I have a theory that how much I enjoy the summer is directly proportional to how much I read during it. This may be because I make little time to read anything of significant length during the school year. However, during the summer, I find it easier to make time. This summer was a good one for reading!

Mindstorms: Children, Computers, And Powerful Ideas by Seymour Papert

I had been meaning to read this for a while and received a copy as a Christmas gift. I found it so enlightening and surprising that I previous wrote about it.

The Quantum Story: A history in 40 moments by Jim Baggott

I don’t remember how this book ended up on my reading list, but I’m glad it did. I find the history of modern physics fascinating and my students appreciate learning about the historical context in which scientific advancements were made. I found Quantum Story riveting. I flagged dozens of pages to reference in class when we study modern physics.

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Dr. Carol Dweck

Several teachers that I respect have strongly recommended this book and Dweck’s research on fixed vs. growth mindsets. AFter last year, I was concerned about many of my students’ mindsets. I found this book helpful in that it provided a good foundation for understanding mindsets from a cognitive psychology perspective. I’m working on a future post on how I’ll introduce students to fixed vs. growth mindsets.

The Talent Code: Greatness Isn’t Born. It’s Grown. Here’s How by Daniel Coyle

This book was a great pairing to Mindset. Coyle focused on very similar ideas from the perspective of neuroscience. I flagged a couple of the examples in this book to use as activities with my students. I hope that the combination of the ideas of mindset with that of deep practice will have a powerful impact on my students.

National Geographic Angry Birds Furious Forces: The Physics at Play in the World’s Most Popular Game by Rhett Allain

It took me longer than expected to read this book because my son took it before I got started. It is a wonderful, accessible, fun, and engaging introduction to the world of physics through the lens of Angry Birds. Rhett’s casual writing style is a perfect fit for this book. I plan to keep it out in my classroom for students to browse and enjoy.

The Einstein Theory of Relativity: A Trip to the Fourth Dimension by Lillian R. Lieber

I believe I learned of this book in The Physics Teacher and was intrigued by the reviewer who claimed this was the best explanation of tensors, ever. I ordered a couple of copies: one to gift to a student who was graduating and one for myself. I was wonderfully surprised by the writing style and the illustrations throughout the book. I must admit that I’m still in the middle of the book, but I hope that my reading won’t be interrupted now that school has started!