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Discovering concepts through observation, exploration, and constructing scientific explanations of phenomena is best practice in science education. Instead of following lab procedures to verify a known answer or solution, involve students in the work of science. Begin by presenting a phenomenon to engage students in scientific inquiry and uncover their prior knowledge. Curiosity spurs questions driving investigations to explore hypotheses in search of explanations of the phenomenon. This paper describes how engaging in the science practices enables students to explore and explain why marshmallows either shrink or puff up in a dynamic environment containing a closed and open system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant challenge physics faculty face teaching introductory labs is engaging students in authentic science practices. Another has been highlighted given the current global pandemic—how to engage students in our laboratory courses while maintaining appropriate social distancing and hygiene standards. We have chosen to answer these challenges by transforming our labs...twice. We discuss the rationale behind the first transformation to a practice-focused curriculum. In March 2020 we needed to transform our labs again, this time to accommodate online learning. This paper discusses two chief questions: "What are we doing to engage students in science practices?" and "How did we make all of this work online?" [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a series of experiments that focus on light polarization and polarimetry. Such experiments were conducted with the use of commercial Polaroids, light sensors, and laser pointers, and were designed for an undergraduate food science students physics lab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

10.1119/10.0004887.1 Water is the essential component in living and its role is particularly important in plants. In fact, the crucial photosynthesis process involves a huge loss of sap by transpiration (around 99% from the total amount recovered from the soil through the plant roots) from the stomas on the leaves. Therefore, a question arises: How could trees raise the sap to heights up to 100 m? In this article we present a simple experimental setup that provides a direct visualization and quantification of the water ascent process against gravity. Moreover, the artificial tree offers analogies with "real" ones that will help undergraduate science students from different areas to investigate the influence of environmental and morphological parameters on the variety of physics phenomena underlying the ascension mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From ancient times, the different features of planets and moons have created a huge interest. Aristarchus was one of the first to study the relative relations among Earth, Moon, and Sun. This interest has remained until today, and therefore it is always relevant to make this knowledge more appealing to the younger generations. Nowadays, smartphone technology has become an important tool to teach physics, and this gives us a huge opportunity to bring science closer to students in a simpler manner. In this work, we show how simple photographs of a partial lunar eclipse are sufficiently good to estimate the ratio between the Moon and Earth radii. After taking the photographs, the procedure for the calculation is straightforward and it can be reproduced easily in a one–hour class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is recent evidence suggesting that formal and informal support networks for minoritized students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) can contribute to their persistence in the field. These counterspaces can serve as "safe spaces" where deficit notions of minoritized students can be challenged and where a positive collegiate climate can be established. Generally, counterspaces are found outside of STEM departments: with mentors, in campus student groups, or in conferences focused on diversity in STEM. However, two participants in a study by Johnson and colleagues reported evidence suggesting that physics departments themselves can act as counterspaces. We are inspired by this finding to investigate the role that a network of support for minoritized students in a physics department of an Eastern Canadian university has on female students' experiences in their physics program. In this paper, we present data suggesting that participation in this network can promote forms of participation that may be especially beneficial for minoritized students in physics. We argue that this network acts as a counterspace built into the structure of a university physics department. Furthermore, we suggest that access to counterspaces such as this one may be able to provide identity resources that minoritized students draw on to position themselves as insiders when entering physics programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding thermal concepts constitutes one of the most important challenges in teaching science as these concepts are central to the principals of science and allow students to build connections among scientific disciplines. From an early age, students' interaction with daily phenomena and real situations comes to shape their conceptions of thermal concepts, which continues to guide them throughout their education. Conceptions that are sometimes different from the scientific norm. This article presents six qualitative experiments/demonstrations using a low-cost, easy to make apparatus that introduces students to thermal concepts such as heat conduction in solid bodies and thermal expansion. These are appropriate for high school or college students enrolled in non-major science courses (e.g., departments of primary education) and can easily be performed by elementary or middle school students, but care must be taken when dealing with tealight candle flames. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For science students doing traditional laboratory experiments, often it may feel as if the apparatus and experiment have been specifically chosen for good results. They suspect that the science they are learning in the classroom will not match nearly as well in the real world. However, many educators have observed that student motivation and learning are improved when students make a connection between the classroom and the real world. Connecting the physics classroom to the real world can be accomplished, even in times of social isolation, with video analysis lab projects using videos taken by students based upon their interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Science teachers know the deep satisfaction of engaging students in science activities and seeing their excitement when a new idea suddenly makes sense. Providing opportunities to foster such student delight is one way to recruit talented undergraduate physics majors into the teaching profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) require teachers to think very carefully about the structure of lessons, which content must be taught to allow students to achieve NGSS expectations, and how content is delivered. With the standards' focus on three-dimensional learning and the use of relevant phenomena, most teachers are urged to make genuine shifts in their classrooms. This paper gives an example of a lesson that accommodates these shifts centered around what some consider the most challenging of the physical science performance expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students in the physical sciences—physics and chemistry—often take multiple-choice exams for introductory courses. Some students will write a lot on their exams, while others write very little. Does the student doing more scratch work on their exam perform better than one who does not write as much? We analyzed multiple-choice exams in physics and chemistry, measuring the amount of student writing on each exam, and explored the correlation between scratch work and exam grade. We conclude that, on average, successful students write more on their exams than unsuccessful students. Faculty should model problem-solving strategies that involve writing and drawing to increase a student's propensity for success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents science experiments that use buoyancy to help students understand the similarities of force sand the interpretation of mathematical techniques. Topics discussed include the submerged cylinder in a large beaker of water setup, the submerged small-diameter graduated cylinder in a large beaker of water setup, and the design of an object that produces a specified bouyant force when submerged in a narrow cylinder.

