Kirlian in the Classroom

This work is intended as a contribution to physics education in general but leans strongly towards creating an awareness of the Nature of Science, Scientific Method and the importance of evaluation of information and sources of information. The main feature of this study is the project laid out as detailed lesson plan for a three day activity series (or nine 50-minute teaching units) that could be presented vertically by a subject specialist (physics teacher) or horizontally as subject-overlapping with other disciplines. It includes background information, teaching material like worksheets and other media as well as an evaluation cycle to conclude the project. Through the topic of coronal discharge the reader (intended to be learners from a generation called “digital natives”) will be introduced to various applications thereof while Kirlian Photography (named and assumed to be Gas Discharge Visualization – GDV - capturing images of changes in the so-called “bio-energy” or aura that is emitted by living and non-living organisms) will serve both as “hook” for generating interest and counter example of true science in practice.