Invitations to Science Inquiry, Second Edition, Tik L. Liem (Science Inquiry Enterprise, 1990). This is a large book, containing over 350 demonstrations of physics as well as other sciences that are appropriate for middle school and high school. The demonstrations are accompanied by clear instructions and suggested teacher questions. It is a good book to have as a reference for quick and solid ideas. (E)
Hands-On Physics Activities with Real-Life Applications: Easy-to-Use Labs and Demonstrations for Grades 8 – 12, James Cunningham and Norman Herr (The Center for Applied Research in Education, 1994). One of the two-part PHYSICAL SCIENCE CURRICULUM LIBRARY, along with a similar book on chemistry. Contains over 200 demonstrations and experiments with detailed descriptions. (E)
Physics Demonstrations, Edited by Shoma Kutasov (Penn Books, Los Angeles, 1978). This book includes over 300 demonstrations covering most areas of physics; each demonstration includes a sketch or drawing and a very brief statement of what it does; no detailed discussion of the demonstration in action or explanation of why it works is included. While these demonstrations formed the nucleus of the demonstration experience for Soviet high school physics students in the time period around 1960-1970, more explanation is necessary for this book to achieve optimum usefulness for many current physics teachers. It assumes that the teacher has a significant amount of physics demonstration equipment at his or her disposal. (E)
Optics Experiments and Demonstrations, C. Harvey Palmer (The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, 1962). This 320 page book contains about 59 demonstration experiments along with information on their construction and use, with appropriate use of mathematics when it is helpful. Basic areas include ray optics, wave optics, polarization and crystal optics, and spectroscopy. The discussion with each demonstration is well chosen. (I)
Experiments in Optical Physics third edition, Wallace A. Hilton (William Jewell College, Liberty, Missouri, first edition, 168, second edition, 1969, third edition, 1974). This book contains about 70 experiments in all areas of optics, used in laboratories and independent study projects at William Jewell College, but many of which are imminently usable as demonstrations in general physics as well as intermediate optics classes. There are lots of apparatus photographs, hints about how to successfully set up the apparatus, and guides to their analysis. A very nice feature of this book is the list of about 240 references covering optics, teaching of optics, and sources of optics equipment (many of which still exist). (I)
Teaching light & Color, Edited by Thomas D. Rossing and Christopher J. Chiaverina (American Association of Physics Teachers, College park, Maryland, 2001). This book is an outstanding source of ideas for teaching courses in light and color, containing a large number of papers reprinted from the The Physics Teacher, Physics Today, Jearl Walker’s The Amateur Scientist column in The Scientific American, and others. Also included are the American Journal of PhysicsResource Letter TLC-1: Teaching light and color and an extensive set of color prints. This is an excellent source of ideas to use in a light and color course. (E)
Exploring Laser light, T. Kallard (Optosonic Press, New York, 1977). This book includes nearly 300 pages, with about 150 titles in the table of contents. It covers literally any imaginable optics demonstration that can be done with a laser, with excellent sketches, photographs where helpful in visualizing many optical phenomena, and lots of helpful information on a range of topics in geometrical optics, physical optics, and holography. It also includes a list of vendors for optical equipment, a very inclusive bibliography, and an excellent index. This is another book that can be very helpful in setting up demonstrations for classroom or lecture use. (I)
Science Fun Experiments in Optics, Logix Enterprises Ltd., Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 1972). This is a very nice book, at the high school or amateur scientist level, with 136 optical activities, many of which involve a good bit of sophistication; the book originally came with a kit of optical components, but is of interest on its own. It describes a large number of optical illusions and tricks, lenses, photography, eyesight and correction with eyeglasses, and other optical instruments. This book contains lots of neat stuff! The company still exists; one of their items is a working model of an early computer that they call the “Old Computer Museum.” (I)
