Ben Wildeboer
@willyb.bsky.social
I teach science and I like it.
9th grade Physics and AP Physics 1.
@WillyB in the bird app.
#modphys #iteachphysics
9th grade Physics and AP Physics 1.
@WillyB in the bird app.
#modphys #iteachphysics
Need a Graphical Analysis Expert:
Back in the day I used photogates w/ LoggerPro so the accel of a cart was instantly displayed (see vid) during a practical.
With GA & the newer photogates I haven't been able to figure out a setup to replicate this. I can measure the accel, but it's not as dramatic
Back in the day I used photogates w/ LoggerPro so the accel of a cart was instantly displayed (see vid) during a practical.
With GA & the newer photogates I haven't been able to figure out a setup to replicate this. I can measure the accel, but it's not as dramatic
December 11, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Need a Graphical Analysis Expert:
Back in the day I used photogates w/ LoggerPro so the accel of a cart was instantly displayed (see vid) during a practical.
With GA & the newer photogates I haven't been able to figure out a setup to replicate this. I can measure the accel, but it's not as dramatic
Back in the day I used photogates w/ LoggerPro so the accel of a cart was instantly displayed (see vid) during a practical.
With GA & the newer photogates I haven't been able to figure out a setup to replicate this. I can measure the accel, but it's not as dramatic
without downloading any new pics, describe your vibe for today using an image from your gallery.
December 5, 2025 at 1:11 AM
without downloading any new pics, describe your vibe for today using an image from your gallery.
Had a student describe this motion as, "stays negative but constantly goes slowly faster."
I see their misconception but that's quite a mix of descriptors. Sometimes I find reminding students to write less formally helps fix this type of overly complex wording.
I see their misconception but that's quite a mix of descriptors. Sometimes I find reminding students to write less formally helps fix this type of overly complex wording.
December 4, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Had a student describe this motion as, "stays negative but constantly goes slowly faster."
I see their misconception but that's quite a mix of descriptors. Sometimes I find reminding students to write less formally helps fix this type of overly complex wording.
I see their misconception but that's quite a mix of descriptors. Sometimes I find reminding students to write less formally helps fix this type of overly complex wording.
Pretty sure Grayslake, IL is the best small town in America? 😁
November 29, 2025 at 5:13 AM
Pretty sure Grayslake, IL is the best small town in America? 😁
Our neighborhood holds a very laid back Turkey Trot. My 6 yr old was *supposed* to do the shorter 1.6 mile loop but instead insisted on the 5K. He's never run more than a mile but insisted we stay on the longer loop. 😂
(My daughter ran ahead and beat us by probably 10 minutes)
(My daughter ran ahead and beat us by probably 10 minutes)
November 27, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Our neighborhood holds a very laid back Turkey Trot. My 6 yr old was *supposed* to do the shorter 1.6 mile loop but instead insisted on the 5K. He's never run more than a mile but insisted we stay on the longer loop. 😂
(My daughter ran ahead and beat us by probably 10 minutes)
(My daughter ran ahead and beat us by probably 10 minutes)
Wednesday is Pie Day! 🥧🥧🥧🥧
Several years ago my pie loving wife decided we should make and eat pies on Wednesday, when we're not stuffed full of Thanksgiving dinner and can fully enjoy the pies. It's a tasty tradition!
#Thanksgiving
Several years ago my pie loving wife decided we should make and eat pies on Wednesday, when we're not stuffed full of Thanksgiving dinner and can fully enjoy the pies. It's a tasty tradition!
#Thanksgiving
November 27, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Wednesday is Pie Day! 🥧🥧🥧🥧
Several years ago my pie loving wife decided we should make and eat pies on Wednesday, when we're not stuffed full of Thanksgiving dinner and can fully enjoy the pies. It's a tasty tradition!
#Thanksgiving
Several years ago my pie loving wife decided we should make and eat pies on Wednesday, when we're not stuffed full of Thanksgiving dinner and can fully enjoy the pies. It's a tasty tradition!
#Thanksgiving
Stayed up too late but satisfyingly finished a new graph analysis handout as a follow up to our Circular Motion Lab.
I think it'll be good practice for Ss in determining the meaning of the slope & using slope to make measurements experimentally.
#iTeachPhysics
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
I think it'll be good practice for Ss in determining the meaning of the slope & using slope to make measurements experimentally.
#iTeachPhysics
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
November 18, 2025 at 5:27 AM
Stayed up too late but satisfyingly finished a new graph analysis handout as a follow up to our Circular Motion Lab.
