This animated clip investigates the idea of orbits. It begins with Alice and Bob wondering why the Moon doesn’t fall to the Earth but an apple does. Alice throws an apple hard enough that it goes into orbit around the Earth. This clip could provide a lead in to topics such as gravitational force, acceleration,...

Alice wonders why it’s dark at night. If we are in an infinite Universe, why isn’t the sky full of starlight. Bob suggests that for some reason the light from the very distant stars hasn’t reached us yet. This leads on to the idea that the universe has a beginning and an age. This clip could provide a lead in to...

Work done in this Nuffield 13 - 16 module followed from the S unit called ‘Power’. This D unit provided enough material for eight double periods during a Further Science course and built on the content of the S units for Single Science. The teachers’ guide included six...

The video begins by showing the misconceptions people have about weightlessness in space (space station). It explains how gravity exerts a force on the moon and so would also exert a force on the space station. It then shows that the astronaut is falling along with the space...

This video does not offer an explanation, but asks several people the question and shows their answers.

The Earth spins on its axis, completing a full revolution every day. By why does it do this? One of the most common misconceptions in physics is the belief that constant motion requires a constant force. So many people believe there must be some force in the Earth (e.g. gravity, centrifugal force) that keeps it...

The video explains that as pressure is exerted onto the ice it melts and it is the liquid water, in contact with the ice, that makes it so slippery.

In this classroom resource pupils learn how space debris is generated. It includes two investigations looking at how collisions between objects can lead to further collisions, and how impact causes some materials to fracture into many particles using crisps.

The resource includes pupil worksheets as well as...

This booklet is part of the ‘Innovations in Practical Work’ series published by the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme (SEP). One of the most important questions facing us all is how we will use the planet’s energy resources over the coming decades. Many people believe that wind power can make a vital...

Published by the Technology Enhancement Programme (TEP) the wind turbine project resources comprise:

• Building a small-scale wind turbine project using resistant materials (engineering drawings, jigs, fixtures and supporting images)
• Looking at environmental issues (industrial case studies)...

From Practical Action, this challenge asks students to design a simple wind turbine capable of lifting a cup off the floor to bench height. The winning team will be the one producing a machine that lifts the most weight. The resource includes an instruction sheet, wind turbine images, links to videos and...

This set of ideas, resources and materials help students develop a greater understanding of the language used in science. Reinforcing keywords helps students to become more familiar with scientific vocabulary, enabling them to progress with more confidence. The approaches here could easily be used in other areas of...