The article discusses the responses of elementary science students in Slovenia to tasks related to observation of their shadows on a sunny day. Topics covered include the goal of the activity in teaching students to recognize patterns and rules in their observations, the problem testing graph comprehension and the benefits of introduction science competition in elementary schools.

A question for science teachers during the pandemic is: how do we actively engage students in science, given that in-person instruction will be limited at best? One lesson I use for my solar system course involves naked-eye observations of positions of celestial objects. Such activities train students to take careful measurements, keep detailed records, and comprehend three-dimensional coordinates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a science experiment about a tuning fork's sound field and the role a resonance box plays. Topics discussed include questions that students may pose about the tuning fork, the experiment being aided by computer software, and various images, graphs and diagrams of the experiment being carried out.

This article discusses an outreach program that has been successful in addressing the problem of short interaction time during school demonstration visits. Ocean Optics spectrometers were incorporated into the outreach program to introduce spectroscopy to local high school science students. Benefits that the equipment loan program to both the participating schools and the program institution include the introduction of students involved in the program to the field of optic spectroscopy.

The article offers ideas on simple experiments that physics students may perform, to help them better understand magnetic phenomena. Accordingly, the activities have been developed as part of the Explorations in Physics, which is an activity-based curriculum for non-science majors. The first activity is the familiarization with magnets and how they interact with each other. Another is a magnetization activity, with paper clips and magnets. Creating microscopic magnetic model may also be done.

This article describes an activity appropriate for middle or high school physics or physical science students. Rather than giving the answer to the question "How does a milliliter compare to a cubic centimeter?" the students develop a procedure for measuring volume by calculation and by displacement of water. Students share the data and use graphical analysis to determine how a milliliter compares to a cubic centimeter. This procedure can be adapted to other quantities. Concepts include measurement, volume, graphical analysis of data, and measurement units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents suggestions in practicing formative assessment in teaching introductory physics. Presentation of a simple model for classroom formative assessment; Examples of formative assessment activities; Pointers for physics teachers in implementing the activities for their students.

Provides information on how to construct an inexpensive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) propulsion boat that can be demonstrated for physics students. Physics theories involved in MHD propulsion system; Illustration of the design of a simple MHD boat; Discussion of the myths surrounding the propulsion system.

The article presents a science experiment to help high school and college physics students understand the concept and equation for buoyant force through an hands on experiment to find out why some soda can float or sink in water container. Topics include calculating buoyant force, graphical analysis submerged soda cans and effect of variables such as gas and liquid in the can on density and buoyancy.

The article presents a study on the integration of an environmental theme to the Physics 100 course at the University of British Columbia (UBC). It says that the study examined the results of the course changes in the problem-solving skills and attitudes of science majors. It mentions that a research program was used to evaluate the outcome of these changes. It also cites that teaching and curriculum modifications may have an impact to the attitude of the students towards learning physics.

The article presents an activity that will help students in scientific inquiry. It discusses a game for students that will determine how they will formulate a theory based on the rules of the game. The game requires the students to hypothesize by considering several questions including the movement of the pieces, how to win and possibility of ending the game with a draw. It adds that the activity helps the students understand hypothesis and theory, and learn how to formulate them.

The article discusses the engagement of science students' learning with the use of writing exercises. The author notes that a number of teaching strategies have been employed in the past to engage students in writing that include the writing across the curriculum movement. However, the author also points out that these initiatives have only resulted to frustrations on the part of students and teachers alike. Alternative strategies to engage students in writing tasks are presented.

The article presents a series of experiments that physics students can complete using a model of the eye and demonstrates issues related to pinhole vision correction. It notes that the multiple pinholes intensify the amount of light that reaches the retina. It cites that pinhole glasses eliminate scattering of light to the retina and therefore enhance vision. It states that pinholes lessen the amount of accommodation and cause a permanent dilatation of the pupil.

Presents the author's explanation regarding the UFO sighting of his friend's father during the 1960s. Hypothesis surrounding the black-cigar shaped object seen by his friend's father; Basis of the author's claim that the top-secret spy jet SR-71 of the U.S. Air of Force was mistakenly identified as a UFO spacecraft; Relevance of the UFO story to science students.

