz in my...
Mark SchoberAug 12, 20206 minBetter Lab Learning; Easier Lab GradingUsing Standards-Based Grading to Assess Labs I don’t like grading lab reports, and I especially don’t like grading them when I get the...
Mark SchoberAug 12, 20206 minLow-Cost Wave Generator ApparatusThis apparatus is a low-cost wave-driver and amplifier driven by a free smartphone app for investigating wave propagation in strings. ...
Mark SchoberAug 11, 20201 minLED Photoelectric Effect ApparatusI first encountered Wayne Garver's low-cost LED photoelectric effect apparatus at a St. Louis Area Physics Teachers workshop in 2005....
Mark SchoberAug 8, 20202 minSlow Acceleration ApparatusTo help students develop a kinesthetic sense of accelerated motion, it is ideal for them to investigate the acceleration of an object...
Mark SchoberAug 8, 20204 minSpaghetti Bridge LabI start the year in 9th grade physics with a series of short lab investigations emphasizing lab techniques. Developing student fluency in...