Preamble:
Students in groups of 2 (or individually, if that is preferred) will plan a 15 minute teaching presentation on a Nobel prize-winning physicist. This could involve a dozen or more PowerPoint slides.
Your objective is to first entertain, then educate your audience. Above all, students should avoid reading directly from their PowerPoint presentation. Make it fun and interesting. This is not always easy to do in physics.
TOPICS:
Select your physicist from this list of Nobel prize-winners from 1901 to 2012. Sign up your topic on the master list with Mr. A.
There can be no groups presenting on the same physicist so it is 'first come, first served.'
CONTENT:
Here are some suggestions regarding the focus of your teaching session: "A Day in the life of Physicist "X"
What major discovery did he/she make?
Summary of information on the technical aspects of the physics discovery.
What was the practical implications on the public of the discovery? (immediately or much later)
What was the general state of knowledge on their topic at the time?
What was the context and conditions under which they were working? (university researcher, private lab, at their own home, were they very poor or well supported financially)
Was their idea immediately accepted, or was it ridiculed?
PROJECT DATES:
-Project assigned: Friday, November 15