Liquid Crystal Devices, Edited by Thomas Kallard (Optosonic Press, New York, 1973). If you are interested in liquid crystals and liquid crystal devices, this is the book for you. Included are papers on virtually any liquid crystal application at the time, a list of patents and patent holders, and a bibliography with over 1100 entries. An excellent set of indexes is also provided. (A)
Experiments in the hearing and Speech Sciences, Barry Voroba, Ph. D. (Starkey Laboratories, Inc., Eden prairie, Minnesota, 1978). This book provides background information and about 66 demonstrations providing a thorough experimental basis for the study of audiology at the undergraduate level. The book is written for use with the Starkey laboratories Hearing Science Laboratory, a piece of demonstration equipment that is very useful in a class such as introductory Physics of Sound. However, many of the experiments can be done without the basic Starkey equipment, and perusal of this book gives an instructor a significant background in some of the important issues in the psychophysics of sound. I have used the Hearing Science Laboratory device and this manual for years in a class on the Physics of Music at the University of Maryland, and strongly recommend it to other instructors. (E)
Experiments on an Air Track, T. Walley Williams, III (The Ealing Corporation, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1969). Contains eleven demonstration experiments, with information on their setup and analysis. (E)
Experiments on an Air Table, George Marousek and T. Walley Williams, III (The Ealing Corporation, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1969). Contains a nice section on experimental techniques, with twelve demonstration experiments and hints for performance and analysis. This should be a helpful book for those using interactive demonstration techniques. (E)
An Experimental Introduction To kinetic Theory, Harold Daw (The Ealing Corporation, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1974). This is the original booklet that came with the air table to describe its set of kinetic theory demonstrations. It includes discussion of the photographic techniques (basically the same today but with better, digital cameras), analysis of the photography, and a large number of photographs taken with the apparatus described. This could be helpful in developing the equipment for use as a classroom demonstration. (E)
Similarities in Wave Behavior, Dr. John N. Shive (Bell Telephone laboratories, Incorporated, 1961-1973). Dr. Shive was the inventor of the Shive Wave Machine while he was the Director of Education and Training at Bell Telephone Laboratories. This is truly and outstanding book: I have used it regularly as a source of ideas in explaining wave concepts, and as a source of ideas for demonstrations using the Shive Wave Machine. The wave machine itself is now manufactured by several companies dealing with physics equipment, and has become a staple in demonstrating a large variety of wave phenomena. If you can get a copy, I would strongly suggest that you do so. (E)
The Physics of Technology, Bill G. Aldridge, Philip DiLavore, Bruce B. Marsh, John W. McWane, Carl R. Stannard, and Homer Wilkins, Produced by the Tech Physics Project (McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 1975). This book contains the set of 27 Physics of Technology units, written largely at the high school or introductory college physics level. Each unit has a description of the system, experiments that can be done to understand some of the physics involved, the design and construction of the apparatus, and questions that can form the basis of further discussion. (E)
Hands-On Physics Activities with Real-Life Applications: Easy-to-Use Labs and Demonstrations for Grades 8-12, James Cunningham and Norman Herr (The Center for Applied Research in Education, 1994). This book has about 200 individual activities using everyday examples to illustrate important ideas in physics. Investigations include some problems, with answers, and explanations for the experiments and observations, some of which use mathematics. The principal author has also written a companion book, “Hands-On Physics Activities with Real-Life Applications,” as well as the paperback “The Sourcebook for Teaching Science, Grades 6-12: Strategies, Activities, and Instructional Resources.” (E)
