SCIENCE SHOWS OR SCIENCE CLASSES?

BY Louis R. WELCHDorchester High School For Boys, Dorchester, Massachusetts

Lecturer on Methods of Science TeachingBoston College Summer School

"Have you ever studied General Science before?" I asked a

pupil in a Grade IX Science class last September."Sure," was the prompt reply,"What did you study about?""Well, our teacher made two balloons go apart."Upon further questioning it appeared that a demonstration of

static electricity had made a lasting impression on this chap’smemory. But what kind of an impression? He remembered thathe had seen his teacher rub a red balloon and a green balloonwith cat’s fur and that after this treatment they "went apart."But as to the underlying principles of this phenomenon and itsapplications to everyday life he remembered nothing.

This example illustrates a common mistake in the teachingof General Science. We entertain the children, just as a magicianentertains his audience, with explosions, color changes, andringing bells. We fill the subject with beta units and make itthe easiest and most enjoyable subject in the curriculum. Thiswould be a laudable purpose for a vaudeville show, but hardlyfor a standard Junior High School subject.

General Science is a subject that can be easily motivated. Itis a well-known principle of psychology that the more senses ofa child you can stimulate the more lasting will be the impressionon his mind. In the preparation of some of the more strikingdemonstrations of General Science this principle has been givenmuch consideration.The teacher however should use great care in selecting experi-

ments of this type. They should be suited to the mentality ofthe class and as closely related to the every day life of the pupilas possible. If this is not done, the teacher, not the class, profitsmost from such a lesson. The teacher acquires a certain magi-cian’s technique and, if he is not careful, a self satisfied ideathat he is putting his subject across with most excellent results;whereas the pupils, being normal individuals, are interested inhearing noises and seeing color changes but seldom care tolearn the principles behind these phenomena.Every new teacher must struggle to get attention and disci-

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pline from his classes. Soon he finds that discipline followsattention. Hence, in his early teaching experience he learns touse those experiments which will best hold the attention of hisclass. However, an experiment which is most interesting tothe average boy is not one which causes him to do a great dealof thinking for himself. These Science Shows that entertain theclass "go over big." The class enjoys them and isn’t backwardabout saying so. Struggling to get his class under control, thenew teacher finds that such experiments serve his purpose welland, following the line of least resistance, he spends his after-noons and evenings getting apparatus together for the nextshow.

Science supervisors are also responsible in some measure forthis state of affairs. On visiting a Science class they expect tosee a demonstration by the teacher that will hold the attentionof every pupil and he gives them such a demonstration; bellsring, lamps light, or explosions occur. The pupils may be ac-tually breathless."A wonderful lesson," says the supervisor."And a wonderful teacher," thinks the instructor to himself.

The next day, however, he is apt to find that hardly a pupilcan explain what the preceding "wonderful" lesson was allabout.Such experiences are both discouraging and thought provok-

ing. Surely in a lesson which an expert considered perfect someof the points which were demonstrated should have remainedin the pupils’ mind overnight. Too frequently, however, theresults from such a lesson are disappointing, perfect motivation,perfect attention, but few lasting impressions. Apparently, al-most any Science teacher, given the proper apparatus and aver-age ability, can entertain a class and hold their interest. But toteach a class while thus entertaining them is a much more diffi-cult and seldom accomplished task.

This does not mean that spectacular demonstrations shouldbe abolished in General Science. They are its most valuable andessential assets for motivation. But they should be kept in theirplaces as motivating agents. They should not make up the con-tent of the entire Science period or course. Demonstrationswhose explanations are beyond the grasp of Junior High Schoolpupils, should not be shown simply to entertain the pupils.Such demonstrations may, however, be properly shown in theScience Club where a select group of pupils should profit by

CURVILINEAR ASYMPTOTES 653

seeing them. The Science teacher who is really interested inteaching more than in entertaining should strive to make hisclasses realize that Science today is a group of principles, in-teresting it is true, but to be learned and mastered only byhonest effort on the part of the pupil himself.

NOTE ON CURVILINEAR ASYMPTOTES

BY LESTER DAWSONWicJiita, Kansas

Consider the curve whose equation is

F(x) m^W) (1)

where F(x) and f(x) are rational, integral algebraic functions of x andwhere the degree of F(x) exceeds the degree of/(.r) by an integer n^Q.We have by long division

y=aoxn-{-alxn~l-}- ’ - - 4-fln-i.r4-ffn4��- (2)/M

where r(x) is a rational, integral algebraic function of at least one degreelower than/(.r). Under the preceding conditions, the

limit^^O (3)A-^co f(x)

so that the curve (1) approaches more nearly the curve

y==00.r"+fll;t’n~l+ � ’ � 4-fln-l^+On (4)

as x increases indefinitely, in other words the curves (1) and (4) becomemore nearly congruent curves. The curve (4) may be termed a curvilinearasymptote of the given curve (1).Two important special cases yield ordinary linear asymptotes.Case I. If F(x) and/(.z*) are of the same degree, that is n =0, we obtain by

divisionr(x)

^^W)whence by (3), y^flo is the horizontal linear asymptote.

Case II. If the degree of F(x) exceeds that of/(.T) by one, that is n ==1,then equation (4) becomes

y=oo.r+oi

which is an oblique linear asymptote.It is clear that corresponding statements hold for the curve whose

equation is

-^ <5)f(y)

where F(y) and/(y) are subjected to the same conditions as are F(x) andf(x) in the preceding discussion.