Demographics
I serve as the 11th and 12th academy Physics teacher at Ballou Senior High School (BSHS), where approximately 95% of students are below grade level. BSHS is a low-income, low-performing school with nearly 800 African American students, located in the southeast of Washington DC. Like many urban schools, Ballou suffers from an epidemic of violence where many students experience emotional and physical trauma, often leading to volatile behavior in the classroom. Many students struggle to get to school due to trouble at home or with the law. As a result truancy is high at Ballou High School, with approximately 1 student in 3 absent on a given day. Students have historically tested well below grade level in both Mathematics and English literacy. After two years at Ballou High School I have learned that students respond best to a positive, structured, dynamic classroom, with hands-on activities. This unit will seek to capitalize on the familiarity of motion and engage my students through hands-on demonstrations that will facilitate greater opportunities for mastery.
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