🚀 go-pugleaf

 > This is a tough call.  I am assuming that you already have a pretty good
 > set of traditional physics lab equipment and are looking to enhance your
 > lab by incorporating some mbl's or simulations. I would first ask if you
 > want students doing things or simulating things....Does your curriculum
 > already have a lot of labs and other hands on activities?  If so then some
 > simulation type activities might be in order.  If not then i would strongly
 > encourage acquiring equipment that requires participation.  What parts of
 > your curriculum already have a good set of lab activities and what parts
 > could use some help?  I am also assuming that you have spread sheet and
 > basic word processing software at your disposal.
 >
 > My personal totally biased recommendations would include:
 > Some type of multipurpose lab interface
 > I like the ULI setup from Vernier
 > An ultrasonic motion detector
 > A student force sensor for the ULI
 > A microphone amplifier for the ULI (get the kit and save some money)
 >
 >
 > A copy of the "tools for scientific thinking project" directed by Ronald
 > Thornton.
 >
 > This is obviously not ideal as it will give you one lab setup for all of
 > your students.  It would be a start and you could add to this setup each
 > year.
 >
 > To this i would add an inexpensive night sky program. Around here students
 > are always printing out what the sky will be tonight.....
 >
 > I would add Graphs and Tracks from Physics Academic Software ($80 for one
 > copy $240 for a 10 pack)
 >
 > If you teach special relativity you really should have 'Rellab' from the
 > same source above. (this may only be a mac program)
 >
 > If you teach any particle physics you should have a copy of "chamber works"
 > (i dont remember if there is a windows version of this as we have a mac
 > version here)
 >
 > Interactive Physics would be nice but given the budget constraints it would
 > not be my first purchase.
 >
 > i would also surf the typical ftp sites for physics related shareware, and
 > check out the software by R. W. Tarara from St. Mary's College.
 >
 > Bruce Esser Physics Teacher                   Something witty Marian High
 > School                     Should go here Omaha NE
 > http://marian.creighton.edu


I have absolutely no disagreement with anything Bruce suggested but it will
cost just a tad bit more than $900.  The most versatile equipment would be
Vernier's ULI and the motion detector.  Enough sets of those may kill your
$900 easily.

Good Luck,

Barry S. Riehle
Turpin High School
Cincinnati, OH