Physics – Your LAST Web Post Comment!!

PHYSICS: Can you believe it?!? This is your LAST web post comment!! This is where you put it and here are the three things I want you to talk about:

1) How did physics grow you? What did you learn about yourself?
2) What advice do you have for future physics students?
3) What could we have done different this year that would have helped you learn physics better?

Can’t wait to hear from you!! 🙂

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13 thoughts on “Physics – Your LAST Web Post Comment!!

  1. Physics taught me that I don’t have to always be right or always succeed. Knowing that I did my best on something is enough for me. I learned and am still learning that procrastination is the worst way to go. Pride is not a good or valid reason to do something. I needed to have taken this class because I thought it would be best for me, not because all of my friends took it.
    Some advice for future students: make sure you learn the material as soon as you can. I spent many nights before a test relearning the material because I didn’t understand it in class. This resulted in late nights and not the best grades. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! This class is challenging and you will have questions. Ask them. Stay organized and get your homework done early. The homework helps so much with the tests. Take really good notes and write down every formula. Don’t lose your formula card!
    And finally, I could have been more diligent in making sure I understood the material, instead of waiting until the last second to figure it out. I also probably let senioritis get the best of me and that inhibited my work ethic a little. In all, this has been a challenging class, but I am glad I took it!
    Thank you Ms Skinner for everything! From Chemistry to Honors Physics, you’ve been an incredible teacher and I’m really glad to have been blessed with you twice! I’ll miss you!

  2. This year was quite a year. Compared to the very anatomical, life-sciency class I took last year, Physics was SO much more my jam. I would spend five hours studying the night before A&P’s tests and still do worse on the tests than I did in Physics, where I sometimes just didn’t study at all. This is very eye-opening for me because it has taught me that everyone’s brains are different. You like some things more than others and can learn them more easily. I really enjoyed physics. A lot of people told me it is terrible, but that is just what everyone says about anything challenging they just completed. Don’t listen to it. You can do anything you set your mind to and trust God in.

    I probably could have learned physics better if we did more engineering challenges. For me, being a hands-on person means that doing is more valuable than seeing or listening. I felt like I was really challenging myself critically in these activities and also had the most fun all year in physics when we were doing design challenges. I loved them so much and felt like I did pretty well in them. Plus they really spurred on my competitive nature.

    Goodbye friends. It was a sad rough ending to the year. However, I know the Class of 2020 will never be forgotten because of this bizarre time we are graduating in. Much love…

  3. This year in physics I may not have grown much physically, but I really grew mentally. I learned so many problem-solving skills and how to be quick on my feet when a challenge arises. I learned mainly that you don’t have to be the best to succeed. I may not have been the best at design challenges or labs but I still would find a way to make things work.

    Some advice for future physics students is first if you are contemplating taking this class, I would recommend it. It is really challenging but it is also fun. Another thing of advice is to cherish the time you have with your classmates. Even though the labs or challenges may seem hard in the moment, looking back on it I realize how much fun they were and how many memories I made.

    One way I for sure could have done better to learn physics is to try to grasp the concepts the day it was taught instead of waiting until the day before the test.

    Lastly, I would like to thank Ms. Skinner. The two years I have had with Ms. Skinner have honestly been some of the most fun science classes I took at Northpoint. I really believe that Ms. Skinner’s classes are what made me fall in love with the science field. And I cant wait to come back and tell her how grateful I am for everything.

  4. 1) How did physics grow you? What did you learn about yourself?
    Physics taught me to think on my feet and problem solve very quickly. Also, always have at least 2 backup plans before you even start XD
    About myself: My biggest struggle is inertia: it’s incredibly difficult for me to start a task I dread, but once I push past the initial resistance, I am an unstoppable force.
    2) What advice do you have for future physics students?
    FoR tHe LoVe oF aLL tHaT iS gOoD aNd HoLy DO YOUR WEBPOSTS AND LAB REPORTS. THEY ARE LITERALLY SO EASY OKAY. The hardest part of a lab report is the lab. Trust me. “The only difference between messing around and science is writing stuff down.” I forgot who said that but I have a feeling it was one of the Mythbusters guys or possibly a youtube science dude.
    Ms. Skinner will tell you to do your homework problems over and over until you can do them every time without help. You will smile and nod and think to yourself that she is crazy for thinking you’re about to do extra work. She is crazy, but in the absolutely best way possible <3. And doing the extra work really will help you, I Pinkie Pie Princess Promise. (For those of you who are unaware, anyone who breaks a Pinky Pie Princess Promise is immediately incinerated on the spot, and as I'm still here and typing, it clearly isn't a lie, okay)

