The Physics Teaching Podcast

With Thomas still away on his travels, Rosie and Robin take the opportunity to catch up on all that’s been happening. Robin spills the beans on some new tips and tricks he’s picked up at his new school. Think hands-on modelling for sixth form—it’s practical, fun, and downright genius! We’ve also got a special treat for you—a guest appearance from none other than Ben Rogers, a brilliant friend of the podcast! Ben dives into his fascinating research on introducing primary school children to models for electricity, a topic that’s notoriously tricky but oh-so-important Links: Ben Rogers New Book – Primary Science in a Nutshell [https://www.millgatehouse.co.uk/product/primary-science-in-a-nutshell/] Ben Rogers Book – The Big Ideas in Physics and How to teach them [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Big-Ideas-Physics-Teach-Them/dp/1138235067] The rope loop model – GCSE physics online [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt7QaPb5Tko] Sweets and cups model – Open University [https://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=64826§ion=8.3] Energy Ball – For circuits using students [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Safari-652116-Energy-Cosmic-Ball/dp/B00J5LWPTO#:~:text=The%20ball%20is%20designed%20to,one%2Don%2Done%20instruction.] PHET circuit builder [https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/circuit-construction-kit-dc] JOIN IN! Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions by messaging us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/physicstp.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/physicstp.bsky.social] .  You can also message us via our website contact form on every page of the web site at  the.physicsteachingpodcast.com [https://the.physicsteachingpodcast.com/], or email using the address given in the podcast (if we remember). We are moving away from X but can be found there as @physicstp. JOIN IN! Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions by messaging us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/physicstp.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/physicstp.bsky.social] .  You can also message us via our website contact form on every page of the web site at  the.physicsteachingpodcast.com [https://the.physicsteachingpodcast.com/], or email using the address given in the podcast (if we remember). We are moving away from X but can be found there as @physicstp. MUSIC * Season 7: Physics Is Our Business by Miracles of Modern Science [https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Miracles_of_Modern_Science/MEEMS/Miracles_of_Modern_Science_-_MEEMS_-_06_Physics_Is_Our_Business/]. * Seasons 5 and 6: Crescents by Ketsa [https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/Raising_Frequecy/Crescents]. * Seasons 3 and 4: Disco Sheik by Podington Bear [https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Dance_1228/Disco_Sheik]. * Seasons 1 and 2: One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus [http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Circus_Homunculus/Recordings_1915_-_1931/04_One_legged_equilibrist_polka]. * Occasionally we also use Cantina Rag by Jackson F. Smith [http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jackson_F_Smith/Jackson_Frederick_Smith/Cantina_Rag]. The music is used under the Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/] Please enable JavaScript to use the contact form. Your Name Your Email Email Subject How many L in the word LULLABY? Your Message Send a copy to your email address? Send Message

Rosie and Robin finally get a chance to catch up—and let’s be honest, it’s long overdue! Meanwhile, Thomas has packed his bags for *another* holiday adventure, but not before sitting down with Richard Brock to discuss the art of storytelling in the classroom. Richard shares his wisdom on how stories, when used judiciously, can both enrich learning and bring joy to teaching. They’re the luxury treats that brighten the classroom narrative, but there’s a delicate balance—stories should enhance, not distract from, the core content. Tune in for insights, laughs, and a reminder of why storytelling is such an essential tool for education. LINKS * IOP Stories from Physics, by Richard Brock [https://spark.iop.org/stories-physics] * Isaac Newton’s BirthPlace – WoolsThorpe Manor [https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/nottinghamshire-lincolnshire/woolsthorpe-manor] * The Cavendish – discovery of DNA by Watson and Crick [https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/DNA-structure-discovery-cambridge-70th-anniversary] JOIN IN! Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions by messaging us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/physicstp.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/physicstp.bsky.social] .  You can also message us via our website contact form on every page of the web site at  the.physicsteachingpodcast.com [https://the.physicsteachingpodcast.com/], or email using the address given in the podcast (if we remember). We are moving away from X but can be found there as @physicstp. MUSIC * Season 7: Physics Is Our Business by Miracles of Modern Science [https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Miracles_of_Modern_Science/MEEMS/Miracles_of_Modern_Science_-_MEEMS_-_06_Physics_Is_Our_Business/]. * Seasons 5 and 6: Crescents by Ketsa [https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/Raising_Frequecy/Crescents]. * Seasons 3 and 4: Disco Sheik by Podington Bear [https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Dance_1228/Disco_Sheik]. * Seasons 1 and 2: One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus [http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Circus_Homunculus/Recordings_1915_-_1931/04_One_legged_equilibrist_polka]. * Occasionally we also use Cantina Rag by Jackson F. Smith [http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jackson_F_Smith/Jackson_Frederick_Smith/Cantina_Rag]. The music is used under the Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/] Please enable JavaScript to use the contact form. Your Name Your Email Email Subject How many L in the word LULLABY? Your Message Send a copy to your email address? Send Message

