Polson High School students use primitive bows to study physics “It’s one thing to put Montana’s Indian Education for All Act to work in a social studies classroom. Physics? That would seem to be a whole ‘nother matter. And it is. But certainly not, as Polson High School teacher Jon Petersen is proving, impossible. Petersen’s… Continue reading Links for 2010-10-29
Author: Chad Orzel
Thursday Toddler Blogging 102810
Inspired by the anti-flash-photography article in the morning’s links dump, this week’s Toddler Blogging offers you a choice of two different pictures. Here’s one with the flash: And one without: (Appa’s been feeling self-conscious about SteelyKid’s growth lately, and asked for a little forced perspective in the second shot. SteelyKid was too busy reading Dr.… Continue reading Thursday Toddler Blogging 102810
How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog in the Times
The Times Higher Education magazine in the UK, that is. They ran a review of my book a couple of weeks ago, which I’ve only just noticed: The approach is quite entertaining. The tone of the book is chatty and contains some truly awful puns involving dogs, which, if you can stand them, make it… Continue reading How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog in the Times
The Calculus Diaries by Jennifer Ouellette
I finished Jennifer Ouellette’s new book a few weeks ago, shortly after my trip to Alabama, but it’s taken me a long time to get around to reviewing it due to a combination of too much work and being a Bad Person. There’s finally a tiny break in the storm of work, though, so here’s… Continue reading The Calculus Diaries by Jennifer Ouellette
Links for 2010-10-28
Take better photos of friends and family: Turn off your flash. – By Steven I. Weiss – Slate Magazine “The flash didn’t go off” has been shorthand for photographic failure for more than 100 years, but the conventional wisdom on lighting is now being challenged by advances in camera technology. The quickest, simplest, cheapest way… Continue reading Links for 2010-10-28
Conceptual Physics Costumes for Halloween
It’s late October, which means that the thoughts of small children and adults who have never quite grown up turn to selecting appropriate costumes for Halloween. In the spirit of these literary suggestions and these abstract concept suggestions, I thought it would be useful to offer some suggestions for physics-themed costumes, for those who want… Continue reading Conceptual Physics Costumes for Halloween
Academic Poll: Exam Philosophy
I’m spending a good chunk of the morning grading the exam that I gave yesterday, so here’s a poll on what you might call exam philosophy. Our classes are small, so the bulk of our exams are free-response problems, and we tend to break those problems into sub-parts (1a, 1b, 1c, etc.). There are two… Continue reading Academic Poll: Exam Philosophy
Links for 2010-10-27
Video: Fingerless Robotic Hand Can Pick Anything | Wired Science | Wired.com “The simple gripper is made of a bag of coffee grounds and a vacuum, though other grains such as couscous and sand also work, says study coauthor Eric Brown of the University of Chicago. To pick something up, the bag of loose grounds… Continue reading Links for 2010-10-27
It’s All About the Offensive Line
Last night’s Giants-Cowboys game was not one of the finer displays of football you’re ever see– the score makes it seem like a close game, but the Giants turned the ball over five times and gave up a punt return for a touchdown, basically handing the Cowboys 28 points. Other than that, you know, they… Continue reading It’s All About the Offensive Line
Links for 2010-10-26
Should Students buy an iPad or a Year’s Supply of Pot Noodles? | blog@CACM | Communications of the ACM “Suppose you gave up washing clothes for a year, or relied on your mum to do it for you. According to the budgeting guide this would save £222, just about half of the iPad. You could… Continue reading Links for 2010-10-26