Shanna Shaked​: Physics & STEM Education Expert

For the final project, here are the specific criteria: 

• For this final project, we cannot accept late submissions, so that peers have enough time to assess projects by the end of the quarter. 

• Do not write your name on your draft to keep things anonymous

• FORMAT OF FINAL PRESENTATION: Submit a final, polished presentation that includes all elements below: (in video, powerpoint, website, script of outreach presentation, etc.)

  • Many of you have audiences where it would not be appropriate to show them detailed calculations. So you don't need to include calculations in your final presentation, but then you should include the final value in your actual presentation, with some conceptual reasoning for that value, and a footnote reference to an appendix for each value you include:

    • Either an appendix slide at the end,

    • An appendix video where you work everything out,

    • Or the right section of appendix document (with valid link) that clearly indicates calculations for each value used in your presentation.

• EYU: A picture of your visuals and/or implementation with supporting documentation in any form is fine.  If you are going for the 15%, you should have asked Kelly what was needed for that, and submit as requested.

• QUESTION: Ask a question other than "How does this work?" (see syllabus for examples). One student example was: "Is it possible to get lifted in the air by balloons, like in the movie 'Up'?" Examples of questions you shouldn't ask include: "How is projectile motion involved in a tennis game?", since these should be questions a non-physics student would ask. Instead, you can ask "Why is a certain type of serve hard to return?", and then use projectile motion to answer the question.

• Elegant Mind Biophysics Research: Express a question that you understand this research or your specific experiments are trying to answer, and why that question is important, interesting or relevant. 

• EYU Outreach: Express a real-world application of your demo and how your demo helps the audience understand that better.

• TWO CONCEPTS: Describe how it involves something moving and something rotating.

  • Elegant Mind Biophysics Research: It may not involve something rotating for your experiments, so explain that you are not able to focus on that, and that is excused.

  • EYU Outreach: This should be true for every demo. If there is no rotation, you can explain that something is kept stable by multiple forces (we will learn more about that in the last few weeks).

• QUANTIFY: Accurately quantify three of the following five as part of answering your question. At least one of the three concepts should be #4 or #5, which should now be quantified as well:

  1. velocity and/or acceleration 

  2. free body diagram of at least one object, with forces quantified

  3. energy conservation and/or momentum conservation

  4. Angular rotation and/or Torque/Stability 

  5. Angular momentum 

  • Note that each quantification should not be a random side calculation. Instead it should serve as a step in the answer to your question. 

  • Estimate quantities so that you can calculate actual numbers.

  • Elegant Mind Biophysics Research: 

    • You can do #1 and #2 as follows: Read the instructions to T1 and T2, and describe how you would calculate the speed if you had a set of x- and y-coordinates at every time t. Predict a value for the speed (it's okay if it's way off from the actual value, but provide reasoning for your prediction). Estimate forces acting on the worm and draw an FBD. 

    • In lieu of #3-#5: complete experiments T1-T3 and include your answers to all questions asked for those.

  • EYU Outreach: This can all be applied to your demos.

• CHECK: Do each of your values make sense? Explain by comparing to other values or verifying with video for each final value related to the three topics you selected above.

• AUDIENCE: Describe your intended audience, why they would be interested in this topic, and how you plan to evaluate their learning. 

  • Show evidence of your intended audience. (This can include emails or screenshots that indicate how and when you plan to present your RWA by Dec. 3 (A reflection on your presentation is due Friday Dec. 4). 

  • Include at least two audience questions embedded in your presentation to ensure they understand one part before moving on to the next. (Okay for EYU participants to only have one.)

  • Include at least one question at the end of your presentation to see if they got the main points. (Can be on slides or post-presentation survey, with link that is available to everyone.)  

  • Include at least one question at the end of your presentation asking what you can do next time to make your presentation more clear/interesting/educational/entertaining. (Can be on slides or post-presentation survey, with link that is available to everyone.) (EYU participants: refer to questions you asked Kelly or other participants about how to improve when practicing.)

  • Elegant Mind Biophysics Research: Your audience will either be a friend or family member to whom you explain what you did when complete (for the 10% option) or an outreach group (for the 15% option), so include evidence for either.

  • EYU Outreach: You have also embedded questions in your demo, so follow instructions above. 

• QUALITY: Have clear presentation, text, figures and sections, with at least one computer-made original figure and citations (website okay) for all un-original text and figures. Valid for Elegant Minds and EYU as well.

Here are some FAQs you may have:

Can I get an extension on my assessment portion? No, you cannot hand in a late peer assessment, because CCLE does not accept late assessments, and we need  to release peer reviews, so students can respond to feedback before final due date.  

Even if working in a group, do we each need to submit a draft? How do I submit my draft?

Yes, each person needs to submit a draft, even if the same as that of other group members. 

Can I change my question from my original idea? 

Yes, you can change at any time. 

How will this be graded?

Your peers will grade your submissions based on a rubric that is built using the specific criteria above, so just hand in something that clearly addresses each criterion above. Check syllabus RWA section for grade breakdown of each draft.