Teaching Associations & Organizations

Teach@Mines Community Partners

Colorado Computer Science Teachers Association

The Colorado Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) is a group who’s mission is to build local communities that will provide resources, support and advocacy for the advancement of computer science education across the state of Colorado.

Colorado Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Since its founding in 1950, Colorado Council of Teachers of Mathematics (CCTM) has brought mathematics teachers, leaders, researchers, and other educators and stakeholders together to improve math education in Colorado. Together as a professional organization, we:

  • Advocate for the needs of Colorado teachers
  • Create opportunities for professional learning
  • Connect with stakeholder groups and individuals

Denver Area Physics Teachers Team Up

The Denver Area Physics Teachers (DAPT) group is a collection of High School Physics teachers that get together 4 times a school year (twice a semester) to discuss, share, create, and tweak activities and labs around a chosen unit for each meeting. Recent topics covered have been Fluids, Circular Motion, Electrostatics, Waves, and Rotational Motion. Teachers are provided food, materials for one of the activities/labs, and an amazon gift card for participation. Meant to further the physics community of the Front Range, DAPT creates connections and networking among teachers, provides resources for teachers to make their jobs easier and seeks to make physics a reachable and attainable science for all students.

Contact

Headshot of Matthew Leach

Matthew Leach
Teach@Mines Teacher in Residence
CoorsTek 286
mpleach@dcsdk12.org

Headshot of Cherie Bornhorst.

Cherie Bornhorst
Teacher in Residence – Little Shop of Physics
cherie.bornhorst@colostate.edu

Meetings & Resources

Resources on this page were shared by the Denver Area Physics Teachers TEAM-UP which is supported by PhysTEC.

Energy: October 7th, 2023

Conservation of Energy Problems (doc)
Conservation of Energy Solutions (pdf)

Egg Bungee Jumping Activity (doc)

Elastic Potential Energy Activity (docx)
Elastic Potential Post Activity Solutions (pdf)

Energy Review Game (pptx)

Energy Scramble (pptx)
Energy Scramble Solutions (pdf)

Energy Skate Park HTML Version (docx)
Energy Skate Park Post Activity Solutions (pdf)

Heat Loss Lab (docx)
Heat Loss Post Lab Solutions (pdf)

Mechanical Energy Problems (doc)
Mechanical Energy Solutions (pdf)

Personal Power Lab (doc)
Personal Power Post Lab Solutions (pdf)

Optics: March 7, 2023

AP Optics Review Problems (docx)

Blackbody Lab (docx)

Finding the Focal Length of a Lens Lab (docx)

Mirror Ray Diagram Practice (pdf)
Mirror Ray Diagram Solutions (pdf)

Opstical Course Presentation (pptx)
Opstical Course Review Activity (docx)

Optics Online Simulations (doc)

Optics Review Crossword (pdf)
Optics Review Crossword Key (pdf)

Plane Mirror Check Yourself (pdf)
Plane Mirror Solutions (pdf)

Polarization Problems (docx)
Polarization Solutions (pdf)

Refraction Lab (doc)
Refraction Post Lab Solutions (pdf)

Refraction Problems (doc)
Refraction Solutions (pdf)

Wave Interference Lab (docx)
Wave Interference Lab Solutions (pdf)

Modern Physics: April 8th, 2023

Bohr Model Lecture Slides (pptx)

Build An Atom Worksheet (docx)

Cool Dudes of the Atom Slides (pptx)

Feynmen Diagrams Slides (pptx)
Feynmen Diagrams Activity (docx)
Feynmen Diagrams Solutions (pdf)

Half-life Activity (docx)
Half-life Solutions (pdf)

History of the Atom Solutions (pdf)

Models of the Hydrogen Atom Worksheet (docx)
Models of the Hydrogen Atom Solutions (pdf)

Modern Physics Review Activity (docx)

Photoelectric Effect Worksheet (docx)
Photoelectric Effect Solutions (pdf)

Radiation Presentation (pptx)
Radioactive Decay Worksheet (docx)
Radioactive Decay Solutions (pdf) (pdf)

Spectroscopy Lab (docx)
Spectroscopy Problems (pdf)
Spectroscopy Solutions (pdf)

Standard Model Presentation (pptx)
Standard Model Review (docx)
Standard Model Review Solutions (pdf)

Table of Isotopes (pdf)

Forces and Newton’s Laws of Motion: April 16, 2022

Atwood’s Machines (doc)

Dark Matter Exercise (doc)
Dark Matter Example (xlsx)

Introduction To Friction Activity (doc)

Newton Review (doc)

Newton Review Crossword (pdf)
Newton Review Crossword Solution (pdf)

Newton’s Third Law Worksheet (pdf)
Newton’s Third Law Solutions (pdf)

Physics In Games (pdf)
Physics In The Olympics (pdf)

Circuitry: November 12, 2022

Types of Circuits Activity (docx)

Tesla Edison Presentation (pptx)

Playdough Resistivity Lab (docx)

Ohm’s Law Simulation (docx)

Kirchhoff’s Gambit Easy (png)
Kirchhoff’s Gambit Medium (png)
Kirchhoff’s Gambit Hard (png)

Internal Resistance of a Battery Lab (docx)
Internal Resistance Solutions (pdf)

Circuitry Lab (doc)

Circuit Puzzles (pptx)

Circuit Problems (doc)
Circuit Solutions (pdf)

Capacitors in Circuits Activity (docx)
Capacitors in Circuits Problems (docx)
Capacitors in Circuits Solutions (pdf)

Thermal Physics: October 13, 2022

Heat vs Temp & Conduction Slides (pptx)

Heat vs Temp & Specific Heat Capacity Slides (pptx)

