Nick Watkins
@pnwphysics.bsky.social
AP Physics 1, Physical Science, Bio teacher in Tacoma, WA. Interested in sharing resources and collaborating! #iteachphysics #EDUsky #ModPhys #NBCT #VernierTrendsetter
Day 52 Physics & Physical Sci - School shooting threat today means no school. America! Only our school is cancelled so still counts as a school day for the district.
I was excited to tell my wife I got the day off but she was concerned. Realized how desensitized I am to school threats #teach180
I was excited to tell my wife I got the day off but she was concerned. Realized how desensitized I am to school threats #teach180
November 10, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Day 52 Physics & Physical Sci - School shooting threat today means no school. America! Only our school is cancelled so still counts as a school day for the district.
I was excited to tell my wife I got the day off but she was concerned. Realized how desensitized I am to school threats #teach180
I was excited to tell my wife I got the day off but she was concerned. Realized how desensitized I am to school threats #teach180
Can’t do yard work without trying to teach my kids some physics Good warmup question during a fluids unit is why does the ball get closer when it’s directly over the leaf blower vs at an angle? #iteachphysics #bernoullisprinciple
November 8, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Can’t do yard work without trying to teach my kids some physics Good warmup question during a fluids unit is why does the ball get closer when it’s directly over the leaf blower vs at an angle? #iteachphysics #bernoullisprinciple
Day 51 Physical Sci - Sub day. Students had all their bridge materials cut, glue, and ready so had them in group bins ready for assembly and testing. Guided lab packet to make the process easier, Hope it went well! Will whiteboard FBDs for each block on Monday #iteachphysics #teach180
November 8, 2025 at 3:26 AM
Day 51 Physical Sci - Sub day. Students had all their bridge materials cut, glue, and ready so had them in group bins ready for assembly and testing. Guided lab packet to make the process easier, Hope it went well! Will whiteboard FBDs for each block on Monday #iteachphysics #teach180
Day 51 Physics - Sub Day! October has no breaks so feels good to have a break. Students will be taking their data from yesterdays lab and creating a Friction one-pager
#iteachphysics #teach180
#iteachphysics #teach180
November 7, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Day 51 Physics - Sub Day! October has no breaks so feels good to have a break. Students will be taking their data from yesterdays lab and creating a Friction one-pager
#iteachphysics #teach180
#iteachphysics #teach180
Day 50 Physics - Came up with a lab idea w/o testing it. Wanted to get students to saw and sand wood so set up a sand grit vs μ lab. Had Ss launch wood through photogate and measured distance then derive μ. Had them sand with different grits and repeat. Reflection in thread #iteachphysics #teach180
November 7, 2025 at 3:50 AM
Day 50 Physics - Came up with a lab idea w/o testing it. Wanted to get students to saw and sand wood so set up a sand grit vs μ lab. Had Ss launch wood through photogate and measured distance then derive μ. Had them sand with different grits and repeat. Reflection in thread #iteachphysics #teach180
Day 50 Physical Sci - Wanted to connect newtons laws to some engineering concepts so used this TPT template for a stone bridge. Basically took the whole period to introduce bridge types, make predictions, then cutting and assembling. Didn’t have time to test yet #iteachphysics #teach180
November 7, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Day 50 Physical Sci - Wanted to connect newtons laws to some engineering concepts so used this TPT template for a stone bridge. Basically took the whole period to introduce bridge types, make predictions, then cutting and assembling. Didn’t have time to test yet #iteachphysics #teach180
Day 49 Physical Sci - set up two opposing students on rolling chairs with a rope in between. Did a lot of “you hold you pull” demos and had class predict. Switched out students of different masses. Led into Newton’s third law notes #iteachphysics #teach180