    3) What could we have done different this year that would have helped you learn physics better?
    All of my obstacles this year have been myself.
    Ms. Skinner, you have been everything I've ever needed in a teacher. You explain everything so well, and you make sure I understand, and if I don't you give me resources to help me figure it out. You push me farther than I think I can go, but encourage me all the way, always ready to offer help in the form of a cryptic riddle or an "I don't know… does it???" to send me in the right direction to figure it out for myself. I have grown so much this year AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT.

    Thank you. <3

    I'm crying now, but it's okay.

  5. Through physics, I’ve learned that sometimes I do actually have to put in an effort to become good at something. When I don’t excel naturally, I tend to give up and move on to something else. Physics has been game changer on that front. I’ve also learned that you’re not always right on the first go around, so it’s okay to be wrong.

    Future students, don’t take for granted the times that you have in an actual classroom. Taking notes was never the day I looked forward to in physics, but the in-person class time with Ms. Skinner can’t be replicated. Oh, and you don’t have to ace every test to pass if you do your homework and lab reports.

    I honestly believe that the concepts I struggled with were my own fault. As long as you learn how to study the material, it’s not difficult to master. I hate trying to learn from just hearing, so every time we got to see physics in action was super helpful.

    Thank you, Ms.Skinner for getting me through some stressful years. You have been such a blessing, and I honestly don’t believe I would have ever considered majoring in an engineering field without you. Math and science aren’t what I’m best at, but they are what I love. You have been such an encourager! I’m gonna stop typing before I starting crying. Thank you again! I love and miss you!!

  6. 1). Physics was undoubtedly my favorite class I have taken thus far; in fact, I think it has helped me determine what my major will be in college. Physics has helped teach me to not procrastinate assignments that have due dates in the distant future. Physics has also taught me how to effectively work as a team and hear everyone’s ideas. Additionally, physics helped me learn an effective strategy for designing prototypes which could be very helpful in the future. Physics has also taught me how to have fun with learning, and it has stimulated my curiosity about the world we live in. Physics has taught me that I am much better with my mind than I am with my hands, and that I love to learn about the universe we reside within.
    2). I would advise future physics students that it is not as bad as they are expecting it to be. All they need to do is develop the habit of reviewing the vodcasts and reworking all the problems done in them to master the problems, and they need to take good, detailed notes to review for the multiple choice. It is more fun than it is stressful :).
    3). I can not think of one thing I would change about the learning process this year. It is a great environment and Ms. Skinner explains things from all angles and gives demonstrations, so everyone understands. I think you have done a fantastic job this year Ms. Skinner and there is not a single thing that I would change :).

  7. When thinking about what I wanted to study in college back when I first started highschool, my game plan was always: If I do great in A & P, I’ll pursue the medical field. And if I love physics, I’d do something more mechanical like engineering. And if I was terrible at both, then I’d just have to go in blind. While I loved taking A & P, I really really didn’t like taking A & P. You know what I mean? So I thought I would be amazing at Physics and that would be the whole story. Well that didn’t go exactly according to plan either. I realized God wasn’t going to just hand me the skills I needed to succeed. Through this class, God allowed me to work for them in order to achieve it myself. I’m so grateful for this class because it made me realize how capable I am when I apply myself and go out of my comfort zone. It gives me confidence that even though I know college will be extremely difficult at times, I will be able to do anything God wants me to as long as I give it at all. Also, that it’s okay to fail sometimes, because everyone does at some point.

    My biggest advice is to not be afraid to fail! Everyone in this class is going to struggle in this class, it’s just important that you try your very best. Also, always re work the homework problems before the test. The first time you do them, you won’t fully understand them until some further clarification in class. Also P.S., review the problems she works in class because they are the ones that will be on the test. That’s why she does them in class!

    I feel like I would have been able to grasp the problems more quickly if we did them in class before we did the homework. Though there is something to be said about trying it yourself first. Also, the lax homework deadlines helped me immensely because I don’t think I would have gone back to rework them if I felt I wasn’t allowed to.

