Name/Title
Introductory Physics by Robert KarplusSecondary Title
A Model ApproachDescription
Introductory Physics: A Model Approach is a non-mathematical textbook written by Orinda scientist and author Robert Karplus. It was originally developed between 1965 and 1969 for non-science students in secondary schools and colleges. The book focuses on a "modeling approach" where students test analog and mathematical models to understand physical phenomena.Context
Robert Karplus was a theoretical physicist of extraordinary range who made his home in Orinda after joining the UC Berkeley faculty in 1954. Born in Vienna, he fled the Nazi annexation of Austria as a child and earned his Ph.D. from Harvard at age twenty-one. His early research provided the first dramatic confirmation of quantum electrodynamics â one of the landmark achievements in 20th century physics.
A chance visit to his daughter's third-grade classroom sparked a second remarkable career. Troubled by how poorly the science lesson landed with the children, Karplus turned his formidable intellect toward science education, ultimately leading the 15-year Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS), a landmark hands-on science program for grades Kâ6. His work earned him the Oersted Medal, the highest honor of the American Association of Physics Teachers.
Introductory Physics: A Model Approach (1969), reissued in 2003, reflects his lifelong conviction that science should be taught through inquiry and discovery.
(Summarized from Wikipedia)