Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 19/09/2026Not to mention the proliferation of AI generated content on there 120
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 17/06/2026If you followed any of my #teach180 journey I thank you! I always say that the greatest factor that led to any of my teaching improvements have come from engaging with the #iteachphysics community. 040
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 17/06/2026In this next year I’ll switch from AP physics to college in the high school Physics through CWU and I’ll lose my physical science since I’ve inadvertently grown the forensics program and will have four sections of it 💀 130
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 17/06/2026All in all I continue to enjoy my job, and appreciate getting to use my adult brain creatively which I feel atrophies more and more during the long parenting hours. 100
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 17/06/2026But seemingly to little consequence. Sorry I forgot a few times to update the weekly MTSS behavior spreadsheet that didn’t seem to result in any changes! 100
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 17/06/2026I’ve had years where I’ve put in 80-90 hours a week into teaching and I’m convinced that cutting those extra hours out didn’t make me a worse teacher, just a more efficient one. (Did become a much slower grader and quality of my feedback suffered. Also let many extraneous things fall through cracks) 100
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 17/06/2026As I reflect upon my 13th year of teaching and #teach180, I realized that this was the closest I’ve ever come to working to my contracted time and not going way over. Having a 3rd kid and trying to find a better balance with sharing a parenting mental load was the toughest thing this year. Cont 140
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 17/06/2026It was awesome keeping up with your teach180 reflective journey. Thank you for the inspiration and for how you help lead the #iteachphysics community! 020
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 17/06/2026Day 176 - 180 Physics: ended with a short research CER on energy mixed use by major population area. Lots of great 1-1 convos to end the year, able to put on some WC games for portions of class. Ended the year with staff of the month award! docs.google.com/document/d/1... #iteachphysics #teach180docs.google.comPhysics Renewable Energy Plan FinalName: ___________________________________________ Date: _______________________ Physics Renewable Energy Plan Final Background: Fossil Fuels such as Oil, Gas, and Coal are estimated to run out as ear... 010
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 17/06/2026Day 169 - 175 Physics: this class was mostly seniors and they finished school two weeks early. Left with just three students we focused on renewable energy sources. Developed wind and solar energy sources and determined what made sense for our locality #iteachphysics #teach180 030
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 17/06/2026Day 177 - 180 Physical Sci: prepped for and took the final! Last day of school only had a few students so it was uno, yearbooks, and trips to the dumpster #iteachphysics #teach180 000
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 11/06/2026docs.google.com/document/d/1...docs.google.comSemester 2 Final PreparationName: ___________________________ Semester 2 Final Preparation - Day 1 Essential Question: Why is Earth Habitable but not Mercury, Venus, or Mars? Part 1 - Where did our Atmosphere Come From? The E... 010
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 11/06/2026docs.google.com/document/d/1...docs.google.comUnit 7 - Earth’s Processes Final Summative_________________’s Favorite Dessert is _________________________ Date: ____________ Physical Science | Unit 7 | Earth Processes Summative Part I - Explaining the Features of Washington State Observe... 100
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 11/06/2026drive.google.com/file/d/1RLJm...drive.google.comsix_large_feedbacks.png 100
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 11/06/2026Day 172 - 176 Physical Sci: wrapped up climate and preparing for semester 2 Final. Totally lost track so just a dump from some of the lessons #iteachphysics #teach180 100
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 05/06/2026Day 164-168 Physics: Students worked on and then presented their thermodynamic projects and models. Great to see students explain processes that seemed like a black box. This was the final for seniors and their last assignment ever so very bittersweet! #iteachphysics #teach180 010
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 05/06/2026Day 171 Physical Sci - talked about albedo effect and positive feedback back loops. Used #vernier light sensor to measure reflectivity of different color surfaces #iteachphysics #teach180 010
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 05/06/2026Day 168 - 170 Physical Sci: Covered 6 factors that affect climate. Latitude, ocean current, wind, elevation, relief, nearness to water. Started with notes, then analyzing a N American city, then given a fictional continent to describe climates of different regions #iteachphysics #teach180 010
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 29/05/2026Day 167 Physical Sci - Did carbon cycle game today where students move around the room and roll dice to find different carbon sinks and how it shifts. Halfway through make an update to the game so students who previously were stuck in fossil fuels get released far faster #iteachphysics #teach180 020
