Stacy McCormack
179 Followers
Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
About the store
12 years experience teaching high school physics and chemistry,
10 years experience teaching face to face and online astronomy, physics, and physical science at both community college and university level
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Teacher Friendly Physics Volume One
30 labs for $35!!! Significantly cheaper than purchasing the lab activities one at a time!
As a beginning teacher I struggled with providing lab experiences for my students due to a number of reasons. Most labs involved expensive technology that my school did not have, labs utilized expensive equipment that took time to obtain and usually had to be purchased using money from my own pocket, labs took more time to run than one or two class periods and lost student interest, labs involved multip
7th - 12th
General Science, Physical Science, Physics
Free Body Diagram Cut-and-Paste
A colleague had a similar activity that I “stole” this idea from. It’s such a great way to have students “play” with free-body diagrams. I tell students to do their best and try it on their own first, then we come together as a class and discuss our results. Every time they are able to get the correct answers without any “lecture” from me! That’s VERY teacher friendly!
7th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
General Science, Physical Science, Physics
Free Fall Lab
Students are amazed that by dropping objects and timing the fall, they can calculate-with incredible accuracy-the gravitational acceleration of Earth! I have students use three different types of objects so that they can understand that regardless of the object, the gravitational acceleration of Earth is not changed and remains constant. On this lab it is INCREDIBLY important to do class averages. Since there is such possibility for human error, averaging everyone’s results together provides
7th - 12th
General Science, Physical Science, Physics
The Sizelines Project: Metric Conversions Practice
After “re-introducing” your students to the metric system using the “Metric Olympics Lab”, why not give them a project that allows them to continue practicing those metric conversions? This project is just the thing! I thought of this project one day while looking at a timeline that ranked items in order of increasing time. I encourage students to be as creative as they want on their submitted sizelines. Many times students will include pictures, drawings, some will make their sizelines usin
7th - 12th
Chemistry, Physical Science, Physics
Metric Olympics Lab
I ALWAYS start the year with the Metric Olympics lab. Why not begin on day one with some friendly competition? Students are normally shocked to actually DO a lab on day one, and I think it perfectly sets the tone for the rest of the school year. Students remember this lab years later…and some even keep their gold medals! I take a digital picture of the gold medal “winners” each class and then post the pictures out in the hallway all year long. It’s a favorite lab for both the students and f
7th - 12th
Chemistry, Physical Science, Physics
Newton's Three Laws Lab
This lab is another student favorite because it uses (again) TOYS! Also, students get to make a small mess, and they can’t believe that they are instructed to make a mess at school! I set this lab up at 12 stations throughout my classroom. Students may start at any station and go in any order whatsoever. As a class discussion, I challenge students to show me how each station could support all three of Newton’s laws. This discussion is a great way to identify some misconceptions that your st
7th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
General Science, Physical Science, Physics
Projectile Motion Lab
This lab is a favorite every year as students try to hit a bull’s-eye with a projectile. I normally provide a candy reward for the team with the lowest percent error. (It’s amazing what a piece of candy will make students do!) Projectile motion can be one of the most difficult concepts all year long as students are forced, many of them for the first time ever, to look at something in two different dimensions. I always spend a decent amount of time explaining to them that the constant speed m
7th - 12th
General Science, Physical Science, Physics
Significant Digits Puzzle
Need a fun puzzle so students can practice significant digits and get immediate feedback? This is just what you need! Students need to determine the number of significant digits in each given number, then use a table to find the letter associated with that particular number of significant digits. (For instance, 1 sf = A; 2 sf = B; and so on.) By placing these letters in order, students will reveal an inspirational quote by Albert Einstein!
7th - 12th
Chemistry, Physical Science, Physics
Centripetal Acceleration with Toy Car Lab
In the “Physics 500 Lab” you used constant velocity cars, and you will use them again in this lab! This lab is very simple, but it does give you something measureable and students realize that constant velocity in a circle IS acceleration after completing this lab. Different cars will require different masses in order to keep from tipping over, so encourage students to “play” around first before actually taking any measurements. (Trust me-that’s one instruction they don’t mind following at al
7th - 12th
General Science, Physical Science, Physics
Virtual Lab: Cannon Projectiles
Every year that students perform this virtual lab, they remark that it’s like playing a video game. What fun! In this virtual lab students analyze many different variables that affect the motion of projectiles. Each section is designed for students to look at just one variable at a time and come up with data to justify their results. I feel very strongly that teachers need to show students how they can learn in a digital environment. It requires very little setup on your part, and the resul
7th - 12th
General Science, Physical Science, Physics
Measuring Acceleration Lab
When my students walk into class on the day that this lab is to be performed and they see the “constant acceleration cars”, huge smiles erupt on all of their faces! I love when I am able to use toys to illustrate a physical concept. These labs grab the students’ attention from the moment they walk in until they leave! Students will often say “I can’t believe that we can learn physics from toys!”
