This full-color manual is designed to satisfy the content needs of either a one- or two-semester introduction to physical science course populated by nonmajors. It provides students with the opportunity to explore and make sense of the world around them, to develop their skills and knowledge, and to learn to think like scientists. The material is written in an accessible way, providing clearly written procedures, a wide variety of exercises from which instructors can choose, and real-world examples that keep the content engaging. Exploring Physical Science in the Laboratory guides students through the mysteries of the observable world and helps them develop a clear understanding of challenging concepts.

This book explores in detail the role of laboratory work in physics teaching and learning. Compelling recent research work is presented on the value of experimentation in the learning process, with description of important research-based proposals on how to achieve improvements in both teaching and learning. The book comprises a rigorously chosen selection of papers from a conference organized by the International Research Group on Physics Teaching (GIREP), an organization that promotes enhancement of the quality of physics teaching and learning at all educational levels and in all contexts. The topics covered are wide ranging. Examples include the roles of open inquiry experiments and advanced lab experiments, the value of computer modeling in physics teaching, the use of web-based interactive video activities and smartphones in the lab, the effectiveness of low-cost experiments, and assessment for learning through experimentation. The presented research-based proposals will be of interest to all who seek to improve physics teaching and learning.

Are you interested in using argument-driven inquiry for middle school lab instruction but just aren’t sure how to do it? Argument-Driven Inquiry in Physical Science will provide you with both the information and instructional materials you need to start using this method right away. The book is a one-stop source of expertise, advice, and investigations to help physical science students work the way scientists do. The book is divided into two basic parts: 1. An introduction to the stages of argument-driven inquiry—from question identification, data analysis, and argument development and evaluation to double-blind peer review and report revision. 2. A well-organized series of 22 field-tested labs designed to be much more authentic for instruction than traditional laboratory activities. The labs cover four core ideas in physical science: matter, motion and forces, energy, and waves. Students dig into important content and learn scientific practices as they figure out everything from how thermal energy works to what could make an action figure jump higher. The authors are veteran teachers who know your time constraints, so they designed the book with easy-to-use reproducible student pages, teacher notes, and checkout questions. The labs also support today’s standards and will help your students learn the core ideas, crosscutting concepts, and scientific practices found in the Next Generation Science Standards. In addition, the authors offer ways for students to develop the disciplinary skills outlined in the Common Core State Standards. Many of today’s middle school teachers—like you—want to find new ways to engage students in scientific practices and help students learn more from lab activities. Argument-Driven Inquiry in Physical Science does all of this while also giving students the chance to practice reading, writing, speaking, and using math in the context of science.

Laboratory experiences as a part of most U.S. high school science curricula have been taken for granted for decades, but they have rarely been carefully examined. What do they contribute to science learning? What can they contribute to science learning? What is the current status of labs in our nation�s high schools as a context for learning science? This book looks at a range of questions about how laboratory experiences fit into U.S. high schools: What is effective laboratory teaching? What does research tell us about learning in high school science labs? How should student learning in laboratory experiences be assessed? Do all student have access to laboratory experiences? What changes need to be made to improve laboratory experiences for high school students? How can school organization contribute to effective laboratory teaching? With increased attention to the U.S. education system and student outcomes, no part of the high school curriculum should escape scrutiny. This timely book investigates factors that influence a high school laboratory experience, looking closely at what currently takes place and what the goals of those experiences are and should be. Science educators, school administrators, policy makers, and parents will all benefit from a better understanding of the need for laboratory experiences to be an integral part of the science curriculum-and how that can be accomplished.

Print student edition, Motion and Forces