Presents information on the Wheatstone's bridge. Background of physicist Charles Wheatstone, inventor of the bridge circuit; Information on the original design of the bridge circuit; Ways in which the bridge could become interesting for physics students.

Presents an interactive color quiz for physics students. Steps involved in evaluating the conceptual understanding of the additive process of color mixing by students; Observations on the subtractive understanding of color by students; Advantages of using the interactive quiz by teachers.

An important aspect of science education involves helping students learn to read and communicate scientific information and arguments. In this note, I would like to share a resource that I have come across which I have found to be a useful tool for helping students improve those skills, learn content material, and acquaint them with a great scientist. Specifically, this is having non-science college students in my course Light, Color and Vision read and discuss a letter by James Clerk Maxwell entitled “On the Theory of Colours in Relation to Colour-Blindness” (see Fig. 1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers some ideas for teaching students about eclipses. Challenges facing teachers in teaching about eclipses are indicated, including students' lack of scientifically accurate understanding of why Moon phases occur. Also discussed is the use of constructed diagrams and illustrations to teach about the cause of Moon phases and the nature of eclipses.

In a recent “AstroNote,” I described a simple exercise on the mass-luminosity relation for main sequence stars as an example of exposing students in a general education science course of lower mathematical level to the use of quantitative skills such as collecting and analyzing data. Here I present another attempt at a meaningful experience for such students that again involves both the gathering and analysis of numerical data and comparison with accepted result, this time on the relationship of the mass and lifetimes of main sequence stars. This experiment can stand alone or be used as an extension of the previous mass-luminosity relationship experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses about science being presented as magic to develop the interest of students. Topics include improving the scientific interest in students through the practical application of science, inquiry-based instruction and demonstrate examples that show the use of static frictional force.

The article focuses on the use of Scorched 3D, a computer artillery video game wherein players fight by lobbing different shells at each other, to help physics students understand projectile motion. It states that the game demonstrates the projectile motion of the shell in a beautifully rendered three-dimensional environment that the user can interactively rotate or magnify. It cites that the game is an open-source software project from SourceForge and it works with such computer platforms as Windows, Linux and Solaris.

The article focuses on a free-form exercise that requires physics students to measure their power output when executing an activity of their choosing. It notes that laboratory sessions provide students a chance to develop creative problem-solving skills and to better understand the nature of the scientific process through hands-on learning. He discovered that allowing students to make and correct their initial mistakes benefits them through the continued development of small group discussion skills.

The article focuses on the 5E model of science teaching which can be used by science teachers to market science to their students. Teachers can capture students' attention through engagement which can be in the form of reflective question or mystery object. During a sales presentation of a certain product related to science, a teacher must explain to students some things about the product. Teachers must encourage students to conduct an evaluation of their understanding through the results of laboratory activities.

Suggests a teaching strategy suited for physics teachers on answering questions from students. Reasons why students ask questions; Determination of the quality of understanding of students; Benefit of the strategy to the learning of students.

Suggests a technique when drawing Free-Body Diagrams (FBD) which is a part of teaching mechanics to physics students. Example of a typical FBD involving an inclined plane; Reason behind the choice of a coordinate system in drawing an FBD; Advantages of the suggested technique to the study of physics.

The article offers information related to physics education. It mentions the application for the 2012 Physics of Atomic Nuclei (PAN) free residential summer program for science teachers and high school students due on April 30. It cites the American Physical Society (APS) Scholarships for Minority Undergraduate Physics Majors application which will end on February 3. It also cites a report by the AIP Statistical Research Center on the turnover of high school physics teachers.

In this article the author discusses the study of physics. He says that there are two types of physics students which are the students who take physics courses because they must and the students who manage to understand physics. He adds how he learned physics starting from the lessons he got from his mother such as solving mathematical problems. He cites that the lessons of his mother concentrate on the process and concepts of teaching physics which removed the fear of studying physics.

The article offers the author's insights on three factors namely rigor, relevance and relationships for physics teachers to require students to relate more on the subject. She related her experience having a vision problem and the three factors. She says that relevance of the physics principles held her to understand her vision problem. She adds that rigor comes from questions of basic principles and relationships will develop by sharing personal experiences that make the subject interesting.

The article profiles Alex Dickison, the new president of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT). It states that Dickison received his bachelor degree from Western Illinois University, master's degree in physics and doctorate in education in major physics and higher education from Montana State University. It notes that he encourages and supports new physics teachers. Dickison that believes to improve physics education there must be professional development.

A photograph of coaches who prepared the U.S. physics team to the 2008 International Physics Olympiad in Hanoi, Vietnam is presented.

A photograph of the five-member U.S. physics team who won medals at the 2008 International Physics Olympiad in Hanoi, Vietnam is presented.

Relates an experience in explaining the direction of centripetal force to physics students. Information on the direction of the centripetal force in the movement of a car observed by the students.

Presents some physics problems suited for teachers and students. Duration of the chase of ants within a polygon; Distance of a ball from its launch point to its landing point; Ratio of the landing points of a bouncing ball.