Featured Physics Front Materials

Graph Matching Motion Model

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST

This inquiry-based simulation offers a powerful platform for helping students understand the shape and slope of motion graphs and how to interpret them. Your students will be doing a form of modeling as they "match" the motion of a red ball to that of a blue ball. Be careful -- this activity can be addictive!

EJS Simulations by High School Physics Teachers

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST

Ever wondered if there are physics simulations programmed by high school teachers with an eye toward standards-driven curriculum? Well, these simulations were all programmed and designed BY teachers FOR teachers of high school physics. Each comes with a lesson plan, printable student guides, objectives, and teaching tips for reaching a broad range of student capabilities. Topics include momentum, projectile motion, astronomy, electric field, and more.

Magnet Man: Cool Experiments with Magnets

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST

The explanations and experiments on this page are designed around a series of increasingly more complex issues of magnetism from "What is magnetism?" to "Build your own Gaussmeter" (a device that measures the strength of a magnet).

PBS: Tesla - Master of Lightning

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:00:00 EST

Explore the life and legacy of Nikola Tesla, an influential scientist whose groundbreaking contributions to the field of electromagnetism are often overlooked. Take a visual tour of Tesla's inventions and learn about how his patent for radio was usurped. Don't miss the two lesson plans that use Tesla's experiments as the basis for classroom labs.

Conceptual Physics

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 EST

Take a look at this free online textbook, a non-mathematical conceptual course aimed at students with little or no prior background in physics. The author adopts a modern approach that revolves around the concepts of symmetry and conservation laws. It can be viewed online or freely downloaded in pdf format.

All About Circuits: Worksheets

Sat, 08 May 2010 00:00:00 EST

An outstanding set of 50+ worksheets on basic electricity and DC circuits, designed to spark analytical reasoning in your students. The interactive online version will allow students to see answers. For teachers wishing to use them as quizzes, the worksheets can be freely downloaded with the solutions hidden.

WISE: The Web-based Inquiry Science Environment

Mon, 03 May 2010 00:00:00 EST

These ready-to-use, free modules for K-12 science education offer students a highly-engaging blend of video clips, interactive simulations, digital note taking, and guided investigation. Topics include heat, motion, phases of matter, and electric charge.

Problem Based Learning for College (and AP) Physics: Murder You Solve

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A CSI Crime Investigation where students will sift through given information to separate useful from irrelevant data, then collaborate to apply physics in finding solutions. They will be applying concepts of projectile motion, frames of reference, Newton's Second Law, and conservation of momentum. This is a resource which includes a printable student manual and links to background information on the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) instructional method. Registered users may also access a teacher's guide.

Physics Web

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Physics Web is a collection of physics related news and resources. It includes information about jobs and events in the field of physics. Also included are various links to educational resources.

Taking Science to School

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST

New National Research Council Study Informs K-8 Science Teaching

OPPS: Moving Objects

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST

This inquiry-based learning guide for upper elementary and middle school teachers introduces the concepts of force, inertia and motion. It is part of the Operation Primary Physical Science materials.

COPUS: Year of Science 2009

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST

Celebrate the Year of Science with activities, resource and much more. This web site is sponsored by the Coalition for Public Understanding of Science.

Newton's Laws

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST

This page features David Wiley's student activities and simple demonstrations of Newton's Law's.

The Humanized Physics Project

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST

Innovative new curriculum for algebra-based physics, in which physics concepts are introduced through studies of human physiology. Students explore topics that include force and motion, kinetic and potential energy, Newton's Laws, electric potential, magnetic fields, periodic waves, and more. Each topic is introduced within the context of a human biological process such as circulation, vision, speech, and hearing.

Physical Units

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

Warm-up for the fall -- dimension your units! This site holds a wealth of information on units, their conversions, dimensional analysis and much more...

Taste of Technology: Blogs, Wikis, Forums, Digital Libraries…Cafes, Web Seminars, Social Networks, T

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EST

This presentation was a part of the "Taste of Technology" Workshop held July 26, 2009 as part of the AAPT Summer Meeting at the University of Michigan. There is a free associated blog at http://aaptwebtechtoolsforteaching.blogspot.com with many tutorials, information and examples of tech tools and their roles in science teaching.

PhET Simulation: Wave Interference

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EST

This simulation allows you to examine properties of water, sound, and light waves. Subject: Oscillations & Waves / Wave Motion

An Introduction to Assessments in K–12 Science Curricula

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EST

This guide is a resource with materials appropriate for teachers of science at all pre-college levels featuring many assessment types with explanations.

ParticleAdventure.org

Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Particle Adventure is an award-winning site aimed at high school students. It introduces the Standard Model and the theory of fundamental particles and forces.

Student Difficulties with Wave Concepts

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST

Results of a research study on misconceptions students have about waves and wave motion.

Franklin and Elecrostatics-Ben Franklin as my lab partner

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

See experiments performed by Franklin with writings and historical observations to give insights into his genius. Videos of the experiments are also available.

PhET Simulation: Color Vision

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

This is a interactive simulation with color filters and lights that can be manipulated and controlled by students.

A Resource Book for the Beginning Physics Teacher

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

A handbook designed to help the new teacher (or teachers new to physics) get started. Published by AAPT.

Sounds of the Subway

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

Subways are better at reflecting sound waves with no need for microphones or loudspeakers. This makes them appealing for musical performance.

PhET: Gas Laws Lesson Plan

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

This lesson plan is a companion to the simulation "Gas Properties" and includes a series of questions, graphs and tasks with student worksheets available.