CourseSource: Resources

Teaching Tools and Strategies

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Science “Fails”: A Bank of Historical Examples for Learning From Failure in Science

Learning from failure is critically important to the processes of scientific inquiry, discovery, and invention. However, students are not routinely taught how to reflect on, learn from, and ultimately embrace failure, and relatively few curricular...

Courses: Introductory Physics: Calculus-Based Introductory Biology Professional Development and Career Planning Science Process Skills

metacognitionScience process skillsLearning from failurepower and privilegestudent wellbeing

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Learning How to Make “Good Enough” Estimations

The ability to estimate physical quantities is a useful skill that can help develop critical thinking and scientific literacy. This lesson provides an accessible way to teach students how to estimate physical quantities by focusing on three key...

Courses: Introductory Physics: Calculus-Based Astronomy Introductory Physics: Algebra-Based

MeasurementestimationcommunicationProblem Solvinggroup workUnit conversion

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Distances in the Universe: An Inquiry Lab Sequence Taught in West Africa and North America

Astronomy evokes deep curiosity for many people, making it a beautiful topic for supporting students to learn scientific practices and develop as scientists. We present an inquiry-based lab sequence about distances in the Universe, which we have...

Courses: Astronomy

InquiryAstronomy labParallaxInverse-square law for lightCosmic distance ladderAsking investigable questions

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Teaching the Photoelectric Effect Using an Open-Source Interactive Simulation

The photoelectric effect is one of the fundamental experiments that established the basis of quantum mechanics. Students studying this experiment in modern physics courses struggle to understand what it actually measured and why it is significant....

Courses: Introductory Physics: Calculus-Based

photoelectric effectquantum mechanicsquantalight-matter interactions

Teaching Tools and Strategies

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The Flight Physics Concept Inventory: Reliably Evaluating Aerodynamic Lift, Drag and Associated (Naïve) Concepts of Flight in Class and In-Game

Students often struggle to transfer conceptual understanding from isolated instruction to a coherent mental model. This is especially true for the context of flight physics, fluid dynamics, or the concepts of aerodynamic lift, drag, stall, center...

Courses: Introductory Physics: Calculus-Based

active learninggamificationmisconceptionsaerodynamicsfluid dynamicsResearch-based assessment instrumentConceptual SurveyPRE-/POST-test

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A Momentum-First Approach to Newton’s Second Law

Students frequently struggle with seeing the connection between forces and motion in introductory physics. This lesson is part of a combined momentum and kinematics unit that first teaches Newton’s second law as a statement of conservation...

Courses: Introductory Physics: Calculus-Based

group workMomentumNewton's Laws

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Quantifying Uncertainty and Distinguishing Data Sets in Introductory Physics

Physics labs are moving increasingly to open-ended experiments where students develop experimental physics skills, rather than verify textbook physics concepts. This sequence of activities sets the stage for this new kind of lab early in the...

Courses: Introductory Physics: Calculus-Based

statisticsMeasurementlaboratoryuncertaintypendulumexperimental skills