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Elegant Universe, The: Einstein's Dream

Viewing Ideas  Print this Teacher's Guide (PDF, 33 pages)

String's The Thing Viewing Ideas
Welcome to the 11th Dimension Viewing Ideas

Before Watching

1. Organize students into four groups. Assign each group one of the following concepts to research: 1) four fundamental forces (gravity, electromagnetism, strong force, weak force), 2) quantum mechanics, 3) unified theory, and 4) string theory. (See Resources.) Have each group create a poster explaining the concept and present its work to the class. Post each group's work for later reference. As they watch, have students take notes on their assigned topics.

2. Discuss the concept of gravity. Ask students to describe how they experience the force directly. Ask them how gravity affects objects beyond Earth.

After Watching

1. Review students' notes from the program. Have students update their posters with the new information they have learned. When and how was each force discovered? What additional questions do students have about each of the forces?

Glossary
Having trouble keeping all these terms straight? See the Glossary for help.