During the fall 2006 term, Richard Barrans of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Wyoming had the students in his class for elementary education majors write short essays on some of the subjects in The Flying Circus of Physics, using the list of references available at the book's website: www.flyingcircusofphysics.com
He has posted the essays at
http://www.barransclass.com/phys1090/circus/circus_alist.html and I have enjoyed reading each of them. If you teach physics or any type of physical science, you might consider making a similar assignment.