    Thank you so much Ms. Skinner! I would not feel nearly as confident as I do about college if I didn’t take your classes!

  8. 1. Physics grew me in more ways outside of class than in class. At the beginning of the year, I really had to deal with my pride and admit that sometimes I’m not as good as I want to be in some classes. I felt really blocked by the feeling of not being able to do better no matter how hard I tried. I stressed my self out and it wasn’t until I changed my mindset to just improve every day when I started to do better.

    2. New students, whenever you walk into the physics room, do not be intimidated. Yes, Ms. Skinner can be scary, but that’s just because you’ve only heard about how hard the class is and how demanding it is. Please do not see Ms. Skinner as anything other than an amazing teacher who does whatever she can to prepare you for college and life. Physics is a lot more chill than chemistry, so it’s ok to joke around every once in a while and ask what you think are dumb questions. Of course, you need to respect Ms. Skinner, but often there is more space to relax in her classroom than you think. Her class will be fun as long as you apply yourself and enjoy the class.

    3. If I would have made a stuff-to-know sheet as we went through the chapter, it would have made studying a lot easier. Also, if I would have studied any more than the night before I would have probably gotten some more sleep and energy for the tests too. Also, I could have looked up videos to help visualize concepts and really understand them better.

    This is S Lee P5, signing out on my last web post. I will miss these small moments of self-reflection. Thank you Ms. Skinner for helping us become better people and teaching us a little bit of science on the way. See ya!

  9. 1) So going into this class I only felt existential dread. Like this class is deemed THE hardest one at Northpoint, and in my experience, it is. Now that’s not to say it impossible. This year really helped me in two ways: gain confidence in my ability to learn and accepting failure for what it was. Before this class I tried my best not to answer questions in class because I always assumed I would get it wrong in front of everyone and be super embarrassed. The only thing worse than being wrong to me at this point was silence after a question was asked. It happened a lot in the beginning. Ms. Skinner would ask the class a question and everyone would be too scared/indifferent to answer, me included. But as the seconds dragged on I decided to take the plunge and answer some questions to get rid of the awful silence, and would you look at that I got them right! I realized that Ms. Skinner likes to make learning a conversation not just a lecture and I realized, so do I! It helped me so much to just answer questions and repeat things out loud. I focused better and I understood the concepts. Even when I didn’t understand I wasn’t scared to ask questions.
    2) My advice to my up coming seniors covers the second way I grew. Here’s the thing guys, unless you are THAT kid who is THE smartest ever, you’re gonna fail something in this class. And that’s ok! I failed atleast 50% of the tests but I’m fine, my grades pretty fine (do your homework kids it’s the only way to survive) and I could always get my grade up. Wooo! So yeah you’re going to have to learn to just roll with the punches even when you fail because physics can and will beat you into a bloody pulp if you’re not careful. You can always bounce back and bring your grade back up. (Also don’t complain about getting a B because I know atleast 5 people who can and will come back to beat you).
    3) hmmm how to make my year better? Well I can only think of one flaw I had with this year. There was a pandemic and suddenly that classroom dynamic was destroyed so I learned nothing. Yeah, that’s about it. I love you, Ms. Skinner. You’ve been a role-model and an amazing teacher to me for the 2 years I took your classes. I will always appreciate your influence in my life :).

  10. Physics showed me a different version of science. School has typically limited the freedom we get to have in labs, but I honestly felt like I was back in elementary spotlight where I had to think more critically, but this time, I had to apply what I learned. Physics showed me that there was a lot of guessing around and do-overs in normal experimenting. I learned that I actually like this version of science much better than in the past. I have come to understand the realities of what might come down in a lab. I never would have thought the social experience was such a crucial part of it too.

    Practice the problems and focus on concepts for tests. Don’t procrastinate. Have fun in labs. Web posts are still the deal breaker when it comes to your grade. Also, get an iPad and notability. It’s literally the best for notes, and I wish I had it for chemistry.

    To improve my learning for the class, I would say more stress on concepts. This class is sometimes fast paced, especially when you get back from lunch when a full belly.

