Physics 433/533 is a physics course designed to teach teachers how to teach physics, give physics demonstrations, set up physics laboratories, teach physics experiments and construct scientific devices.
    Some of the classes are taught in classrooms but mostly they are taught in the "Toy Shop" - the physics department's lecture preparation room (Room PAS), in the 445/545 A,B,C,D,E,F teaching laboratories (Room 145 and 245 PAS), in the Van de Graaff Laboratory and in the Physics Staff Machine Shop.

The course covers 7 areas.

1. Teaching Materials - items for demonstrations and laboratories
2. Skills - experimental, technical, research, writing and teaching
3. Presentation Techniques - view graphs, slides, black/white board, hands-on
4. What to Teach - prerequisites, setting standards, fundamentals, basics, making it relevant
5. Pedagogy - how to teach
6. Outreach - science fairs, projects, displays
7. Politics - Culture, Administration, Ethics, Standards, Leadership, Chain of Command

1. Teaching Materials
    Teachers will be made aware of the vast and inexpensive resources available from surplus stores, supply houses, catalogs, hardware stores, flea markets, salvage and outlet stores. What capital equipment must a physics/science course have available? Where and how do we get it? They will learn how to substitute inexpensive simple items for expensive complicated items. They will develop, build or collect material for "science kits" that can be used in the classroom for demonstrations and labs or taken home by the student. They will develop projects, experiments, simple measurements and demonstrations that can be done with their kit. Kits will be inexpensive and made up of simple items. Teachers will learn how to collect items useful for the teaching of not only physics but also related subjects in mathematics, astronomy, atmospheric physics, geosciences, biology, biophysics, chemistry and others. Teachers will keep the basic items they collect in a suitcase. When the course is over they can keep the suitcase and all the items in it.
    They will learn what items are needed and necessary to teach, demonstrate and study a particular topic in science. They will design the experiments and demonstrations to be effective - to do exactly what they are supposed to do - with no apologies. These items for the kit and for teachers will be inexpensive, accessible, effective and working. Teachers will participate in a "Salvage - Cannibalism Day" where surplus equipment at the UA or elsewhere will be dismantled for parts that the teachers can keep. They will learn how to design, build and demonstrate demos that can be put on display (in the lab or lobby), to be seen by all students (no video magnification) in the class. Teachers will learn of the costs, dangers, convenience and problems with demonstrations, demonstration kits and displays. Some items that will be collected are listed at the end of this paper.

2. Skills
    They will introduced to the importance of simple hand tools, hand held power tools and machine shop tools and become skilled in their uses. Everyone will learn how to use a lathe, mill, drill press, band saw and grinder. They will also learn how to solder wires, tap threads, use fasteners, glues, lubricants, clamps, solvents, use telescopes, photography, microscopy, spectroscopy, glass blowing. They will use computers as an aid to teaching but not as a substitute for real experiment and demonstrations.
    They will learn to use basic electronic equipment - meters, oscilloscopes, power supplies, signal generators and data acquisition devices.
They might learn a few magic tricks to demonstrate the differences between science, pseudo science, magic and fraud. They will learn to play a scale and a simple song on a musical instrument. Students will make holders, stands, racks, mounts for all of the above items to put into their kit

3. Presentation Techniques
    They will learn how to introduce a demonstration, display and experiment and how to expand a simple experiment into the advanced and profound. They will learn to tailor the presentation to the proper audience. They will learn how to use view graphs, overheads, 35 mm slides, videos, photographs, movies, charts, posters, black/white board and direct demonstrations effectively. They will use color pens, chalk, overlays and how to develop commentary and discourse to discuss the material being demonstrated. They will learn how to use the element of suspense, surprise and humor. They will see the importance of practice, rehearsals and trial runs in preparing presentations and the importance of knowing your audience. They will learn how to be aware of the classroom and its lighting, acoustics and arrangement so all can see and hear. They will learn how to use reports, manuals, handouts, diagrams, items and figures and to decide who gets them and when.
    They will develop spontaneity and not a "cook book" mentality in delivery. They will learn to deal with emergencies when things don't work or break. The show must go on so to keep control of the presentation they must learn poise, confidence, professionalism and sophistication. There will be a lecture by a drama coach. Each student/teacher will develop two favorite 1/2 hour demonstrations, seminars or presentations with all materials at hand. They most know their equipment, their material and their presentation.

