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Emma Mitchell

@emmaphys

Physics teacher, #iTeachPhysics, #ModPhys, #eduSky, she/her, Ph.D

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21.05.2023
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Latest posts by Emma Mitchell @emmaphys

I live under a rock and just saw the announcement that Trinket is shutting down in August. Anyone know of a work-around, or is something in the works, for student-friendly access to VPython/Glowscript? Hoping @wbrianlane.bsky.social or @rhettallain.bsky.social might know of something? #iteachphysics

05.02.2026 18:05 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0

Hey there physics 🎒🍎 teacher friends! If you teach AP physics 2 or C E&M or have an Electricity & Magnetism component to your intro class, and want some well-tested strategies & moves for teaching E&M, Kris Newton and I are running a weekly online #modphys E&M class for teachers

13.08.2025 15:05 πŸ‘ 10 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Day -3: Professional Development Today was some professional development. We had some good PD led by Facing History and Ourselves. In the afternoon, we had a staff meeting, where a link hub I maintain that I fully stole from...

I am doing a #teach180 blog now, in concert with @barnettdreyfuss.bsky.social. Days -4 & -3 are about our professional days. lerner180.posthaven.com/day-4-convoc... and lerner180.posthaven.com/day-3-profes.... Shout out to @afreeparticle.com for the link hub template.

13.08.2025 21:35 πŸ‘ 14 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

@lernerphysics.bsky.social reminded me how great daily reflection can be for teaching when he facilitated the Q&A after my award. I hope to move to a blog format but #Teach180 posts here will do for a start! πŸ§ͺ🎒

08.08.2025 04:43 πŸ‘ 30 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 126 πŸ“Œ 1

Our students are *awesome*, our faculty is friendly and collaborative, and our school is a warm and tight-knit community. Please pass on to anyone who might be interested! #eduSky #teacher

07.08.2025 13:49 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Teachers have a lot of autonomy at my school and we have flexibility in teaching project-based, phenomenon-based, Modeling-based, incorporating engineering, etc. There is also flexibility in teaching both Middle School and Upper School Science, depending on your interests.

07.08.2025 13:49 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Middle School Science/STEAM Faculty - The Ethel Walker School Middle School Science/STEAM Faculty Status: Full-Time, ExemptReports To: Assistant Head for Faculty and Academic Affairs and Department ChairStart Date: August 2025 The Ethel Walker Middle School seek...

My school is looking for a Middle School Science/STEAM teacher for this coming Fall! We are a small, independent, all-girls boarding/day school (grades 6-12) in Simsbury, CT. We have faculty housing available. I am the Dept. Chair; reach out if interested!
www.ethelwalker.org/about/career...

07.08.2025 13:49 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 4 πŸ“Œ 0

I do an activity where I put this whole thing on a scale, then have students draw force diagrams and predict whether the scale reading will change when the floating globe is removed.

07.01.2025 11:41 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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I forgot I previously made this SHM @desmos.com comparing UCM, pendulum, and mass on a spring side by side until I was getting ready for class this evening. #iTeachPhysics www.desmos.com/calculator/e...

06.01.2025 02:44 πŸ‘ 25 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Join Jess Dykes and me this January for a course on integrating physics Modeling and computational thinking. #modphys #iteachphysics #cmpfb

28.12.2024 21:29 πŸ‘ 11 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Built on a fluids unit I made during a modeling workshop with @secaurphysics.bsky.social and @emmaphys.bsky.social phenomena->paradigm lab->model->test model->break model #iteachphysics 🎒 #ModPhys

19.12.2024 00:08 πŸ‘ 13 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

This is so cool!

19.12.2024 01:10 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Sometimes you make something just to prove that you can. Behold, a 3D printed physical model of double slit wave interactions! πŸ˜… #iteachphysics 🎒

14.12.2024 18:06 πŸ‘ 283 πŸ” 55 πŸ’¬ 11 πŸ“Œ 2

Pinning this to remind myself to do it with my class! πŸ“Œ

15.12.2024 11:00 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Finding saved twitter links and crossing fingers the link works until I can save the info. #iTeachPhysics

Today, @danhosey.bsky.social's lab to find Β΅ from v & Ξ”x:

14.12.2024 21:44 πŸ‘ 19 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 5 πŸ“Œ 0

I know, I’m loving being able to use force as an independent variable in the N2L lab so easily!

