Physics lessons of Maria Sklodowska-Curie

1. Physics lessonsof Maria Sklodowska-Curie Dr Józefina Turlo, mgr Elzbieta Dabkowska, mgr Andrzej Karbowski, mgr Krzysztof Sluzewski, dr Grzegorz Osinski, mgr Rafał Jankowski and dr Katarzyna Przegietka, Pupils of VIII LO in Torun

2. Maria Sklodowska-Curie 1867 – 1934 (Warszawa) (Sallanches) „You have to be persistent And believe, that you are able To do something well…”

3. Childhood and education • 5th child in family (1867), • 1876 – death of mather, • 1877 – private school ,of Madame Sikorska • 1878 – 1883 – gymnasium, • 1891 – 1894 – Sorbona studies, two BSc: physics and mathematics.

4. Marriage with Pierre Curie(1895 – 1906) • 1897 – daughter Irene was born, • 1904 – daughter Eva was born, • 1904 – tragic death of Pierre.

5. Scientific research • Investigation of radioactivity (together with H.Becquerel and P.Curie), • 1898 - discovery of two radioactive elements: polonium (Poland) and radium.

6. Hard work • Work in cold and moist cote, • work on exhalation of pure radium from uranium ore (8 tons, thousands of experiments), • 1903 – getting 1 decigram of radium chloride.

7. Awards • 1903 – Nobel Prize in physics for discovery of polonium and radium, • 1911 – Nobel Prize in chemistry for exhalation of radium as a pure chemical element

8. I Word War and action for Poland • Closing radium in a strong-box of bank • Creating 200 Roentgen casualty ward for war soldiers • 1932 – founding of Radium Institute in Warsaw, where Society of Maria Sklodowska – Curie in Tribute is placed.

9. Maria Sklodowska-Curieas physics teacher in a class of pupils at 12 years old • 1907 – creation Society of Scientists for Experimental Teaching. • Teachers: • Maria Sklodowska-Curie - physics, • Jean Perrin - chemistry, • Pierre Langevin - mathematics, • Henri Mouton - science, • Henrietta Perrin - French,history, • Alice Chavannes - English, German, geography, • Jean Magrou - drawing. • 2003 - publication of 10 physics lessons notes of Maria Sklodowska-Curie by Isabelle Chavannes in Paris.

10. Features of teaching method • Not verbal teaching, • learning from nature and demonstration of existing science hands-on experiments, explained by great scientists, • activity of pupils by doing individual investigations, • lively discussion with the use of simple and understandable language, • acquiring valuable social skills through personal examples of teacher genius: hard – working, persistence, honesty, sensitivity for needs of others, etc.

11. Success of pupils • Irena Curie-Joliot – Nobel Prize in 1935 for discovery of artificial radioactivity, • Francis Perrin – outstanding nuclear physicist, member of French Academy of Science, • Andre i Jean Langevin – nuclear physicists, • Isabelle Chavannes – chemistry engineer.

12. Welcome for the performance of Maria Sklodowska-Curie physics lessons!