As the final month of winter approaches in the UK, we all feel the need for a little something to keep our spirits lifted; so Rosie and Thomas explore the awe and wonder of magic, with a science spin. It was therefore a great pleasure to welcome special guest to the podcast , Matt Pritchard, from Science Magic Shows. His fabulous science shows are exactly the thing to enliven the school year and give students, and teachers, some new ideas about the fun of science. [https://i0.wp.com/the.physicsteachingpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/image.png?resize=450%2C301&ssl=1] Alongside all this fun Rosie and Thomas also ruminate on the past fortnight with a focus on an alternative method to standing waves on a string and our own favourite teaching magic tricks. LINKS * Science Magic Shows [https://www.sciencemagicshows.co.uk] – Website by Matt Pritchard * Sparking Wonder [https://www.ogdentrust.com/about-us/news/sparking-wonder/] – A free resource of magic related demos for teachers to use in the classroom, created by Matt with the Ogden trust * Other resources on awe and wonder [https://www.sciencemagicshows.co.uk/resources.html] – For further reading on the topic of awe and wonder, see Matt’s curated list of resources on his website. * Core practical – standing waves [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wVPfM2NIRg] – YouTube demo of the alternative method using AC, magnets and a wire. * Table Cloth Trick [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSj_MVUsBzg] * Jumping soda can trick [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UYRHe17H5PQ] JOIN IN! Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions by messaging us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/physicstp.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/physicstp.bsky.social] .  You can also message us via our website contact form on every page of the web site at  the.physicsteachingpodcast.com [https://the.physicsteachingpodcast.com/], or email using the address given in the podcast (if we remember). We are moving away from X but can be found there as @physicstp. MUSIC * Season 7: Physics Is Our Business by Miracles of Modern Science [https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Miracles_of_Modern_Science/MEEMS/Miracles_of_Modern_Science_-_MEEMS_-_06_Physics_Is_Our_Business/]. * Seasons 5 and 6: Crescents by Ketsa [https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/Raising_Frequecy/Crescents]. * Seasons 3 and 4: Disco Sheik by Podington Bear [https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Dance_1228/Disco_Sheik]. * Seasons 1 and 2: One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus [http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Circus_Homunculus/Recordings_1915_-_1931/04_One_legged_equilibrist_polka]. * Occasionally we also use Cantina Rag by Jackson F. Smith [http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jackson_F_Smith/Jackson_Frederick_Smith/Cantina_Rag]. The music is used under the Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/] Please enable JavaScript to use the contact form. Your Name Your Email Email Subject How many L in the word LULLABY? Your Message Send a copy to your email address? Send Message