November 6, 2025 at 3:09 AM
Day 49 Physical Sci - set up two opposing students on rolling chairs with a rope in between. Did a lot of “you hold you pull” demos and had class predict. Switched out students of different masses. Led into Newton’s third law notes #iteachphysics #teach180
Day 49 Physics - Friction word problems, assigned each Ss one to complete on a large whiteboard then did a half stay and explain-half gallery walk. Remaining problems for homework. #iteachphysics #teach180
November 6, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Day 49 Physics - Friction word problems, assigned each Ss one to complete on a large whiteboard then did a half stay and explain-half gallery walk. Remaining problems for homework. #iteachphysics #teach180
Day 48 Physics - Friction notes and problem solving with Ff=uFn
Lots of great discussion, used magnifying glasses on lab tables to see the irregularities in the surface, dragged wood blocks across diff surfaces, pulled up @phetsims.bsky.social friction sim for a micro look #iteachphysics #teach180
Lots of great discussion, used magnifying glasses on lab tables to see the irregularities in the surface, dragged wood blocks across diff surfaces, pulled up @phetsims.bsky.social friction sim for a micro look #iteachphysics #teach180
November 5, 2025 at 6:53 AM
Day 48 Physics - Friction notes and problem solving with Ff=uFn
Lots of great discussion, used magnifying glasses on lab tables to see the irregularities in the surface, dragged wood blocks across diff surfaces, pulled up @phetsims.bsky.social friction sim for a micro look #iteachphysics #teach180
Lots of great discussion, used magnifying glasses on lab tables to see the irregularities in the surface, dragged wood blocks across diff surfaces, pulled up @phetsims.bsky.social friction sim for a micro look #iteachphysics #teach180
Day 48 Physical Sci - Quiz on forces today! #iteachphysics #teach180 docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Newton's Laws Quiz - Version A
Name: ___________________________ Newton’s Laws Quiz - Version A Unit Phenomena: How can we keep people of all AGES and SIZES safe in the event of a car collision? Use Newton’s First law to...
docs.google.com
November 5, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Day 48 Physical Sci - Quiz on forces today! #iteachphysics #teach180 docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Day 47 Physical Sci - big review packet on Fg, Mass vs weight, newtons laws, FBD. Quiz tomorrow! #iteachphysics #teach180
November 4, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Day 47 Physical Sci - big review packet on Fg, Mass vs weight, newtons laws, FBD. Quiz tomorrow! #iteachphysics #teach180
Day 47 Physics - Newtons 3rd law notes but mostly a bunch of demos. Very conceptual day before we get into friction #iteachphysics #teach180
November 4, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Day 47 Physics - Newtons 3rd law notes but mostly a bunch of demos. Very conceptual day before we get into friction #iteachphysics #teach180
Reposted by Nick Watkins
This year's edition of Rings of Fire!
Students are given initial height and velocity of the launched marble. Each group has to calculate the height of their ring at their assigned horizontal distance.
#EduSky #iTeachPhysics
Students are given initial height and velocity of the launched marble. Each group has to calculate the height of their ring at their assigned horizontal distance.
#EduSky #iTeachPhysics
November 3, 2025 at 11:00 PM
This year's edition of Rings of Fire!
Students are given initial height and velocity of the launched marble. Each group has to calculate the height of their ring at their assigned horizontal distance.
#EduSky #iTeachPhysics
Students are given initial height and velocity of the launched marble. Each group has to calculate the height of their ring at their assigned horizontal distance.
#EduSky #iTeachPhysics
Why are no politicians running on a platform of getting rid of daylight savings? Parents would rejoice.
November 1, 2025 at 5:53 AM
Why are no politicians running on a platform of getting rid of daylight savings? Parents would rejoice.
