Ignoring the role of chance in science distorts the nature of the scientific process. Teachers can address this issue by means of several in-depth historical case studies, such as the discovery of electromagnetism by Oersted. Oersted was led to his lecture experiment by logic (two new hypotheses), but its success from the first trial was largely…

This book is designed to be a quick and easy resource for anyone teaching physics for the first time. Written after extensive research, this book is filled with reliable labs, demos and activities that work well in the classroom. Also included are lesson plans, diagrams, and teacher notes for every activity. The book is not the end--it is just a…

This paper reports on a student summer project performed in 2006 at the University of Frankfurt. It is addressed to undergraduate students familiar with the basic principles of relativistic quantum mechanics and general relativity. The aim of the project was to study the Dirac equation in curved spacetime. To obtain the general relativistic Dirac…

Thirty years ago, the Connecticut Supreme Court forced our state to take stock of its system for funding schools. Our poorest towns had thousands of dollars less per child to spend. Today, our poorest districts spend roughly the same as our richest, but Connecticut's poor children still score far below their wealthy peers. Our school finance…

Pay for Performance (PFP) is once again gaining popularity within education. This study examines teacher attitudes toward PFP policies, and how these views vary by teacher experience, subject area specialization, grade level(s) taught, educational background, risk and time preferences, and feelings of efficacy. Data were collected through a…

A science toy sometimes called the "magnetic spinner" is an interesting class demonstration to illustrate the principles of magnetic levitation. It can also be used to demonstrate Faraday's law and a horizontally suspended physical pendulum. The levitated part contains two circular magnets encased in a plastic housing. Each magnet stays…

Anchored in the narrative inquiry tradition, this article examines commonly held beliefs about curriculum dissemination from the perspective of a teacher whose campus participated in a major school reform initiative. Through the presentation of a constellation of fine-grained stories revolving around the teacher's curriculum making as an art…

This book is designed to provide guidance and ideas for science projects to help students learn more about science as they search for answers to specific problems. The 20 topics on electricity in this book suggest many possible problems to solve. Each topic has one detailed experiment followed by a section that provides additional questions about…

A classical Greek elementary magnet school in a large urban school district has identified the need for a multicultural fine arts program reflecting the contributions of ancient cultures to modern man. The author and teachers (K-5) of this school developed a multicultural program using classical literature, visual and performing arts, history, and…

The Enacted Practices Evaluation Model (EPEM) is an accountability system for "promised" program practices. Evaluating programs in terms of implemented treatment (i.e. enacted practices) in ways that yield valid and reliable results for accountability purposes is among the most vexing challenges in the field of program evaluation.…

Overwhelming scientific and anecdotal evidence indicates that the elementary school experience significantly shapes children's lives. This report examines the history of elementary education, and describes alternatives such as nongraded schools. The first part of the report describes the roots of elementary education in the United States,…

A study of magnet schools revealed that they have become a significant part of the nation's efforts to desegregate schools. Most magnet schools are in urban areas and offer a distinctive curriculum. School districts began employing magnet schools in the 1970s to help desegregate schools. The federal government has assisted magnet schools with…

This report examines recent school choice developments in four broad areas: (1) the public's interest in public school choice; (2) state and federal government responses to this growing interest; (3) new research on existing programs permitting choice; and (4) prospects for expanding state efforts to promote public school choice. After providing…

Black and white students attending integrated, non-integrated, and magnet schools in Saint Louis, Missouri, were subjected to the California Achievement Tests in 1980-81, the first year of a system-wide mandatory desegregation plan in the district. Results are presented in this report in the form of statistical tables and textual analyses.…

Magnet schools differ from other forms of alternative schools in being specifically intended to assist school systems in their desegregation efforts. Magnet schools have been defined by the federal courts as those having a "distinctive program of study" designed to attract a cross section of students from all racial groups voluntarily. Several…