It’s January and hence what better time to talk about some teaching New Year Resolutions. Rosie talks about her three resolution areas: 1) Teaching A-level exam technique 2) Using AI 3) Admin time savers for physics teachers To which Thomas W-P and our special guest to the podcast this week, Callum Farnsworth, provide some super ideas. Plus if you enjoy hearing from Callum in this episode then watch-out because he’ll be back soon to share more with us and the dear listener about his Ogden Senior fellowship project, called the PHET effect. LINKS * Ogden Senior Teacher Fellows placed at PhET [https://medium.com/@phet-global/meet-the-2023-2024-ogden-senior-teacher-fellows-placed-at-phet-55d50fbbf6e0] * Isaac Physics [https://isaacphysics.org/login] * Previous Episode on Isaac Physics [https://the.physicsteachingpodcast.com/2020/03/12/s02e23-isaac-physics/] * Previous Episode on using A.I. in Physics Teaching [https://the.physicsteachingpodcast.com/2024/06/13/breakthrough-technologies-in-physics-teaching-exploring-ai-with-dr-david-boyce/] * Chat GPT [https://chatgpt.com] * Claude AI [https://claude.ai/login?returnTo=%2F%3F] * TeachMate AI [https://teachmateai.com] * Lab Logger [https://www.lablogger.co.uk] * Arbor School Management Software [https://arbor-education.com] JOIN IN! Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions by messaging us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/physicstp.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/physicstp.bsky.social] .  You can also message us via our website contact form on every page of the web site at  the.physicsteachingpodcast.com [https://the.physicsteachingpodcast.com/], or email using the address given in the podcast (if we remember). We are moving away from X but can be found there as @physicstp. MUSIC * Season 7: Physics Is Our Business by Miracles of Modern Science [https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Miracles_of_Modern_Science/MEEMS/Miracles_of_Modern_Science_-_MEEMS_-_06_Physics_Is_Our_Business/]. * Seasons 5 and 6: Crescents by Ketsa [https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/Raising_Frequecy/Crescents]. * Seasons 3 and 4: Disco Sheik by Podington Bear [https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Dance_1228/Disco_Sheik]. * Seasons 1 and 2: One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus [http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Circus_Homunculus/Recordings_1915_-_1931/04_One_legged_equilibrist_polka]. * Occasionally we also use Cantina Rag by Jackson F. Smith [http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jackson_F_Smith/Jackson_Frederick_Smith/Cantina_Rag]. The music is used under the Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/] Please enable JavaScript to use the contact form. Your Name Your Email Email Subject How many L in the word LULLABY? Your Message Send a copy to your email address? Send Message

We chat with Jed Marshall and Simon Poliakoff about being and Ogden Senior Teaching Fellow which leads on to fun things to do with classes at Christmas which are solidly physicsy. Thomas is a bit of a curmudgeon but grudgingly comes out with one he uses around fireworks night, but Jed and Rosie have some great ideas. * Teabag Rockets * Holograms using a phone * Sparking Giant Capacitor * Balloon vs Fluorescent Tube * Science related Snow Flake decorations * Making dry Ice from old carbon dioxide fire extinguishers * Previous podcast episode on Christmas practicals [https://the.physicsteachingpodcast.com/2020/12/10/festive-demos-and-practicals/] LINKS * Ogden Senior Teacher Fellows placed at PhET [https://medium.com/@phet-global/meet-the-2023-2024-ogden-senior-teacher-fellows-placed-at-phet-55d50fbbf6e0] * Laser Blox Educational Laser Pointers [https://laserclassroom.com/products/lightblox-led-light-rgb-education-tool] * Tea Bag rocket demo – YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJhs_Q1gsnk] * Refraction with Jelly Lenses YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KXQloobtw0] * Science Snow Flake Templates [https://fi.edu/en/science-and-education/science-snowflake-cutout-patterns] * Make a Hologram-Like Projector [https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/2741-make-a-hologram-like-projector] * Light a bulb with a balloon [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L09pwfjTIo4] * Making dry ice with an old carbon dioxide fire extinguisher [https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Make-Dry-Ice-With-a-Fire-Extinguisher/] EXAMPLE HOLOGRAM FILM JOIN IN! Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions by messaging us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/physicstp.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/physicstp.bsky.social] .  You can also message us via our website contact form on every page of the web site at  the.physicsteachingpodcast.com [https://the.physicsteachingpodcast.com/], or email using the address given in the podcast (if we remember). We are moving away from X but can be found there as @physicstp. MUSIC * Season 7: Physics Is Our Business by Miracles of Modern Science [https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Miracles_of_Modern_Science/MEEMS/Miracles_of_Modern_Science_-_MEEMS_-_06_Physics_Is_Our_Business/]. * Seasons 5 and 6: Crescents by Ketsa [https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/Raising_Frequecy/Crescents]. * Seasons 3 and 4: Disco Sheik by Podington Bear [https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Dance_1228/Disco_Sheik]. * Seasons 1 and 2: One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus [http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Circus_Homunculus/Recordings_1915_-_1931/04_One_legged_equilibrist_polka]. * Occasionally we also use Cantina Rag by Jackson F. Smith [http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jackson_F_Smith/Jackson_Frederick_Smith/Cantina_Rag]. The music is used under the Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/] Please enable JavaScript to use the contact form. Your Name Your Email Email Subject How many L in the word LULLABY? Your Message Send a copy to your email address? Send Message