Preconceptions in Mechanics: Lessons Dealing with Students’ Conceptual Difficulties, second edition, Charles Camp and John J. Clement (American Association of Physics Teachers, College Park, Maryland, 2010). This book contains 24 lessons in mechanics with the goal of reducing preconceptions and physics myths in favor of experimentally based learning. It includes activities, experiments and quizzes, plus homework assignments with answers, and has an appendix of teaching suggestions. Many of the ideas are useful in a more standard curriculum as well. (E)
The following books were written as workshop manuals for the AAPT sub-group of high school physics teachers known as Physics Teaching Resource Agents, or PTRAs. All of the books are currently available from the American Association of Physics Teachers. As such, they are written for teachers who wish to introduce this material using lots of demonstrations and experimental laboratories at the high school level. All of these books include the following materials: interactive activities, background materials and bibliographies, media resources, applications, events for use in physics Olympiads or other competitions, and test questions with answers. After reviewing them, I strongly believe that as a series they should be part of every high school physics teacher’s library; they are useful either as a curriculum on their own or as supplementary material for class built on other texts. Both these books and other books in the PTRA Series section of the AAPT Physics Store may be found at the web page:
Teaching About Color and Color Vision: an AAPT/PTRA Workshop Manual, Bill Franklin (American Association of Physics Teachers, 1997). This book includes information, labs, and demonstrations emphasizing the topics of color vision, thin films, and optical activity. It includes a good materials list, bibliography, and assessment questions with answers. (E)
Teaching About D.C. Electric Circuits: an AAPT/PTRA Workshop Manual, Earl Feltyberger, James Mallmann, Judy Schmidt and Thomas Senior (American Association of Physics Teachers, College Park, Maryland, 1995). Included are sections with introductory materials and equipment, ideas for presentation, experiment background information, lots of questions in the form of hands-on experiments, and Olympiad events. (E)
Teaching About Electrostatics: an AAPT/PTRA Workshop Manual, Robert A Morse (American Association of Physics Teachers, College Park, Maryland, 1992). This book describes how to build and use electrostatic demonstration equipment, including some of the original Franklin devices. It also includes a good bibliography with technology references, and additional activities for students. (E)
Teaching About Impulse and Momentum: an AAPT/PTRA Workshop Manual , Bill Franklin (American Association of Physics Teachers, College Park, Maryland, 2004). This book holds a number of hands-on activities and demonstrations of impulse and momentum, and discusses important applications such as automobile safety, rocketry, and gravity “slingshots.” It includes a large section of background material, about a dozen lab activities, and a number of relevant demonstrations with explanations. Several Olympiad events are described, and a nice collection of questions with answers is provided. (E)
Teaching About Kinematics: an AAPT/PTRA Resource, Jane Bray Nelson and Jim Nelson (American Association of Physics Teachers, College Park, Maryland, 2000). This book uses interactive demonstrations in a thorough experiment-based study of kinematics. Included are 48 activities, each with analysis, calculations, and questions with answers. (E)
Teaching About Lightwave Communications: an AAPT/PTRA Workshop Manual, Mark Davids, R. Stephen Rea and Paul Zitzewitz (American Association of Physics Teachers, College Park, Maryland, 1994). This book includes a nice section on demonstrations and displays, lots of references using technology media, ideas for Olympiad events, and a light wave communication quiz. (E)
Teaching About Magnetism: an AAPT/PTRA Workshop Manual, Robert Reiland (American Association of Physics Teachers, College Park, Maryland, 1996). This book covers lots of demonstration experiments in the areas of magnetostatics and electromagnets.
