  Students in interviews on a wave physics topic give answers through embodied
actions which connect their understanding of the physics to other common
experiences. When answering a question about wavepulses propagating along a
long taut spring, students' gestures help them recruit information about balls
thrown the air. I analyze gestural, perceptual, and verbal information gathered
using videotaped interviews and classroom interactions. I use conceptual
blending to describe how different elements combine to create new, emergent
meaning for the students and compare this to a knowledge-in-pieces approach.
