C1 2010 Home-Based Learning: Do-It-Yourself Physics

1. C1 2010 Home-Based Learning:Do-It-Yourself Physics

2. DIY Physics • Read the instructions in this PPT presentation carefully and thoroughly before embarking on the assignment.

3. DIY Physics • This assignment involves you carrying out a physics demonstration/experiment at your own home. • The objective is to entice you to the fun of getting your hands dirty and performing investigations of your own. • Observe safety precautions at all time.

4. Step 1: Choose a task • The following is a list of websites that provide demos/expts that one can carry out at home. Browse through them to decide on one task that you will Do-it-yourself. • http://www.thenakedscientists.com/ • http://www.csiro.au/resources/PhysicsActivities.html • http://scitoys.com/ • http://www.instructables.com/id/Science/ • http://www.pitt.edu/~dwilley/Show/menu.html • http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/scenario/demos.htm • http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/HomeExpts/HOMEEXPTS.HTML • http://www.physicscentral.org/experiment/physicsathome/rocket-balls.cfm • Any episode of Mr G’s “Do try this at home” on http://www.youtube.com (search for: physics experiments at home, do try this at home)

5. Step 2: Film it • Make a video (not exceeding 3 mins) of you performing the chosen task. • IMPORTANT: It must be clear from the video that it was an original video from you and not one downloaded from the internet. • You can appear in the video, OR • You can place a card bearing your name in the background of your demo.

6. Step 3: Think of an extension • Think of an extension to the original task. • The extension could take the form of achieving the same result in another way (e.g. change some material here, make some modification there) • Or the demo could be tweaked to show another physics concept. • The extension should allow you to demonstrate your understanding of the physics behind the task.

7. Step 4: Film the extension • Make a video (not exceeding 3 mins) of you performing the extension task.

8. Step 5: Upload • Upload both your videos to a video-sharing website. We recommend www.youtube.com

9. Content with vulgarities, obscenities, racial and religious prejudice are strictly disallowed. • Swift school disciplinary action will be taken against offenders.

10. Step 6: Submission Template • Fill up the submission template (the 2nd attachment in the EMB). • This includes filling in the URLs of the source your chosen task, and your own videos. • It also includes a 150-word write up to explain the extension task.

11. The demo/experiment should be entirely your own work! • Swift school disciplinary action will be taken against ALL involved in submitting a work that was not done by you. • You can discuss with friends, but you must DO-IT-YOURSELF.

12. Step 7: Email your tutor • Name your file in the format • “CLASS NAME – TITLE of SUBMISSION.doc”. • E.g. “10S6Z Tan Ah Teck – Egg in a Bottle.doc” • Email the document to your tutor

13. List of Tutors’ emails • Mr Chua Kah Hean chuakh@hc.edu.sg • Miss Esther Tay esthertay@hc.edu.sg • Mr Ho Hon Wing hohw@hc.du.sg • Mr Lee Lih Juinn leelj@hc.edu.sg • Mrs Leo-Chua Hui Li Teri chuahl@hc.edu.sg • Dr Lim Jit Ning limjn@hc.edu.sg • Mrs Loh-Lam Yen Ling lohyl@hc.edu.sg • Mr Tan Oon How tanoh@hc.edu.sg

14. Marking Rubric NOTE: One mark will be deducted if the write-up on the task extension exceeds the 150 word limit.

15. Sample • To make things really simple and self-explanatory to you, we have provided a sample submission in the EMB (the 3rd attachment in this EMB) • Make sure you view the videos to get a feel of our expectations. • Sample video of ‘Egg in a bottle’ : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4IVy_CZEcs • Sample video of ‘Egg in a bottle’ extension : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O9BLun8RsY

16. DEADLINE • 8 am on 8th March (Monday) • Submit early to avoid the curse of Murphy's Law. • Late submissions will be greeted with pure joy from your tutors who will award you a zero for your effort.

17. Island Creamery vouchers • Top submissions will be shortlisted. • C1 students will vote for your favourite submission. • The top 3 submissions (by vote) win Island Creamery vouchers!

18. Frequently Asked Questions

19. FAQ: How do I provide evidence that my video is an original? • You can appear in the video, OR • You can place a card bearing your name in the background of your demo.

20. FAQ: Can I appear in the video to provide narration? • Yes, you can. However, we insist that you be dressed in civilian wear and not school uniform. Since your video is going to be uploaded to a public website, we want to minimize the risk of you tarnishing the reputation of your school.

21. FAQ: Can I edit my video before uploading? • Yes. In fact, you are encouraged to use video-editing software to add subtitles or narrations. • The Windows Movie Maker software that comes with pre-installed in every windows PC is idiot-proof and good enough for our purposes.

22. 1. Use the import functions to pull in your video and audio files 2. Drag the video/audio files into the story board Windows Movie Maker 4. Finally, save your video into a movie 3c. Move/split your video/audio in the story board. Play and see how it goes. 3a. Videos 3b. Use audio files if you want to “dub” over your video

23. FAQ: How do I “dub” over the video to provide narration? • A neat way to provide narration is through those text-to-speech converters which allows you to type your script and output them into mp3 files. • An example is the ClipSpeak 1.5available at http://www.freewarefiles.com/ClipSpeak_program_42972.html

24. FAQ: What if I only have a camera capable of only photographs and not videos? • You must then use a video-editing software (e.g. Windows Movie Maker) to string your photographs together and make a movie out of it. (See the second video in the sample submission which was done this manner)

25. Windows Movie Maker 3b. Create “title overlays” 3a. Import photographs into the story board 3c. Arrange “title overlays” to provide subtitles

26. FAQ: Can I borrow equipment from the school labs? • No. It is meant to be Do-It-Yourself.

27. FAQ: Can I carry out a task of my own that is not listed in your list of websites? • No. To minimize the risk of you endangering yourself and your neighbours, we insist you choose from our list.

28. FAQ: Can I do the same experiment as my friend? • Yes, you can do the same experiment as your friend. But you cannot share the same materials, submit the same video, or copy his task extension. • It can be the same experiment BUT you still have to Do-It-Yourself in all aspects.

29. FAQ: What happens if I do not know how to upload my videos into Youtube? • Read the ‘Help’ section in Youtube. • Ask your friends to teach you.

30. FAQ: Can my video exceed 3 mins? • No. 1 mark will be deducted for each video that exceeds 3 mins.

31. FAQ: Can my write-up on the task extension exceed the 150 word limit? • No, 1 mark will be deducted for exceeding the 150 word limit.

32. The End • Have fun! • Remember to email your tutors your work by 8 a.m on 8th March (Monday)!!