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 29/05/2026www.king5.com/article/news...king5.comTacoma redesigning popular beach using climate change projectionsClimate change projections of sea level rise is one reason Tacoma is making major changes to Owen Beach at Point Defiance Park. 010
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 29/05/2026Day 166 Physical Sci - warm up on Owen’s Beach park in Tacoma that had to be shifted uphill due to sea level rise. Talked about properties of warming water and what causes sea levels to rise. Lots of demos and observations and modeling interactions bw water and heat #iteachphysics #teach180 120
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 29/05/2026Day 165 Physical Sci - Today we modeled the greenhouse effect and collected some data using #vernier sensors by heating up an atmospheric air bottle vs a CO2 bottle. #iteachphysics #teach180 031
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 27/05/2026Started climate with an adapted lesson from the @perimeterinstitute.ca lots of graph analysis and whiteboarding greenhouse effect. Honestly not a great lesson coming back from a 4 day weekend 😖 #iteachphysics #teach180 docs.google.com/document/d/1...docs.google.comCarbon DioxideCarbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere Part 1: Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere How does carbon dioxide in the atmosphere affect climate? To investigate, analyze the Keeling Curve Graphs, created from data ... 020
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 23/05/2026Looks cool! I try to follow the @modelinginstruction.org pedagogy so lots of whiteboarding and consolidating in our notebooks 000
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 22/05/2026I do composition notebooks, I have students answer a warmup at the top of the page then have them tape/glue our lesson paper below. Less computer use, no loose papers, consistent routine. I have students keep notebooks in a milk crate so they don’t get lost. 300
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 22/05/2026Day 163 Physics - Final week for seniors next week so ending with a project where they model applications of thermodynamics (fridge, heat pump, combustion engine, etc) #iteachphysics #teach180 docs.google.com/document/d/1...docs.google.comHVAC & Thermodynamics SummativeName: ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Date: _______________________________________ Modeling Thermodynamics in HVAC Systems & The Real Worl... 030
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 22/05/2026Day 162 Physics - wrapped up thermo lab and had students complete a CER to determine what material of block they had according to the specific heat capacity chart. Only one that was way off was the iron block which I think got thrown off due to it having a coating on in. #iteachphysics #teach180 000
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 22/05/2026Day 163 Physical Sci - Discussed hot spots and Hawaii and how the sea floor volcano chain provides evidence for theory of plate tectonics #iteachphysics #teach180 docs.google.com/document/d/1...docs.google.com7.7 - Hot Spots7.7 - Hot Spots (Hawaii) Phenomenon Is Hawaii Growing or Shrinking? Stimulus Article: WHAT DOES KILAUEA’S ERUPTION TELL US ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON MORE WIDELY GEOLOGICALLY? Hawaii’s volcanoes aren’t ... 020
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 22/05/2026Day 162 Physical Sci - last day for one pagers, lots of students will need to take theirs home to finish or come in after school for extra time #iteachphysics #teach180 010
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 20/05/2026Day 160/161 Physical Sci - continued working on our plate boundary one pager. Favorite question is asking students to analyze why these regions (PNW, Japan, Pacific Islands, Iceland) have such unique cultures due to their geologic processes #iteachphysics #teach180 010
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 20/05/2026Also discussed how water won’t surpass 100 C and students explained where the heat energy was going 000
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 20/05/2026Day 160/161 Physics - notes on 2nd and 3rd thermodynamic laws and Carnot Cycle. Today did find the specific heat capacity of mystery block by transferring from ice water and transferring from boiling water #iteachphysics #teach180 110
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 17/05/2026Day 159 Physical Sci - wrapping up plate tectonics in a hurry! Ss will create a onepager model diagramming and explaining how a surface feature is formed #iteachphysics #teach180 docs.google.com/document/d/1...docs.google.comModeling A Plate Boundary FeatureModeling A Plate Boundary Feature Intro: In this summative model you will be choosing one unique geologic feature that was formed by a converging, diverging, or transforming plate boundary. The goal ... 000
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 17/05/2026Day 159 Physics - our school had prom on this Friday AND it was senior skip day so in this class of seniors only two showed up! We whiteboarded and modeled heat pump and refrigerator systems with a focus on what compressors and expansion valves do #iteachphysics #teach180 040
