Complex from Simplicity

In the series of activities provided in this article students learn how electrical circuits can be used to determine complex decision-making functionalities by the manipulation of simple ele... See More

In the series of activities provided in this article students learn how electrical circuits can be used to determine complex decision-making functionalities by the manipulation of simple electric currents. The series of activities developed by a college professor build on student knowledge and understanding. The article includes diagrams, photos and charts that were used by high school students. While some might find this article interesting, others might find it above their own and students understandings.

Introducing students to the idea of connections

This article is about a physics lesson that leads students to an understanding of how a number of simple actions can interact to lead to a complicated result. While the initial description s... See More

This article is about a physics lesson that leads students to an understanding of how a number of simple actions can interact to lead to a complicated result. While the initial description sounds complicated, the authors take you step by step through the process and provide additional links to references. The description of the assessment component is not strong, but the descriptions of the ways this can be tied into other science concepts is invaluable. The authors recommend this lesson for high school or gifted middle school but did mention they had tried using the lesson with upper elementary as well, with more limited expectations. I did not give it a 5 because of the assessment and I thought the last step could be more descriptive, but overall I think this is a wonderful article that could lead to all kinds of discussions on interactions and effects.