Ideal Gas Law Online Lab (doc)

Ideal Gas Law Syringe Activity (docx)

Ideal Gas Law Ranking Problems (docx)

PV Diagram Graph Match Cards (pptx)

Specific Heat Minilab Problems (docx)

The Last Question Isaac Asimov (pdf)

Thermodynamic Processes & 1st Law (pptx)

Energy: March 17, 2022

Elastic Potential Energy Activity  (doc)
Elastic Potential Energy Solutions (pdf)

Energy Skate Park HTML version (doc)
Energy Skate Park Post Activity Solutions (pdf)

Heat Loss Lab (doc)
Heat Loss Lab Solutions (pdf)

Personal Power Lab (doc)
Personal Power Post Lab Solutions (pdf)

Energy Review Game (pptx)

Energy Scramble (pptx)
Energy Scramble Solutions (pptx)

Circular Motion and Gravity: November 13, 2021

My Solar System (pdf)

My Solar System Sim

Cool Dudes of Astronomy (pptx)

Centripetal Force Questions (doc)

Apollo 11 Data  (xlsx)
Apollo 11 Data Analysis (doc)

Phone Accelerometer Lab (doc)

Stealth Bomber Circular Motion Activity (doc)

Circular Motion Among Us Review Activity

Football White Board Activity

Smoothing Glass Tubing 

Electrostatics: October 21, 2021

Capacitor Investigation Lab (doc)

Capacitor Problems (doc)
Capacitor Solutions (pdf)

Intro to Change Act (doc
Intro to Charge Solutions (pdf)

ES Concept Map (pptx)

Fields and Equipotential Worksheet (pdf)
Fields & Potential Solutions (pdf)

Circular Motion: November 8, 2018

Lab 11 Handout-Circular Motion (pdf)

Optics: November 19, 2019

Practicums for Physics Teachers (pdf)

Get Critical Kit (website)

Rotation: January 25, 2020

Energy of Rotation Lab (pdf)

Toilet Paper Roll Drop Instructions (doc)
Toilet Paper Roll Drop Physics (ppt)

Ampere’s Law Lab Analysis (doc)

AP Magnetism Review Breakout Cards (ppt)

Center of Mass Activity (doc)
Center of Mass Solutions (pdf)

IB Magnetism Review Breakout Cards (ppt)

Inertia Equations Handout (ppt)

Rotational Kinetic Energy and Momentum Problems (doc)
Rotational Kinetic Energy and Momentum Solutions (pdf)
Rotational Kinetic Energy and Momentum Solutions 2 (pdf)

Moments of Inertia (ppt)

Rotational Crossword Review (pdf)
Rotational Crossword Solution (pdf)

Building a Mobile Activity (doc)
Mobile Solutions (pdf)

Rotational Mechanics Problems (doc)
Rotational Mechanics Solutions (pdf)

Rotational Motion Module (pdf)

Torque and Inertia Solutions (pdf)

Momentum: October 19, 2019

The Ballistic Pendulum Questions (pdf)

QuarkNet top data (pdf)
QuarkNet topquarkmass-student (pdf)

AP Momentum Review Questions (doc)

The Ballistic Pendulum Solutions (pdf)

Introduction to Momentum and Impulse Activity (doc)

Happy and Sad Balls (doc)

Car Crush Lab (doc)

Cart Push Off 1 (video)
Cart Push Off 2 (video)
Cart Push Off 3 (video)

White Angel (pdf)

Plot Map Template (pdf)

Newton’s Laws: October 20, 2018

Newton’s 3rd Law Worksheet (pdf)

Newton’s Review problems (.pdf)

Newton’s Review Xword (pdf)
Newton’s Xword solution (pdf)

Newton Review (doc)

Pushy Lab (doc)

Bowling Ball Grand Prix (doc)

The Car Push Lab (pdf)

I.O. Lab (ppt)

Elitches-Amusement Park Physics: July 28, 2018

Elitches Curriculum 2018 (pdf)

Waves: April 7, 2018

Echo Lab Instructions (doc)
Echo Lab Activity (doc)

Chordophone Mini Lab (doc)

Orchestral Sound Activity (doc)

Palm Pipe Songs (ppt)

Aerophone Mini Lab (doc)

Tuning Fork Mystery Video (video)

Direct Measurement Video: Speed of Sound (video)

Palm Pipes Instructions (pdf)
Palm Pipes Music (pdf)

Speed of Sound Lab (pdf)

Electricity: January 31, 2018

Sticky Situation (pdf)

Writing With Electricity (pdf)

Static Flash (pdf)

Batteries “R” Us (pdf)

Mini Plasma Cutter (video)

Fun With Tape! For Physical Science: (pdf or doc) For Algebra-based College Physics: (pdf or doc)

Static Electricity with Balloons (pdf)

Energy: November 2, 2017

Consevation of Energy Lab Challenge (doc or pdf) by Cherie Bornhorst

How Hot are your Hot Wheels? (doc or pdf) by Cherie Bornhorst

Energy Balance Instructions by Courtney Willis

Energy Resources Links

Egg Bungee Jumping Lab by Mark Paricio

Conservation of Energy Introduction Group Activity Lab by Mark Paricio

Target Lab LabTarget by Chris Nichols

Projectile Motion: September 9, 2017

Projectile Motion Hoop Challenge by Wendy Adams

Motivation for and data supporting the Projectile Motion Hoop Challenge Lab (pdf)

Projectile Calculator (xls) courtesy of John Rice

Speed Bus Jump Lab – Instructions (pdf) Movie clip (video) courtesy of Cherie Bornhorst

Thinking Map (jpg) courtesy of Joe Kremer

The Sniper Story courtesy of Stephan Graham