I think it'll be good practice for Ss in determining the meaning of the slope & using slope to make measurements experimentally.
#iTeachPhysics
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
I think it'll be good practice for Ss in determining the meaning of the slope & using slope to make measurements experimentally.
#iTeachPhysics
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
What perfect album came out the year you turned 16?
To be fair, I'm not sure 16 yr old me was aware GZA existed, or had even heard of any of the Wu-Tang Clan. (Look, it was very very rural)
To be fair, I'm not sure 16 yr old me was aware GZA existed, or had even heard of any of the Wu-Tang Clan. (Look, it was very very rural)
November 17, 2025 at 4:53 AM
What perfect album came out the year you turned 16?
To be fair, I'm not sure 16 yr old me was aware GZA existed, or had even heard of any of the Wu-Tang Clan. (Look, it was very very rural)
To be fair, I'm not sure 16 yr old me was aware GZA existed, or had even heard of any of the Wu-Tang Clan. (Look, it was very very rural)
And to celebrate the beautiful auroae- a tasty beverage in a brand new glass.
November 12, 2025 at 5:43 AM
And to celebrate the beautiful auroae- a tasty beverage in a brand new glass.
Definitely the brightest aurora I've ever seen!
November 12, 2025 at 5:20 AM
Definitely the brightest aurora I've ever seen!
#iTeachPhysics is so valuable often in a illustrated in this here comic.
So often I'll have done a lab for YEARS and one of you will post, "Hey, you know that tricky bit, I changed this one thing and it's way better!" And it IS way better!
I *love love love* these small tweaks!
xkcd.com/3163
So often I'll have done a lab for YEARS and one of you will post, "Hey, you know that tricky bit, I changed this one thing and it's way better!" And it IS way better!
I *love love love* these small tweaks!
xkcd.com/3163
November 4, 2025 at 6:55 PM
#iTeachPhysics is so valuable often in a illustrated in this here comic.
So often I'll have done a lab for YEARS and one of you will post, "Hey, you know that tricky bit, I changed this one thing and it's way better!" And it IS way better!
I *love love love* these small tweaks!
xkcd.com/3163
So often I'll have done a lab for YEARS and one of you will post, "Hey, you know that tricky bit, I changed this one thing and it's way better!" And it IS way better!
I *love love love* these small tweaks!
xkcd.com/3163
Big Director Krennic energy.
October 29, 2025 at 4:44 AM
Big Director Krennic energy.
This year had students roll two 10-sided dice for the angle (they had to re-roll over 85 and under 20).
As chance would have it nearly all groups rolled 65 and above. Pretty sure that's a statistical fluke but it'd be more pleasing to get a wider range of angles.
As chance would have it nearly all groups rolled 65 and above. Pretty sure that's a statistical fluke but it'd be more pleasing to get a wider range of angles.
September 30, 2025 at 4:42 AM
This year had students roll two 10-sided dice for the angle (they had to re-roll over 85 and under 20).
As chance would have it nearly all groups rolled 65 and above. Pretty sure that's a statistical fluke but it'd be more pleasing to get a wider range of angles.
As chance would have it nearly all groups rolled 65 and above. Pretty sure that's a statistical fluke but it'd be more pleasing to get a wider range of angles.
Day 28, APP1: 1st "real" summative lab practical - Sink the Ship! Students roll dice to select the angle a "cannonball" will be fired and place the ship where they predict it'll get hit.
I give students the initial velocity (shout out Vernier's repeatably precise Projectile Launcher!) #Teach180
I give students the initial velocity (shout out Vernier's repeatably precise Projectile Launcher!) #Teach180
September 30, 2025 at 4:42 AM
Day 28, APP1: 1st "real" summative lab practical - Sink the Ship! Students roll dice to select the angle a "cannonball" will be fired and place the ship where they predict it'll get hit.
I give students the initial velocity (shout out Vernier's repeatably precise Projectile Launcher!) #Teach180
I give students the initial velocity (shout out Vernier's repeatably precise Projectile Launcher!) #Teach180
Here's the pitch info:
It was the 299th pitch of the 9/24/25 Tigers v. Guardians game.
Third pitch in José Ramirez' at bat in the 7th inning.
Pitch was a 96.9 mph fastball with a spin rate of 4323 rpm.
It was the 299th pitch of the 9/24/25 Tigers v. Guardians game.
Third pitch in José Ramirez' at bat in the 7th inning.
Pitch was a 96.9 mph fastball with a spin rate of 4323 rpm.
September 27, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Here's the pitch info:
It was the 299th pitch of the 9/24/25 Tigers v. Guardians game.