Teaching About Energy: an AAPT/PTRA Resource, John L. Roeder (American Association of Physics Teachers, College Park, Maryland, 2008). This book includes lots of interesting and relevant demonstrations and experiments, activities, and problems, and should inform the student about some of the technical aspects of our current world energy issues. Emphasis is on forms of energy and energy transfer, ending with some of the issues that will face the world in the near future. (E)
The Role of Toys in Teaching Physics: an AAPT/PTRA Workshop Manual, Jodi and Roy McCullough (American Association of Physics Teachers, College Park, Maryland, 2009). This is a book of nearly 300 pages that includes a large number of toys that can be used as demonstrations and questions to initiate class discussion. I have found in teaching several courses that using toys to demonstrate any physical principle is not only an effective teaching tool, but also acts as a great attention-getter, and I recommend this book as a good source of ideas. (E)
Teaching for the First Time: an AAPT/PTRA Resource for the beginning physics teacher, Jan Mader and Mary Winn (American Association of Physics Teachers, College Park, Maryland, 2008). Among other materials, this book provides helpful information regarding use of interactive demonstrations in all areas of the high school physics curriculum, and provides lots of classroom demonstration experiments and suggestions for their use. (E)
Exploring Physics in the Classroom: an AAPT/PTRA Manual, George Amann, Jon E. Barber, and Hank J. Ryan (American Association of Physics Teachers, College Park, Maryland, 2005). This book has two major parts: Section 1 is “exploratory,” where classroom demonstrations are used to explore the laws of physics. Section 2 is “practicum,” where laws of physics are applied to real life situations. Nine exploratory units and 12 practicum challenges are presented in the book. Discussion and sample calculations are given for each. (E)
The Role of the Laboratory in Teaching Introductory Physics: an AAPT/PTRA Resource, Jim Nelson and Jane Bray Nelson (American Association of Physics Teachers, College Park, Maryland, 1995).this book presents about 30 lab activities with data sheets, including questions for the students to answer during the labs. There are lots of interesting activities; the labs cover statics, mechanics, optics, electricity, magnetism, and more. (E)
Inspiration Regarding Teaching with Demonstrations
The Art and Science of Lecture Demonstration, Charles Taylor (Taylor & Francis Group, New York and London, 1988). This book discusses how to present physics lecture demonstrations, based on the experiences of the author as a distinguished Professor of Physics at University College, Cardiff, Wales. Professor Taylor described his experiences using demonstrations in teaching in the Gregynog Lectures at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, during the 1987-1988 academic session, and packaged the content of these lectures into this book. He describes some of the history of demonstration lectures in England at the Royal Institution, discusses in detail what he means by the term “demonstration,” and proceeds to illustrate techniques for use of demonstrations. He includes chapters on topics such as “Controversy about the value of demonstrations” and “The use of drama.” This book is excellent; anyone who wishes to be an outstanding physics lecture demonstrator should be familiar with both the issues and techniques that Professor Taylor discusses. (E,I,A)
“Best Practices in Physics Demonstrations,” or “Oh, I thought this was just for entertainment.” Brian A. Pyper, AAPT UT/ID section meeting, Boise, ID, March 2008. Interesting and entertaining slide show with some helpful comments: http://emp.byui.edu/PyperB/Best%20Practices%20in%20Physics%20Demonstrations.pdf (I)
“The Lecture Demonstration: Try It, They’ll Like It,” D. Rae Carpenter and Richard B. Minnix, Phys. Teach. 19, 391-392 (1981). Encouragement for every physics teacher to use demonstrations as an integral part of their teaching. (I)
“Demonstrations as an aid in the teaching of physics,” Wallace A. Hilton, Phys. Teach. 19, 389-390 (1981). A great teacher and demonstrator seeks to inspire other physics teachers. (I)
“The lecture demonstrations: A Developing Crisis,” John B. Johnston, Phys. Teach. 19, 393-394 (1981). The author asks for greater support of demonstrations as an integral component of a physics course. (I)
“Confessions of a converted Lecturer,” 90-minute recorded seminar by Professor Eric Mazur, as presented to the Perimeter Institute, pirsa.org/10110081, Phys. Teach. 49, 254 (2011). This item in The Physics Teacher “websights” column discusses the presentation and gives links to a text file and a PDF download. (A)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwslBPj8GgI, A YouTube version of the previous Mazur lecture presented at University of Maryland, Baltimore County campus. (A)
“Millikan Award Lecture (1998): Building a Science of Teaching Physics,” Edward F. Redish, University of Maryland, College Park Am. J. Phys. 67, 562-573 (1999). Inspirational summary of the state of science education with lots of provocative examples. http://www.physics.umd.edu/perg/papers/redish/millikan.htm. (A)
Physics Lecture Demonstrations, with some problems and puzzles, too, compiled and annotated by Donald Simanek. Discussion of demonstration presentations with lots of helpful suggestions and demonstration examples. http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/scenario/demos.htm, (A)
How Does A Thing Like That Work?, David G. Willey. This is the home page for Willey, a physics professor at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Pennsylvania and very popular lecturer. He regularly appears at a large number of public forums, such as the Tonight Show. (http://www.pitt.edu/~dwilley/Welcome.html) Four of his most dangerous demonstrations are explained in an article in the Skeptical Inquirer (Volume 23.6, November/December 1999): http://www.csicop.org/si/show/physics_behind_four_amazing_demonstrations/
Further information is linked to his home page.