4. Pedagogy
    What do the students know? What are the basic starting points? Careful planning of the presentation regarding prerequisites, present knowledge and goals. The importance of proposals, progress reports and final reports - lab reports, publications. When are we FINISHED?
Stay away from computers, videos, HI TECH, toys, permanent setups, modules with no opportunity to experiment, explore, make mistakes, fail, correct mistakes, modify and succeed. We will rely on other related areas: geology, geosciences, atmospheric sciences, astronomy, chemistry, biophysics and others and integrate their basic ideas and experiments into physics teaching.
    Experimental strategy - what to do first, where to start, quick and dirty but works - then well planned and careful until the data are "good enough". When are the data good enough? How to grade students on projects, labs and presentations. How to convince students that what they are about to learn is important. Related courses: Independent Studies, Physics 445/545 ABCDEF, proctoring and mentoring for experience.
The psychology of teaching - attention span, interest, value, work ethic, how does it fit and relate? The use of history, culture, politics, famous scientists, names and dates of important scientific events, the ethics, economy and business of science. The importance of timing, practice, repetition, accuracy and reproducibility to make a convincing point.
    "The Library" - the Collection of Books - magic tricks, biographies, journals, manuals, puzzles, classic old historic information. Reading assignments - famous scientists and people, historic events and achievements. We will examine experimental and demonstration text books of the past - Faraday, Tesla, Edison, The Boy Scientist etc. We will try to promote science from teacher to student to parent and others - through interesting reports, newsletters, papers, programs, TV, books, shows, museums, field trips, display cases, contests, fairs and open house. We will try to teach how to use the world around us for our supplies and not rely on expensive, one-of-a-kind fancy teaching equipment.

5. What to Teach
    The symmetry of the development of demonstrations - simple to complex. Establish the basic principles to be learned in each area of study. Demonstrate how these ideas are common and important to all other areas - look at connections and interdisciplinary topics. The importance of basic fundamental starting points. Keep it simple, deliberate, slow and effective. Students will give demos in class, do experiments and teach how to do experiments.

    Cover statistics, probability, error, uncertainty, accuracy, precision, chance, averages, most probable value, the right value, the best value - the right answer. Develop experimental design to get good results. Nothing works all the time. When are the results and data good enough???
    Basic math: conic sections, graphs, curves, waves, shapes, diagrams. Practice drawing basic forms and structures in 2-D, 3-D and perspective.
      Use linear, log, log-log, polar, Smith and Gaussian plots as analog computers. Be able to print, draw and sketch - by hand - accurately enough to make a point.

6. Outreach, Parents, Fairs
    Use competition among students, groups, classes to get the fastest, highest, brightest, longest, quickest result. Perform demonstrations in front of classmates - the entire school - to show science and experimentation in action and show that it is exciting to do science. Prepare for Science Fairs, Parents Day, Science Day and other opportunities to show off the science program, its success and its products. Use field trips, associations with other schools, colleges and universities, industries and companies. Involve parents, brothers, sisters and others in the neighborhood. Give press releases to TV, radio and newspapers. Develop long-range many-student projects that take weeks, months or a year to complete. Involve students from other courses - math, chemistry, biology, writing, art, etc. to participate.

7. Politics, Culture, Administration, Ethics, Standards, Leadership, Chain of Command
    Learn about scientific funding and other support for teaching, research and learning. Responsibility in the classroom - to students, parents, society and the administration. Who's in charge? Who is paying the bills? The setting of standards. Testing and reporting results. Safety in the lab. Use of harmful items. Student experimenting on their own - at home. Coordinate activities with other departments and teachers.

Some other considerations:
1. Discuss why everyone should know science. Come to an agreement on what basic science everyone should know - in all disciplines. Ask professors and teachers to indicate what the most important concepts are to know - now and forever. Have them generate a paper, report, tutorial and a problem set to see if students understand. The job is not to just teach science - i.e. just go through the motions - but to be a scientist as you teach!!! Establish credibility in the classroom and school.
2. What demonstrations can be set up permanently - on the wall, in the lobby, in a class room for all students and others to see and use and learn from. Get things into display cases.
3. Read newspapers and magazines and collect outrageous articles showing how science is abused. Discuss bad science, pseudo science, ineffective science, fraud. Know the difference between theory, fact, opinion, belief, faith, assumption, law, tradition, custom, science, religion
4. Students will make specific scientific items in the machine shop: Tesla coil, tuning fork, interferometer, set of springs, Newton's fringes, bicycle wheel for angular momentum etc.

The following are some items for kits, demonstrations, experiments, discussions, displays:

magnets, springs, rubber tubing, weights, string, tape, colored liquids, stop watches, rulers protractors, calipers, compass, calculators, resistors, light bulbs, diodes, batteries and holders, solutions, beakers, scales, tuning forks, meters: SLM, VOM, frequency, digital and analog, current/voltage/frequency supply, resistors, capacitors, coils, standards, switches, pots, breadboards, metal tubes, rods, plates, wire, laser pointer, slits, apertures, razor blades, pins, foil, colored paper, glass tubing, small motor with gears, optical elements: lenses, gratings, prisms, polarizers, mirrors, filters, Fresnel lenses, thick glass, microscope slides, glass capillaries, optical fibers, colored glass, light sources - point, line, area and volume sources, diodes (LEDS's), optical detectors, spectrum lamps, cheap camera, binoculars, soldering gun and solder

Students will be encouraged to collect these items from wherever they can and keep them in a suitcase for their personal use.

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