Third pitch in José Ramirez' at bat in the 7th inning.
Pitch was a 96.9 mph fastball with a spin rate of 4323 rpm.
It was the 299th pitch of the 9/24/25 Tigers v. Guardians game.
Third pitch in José Ramirez' at bat in the 7th inning.
Pitch was a 96.9 mph fastball with a spin rate of 4323 rpm.
If you see this, post a bridge.
Multonomah Falls on the Columbia River in Northern Oregon. My daughter and her friend are waving from the bridge.
Multonomah Falls on the Columbia River in Northern Oregon. My daughter and her friend are waving from the bridge.
September 26, 2025 at 11:24 PM
If you see this, post a bridge.
Multonomah Falls on the Columbia River in Northern Oregon. My daughter and her friend are waving from the bridge.
Multonomah Falls on the Columbia River in Northern Oregon. My daughter and her friend are waving from the bridge.
There are worse problems to worry about right now, but this title story's use of an apostrophe is sending me right now.
September 26, 2025 at 3:39 AM
There are worse problems to worry about right now, but this title story's use of an apostrophe is sending me right now.
Day 22, APP1: We did our first lab practical, "Hit Me With Your Best Shot." Students derive equations to determine the horizontal range of a ball that accelerates down a ramp and then rolls off a table - attempting to hit a picture of me right on the nose! #Teach180
September 20, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Day 22, APP1: We did our first lab practical, "Hit Me With Your Best Shot." Students derive equations to determine the horizontal range of a ball that accelerates down a ramp and then rolls off a table - attempting to hit a picture of me right on the nose! #Teach180
I've set that up before: you have to edit the computational layer.
Here's a sort that shows students how many correct they have as they work: classroom.amplify.com/activity/618...
Here are a couple screenshots of what that looks like.
Here's a sort that shows students how many correct they have as they work: classroom.amplify.com/activity/618...
Here are a couple screenshots of what that looks like.
September 14, 2025 at 3:10 AM
I've set that up before: you have to edit the computational layer.
Here's a sort that shows students how many correct they have as they work: classroom.amplify.com/activity/618...
Here are a couple screenshots of what that looks like.
Here's a sort that shows students how many correct they have as they work: classroom.amplify.com/activity/618...
Here are a couple screenshots of what that looks like.
Related:
One of my favorite quotes from *The Diamond Age* by Neal Stephenson
One of my favorite quotes from *The Diamond Age* by Neal Stephenson
September 13, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Related:
One of my favorite quotes from *The Diamond Age* by Neal Stephenson
One of my favorite quotes from *The Diamond Age* by Neal Stephenson
My daughter had her first ever Cross Country meet. We had no idea what to expect but it turns out she's got some fire in those legs! Finished third or fourth overall in the middle school JV race.
September 6, 2025 at 4:26 PM
My daughter had her first ever Cross Country meet. We had no idea what to expect but it turns out she's got some fire in those legs! Finished third or fourth overall in the middle school JV race.
Mo the plush Motion Detector is currently my number 1 most desired item from Vernier! They don't sell it though! 😭😭😭
Help me win Mo by entering the Vernier back-to-school giveaway! 🥺🥺🥺
wn.nr/DfEpv33
🧪 🎢
Help me win Mo by entering the Vernier back-to-school giveaway! 🥺🥺🥺
wn.nr/DfEpv33
🧪 🎢
September 3, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Mo the plush Motion Detector is currently my number 1 most desired item from Vernier! They don't sell it though! 😭😭😭
Help me win Mo by entering the Vernier back-to-school giveaway! 🥺🥺🥺
wn.nr/DfEpv33
🧪 🎢
Help me win Mo by entering the Vernier back-to-school giveaway! 🥺🥺🥺
wn.nr/DfEpv33
🧪 🎢
A shout out to great neighbors, with whom we had a very fun Labor Day cookout.
Also a big shout out to intentionally designing spaces for community - the physical design of our neighborhood & specifically our little corner of it facilitates community by including shared public spaces.
Also a big shout out to intentionally designing spaces for community - the physical design of our neighborhood & specifically our little corner of it facilitates community by including shared public spaces.
September 2, 2025 at 1:54 AM
A shout out to great neighbors, with whom we had a very fun Labor Day cookout.
Also a big shout out to intentionally designing spaces for community - the physical design of our neighborhood & specifically our little corner of it facilitates community by including shared public spaces.
Also a big shout out to intentionally designing spaces for community - the physical design of our neighborhood & specifically our little corner of it facilitates community by including shared public spaces.