Books of demonstrations primarily for informal and pre-high school use.
Bet You Can!, Vicky Cobb and Kathy Darling (Avon Books, 1983).
Bet You Can't!, Vicky Cobb and Kathy Darling (Avon Books, 1983).
These two wonderful books are very appropriate for elementary school students. Bet You Can! includes 62 tricks that, surprisingly, you can do because of the laws of physics; Bet You Can't! includes 82 tricks that, surprisingly, you can’t do because of the laws of physics. We use some of these activities at our yearly University spring open house to entertain small children who came with their parents. I also gave this set of books to my elementary school grandchildren.
Demonstrations in Physics, Julius Sumner Miller (Ure Smith, Sidney, Australia, 1969). Julius Sumner Miller was a very popular demonstrator of physics during the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1970s he regularly appeared on the Johnny Carson Tonight Show; I remember staying up late for the Tonight Show so that I could see Professor Miller’s neat demonstrations. His demonstrations are quick, simple, and compelling, and the explanations short and sweet. Lamentably, this book is out of print, but it is available every now and then at used book stores. (E)
These two books contain interesting “physics in real life” questions that originally appeared as a daily column in The Australian newspaper; each day would have the answer for the previous day’s question along with a new question for the current day. The questions are interestingly phrased, accompanied by a handwritten “blackboard lecture” type line drawings, and mostly were the sort of thing that inquisitive people had pondered at some time in their lives. These books include some very interesting and well-phrased questions that can be used to enhance a physics lecture at almost any level. (E)
Millergrams: Some Enchanting Questions for Enquiring Minds, Julius Sumner Miller (Ure Smith, Sydney, Australia, 1966; Doubleday & Company, Inc. Garden City, New York, 1970).
The Second Book of Millergrams: Some More Enchanting Questions for Enquiring Minds, Julius Sumner Miller (Ure Smith, Sydney, Australia, 1966; Doubleday & Company, Inc. Garden City, New York, 1970).
Physics Fun and Demonstrations with Professor Julius Sumner Miller, Rocco Blasi (Central Scientific, Chicago, Illinois, 1968). I found this book on Amazon, with no other information than price. It may have other demonstrations than the previous books, or it may be available if the others are not. If you are looking for a book about interesting informal demonstrations, anything about Professor Miller will be a winner. (E)
Secrets of 123 Science Tricks and Experiments, Edi Lanners (Tab Books Inc., Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania, 1981). This book emphasizes the type of counterintuitive tricks that are often used as physics demonstrations to get the attention of the class. Most experiments are accompanied by classic drawings that remind me of those in magic trick books in the early twentieth century. It is a fun book, with lots of ideas to keep motivated upper elementary and middle school students well occupied, and provide neat demonstrations to physics and science teachers at the middle school or even high school level. (E)
333 Science Tricks & Experiments, Robert J. Brown (Tab Books Inc., Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania, 1984).
333 More Science Tricks and Experiments, Robert J. Brown (Tab Books, Inc., Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania, 1984).
