Dr Skateboard’s Action Science: Teaching Physics in Context

In order to create student interest and promote new connections to the understanding of fundamental physics concepts, there is a need for new approaches and methods that are both contemporary and relevant. Dr Skateboard’s Action Science, a curriculum supplement comprising video instruction and classroom activities, is an example that focuses on the physical science concepts found in the areas of forces, motion, Newton’s laws of motion, and simple machines. The use of familiar activities, situations, and objects, such as skateboarding and bicycle motocross (BMX), around which students can explore and explain scientific concepts can be defined as action science. Dr Skateboard’s Action Science is designed to teach fundamental physics concepts using an approach that utilizes transformative educational strategies that help students move from memorizing facts and content to constructing knowledge in meaningful and useful ways. Students learn to develop questions, consider multiple points of view, and seek explanations in ways that require critical thinking and problem solving. The goal of this approach is to make physics education transformative through action science, a process in which educators integrate familiar experiences and materials from students ’ lives in order to amplify scientific concepts. In the cas