12.12.2024 14:59 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

I love the ability of the Vernier fan cart brackets to hold multiple fans. Such a game-changer!

12.12.2024 11:14 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 5 πŸ“Œ 0
Instructions written on the whiteboard. 0) Identify the system. 1) Draw & annotate relevant physics diagrams: FBD & VAD, v-t graph. 2) Make indicated measurements. 3) Add measured values to your diagrams. 4) Use annotated diagrams to solve. 5) Use instructions to check your solution. --> Troubleshoot as needed. 6) High five! (optional)

Instructions written on the whiteboard. 0) Identify the system. 1) Draw & annotate relevant physics diagrams: FBD & VAD, v-t graph. 2) Make indicated measurements. 3) Add measured values to your diagrams. 4) Use annotated diagrams to solve. 5) Use instructions to check your solution. --> Troubleshoot as needed. 6) High five! (optional)

A station with a triple-fan cart, track, and instructions.

A station with a triple-fan cart, track, and instructions.

A station with a ramp, cart, spring scale, motion detector, and instructions.

A station with a ramp, cart, spring scale, motion detector, and instructions.

A station with two instruction cards and a force sensor.

A station with two instruction cards and a force sensor.

Unbalanced Forces problem solving stations this week in 10th grade Physics. A favorite day every year! #iteachphysics #modphys #scichat

11.12.2024 17:39 πŸ‘ 33 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 7 πŸ“Œ 0

Final unbalanced force lab for my honors physics class- 1) derive an expression for the kinetic friction coefficient of socks on tile using only times and distances. 2) Take data and numerically solve. Required whimsy makes this a favorite activity! Mass independence always stuns. #iTeachPhysics 🎒

12.12.2024 02:37 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

Sure :)

08.12.2024 13:01 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

My 9th graders find them extremely fun. But they’re basically big middle schoolers who find pretty much everything extremely fun. Except for things that are extremely not fun.

07.12.2024 15:14 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Probably a difference between 9th and 11th grade! We focus on motion maps much less in my 11th/12th-grade class. Students are much more comfortable with graphs by then.

07.12.2024 15:12 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

🀣 It’s a great transition sequence!

07.12.2024 15:04 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

100%. And motion maps really help them to understand graphs better, the way we use them to physically build a graph for the first time. Saw that for the first time in the #ModPhys CMPF-B workshop with the great @mrsgphysics.bsky.social! Works so well for 9th graders.

07.12.2024 14:26 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

of the ball’s motion on the ramp. From those motion maps, they made a P-t graph. And then they placed a mini-photogate at each motion map dot, in turn, to collect data for a V-t graph. So motion maps are our touchpoint. For my higher-level classes (>9th), they can use graphs right away. (3/3)

07.12.2024 12:34 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Later, we make motion maps out of Play Doh dots and a whiteboarded position axis, and then shift them over onto a perpendicular time axis to make our first P-t graphs. Yesterday, we did our paradigm lab on acceleration, and the very first thing they suggested we do is collect a motion map (2/3)

07.12.2024 12:34 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Motion maps for me are higher, but that’s specifically for my 9th-grade physics classes and not my higher-level classes. In 9th grade, that’s our foundational diagram for our model of motion. We use motion maps (not P-t graphs … yet) to represent our constant-velocity buggy data. (1/3)

07.12.2024 12:34 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0
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β€ͺEnergy Skate Park‬

Not sure how I missed knowing this for so long! If you want to link to just one part of a phet simulation then add ?screens=1 or ?screens=2 or ?screens=2,3 to the end of the URL e.g. phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/en...

Keep students on task more easily

#ITeachPhysics
#SciTeachUK

04.12.2024 16:10 πŸ‘ 23 πŸ” 9 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 1

See, if they had just included units in their thinking, this whole tragedy could have been avoided.

05.12.2024 04:16 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0