Presents the result of an empirical study on the reception and effectiveness of historical material being included in the physics program of a Swiss high school. (Author/NB)

Examines data collected from a girls-only physics class in a public coeducational high school. Interview and observation data from this class, as well as from coeducational physics classes taught by the same teacher, illustrate that the girls in the single-sex class made substantial gains in both academic achievement and in perceptions of…

Describes an experiment in which students work together in small groups, take data, and make a calculation to roughly determine the diameter of the blind spot in their eye. (WRM)

Describes the Flexible Learning Approach to Physics (FLAP) teaching resource and the project's implementation and evaluation at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. Reports that FLAP delivers many of the expected benefits, with significant gains in the quality and effectiveness of teaching and learning. Contains 21 references.…

Describes an educational project primarily aimed at teachers and 15 to 18-year-old students that describes the essential features of a modern high-energy physics experiment. (Author/CCM)

Suggests an alternate way to determine the fractal dimension of bread by means of a dimensionally correct graphical analysis. (WRM)

Alternative forms of evaluation can provide deep and powerful learning experiences for students. Explains how to implement portfolios as an evaluation tool and describes a problem that was successfully implemented in a second semester reform calculus class. (Author/ASK)

Investigates the basic mechanics of cycling with a simple reckoning of how much effort is needed from the cyclist. The work done by the cyclist is quantified when the ride is on the flat and also when pedaling uphill. Proves that by making use of the available gears on a mountain bike, cycling uphill can be accomplished without pain. (Author/ASK)

Examines the gear system of a mountain bike to discover any redundancy in the many gear settings available to the cyclist. Suggests a best strategy for changing up through the gears on a typical 21-gear system and an adjustment to the available gears that would result in a smoother change. (Author/ASK)

Establishes a relationship between students' understanding of gases and its parallels in the history of science. Finds that college freshman students' alternative conceptions about gas behavior are resistant to change and recapitulate theories scientists held in the past, such as the Lattice Theory of Gases. (Contains 52 references.) (Author/WRM)

Describes experiments with electrostatics that are convenient for classroom demonstrations or laboratory activities. These experiments use a Kelvin balance and a relatively inexpensive electronic scale with 0.01-g sensitivity and essentially stationary pans. (WRM)

Uses aquarium and computer mirages to explain natural mirages caused by severe temperature inversions and appropriate topography. (WRM)

Describes the construction and use of a portable "sparker" or "lightning machine" that can be used to demonstrate dielectric breakdown of air. (WRM)

Presents a set of hands-on electrostatics experiments in the form of an activity guide and worksheet through which students discover the different types of electric charge, Coulomb's Law, induced charge separation, and grounding. (DDR)

Announces the theme for National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) 1998 and offers a rationale for the choice of the topic of polar connections. Suggests that the poles offer a glimpse of science as high adventure. The poles are often seen as pristine, nearly lablike environments that provide a platform for animal studies. (DDR)