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 15/05/2026Day 158 Physical Sci - I adapted this NPS resource about Indigenous storytelling about Mt. Tahoma (Rainier). Showing how oral traditions show evidence of past eruptions that match the geologic evidence long before this land was stolen. www.nps.gov/common/uploa... #iteachphysics #teach180nps.gov 010
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 15/05/2026Day 157 Physical Sci - Consolidated our plate boundary learning and had students try to identify what boundary type made some of earths most unique landforms. docs.google.com/document/d/1... #iteachphysics #teach180docs.google.comPlate Boundaries SummaryPlate Boundaries Summary On our earth we see many geologic features such as Volcanoes, Islands, Mountains, etc. We typically see these unique features where TWO tectonic plates (earth crust) meet form... 010
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 14/05/2026Day 157/158 Physics - Notes on 1st law of thermodynamics. Many demos with syringes beginning with students using them to boil water by rapidly decreasing pressure. Stuck a vernier temp probe in one to observe significant temp rise. Sub day for day 2 to do practice probs #iteachphysics #teach180 010
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 13/05/2026Day 156 Physical Sci - Finished our plate tectonic diagrams. Interest starting to click! Lot more google map viewing to see mountain ranges and trenches. I went to Uni in Los Angeles and talked about how often we’d feel earthquakes which blew my Ss minds #iteachphysics #teach180 020
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 13/05/2026Day 156 Physics - Charles Law today and discussed compressed air cans and hot air balloons. #iteachphysics #teach180 010
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 12/05/2026geology.com/nsta/#google...geology.comTeaching Plate Tectonics with Easy-to-Draw IllustrationsTeaching Plate Tectonics with Easy-To-Draw Illustrations 010
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 12/05/2026Day 155 Physical Sci - Revisited the plate tectonic notes since I was out last week. Combining having students annotate their diagrams and find the real world examples of these plate boundaries in Google Maps #iteachphysics #teach180 100
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 12/05/2026Day 155 Physics - Did a lab on Boyles law and Gay-Lusaac Law using vernier probes to investigate relationships between pressure temperature and volume #iteachphysics #teach180 010
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 09/05/2026Day 154 Physical Sci - following up plate boundary lesson with a helpful self-directed sim. Had another kid begin barfing but luckily had already planned to take the day 🙄 May has been rough. #iteachphysics #teach180 docs.google.com/document/d/1...docs.google.com7.6 - Exploring Plate BoundariesExploring Plate Boundaries bit.ly/watkinsplatesimulation In this activity you will use a computer simulation to explore the different types of plate boundaries and the landforms created. CONVERGE... 010
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 09/05/2026Day 153 Physical Sci - another barfy kid another sub day. One of my favorite lessons became the sub plan, going over tectonic plate boundaries. Later found out that Canvas was down/hacked so will need to revisit #iteachphysics #teach180 docs.google.com/presentation...docs.google.comPlate Tectonic Notes & ResourcesEarth’s Interior Draw out the labels and descriptions on your paper Convection Currents 020
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 09/05/2026Day 153/154 Physics - Stomach Bug finally caught up to me and all 5 family members. Just a punt on the week. Had students do notes and an interactive activity about Ideal Gas Laws #iteachphysics #teach180 071
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 09/05/2026Day 152 Physical Sci - Began to connect density with subducting plates. Did the density column demo to demonstrate unequal densities lead to layering instead of mixing. Introduced ideas of plate boundaries #iteachphysics #teach180 docs.google.com/document/d/1...docs.google.com7.3 - The Earth’s CrustThe Earth’s Crust UNIT GOAL: Analyze how the population of WA State has changed over time and make predictions for how it will change in the future and how the state geography affects populations. Le... 010
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 09/05/2026Day 151 Physical Sci - Sub day so led with a @phetsims.bsky.social density lab to reinforce connection between density and earth layers docs.google.com/document/d/1... #iteachphysics #teach180docs.google.comDensity Phet LabEarth Layers & Density Study Guide Fill in the Earth Layer Diagram: What is the formula for density? Why does a heavy cruise ship float in the ocean but a small rock sinks? Virtual Density La... 010
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 09/05/2026Day 152 Physics - Introduced 3 thermodynamic laws using @phetsims.bsky.social Sims phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/en... phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/st... And did some live demos #iteachphysics #teach180 010
Nick Watkins @pnwphysics.bsky.social · 06/05/2026Day 150/151 Physics - Began our HVAC and thermodynamics unit today. Began with a simple warmup of does a ceiling fan cause a rooms temp to increase, decrease, neither. Then went over some notes and introduced heat energy formula and 0th law. Practice problems on day 2 #iteachphysics #teach180 010