Physics First represents an organizational alternative to the traditional high school science sequence. It calls for a re-sequencing of high school courses so that students study physics before chemistry and biology. The purpose of this pamphlet is to provide: (1) Basic information and rationale for the Physics First curriculum; (2) Strategies for…

Electrospinning has been used to create nanofibers for filtration devices, tissue engineering, and protective clothing. Although electrospinning is now widely studied, because of the expensive equipment required and the advanced nature of this topic, it is not commonly found in high school science labs. Through grants from the Ohio State…

Funded by innovative programs at the National Science Foundation and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Richmond faculty in biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and computer science teamed up to offer first- and second-year students the opportunity to contribute to vibrant, interdisciplinary research projects. The result was…

This book is intended to offer college faculty members the insights of the development of reasoning movement that enlighten physics educators in the late 1970s and led to a variety of college programs directed at improving the reasoning patterns used by college students. While the original materials were directed at physics concepts, they quickly…

Classroom experiments on atmospheric pressure focus largely on demonstrating its existence, often in a most impressive way. A series of amusing physics demonstrations is widely known and practiced by educators teaching the topic. However, measuring the value of atmospheric pressure(P[subscript atm]) is generally done in a rather mundane way,…

The concept of displacement center for teaching the virtual work method in statistics is described. An analytical treatment of the displacement center is presented. An example which illustrates the essential elements of this concept is provided. (CW)

Some of the projects designed to increase girls' uptake of physics are surveyed and some aspects of teaching physics in a girl-friendly way are presented. Possible reasons for the underrepresentation of girls in high school physics are discussed. The Girls into Science and Technology (GIST) and the Girls' Education in Mathematics, Science and…

Described is an extracurricular program for high school students in which they visited a college physics laboratory facility and participated in laboratory activities. Discussed are the planning, student experiences, and results. (CW)

STEP UP (Southern Tier Educators' Program for Understanding Physics), a cross-district, K-12 science teacher network devoted to physics was formulated. Key characteristics, funding sources, staff development formats, and growth indicators are outlined for others interested in replicating and/or expanding on the network in their home region. (LZ)

Described are efforts of the Open University (United Kingdom) to retrain physics teachers using distance learning strategies. Discussed are the teacher shortage, the program design, styles of delivery, group activities, content, teacher types, and the National Curriculum. (CW)

Described is an undergraduate interdisciplinary project encompassing physics, computer science, and geology and involving a number of students from several academic departments. The project used the topic of the occurrence of in-home radon. Student projects, radon sampling, and results are discussed. (CW)

Described are engineering programs that have used automated data acquisition systems to implement data collection and analyze experiments. Applications include a biochemical engineering laboratory, heat transfer performance, engineering materials testing, mechanical system reliability, statistical control laboratory, thermo-fluid laboratory, and a…

Described is an interdisciplinary program designed to coordinate the physics and calculus courses for seniors in a Massachusetts high school. Target audience, benefits, team coordination, and impact are discussed. A list of suggested crossover topics is provided. (CW)

Described is a project designed to give students an understanding of the environmental implications of current energy practices and a chance to participate in a project that may have a measurable impact on environmental quality. Suggestions for the integration of this project into high school science classes are provided. (CW)

This monograph attempts to show the importance of bringing marine biology into science classrooms, discusses what makes the ocean so important and explains why oceanography should be included in the science curriculum regardless of where students live. Section I, "Getting Started," includes discussions on the following: (1) "Why…