Surprisingly, newspapers contain wide-ranging physics topics available for narrative-style teaching in the classroom. Topics of newspaper articles we have covered over the years include physicists (obituaries of Hans Bethe, etc.), art or music that involve physics (color and standing waves), forensics (auto accidents and art forgeries), archeology…

In this article, we outline how we implemented an honors-level add-on course to complement standard university-level introductory physics courses. We explain why it was necessary to do this. We then explain the strategies we have adopted for attracting students, engaging them, and assessing their performance. Our goal in creating this course was…

For several years, I taught a general education course on the Manhattan Project for students majoring in the arts and humanities who needed a physical science credit as a condition of their graduation requirements. As might be imagined, the challenge in teaching this course was to find a balance between quantitative and qualitative content. A…

Quantum computing is a growing field at the intersection of physics and computer science. The goal of this article is to highlight a successfully trialled quantum computing course for high school students between the ages of 15 and 18 years old. This course was designed to bridge the gap between popular science articles and advanced undergraduate…

Discusses a survey sent to 502 institutions who have a one-year, non-calculus physics courses. The survey return rate was 50%. Comments on survey results concerning enrollment, reasons for changing textbooks, the top nine textbooks being used, and laboratory manuals. (MVL)

Discusses an introductory physics course which focuses on the practical applications of physics concepts within a three-semester program of physical therapy. Presents an overview and lists the 21 laboratory experiments and their corresponding lecture concepts. (MVL)

Argues that high school teachers have given up on trying to teach equations and mathematics to poorly prepared, inner-city, or very average students. Describes a mathematical problem-solving physics course for all types of students from average to honors. (CCM)

Describes an introductory physics course at the University of the Western Cape that shifted its fundamental approach from a mathematical focus to a conceptual focus based on verbal and written articulation of understanding. Reports that this approach enhanced student understanding of introductory physics. Contains 21 references. (JRH)

Summarizes 10 findings of a national survey of the status of introductory astronomy courses for nonscience majors. Findings focus on instructors, course length, laboratory components, laboratory equipment and exercises, texts, enrollment, mathematics prerequisites, and instructors' needs to enhance their teaching capabilities. (SK)

Project Physics is taught at Gibault High School (Waterloo, IL) using a modular schedule and learning activity packets. A description of the course, instructional strategies used, and the learning activity packets is provided. (JN)

Described is a physics course developed for seventh grade students. Emphasis is placed on developing basic skills and, as part of this objective, students construct their own scientific equipment. A sample lesson illustrates the methods and objectives used for this course. (JP)

Describes the reordering of a ninth-grade physics course that aimed at making core concepts clear to the students while at the same time developing students' skills and depth of understanding. Discusses its benefits and associated problems. (JRH)

Describes a successful program at Syracuse University where university physics faculty present their research to the students on a level appropriate for a general audience. Discusses why it was done, how it was done, survey results, and general observations. (MVL)

Describes a physics course concerned with the physical principles underlying devices used and natured occurrences observed in daily experience. (SL)

Describes a computer-based prelaboratory lecture to replace traditional lecture. Discusses how the CUPLE method was developed, the course structure, and a typical course day. (MVL)