7th - 12th
General Science, Physical Science, Physics
Collision Course Part One-Elastic Collisions
This lab is another one of my favorites because when I wrote it, I had no idea that the results would be so good! I had seen other school physics labs with their wonderful collision carts that were analyzed by photogates, and I wanted to recreate a similar lab experience with the same results for my students at my school (where lab money came only from my own pocket). This lab was born from that desire. Both this lab and the next lab that follow (Inelastic Collisions) are very simple, but aft
7th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
General Science, Physical Science, Physics
Circular Motion Lab
This lab is one of my personal favorites. It is very easy to make with very inexpensive materials, and the results are very good. I think it’s one of my favorites because it is so fun to watch the students concentrate so hard to keep from hitting themselves in the head with a rubber stopper! (Inevitably, someone hits themselves in the head and we all have a good laugh. Unfortunately, many times it’s ME as I demonstrate to the students what to do!) If you can obtain glass tubes with fire pol
7th - 12th
General Science, Physical Science, Physics
Collision Course Part Two-Inelastic Collisions
Originally, I used to do both parts of this lab in one complete lab. I found that my students spent most of their time confused saying things like “Which collision is this again?” so I revamped the one lab and split it into two separate labs. In fact, I do these two labs on two separate days. I have found that for my students this small break in time between the two labs makes them more able to fully comprehend the differences between elastic and inelastic collisions.
7th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
General Science, Physical Science, Physics
Measuring Acceleration and Adding Mass Lab
If you have been paying attention, this lab should look pretty familiar! Yes, it is VERY close to the last lab “Measuring Acceleration”. This lab takes it just one step further by introducing the relationship between acceleration and mass. If you do not have time to do this lab now or would prefer to do this lab when starting forces, feel free to either skip this lab or do it later. It’s entirely up to you and the way that you prefer to introduce concepts to your students! I go ahead and do
7th - 12th
General Science, Physical Science, Physics
The Physics 500 Lab
Now it’s time to jump into kinematics! Most physics teachers I know start with the very simple d=st equation, and that’s exactly what this lab enables you to do. On top of introducing a very fundamental physical equation, this lab will also have students making their first graphs of the course. After this lab students absolutely know the difference between average speed and constant speed…and they don’t forget it either! If your students have access to computers and can use a spreadsheet pro
7th - 12th
General Science, Physical Science, Physics
Universal Gravitation Lab
It became apparent to me one day that my students saw no correlation whatsoever between their weight calculated using W=mg and their weight calculated using Newton’s law of universal gravitation. One student said, “Those are two different weights because they use two different equations!” I was surprised to hear about this misconception, and it was from that frustration that this lab was created. This lab also has students recognize what a pendulum is, and this can be helpful for later in the
7th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
General Science, Physical Science, Physics
Conservation of Energy and Friction
When students enter the room on the day of this lab and see the loop tracks, I usually here words like “Cool!” and “Awesome!”. Students are very excited to be using this piece of lab equipment that they have never used before. This lab does a great job of asking students to constantly evaluate the total energy of a system and the transfer of energy between potential energy and kinetic energy throughout a loop. Once you perform this lab, the idea of “total energy in a system” is concrete in th
7th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
General Science, Physical Science, Physics
Work and Power Lab
This lab is fun and gets your students out of their seats and active! I sometimes will give out a prize to the student who can generate the most power in this lab (before they know how power is calculated…that leads to some very interesting proposed theories about how you can maximize power). Be sure to tell students to be careful on the stairs. A lab where students get injured is never a good lab!
7th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
General Science, Physical Science, Physics
Atwood Machine Lab
I know that many of you are thinking “Why would you introduce an Atwood Machine in first year physics?” Trust me-this introduction to an Atwood Machine is very basic and simple and I really use it to help students start to visualize free-body diagrams. The math that they do along the way is really an added bonus! When students get into AP level or advanced level physics and they have to do Atwood Machine calculations, it is so much easier to introduce that concept when students have seen an A
7th - 11th, Adult Education, Higher Education
Physical Science, Physics
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About the store
Experience
12 years experience teaching high school physics and chemistry,
10 years experience teaching face to face and online astronomy, physics, and physical science at both community college and university level
Teaching style
Hands on inexpensive guided inquiry lab-based experiences with physics. No lecturing-the labs are the curriculum and I help as needed. Students love it, and so do I!
Awards & shining teacher moments
Vice President of the Indiana Chapter of the American Association of Physics Teachers, Announced April 2013
2011 Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, Announced June 2012
American Association of Physics Teachers Zitzewitz Award for Excellence in Pre-College Physics Teaching; August 2011
Penn High School Distinguished Alumni Award, May 2011
Indiana State Teacher of the Year 2011, Announced October 2010
Member of Michiana “40 Under 40”, Class of 2010
Penn-Harris-Madison 2010 Teacher of the Year, Spring 2010
Armstrong Teacher Educator Award, Indiana University, 2010-2011
United States Representative at High School Teachers (HST) Conference, Summer 2006 at CERN in Switzerland
National Honor Roll’s Outstanding American Teacher, 2005/2006 Edition
Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, Listed in 7th, 9th & 10th editions; 2002, 2004 & 2005
Disney’s American Teacher Award, Nominee, Spring 2002
First Year Teacher of the Year, Elkhart Community Schools, Spring 2000
Outstanding Future Educator, Indiana University, Spring 1999
My own education history
M.Ed. Physics Education, Ball State University
B.S. Secondary Chemistry Education, Indiana University
Additional biographical information
I love to teach and feel very lucky to get to do what I do!
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