The Royal Society of the United Kingdom has assembled a scientific timeline from 1650 to the present called Trailblazing at http://trailblazing.royalsociety.org/ which presents key scientific publications in historical context.
Check out the Shockwave simulations at http://www.physicsclassroom.com/shwave/. For example, have students try the Race Track and see if they can control their acceleration and keep their car on the roadway!
Carl Mungan is an Associate Professor of Physics at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.
Disclaimer - The articles and opinion pieces found in this issue of the APS Forum on Education Newsletter are not peer refereed and represent solely the views of the authors and not necessarily the views of APS.