Indicating that the rationale for teaching physics, to which curricula are ultimately directed, must focus on the needs of both future scientists and non-scientists alike, trends in physics curricula and instruction are viewed. Such changes are suggested to have taken place in response to growth in information, to changing perceptions of the nature of the physics discipline, and to a variety of other factors in the surrounding community and society. Following a review of physics enrollments and the state of physics in the late 1950's, science course improvement projects begun at this time are reviewed, including, for example, the Physical Science Study Committee Physics course, Nuffield Physics Project, Project Physics (formerly Harvard Project Physics), Berkeley Physics Course, Intermediate Science Curriculum Study, and Man Made World. Discussions of other trends in physics address student grouping and pacing, relevance through applied science and societal issues, role of the laboratory, use of resource materials and media, role of the teacher, and the role of research on learning and development in the curriculum development process. (DC)