Argues that the study of refraction of sound waves, although usually neglected, is an excellent ancillary to the normal optical approach in physics courses. Discusses the historical context of interest in the science behind outdoor sound propagation, particularly during the Civil War in the United States. (WRM)

Reports on a study of physics teachers' perceptions of "contexts" and the contextual approach to teaching physics. (Contains 31 references.) (Author/WRM)

Presents a model for using the Internet to teach high school students about plasma physics and fusion energy. (Author/CCM)

Describes a simple time-of-flight experiment using readily available equipment. The method of measuring the speed of light uses a modulated laser and introduces students to some concepts of optics, measurement of very small time intervals, modulation of lasers, waveform generation, fast detectors, and data processing. (Contains 20 references.)…

Presents ideas for adapting active-engagement physics labs for students with mobility-related disabilities. (WRM)

Discusses the history of the development of Newton's Law of Cooling. Describes an experiment conducted in the kitchen that is designed to test the rate of cooling of a hot block of iron. Finds that Newton's law does not represent very well the mechanism of heat loss. (Contains over 10 references.) (WRM)

Introduces an interdisciplinary undergraduate course on space physics based on history. Presents a contextual overview of space physics. (Contains 16 references.) (YDS)

Presents the floral foam activity which explores the relationship between volume and mass. Focuses on helping students to enhance their critical thinking skills. (YDS)

Describes a teaching sequence on gaseous pressure implemented in a group of pre-service primary teachers in Fiji that provides subjects with a strong visual model of particle behavior which they then applied to a series of collaborative science activities for which they attempted to construct explanations. Suggests that this teaching sequence…

Attempts to validate the use of microcomputer-based laboratories for the teaching of physics on both theoretical and empirical grounds. Includes a laboratory that addresses the voltage-current characteristics of several components. (Author/MM)

Presents a study that took place in an inner-city neighborhood school populated mainly by African American students characterized by poverty. Explores the discourse and practices of students and three co-teachers as a curriculum was enacted to provide opportunities for students to learn about the physics of motion through designing, building, and…

Explores high school students' collaborative efforts in solving qualitative physics problems and investigates how and whether confronting students with varying views improves problem solving skills. (Contains 22 references.) (DDR)

This study was undertaken to explore the effectiveness of the learning-cycle method when teaching direct current (DC) circuits to university students. Four Physics II classes participated in the study, which lasted approximately two and a half weeks in the middle of the spring semester of 2003. Participants were 120 freshmen (55 females and 65…

Eight years ago, a new senior interdisciplinary science course called "Oceans: Past and Present" for the McCallie School in Tennessee was designed. The idea stemmed from the combination of a physics teacher's desire for a course based on a summer program at sea and a writing center director/teacher's longing for the ocean from the…

At Tecumseh Middle School in Indiana the technology education teachers are part of a team consisting of language arts, math, social studies, and science teachers who work together on items of common interest and student needs. There is a scheduled period each day for instructors to meet to develop plans and activities to help students become more…