Data Activities Portfolio
The Data Portfolio is a compendium of particle physics classroom activities organized by data strand and level of student engagement. Follow the links provided for information about using the Data Portfolio to plan your students’ experience. Level descriptions explain the data analysis skills that students apply at each level: tasks in Level 0 are simpler than those in Levels 1 and 2. While each level can be explored individually, students who start in one level and progress to more complex levels experience increasingly engaging and challenging tasks. These activities are aligned with NGSS Standards, particularly NGSS Practices.
Your students can follow a path through activities in a data strand to better understand practices that lead to discovery. Each pathway provides connections between topics routinely covered in physics class and particle physics content and methods. Use the pulldown menus (Curriculum Topics and Strand) to find activities related to the content you are currently covering. Watch this screencast to learn more about sorting these activities.
We want your feedback on how the activities worked for you. Please complete the survey to help us improve our activities.
| Activity Name | Data Strand | Level | Curriculum Topics | NGSS Practices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 QuarkNet STEP UP: Careers in PhysicsLesson #2 in QuarkNet STEP UP Series on diversity and inclusion. |
Level 1 | Diversity & Inclusion | ||
 Making Tracks IIStudents analyze tracks in a bubble chamber. |
Cosmic Ray, LHC, Neutrino | Level 1 | Conservation Laws, Nature of Matter, Standard Model, Skill: Developing Models | 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 |
 Particle TransformationsStudents discover the rules of particle transformations using transformation diagrams. |
Cosmic Ray, LHC, Neutrino | Level 1 | Conservation Laws, Nature of Matter, Standard Model, Skill: Developing Models | 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 |
 TOTEM 1Students use TOTEM data to determine if protons (quantum objects) obey classical conservation of momentum. |
LHC | Level 1 | Conservation Laws, Nature of Matter | 4, 5, 8 |
 CMS Data ExpressCMS Data Express is a short investigation in which students inspect and characterize W or Z events from the LHC. |
LHC | Level 2 | Conservation Laws, Nature of Matter, Skill: Developing Models, Skill: Histograms, Skill: Uncertainty | 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 |
 TOTEM 2Use quantum physics and LHC data to estimate the size of the proton. |
LHC | Level 2 | Instrumentation, Waves & Interference, Kinematics, Nature of Matter, Quantum Mechanics, Skill: Developing Models, Skill: Histograms, Skill: Uncertainty | 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 |
 ATLAS Z-path MasterclassStudents are physicists for a day at a university or lab where they work with physiists to how to analyze real particle physics data in the form of event displays.
|
LHC | Level 2 | Conservation Laws, Nature of Matter, Skill: Histograms, Skill: Uncertainty | 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 |
 Mean Lifetime Part 2: Cosmic MuonsStudents learn how physicists measure muon lifetime. |
Cosmic Ray | Level 2 | Half-Life/Mean Lifetime, Nature of Matter, Special Relativity, Skill: Histograms, Skill: Uncertainty | 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 |
 ATLAS Data ExpressATLAS Data Express is a short investigation in which students inspect and characterize Z events in the LHC and distinguish muons from electrons. |
LHC | Level 2 | Conservation Laws, Instrumentation, Nature of Matter, Skill: Developing Models, Skill: Histograms, Skill: Uncertainty | 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 |
 ATLAS W-path MasterclassStudents are physicists for a day at a university or lab where they work with physicists to how to analyze real particle physics data in the form of event displays. |
LHC | Level 2 | Conservation Laws, Nature of Matter, Skill: Histograms, Skill: Uncertainty | 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 |