    Anyways, you did an amazing job this past year! I’m so sad we did not get to go to Six Flags! Nevertheless, I had so much fun. The hands on challenges were literally my favorite. I LOVE U MS. SKINNER

  11. 1. Physics grew me in more ways that I would have never thought possible earlier in the year. I was forced to think outside the box in almost every lesson Ms. Skinner taught us and it was worth it in the end. Creating formulas on my own to use in a situation was an extremely difficult lesson to learn. Compared to everything else I had learned in previous years, it was very unconventional. But it prepared me for real world applications. I was also challenged by time management on tests and using mental imagery/visualizations. My favorite parts of the class were the engineering challenges, without a doubt. I found out that I had quite the knack for scrapping together something from random everyday objects. It really boosted my morale towards being an engineer and I feel like that is my major strong point! Seriously, I loved those things.
    2. As for advice to underclassmen. Oh boy. Heed my warnings! TAKE PRACTICING SERIOUSLY. Whenever you get homework, invest your time in breaking the problems down and find ways to efficiently solve them. Repetition is key, and Ms. Skinner will tell you this fact over and over again. Make this a priority, as it will help you move along through the class lesson by lesson and test by test. It’s not hard, but it’s a process. Respect that process, and you’ll do great. Study in advance and don’t wait til night before, because it will come back to bite you. Almost every test I took, I failed. Certain concepts seemed impossible to grasp properly. That’s just me though. You may or may not fail too. That’s okay because failure is the start to a success. No matter how hard it gets, don’t give up. Keep on moving. If you don’t get it right away, you’re not dumb. You just need to give it time and practice. Ms. Skinner is always up to help you understand and improve, so never hesitate to ask a question. Which reminds me of another thing – ASK QUESTIONS. (P.S – Being done is better than being perfect.)
    3. As for ways this year could have been better. I feel as though more hands-on demonstrations and visual aids could have been used more. Also, my stress levels got way out of hand a few months back, which was putting me in a really bad mental state. Perhaps a form of stress control would have helped, but that’s really up to the individual.

    In my two years of experience with you, Ms. Skinner, I can proudly say that you are a one-of-a-kind teacher. Learning from you is an experience like no other and it’s incredibly engaging. The things you do to prepare and motivate your students is phenomenal. I’m going to miss you so much once college begins. I will definitely apply the lessons I’ve learned while I’m there. You are truly unforgettable and it’s been an honor being your student. Thank you for everything you’ve done. Please take care while we’re gone!

  12. Funny enough, I forgot about my last physics grade: this webpost. It honestly sums up the whole year for me. I get so excited about one thing in physics, that I forget something totally important. Anyways….

    1. Physics grew me by teaching my that I’m not going to succeed at everything the first time. I mean I obviously knew that before, but this class really showed me that it takes multiple times and a ton of practice to get something right. I studied and studied and the highest I ever made (besides the open note test) was a 79. I learned that determination is key. Like in my Rube Goldberg project, I was not going to sleep until that thing was finished. It honestly reminds me of exercising in a weird way. Like yeah its really painful but if you keep pushing, you’ll feel amazing when your’re done.I learned that I actually enjoyed aspects of physics like Bernoulli. I really enjoying explaining physics to my family (even when they don’t want to hear it) because I feel so smart 🙂

    2. Future physics students, this class is difficult. It will teach you so many important and cool things that you’re never going to forget. Some advice is to start your lab reports early. I can’t tell you how many times I missed tiny little things that made a big difference in my grade because I rushed through the lab report. ALWAYS do your homework and do it well. I don’t mean be sure everything is accurate…I mean try your best. And for the tests, if you want to wing one, go for it dude. But be ready to fail miserably. You absolutely have to study EVERYTHING. And NEVER forget your formula card. Btw, you are going to want to give up but don’t! I don’t mean push yourself until you have panic attack (like I did one time. It was not fun.) Instead, stay calm when things go wrong. Sleep on it and try again the next day!

    3. I probably could’ve learned physics better if I could just pay attention for more than 5 seconds. Yes, that is a personal problem. I could also have learned better if we had more hands on activities. That’s just the kind of learner I am I guess.

    I’ll miss this classroom and the people in it. Ms. Skinner, you truly are the best teacher I have ever had (and not just because you’re giving me credit for this after I forgot. thank u again!). I’ll miss you so much and keep on giving your students the word of God through science. It is super duper cool!

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