Abstract
The recently discovered physics notebook kept by Ms. Sho Iyoku around 1890 suggests a new perspective on the method of using the textbook Physics for Elementary School Students by Makita Goto et al. published in 1885, which is well-known as one of the best textbooks ever to be published in the history of science education in Japan. However, it has not been examined at all how it had been used in the classroom despite the fact that it is one of the most important dimensions of the evaluation of this document. The author analyzes Iyoku's notebook by combining the new knowledge of the question-and-answer method with the structure of each unit in the textbook. He then suggests that it is probable the teacher taught physics to pupils by making them copy what he wrote on a blackboard after the actual experiments in order not to make pupils refer to the textbook prior to the experiment. The author concludes that Iyoku's notebook may represent one of the first examples preceding the new teaching methodology dubbed "substitute notebook", which became widespread around 1900.
