Using Cartoons to Assess Student Understanding

While not a unique approach, using cartoons can help students understand more complex concepts more easily. The author of this article provides the rules for the cartoon project for his st... See More

While not a unique approach, using cartoons can help students understand more complex concepts more easily. The author of this article provides the rules for the cartoon project for his students as well as a rubric for assessing it. He uses it as a nontraditional assessment that is equivalent to one test grade. Reading the article explains how he implements this activity as well as the benefits and challenges of using this approach. I think this idea is a unique approach to understanding Newton’s laws of motion.

The Art of Physics

This article talks about using cartooning to illustrate Newton's laws of motion. Students at the middle school level often have a difficult time learning about and understanding physics. In ... See More

This article talks about using cartooning to illustrate Newton's laws of motion. Students at the middle school level often have a difficult time learning about and understanding physics. In their mental development, many middle school students can recognize several variables at once, but are unable to conceptualize the abstractions associated with mass, force, inertia, and acceleration. This article provides a framework to introduce cartooning as an enhancement to the more formal methods of teaching. [A grading rubric is also included for this topic.] Cartooning also offers an alternative activity for the student to be able to demonstrate their understanding of Newton's laws of motion.