Day 46 Physics - Students really wanted to do a Halloween Kahoot so did a forces one. Just lots of review related to FBDs and newtons laws. Running labs in all my other classes so felt nice to have a more chill class to break up the day today #iteachphysics #teach180
November 1, 2025 at 5:38 AM
Day 46 Physics - Students really wanted to do a Halloween Kahoot so did a forces one. Just lots of review related to FBDs and newtons laws. Running labs in all my other classes so felt nice to have a more chill class to break up the day today #iteachphysics #teach180
Day 46 Physical Sci - powered through our N2L lab. Worth it to follow through not just for data but also for Ss to build those labs skills even when it’s against their will 💀 used a mix of cars with motion detectors and smart carts #iteachphysics #teach180
November 1, 2025 at 5:36 AM
Day 46 Physical Sci - powered through our N2L lab. Worth it to follow through not just for data but also for Ss to build those labs skills even when it’s against their will 💀 used a mix of cars with motion detectors and smart carts #iteachphysics #teach180
Day 45 Physical Sci - Really rowdy class today, goal was to collect all our accel data but just getting students to focus long enough to follow directions was a tall ask today. Wrap lab up tomorrow but also create a sheet of ideal data for groups that just can’t handle it. #iteachphysics #teach180
October 31, 2025 at 4:23 AM
Day 45 Physical Sci - Really rowdy class today, goal was to collect all our accel data but just getting students to focus long enough to follow directions was a tall ask today. Wrap lab up tomorrow but also create a sheet of ideal data for groups that just can’t handle it. #iteachphysics #teach180
Day 45 Physics - FBD practice. Broke out dynamics carts with the spring lever and qualitatively examined how changing the mass affects the acceleration. #iteachphysics #teach180
October 31, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Day 45 Physics - FBD practice. Broke out dynamics carts with the spring lever and qualitatively examined how changing the mass affects the acceleration. #iteachphysics #teach180
Day 44 Physical Sci - started a newtons 2nd law lab. Lots of set up so mostly worked on hypothesis and having groups gather supplies. Tomorrow will collect data. #iteachphysics #teach180
October 30, 2025 at 5:45 AM
Day 44 Physical Sci - started a newtons 2nd law lab. Lots of set up so mostly worked on hypothesis and having groups gather supplies. Tomorrow will collect data. #iteachphysics #teach180
Day 44 Physics - lots of our seniors were gone for a college visit field trip so did some simple notes on Newtons 2nd law and practice problems #iteachphysics #teach180
October 30, 2025 at 5:42 AM
Day 44 Physics - lots of our seniors were gone for a college visit field trip so did some simple notes on Newtons 2nd law and practice problems #iteachphysics #teach180
Day 43 Physical Sci - lots of half Atwood setups to show forces. FBD notes then a FBD color by number activity. #iteachphysics #teach180
October 29, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Day 43 Physical Sci - lots of half Atwood setups to show forces. FBD notes then a FBD color by number activity. #iteachphysics #teach180
Day 43 Physics - measured vertical jump on earth both the analog method with tape on a wall and by using verniers force plate. The force plate is great but students won’t jump as high as they can given they land back down on the plate. Calculated verticals on other planets #iteachphysics #teach180
October 29, 2025 at 6:35 AM
Day 43 Physics - measured vertical jump on earth both the analog method with tape on a wall and by using verniers force plate. The force plate is great but students won’t jump as high as they can given they land back down on the plate. Calculated verticals on other planets #iteachphysics #teach180
For the last couple of weeks, every night before bed my 5 year old and I have been working on this science Lego. It was actually a Father’s Day gift but with a new baby there just wasn’t time. It became a really sweet bed time routine and I’m sad it’s built but also it’s amazing! #iteachphysics
October 28, 2025 at 6:15 AM
For the last couple of weeks, every night before bed my 5 year old and I have been working on this science Lego. It was actually a Father’s Day gift but with a new baby there just wasn’t time. It became a really sweet bed time routine and I’m sad it’s built but also it’s amazing! #iteachphysics
Day 42 Physical Sci - did the cup challenge with this group too. Focus today on page two of notes with practice F=ma and introducing FBD docs.google.com/document/d/1... #iteachphysics #teach180
Free Body Diagrams & Newton’s 2nd Law
Free Body Diagrams & Newton’s 2nd Law Unit Phenomena: How can we keep people of all _______ and ___________safe in the event of a car collision? Warm Up: Draw the forces acting on the following two ...
docs.google.com
October 28, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Day 42 Physical Sci - did the cup challenge with this group too. Focus today on page two of notes with practice F=ma and introducing FBD docs.google.com/document/d/1... #iteachphysics #teach180
Day 42 Physics - notes on fundamental forces with focus on gravity. Began with cup stacking challenge with using spring scales as a twist! Had students make observations of how the force they pulled with affected the partner opposite #iteachphysics #teach180
October 28, 2025 at 6:03 AM
Day 42 Physics - notes on fundamental forces with focus on gravity. Began with cup stacking challenge with using spring scales as a twist! Had students make observations of how the force they pulled with affected the partner opposite #iteachphysics #teach180