Strategies for Teaching Physics to Undergraduate Biologists

Most undergraduate students in the life sciences are required to take physics; few understand why, or realize much benefit. We are transforming a traditional one -year algebra-based college physics course populated primarily by such students, by integrating biological examples that both exemplify and motivate the physics. We describe several strategies: emphasizing topics of particular importance to biologists; including examples of physics-rich biological research; developing homework and exam problems built around biological phenomena; and designing concept questions that encourage students to think about biological in a physical frame.