Teaching Physics With a Real-World Context

British mathematician Roger Penrose said, “Sometimes it’s the detours which turn out to be fruitful ideas.” As a physics teacher, I’ve filmed or photographed a physics phenomenon, such as a rotating carousel or a rolling shopping cart, because I find it captivating and hope that my students will too. These detours have inspired fruitful learning experiences in my physics class. I can facilitate meaningful engagement by helping students connect what they learn in class with what they observe in the real world. 

I use place-based learning to engage students in their physical environment by encouraging them to ask physics-based questions about their surroundings. Using the walkSTEM philosophy developed by Dr. Koshi Dhingra, students can transform their questions into short, educational videos for the general public. This activity inspired my school to create walkSTEM @ Marymount four years ago.

The value of the current project, walkSTEM East Harlem, can be traced back to the need to cultivate a deeper interest in STEM among girls. A recent report by the Women’s Foundation of Boston suggests that one effective way to foster this interest is by introducing authentic, hands-on learning experiences that are relatable and community-based. 

Project Overview

I first introduced walkSTEM projects in my AP Physics class four years ago when we created a virtual walking tour of Central Park. My students regularly film real-world physics phenomena, and walkSTEM seemed like a natural extension of the work I had already been doing. 

This year, our Upper Campus relocated to East Harlem. This provided an opportunity for my students to learn about their new neighborhood and the hidden examples of physics in the school environs. As such, walkSTEM East Harlem, the final project for Honors Physics 2023–24, was born.

The project kicks off in January and concludes in early May. This timeline gives students multiple opportunities for feedback and revision. It is critical in that their work enters the public sphere; this needs to be their best work.

My students begin the project by observing examples of physics in our local neighborhood. For example, students might observe a hanging sign at a local business (translational and rotational equilibrium) or the door at Starbucks (Newton’s Second Law for Rotation). Students take photos at several locations with their mobile devices and then generate “observable questions” about the locations. Students complete their observations on their own, doing their observations on their way to or from school. This process takes approximately three weeks. Getting good photos of good physics with good questions is essential!

This is one point at which students tend to struggle—finding it hard to write questions that the general public may ask. For example, when thinking about a playground slide, “Why is the slide shiny?” is a better question than “How do you calculate the coefficient of kinetic friction of the slide?” At this point, students get feedback from me and from their peers and settle on one final location and question. 

Once their final location and question have been approved, students are required to produce a 90-second to two-minute video that highlights the location, states the place-based physics question, and provides a plain-language response to the question. This part of the process can present another challenge to students. As they write their scripts, I remind them that “shorter is better.” Here’s an example of an effective storyline arc:

Set the scene: “This is the Pacific Wheel on the Santa Monica Pier. The Santa Monica Pier is one of the most iconic locations in California and is also the western terminus of Route 66.”

Pose the question: “You will notice that the Pacific Wheel rotates at a constant angular velocity. Would the Pacific Wheel’s angular velocity change if there were more people on the Wheel—i.e., the Wheel’s mass was greater?”

Answer the question: “The Wheel is designed to rotate at a specific angular velocity based on a minimum number of people on the ride. Having every car filled will not slow the wheel down.”

Writing the script is often the most challenging part of the project. Students often try to use a combination of mathematics and physics equations to support their explanations. In order to translate complex physics concepts into plain-language explanations, students need a deep understanding of the physics associated with their location and question. While students receive feedback from me and from their peers, they’re also required to get feedback from a “general public audience”—their parents or guardians or a younger sibling. As Roman philosopher Seneca noted, “Docendo discimus,” or, “By teaching, we learn.”

Students then produce their videos using their preferred platform: Adobe Express, Keynote, or Canva. Here again, the narrative and storyline are important. Students are given the following visual presentation structure: 

1. Title card
2. Physics connection
3. Set the scene: Photo or video
4. Set the scene: Location
5. Pose the question: Annotate the photo or video
6. Answer the question: Annotate the photo or video

Then once more to the feedback pool—draft videos are reviewed by their peers and me. This is when students can correct any errors before final publication.

Students then create a “virtual” tour on Google Earth. For each location, students create a placemark and embed the video into it.

You can access our walkSTEM East Harlem tour on Google Earth. 

Student Feedback on the PRoject

In order to produce an effective video, students have to demonstrate a deep understanding of their concept. They really have to know their stuff to explain it well! At the end of the project, students were asked to reflect on their learning experience and were given the following prompts:

1. Comment on how your final project represents your understanding of physics.

2. Comment on how your final project helped connect your understanding of physics to the real world. 

Their responses showed that they had a positive experience using this protocol:

“Our learning went outside the box, both figuratively and literally, and we were able to share the knowledge we gained in bite-sized videos with our community.” 

“I was able to choose my location and question to answer for this project; as a result, I became very interested in my topic—torque—and learned about its importance in the real world.” 

The takeaway: As a physics teacher, I want my students to ask questions about the physics and phenomena they observe in the real world. That’s why I love the walkSTEM protocol. All students have a framework by which they can answer their place-based questions with plain-language explanations for the general public.