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published by the American Association of Physics Teachers
The Powerful Ideas course model is intended for faculty who teach college students who are studying to be tomorrow's elementary educators. The six volumes that make up the Powerful Ideas materials were developed and field tested by teams of physics and physical science educators with experience in guided inquiry teaching methods. The course content focuses on those physical science concepts that are initially introduced in elementary science curricula.

The materials are available in both PDF and MS Word format and can be easily modified to build an introductory physical science course for non-science majors. Easy-to-use worksheets and a structured questioning pattern enables pre-service teachers to experience a hands-on, inquiry-based learning experience that models the way their students should experience science learning. The college instructor's materials parallel student activities and provide important insights and instructional background. Assessment strategies are included to assist faculty in developing techniques that assess meaningful learning.

The six volumes: Light and Color, Electricity, Heat and Conservation of Energy, Nature of Matter, Force, and Motion can be used chronologically or in optional order.

To offer a course constructed and modeled on Powerful Ideas in Physical Science, a department needs to purchase only one set of course development materials. These materials include student and instructor materials, rights to copy and distribute student materials, and access to a discussion list of Powerful Ideas users. No other textbook is necessary. Departments who have adopted the curriculum materials often sell the student materials in course packets through their bookstores which allows the department to recover the initial cost of the modules, as well as provide a source of funds to purchase materials that can be used in the course.
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Education Practices
- Active Learning
= Inquiry Learning
- Teacher Preparation
= Curricula
Optics
- General
- Lower Undergraduate
- High School
- Instructional Material
= Course
= Curriculum
= Instructor Guide/Manual
Appropriate Courses Categories Ratings
- Physical Science
- Physics First
- Conceptual Physics
- Lesson Plan
- Activity
- New teachers
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Intended Users:
Educator
Learner
Administrator
Formats:
text/html
application/ms-word
application/pdf
non-digital
Access Rights:
Limited free access and
Available for purchase
Sample student and instructor materials are available in pdf format for each of the volume. The full materials are available for purchase.
Restriction:
© 1998 American Association of Physics Teachers
NSF Numbers:
9496330
9554625
Keywords:
elementary teachers, inquiry-based
Record Creator:
Metadata Instance Creation Date October 13, 2003 by Patsy Ann Johnson
Record Updated:
August 10, 2020 by Lyle Barbato
Other Collections:

This resource is part of a Physics Front Topical Unit.


Topic: Nature and Behavior of Light
Unit Title: Behavior of Light

This standards-based resource offers easy-to-use worksheets and a structured questioning pattern that guides new and pre-service teachers through a hands-on, inquiry-based course that models best practice instructional models.  This particular volume deals with the behavior of light, color perception, and the electromagnetic spectrum.  Available for purchase from the AAPT online bookstore.

Link to Unit:
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Record Link
AIP Format
(American Association of Physics Teachers, College Park, 1998), WWW Document, (https://aapt.org/Publications/pips.cfm).
AJP/PRST-PER
Powerful Ideas in Physical Science (American Association of Physics Teachers, College Park, 1998), <https://aapt.org/Publications/pips.cfm>.
APA Format
Powerful Ideas in Physical Science. (1998). Retrieved April 20, 2025, from American Association of Physics Teachers: https://aapt.org/Publications/pips.cfm
Chicago Format
American Association of Physics Teachers. Powerful Ideas in Physical Science. College Park: American Association of Physics Teachers, 1998. https://aapt.org/Publications/pips.cfm (accessed 20 April 2025).
MLA Format
Powerful Ideas in Physical Science. College Park: American Association of Physics Teachers, 1998. 20 Apr. 2025 <https://aapt.org/Publications/pips.cfm>.
BibTeX Export Format
@misc{ Title = {Powerful Ideas in Physical Science}, Publisher = {American Association of Physics Teachers}, Volume = {2025}, Number = {20 April 2025}, Year = {1998} }
Refer Export Format

%T Powerful Ideas in Physical Science %D 1998 %I American Association of Physics Teachers %C College Park %U https://aapt.org/Publications/pips.cfm %O text/html

EndNote Export Format

%0 Electronic Source %D 1998 %T Powerful Ideas in Physical Science %I American Association of Physics Teachers %V 2025 %N 20 April 2025 %9 text/html %U https://aapt.org/Publications/pips.cfm


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