to English home page(Hu_Tiang_TODA　Homepage)
to Materials for physics education
to the contents

from the preface of our book

Lively Physics，Exciting Experiments

　　　

----------For the Creation of New Science Education ----------

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

by Stray Cats( Aichi ＆ Gifu Physics Circle )

Only one experiment is fine. ...if that experiment is valuable and unique
enough to absorb our students' attention and can help them to understand
what genuine science is．Based on this idea，we，the members of the Aichi and Gifu Physics

Circle，have developed various kinds of "throw－in teaching aids"
for 20 years．The"throw－in teaching aids" are hand－made，entertaining
experimental materials，which are essential for teaching science and can
surprise the students．It is named as such because the materisls are to be
"thrown in" of each teacher's own free will during classes.

Recently（May，1988），we published a co11ection of such experiments titled
"Lively PhysIcs，Excitng Experiments" in Japan. This book is composed of the
accumulated treasures of our "throwing－in teaching aids movement".
　Now look at the current situation of your students. Are they "lively" in
studying science？Are they participatiting in "exciting" experiments？ The
reality in Japan seems to becomplete1y opposite to what we wish. The
majority of the students complain that physics is"no fun，incomprehensible,
and worthless". These problems are not limited to physics. Students tend to
have the attitude toward all the other subjects taught in high school in
general. To them，studylng is nothing but a pain.Most teachers would say to
the students，"I understand how hard it is, but don't give up. "This is the
best they can think of to encourage their students. Everyday is a
continuation of depression and discontentment both for the teachers and the
students... We both are almost suffocating.

　That is the reason why we have been discussing how we can write a book
that brings the students great excitement and inspiration. We believe that
the key to the revival of education is wlthin the notion,　which the former
style of education fsi1ed to accomplish，that"the students can enjoy. "If
they can，they will get back the fundamental state that the move we learn
science，the more interesting it is and the more actively we learn it.
　We think that in order to make the students "lively，"the teachers must.
actively comunicate with each other, and do research together. Such circle
activities produced this book.
　Here some examples ofour experiments introduced at the Physics Education
International Conference in 1986．

to English home page
to Materials for physics education

some contents of Lively Physics，Exciting Experiments