These two books contain science experiments that formed the newspaper column “Science for You” that ran in the L. A. Times Syndicate. The author suggests that the experiments, many of which he created, should be challenging for ages up to middle school, and can be both a learning process and provide interesting and fun activities for parents to do with their children. The experiments are interesting and compelling; many are accompanied by short explanations. If you are looking for quick and easy experiments for all occasions, these books should be in your library. (E)
200 Illustrated Science Experiments for Children, Robert J. Brown (Tab Books, Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania, 1987). This is a thoughtfully prepared book containing several chapters of experiments in physics, including tricks, projects to build from many areas of interest, and additional chapters on chemistry and biology. Each experiment has an equipment list, a procedure, and a brief explanation of what is happening. Many of these experiments were run in the “Science for You” column of the L. A. Times Syndicate. (E)
More Science for You: 112 Illustrated Experiments, Robert J. Brown (Tab Books, Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania, 1998). This is a continuation of the science demonstrations prepared for the “Science for You” L. A. Times column. (E)
Physics for Kids - 49 Easy Experiments with Optics, Robert W. Wood (Tab Books, Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania, 1990). The author suggest using this book as a sort of individual optics course, by doing the experiments in order, the earlier being the simpler. There are lots of nice line drawings, good explanations of the experiments, and even some more general history and philosophy about light. Each experiment includes a materials list, suggestions for how to set up the experiment, and a brief explanation. This would make a nice book for an upper elementary student who is interested in light. (E)
Gadgeteer's Goldmine! 55 Space-Age Projects, McComb, Gordon, (TAB Books, McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1990) This is a manual with instructions for how to build a collection of electronic devices, including such items as a Tesla coil, Van de Graaff, a zenon strobe, and several laser systems. It is written for the knowledgeable amateur, but contains circuitry that may involve danger as well as ambiguities due to obsolete parts. According to reviewers, these projects should only be undertaken by a mature student who has some familiarity with high-voltage circuitry. (I)
The following are three of about ten books constituting the “Janice VanCleave Science for Every Kid” Series. The experiments are relatively simple, generally requiring materials that are found around the house or are easily purchased. Most experiments are accompanied with a motivation, suggestions for performing the experiment, and a brief explanation of the physics involved. The experiments are appropriate for upper elementary school students with guidance from a parent; some make use of simple algebra. (E)
Janice VanCleave’s Physics for Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments in Motion, Heat, Light, Machines, and Sound, Janice Pratt VanCleave, (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1981).
Janice VanCleave's Magnets: Mind-boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects, Janice Pratt VanCleave, (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1993).
Janice VanCleave's Energy for Every Kid: Easy Activities That Make Learning Science Fun, Janice Pratt VanCleave, (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey, 2006).
Mr. Wizard’s Supermarket Science: More than 100 fascinating and fun experiments using easy-to-find everyday items. Don Herbert, illustrated by Roy McKie (Random House, New York, 1980). Lots of “classic” science experiments, including many involving physics, with brief explanation of the science. These are particularly appropriate for upper elementary school students with their parents! (E)
Entertaining Science Experiments with Everyday Objects, Martin Gardner, Illustrated by Anthony Ravelli (Dover Publications, Inc, New York, 1960, 1981). This book contains about 100 simple and compelling physics experiments that can be done with materials commonly available in the home. It includes a number of classic tricks and illusions, and surprising experiments designed to get the attention of an observer. If you want good ideas to use with your middle school student or as quickies for your physics class, this book is a good choice. (E)
Science experiments and amusements for children, Charles Vivian (Dover Publications, Inc., New York, 1963). This book includes about 75 physics demonstrations that can be done with materials that are generally found in most homes. It includes nice photographs of the demonstrations as constructed, and sketches showing how to construct the demonstrations or analyze the situations. The ideas are very usable at the upper elementary school level. (E)
Fizz Factor: 50 Amazing Experiments with Soda Pop, Steve Spangler (Wren Publishing, Englewood, Colorado, 2003). The experiments in this book are best done at home and outside, to keep from getting in trouble with your janitorial staff (or your wife or mother, whatever the case may be). Steve Spangler is probably best known for his large set of demonstration videos done on a television station in Denver (listed in the section on videos). He describes compelling, if rather messy, demonstrations, with lots of interesting facts, and brief explanations. The book also includes some interesting reading at the beginning, including the “story” of soda pop, chemicals normally found in the drinks, and perhaps a few reasons to never drink it. Many of the experiments have safety warnings, and he suggests use of goggles, along with a good dose of common sense. (E)
Tons of Scientifically Provocative and Socially Acceptable Thins to Do with Balloons under the Guise of Teaching Science, Glenn McGlathery and Larry Malone (Teacher Ideas Press, A Division of Libraries Unlimited, Inc., Englewood, Colorado, 1991). The title sort of says it all here; this book is certainly useful if you want your elementary school students to pay attention, and probably for things like scouting merit badges, birthday parties and University Open Houses that attract elementary school children. It does in fact contain 83 interesting and compelling physics experiments, along with simple explanations and comments calling attention to the actual physics principles involved. The authors provide correlation tables with the appropriate grade level (K-6) for each experiment, provide lists of the concepts involved, and relate the experiment to the chapter in several of the more popular school science textbooks. (E)
Science on a Shoestring, Herb Strongin (Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Reading, Massachusetts, 1985, 1976). This book contains nearly 50 elementary science experiments covering several areas of science, including physics. The range of grade levels for each activity is provided at the heading of each experiment description. Drawings of setups are includes where appropriate, along with many photographs of actively engaged students. An appendix provides a list of materials with their sources, mostly supermarkets or hardware stores; all materials are available from a single source in the form of a kit discussed in the book. (E)
Taking Charge: An Introduction to Electricity, Larry E. Schafer (National Science Teachers Association, Washington, DC, 1992). This book includes 14 activities on static electricity and 11 activities on current electricity at the middle school level. Each activity includes some background, an objective, suggested activities and/or challenges, and possible additional activities that extend the activity’s study. A Guide for Teachers at the end of the book provides the list of necessary materials and some suggested sources. (E)
Safe and Simple Electrical Experiments, Rudolf F. Graf (Dover Publications, Inc., New York, 1964). This book contains 101 simple and safe experiments on the topics of Static Electricity, Magnetism, and Current Electricity and Electromagnetism, written in an informal manner for mainly non-school use. Each experiment includes a list of materials – usually very simple - along with simple instructions and lots of drawings (The title page advertises “164 illustrations.”). This book is particularly nice for groups like scouting dens, cub scout merit badges, or other informal groups where an interest in group intellectual activities is appropriate. At the beginning of the book the author provides “A Brief Chronological History of Great Discoveries in Electricity” between 2637 B.C. and 1895. (E)
Flying Tinsel: An Unusual Approach to Teaching Electricity, Grant Mellor (Cuisenaire Company of America, Inc., White Plains, New York, 1993). This book includes 29 experiments, divided roughly equally between three units: Static Electricity, Current Electricity, and Electromagnetism. The book suggests grade levels 5-8, but the development took place with 5th and 6th graders at the school where the author taught. Some of the activities might be challenging to average 5th graders; for example, the author discusses Ohm’s law and solves problems with the aid of the equation. Each experiment is accompanied by a list of materials, an overview, and a brief discussion of necessary teacher background. Other issues are discussed as necessary; many helpful drawings are included where appropriate. A nice glossary is included, and some discussion is presented regarding obtaining materials: some of the materials needed are more sophisticated than those of the average “kitchen physics” book. (E)
Simple Physics Experiments With Everyday Materials, Judy Breckenridge, Illustrations by Frances W. Zweifel (Sterling Publishing Co. Inc., 1993). This book, replete with cartoon animals, is written for children in grades 3-6. I thought it rather fun, but some of the explanations are too oversimplified for the editorial reviewer. (E)
Electronics for Kids (http://users.stargate.net/~eit/kidspage.htm) This material is a class project at the Erie Institute of Technology. It describes twelve experiments with electronics that are safe for elementary school children. Also included are a list of seven additional science experiment reference books and several good science web sites. Take a look. (E)
G. Demonstration web sites
The Physics Instructional Resource Association (PIRA) first met informally at the 1984 Summer Meeting of the AAPT at the University of Maryland. In 1986 the group began meeting formally, and in 1987 adopted the name “Physics Instructional Resource Association.” Since that time PIRA has taken the lead in developing a large number of demonstration based resources for physics teachers, demonstrations technicians, laboratory technicians, and other people interested generally in physics teaching equipment. PIRA also offers a demonstration workshop prior to the yearly AAPT Summer Meeting.
Much of the work done by PIRA has been in the area of organizing demonstrations into a universal topical arrangement, called the PIRA Demonstration Classification Scheme (DCS), linked below. The DCS organization includes the major areas of physics, sub-topics of these major areas, individual demonstrations, and demonstration references. This allows interested individuals to communicate quickly with each other and to find information about any specific demonstration or demonstration topic. PIRA has collected this information in an enormous data base of on demonstrations and their use, called the PIRA Demonstration Bibliography, which is also linked below. This compilation identifies about 2,500 basic demonstrations, and includes over 10,500 entries: basic physics demonstrations and variants, listings of the demonstration in each of the important reference manuals identified by the group, and reference papers in various scientific journals. The DCS can be viewed on-line, or can be downloaded from the PIRA Demonstration Bibliography page linked below. Many of the members of PIRA have organized their physics demonstration laboratories around the PIRA DCS numbering system. PIRA has also compiled lists of the 200 and 500 most popular demonstrations, so that any teacher or demonstration technician may be guided in developing new demonstrations that are of the greatest general interest. The PIRA Demonstration Workshop generally features the PIRA 200 demonstrations. The web sites below are associated with the efforts of PIRA and the individual members of that group.
http://physicslearning.colorado.edu/PiraHome or http://www.pira-online.org,
Michael Thomason, the Physics Learning Labs Director for the University of Colorado Physics Department and host for the PIRA web site, has provided a Global Demonstration Web Spider that can search more than 60 University Physics Demonstration web sites for information regarding any demonstration using the name, the PIRA number, or key words. This system has become an enormous aid in teaching: finding new demonstrations, looking at alternative explanations for any physics demonstration, surveying photographs and plans for a demonstration that you may wish to duplicate, or finding reference materials that may be helpful for any of the above.
The first University physics demonstration web site was created by Keith Warren at North Carolina State University in early 1995; ten years later there were over seventy-five such sites. The PIRA Global Demonstration Web Spider includes over 60 University physics demonstration web sites, listed at the web site. Below, I have selected a smaller number of these sites, along with a few others, and comment very briefly on the features included on these sites which demonstration devotees or teachers might find of interest. Hopefully this information can be used to aid the development and use of demonstrations as well as to compare demonstration use and availability among peer institutions. Criteria for inclusion in the list below include: (1) photographs and videos of demonstrations that might be useful in understanding and/or duplicating the apparatus, (2) a significant number of original demonstrations, including physics and astronomy, on the site, or (3) other information that may be helpful in the development and use demonstrations, such as finding the most popular demonstrations for use in basic physics courses or information on procurement. The last two entries include lists of University traveling physics demonstration programs; two university museums of antique physics equipment will also be found near the end of the list.
http://pirt.asu.edu/
Arizona State University, Department of Physics, Physics Instructional Resource Team.
About 800 demonstrations with pictures and descriptions.
Links to lots of interesting physics pedagogy web pages.
Brown University Department of Physics Lecture Demonstrations.
Descriptions for over 450 demonstrations, with photographs.
Suggestions for use of classroom demonstrations for a variety of courses.
Detailed daily list of demonstrations used in thirty courses over twelve years.
Page of links to providers of demonstration equipment.
Summaries of the material covered in several important physics video productions. (including The Mechanical Universe, The Complete Cosmos, The Feynman series, Carl Sagan’s Cosmos, and The Astronomers).
http://parallax.sci.csupomona.edu/demo
Physics Demonstrations at Cal Poly Pomona.
Over 650 demonstrations, most with pictures and brief descriptions.
Page with lots of video links.
http://physdemo.phys.cmu.edu/
Carnegie Mellon University Physics Demonstrations.
About 150 demonstrations with pictures and short descriptions.
