Classroom Physics June 2019 Edition

Editorial

News

Resources

Digest

The magazine for affiliated schools June 2019 Issue 49 Opportunities

Celebrating the 1969 Apollo 11 Moon landing: student activities and more inside

IOP Education moves into a new era page 2 Support for teachers and teacher supporters page 5 Beyond the idea of scientific literacypage 6 Are we living on the Moon? page 13 www.iop.org Classroom physics | June 2019 Editorial

IOP This issue News 3-7 3 50th anniversary of Moon landing

4 Gender balance

5 Teacher support

6 Data logger and science capital

7 Recruitment and retention

The IOP Resources 8- 13 early-career teachers. Similarly, we are Education IOP Education collaborating to promote curricula based on Team – Robin 8 R esearch: measuring attitudes clear understanding of subject pedagogy to is the bloke and beliefs feed into the consultation on OFSTED’s new in glasses, second from moves into inspection framework. 9 P ull-out and keep Apollo 11 left on the classroom activity In Scotland, Stuart Farmer has taken back row. a new era over as National Education Manager 10 Activity 1: lunar phases Was there ever a time when change following Gordon Doig’s retirement. was not the prime feature in education? He’s working with Education Scotland to 11 Apollo 11: Earth-Moon template promote Career Long Professional Learning Government-led initiatives may have for Scottish physics teachers. Meanwhile in 12 A ctivity 2: lunar days and reduced, but IOP is busier than ever Wales, we are launching a gender balance launch dates with many new and updated projects. project to increase the number of girls Foremost, we are committed to improving choosing to study physics in Welsh schools. 13 S tories from physics and our support to you. We have simplified and Six months into the occupancy of our Marvin and Milo beefed up our offer to teachers to be more new building in Islington, we have welcomed regionally-focused. IOP Physics Coaches will Digests 14-17 local school children for discovery days and work directly with teachers of physics whilst homework clubs. We have plans for a teacher our new Professional Practice Group will 14 Physics Education day before the end of Summer Term – watch support leaders of physics CPD (see page 5). out for details. 16 Physics World & TalkPhysics Our major new education website As always, thank you for your efforts IOPSpark is close to launch. Focused on 17 Retrieval practice & CLEAPSS in teaching physics and good luck to your helping you teach physics, it includes tried students in their exams. I hope the summer and tested resources plus new content such Opportunities 18-20 term gives you a chance to draw breath as common classroom misconceptions. and reflect on a successful year… 18 Students Policy-wise, in England we have been and enjoy a bit of physics CPD? consulting with the DfE and fellow subject 19 Teachers associations on the Early Career Framework, By Robin Griffiths, promoting subject-specific development for Head of Programme: Teacher Professional Support 20 I OP teacher CPD Welcome to With this issue… the new look Stories from physics: weird units and wonderful measures Classroom Physics Editor The first booklet in a series collecting physics stories for Caroline Davis We hope you enjoy our new design. secondary school students. Historical anecdotes such [email protected] As well as including more content from how the metre was first defined and some rather unusual Physics Education which is now online- units – can your students add some of their own? Physics content editor only, the expanded Classroom Physics Taj Bhutta

mass includes more ideas for the classroom measurement Posters about SI units and measurement kg [email protected] kilogram

All nations on Earth have agreed A litre of water weighs to measure things using the approximately International System of Units (SI). 1 kilogram. which you can pick up and use. Let us The kilogram in this system is used to measure how heavy things are (their mass). To mark the redefinition of the final SI units on 20 May, Other mass units Photography 1 000 milligrams = 1 gram 1 000 grams = 1 kilogram 1 000 kilograms = 1 tonne know what you think and any ideas you also written 1 000 mg = 1 g 1 000 g = 1 kg 1 000 kg = 1 t How do we measure mass?

Weighing machines can be mechanical or we’re including three posters from the National Physical electronic, but are usually a mixture of both to give the Daniel Josman best accuracy.

Kitchen scales Mechanical weighing balance ‘Weighbridge’ weighs lorries have for what you’d like to read about (mechanical and electronic) (mechanical and electronic) Challenge: Laboratory. Affiliated Schools can get others by Put these in order lightest to heaviest, and guess their masses in grams, kilograms or tonnes. by emailing the editor at

emailling [email protected]. Pencil Elephant Apple Dog

[email protected]. Did you know? In shops, solids are sold by mass, liquids by volume and ice-cream by both!

npl.co.uk 1 tonne. elephant dog: 12 kg, apple 100 g, pencil 20 g, answers: Challenge

Disclaimer Although every effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this brochure is accurate and up to date, NPL does not make any representations or warranties, whether express, implied by law or by statute, as to its accuracy, completeness or reliability. NPL excludes all liabilities arising from the use of this brochure to the fullest extent permissible by law. NPL reserves the right at any time to More resources on SI at npl.co.uk/si-units. make changes to the material, or discontinue the brochure, without notice. The NPL name and logo are owned by NPL Management Limited. Any use of any logos must be authorised in writing.

2 Classroom physics | June 2019 News

Student activities Visit the Moon at the IOP Reflecting on the first Moon landing Our Moon Adventure exhibition opens in July. Visit online or at

NASA our Kings Cross gallery space. It will be a playful, hands-on look at the physics of the Moon, the realities of being an astronaut and a look to the future of humans in space. Suitable for key stage 2 and above. Look out for the retroreflectors (see below)! For more information about the exhibition and Buzz Aldrin carries the EASEP downloadable activities, in his left hand and the laser ranging retroreflector in his visit iop.org/moon right. This equipment would Follow our Moon journey on Twitter have been too heavy to carry #IOPmoonadventure on Earth! On 20 July 1969, the Apollo 11 mission (EASEP) left behind by the astronauts. touched down on the Moon at what became The lunar laser ranging retroreflector Careers in space known as Tranquility Base. It’s a fascinating (see below) was its longest running legacy. If your students are interested story, with lots of opportunities to explore in Recommended Moon links: in working in the space industry, the National Space Academy the classroom and link in to the curriculum. NASA’s student-friendly introduction to has a great website dedicated EASEP at bit.ly/EASEP In the centre of this issue, we’ve created to how to get started. There is activities to help your students understand Wikipedia’s video showing the Apollo 11 no fixed route: physics is of how the timing of the landing was planned. landing site at bit.ly/Apollo11site course important, but politics, You could also look at why the lunar lander Google Earth’s great reconstruction of business, geography and even used rockets rather than a parachute to slow the descent of the lunar lander on YouTube psychology all play a part in current space roles. its descent. Or ask your students to research at bit.ly/GElunar what we have learned about the Moon from the NASA’s article about what Neil and Buzz Find out more at Early Apollo Scientific Experiments Package left on the Moon at bit.ly/NeilBuzz nationalspaceacademy.org/careers Explore retroreflectors A retroreflector consists of mutually perpendicular reflective Students can investigate why surfaces that return a light beam back in the same direction retroreflectors were used by it came. A plane mirror can only do this if the light is incident making their own, using a ray box along the normal (ie angle of incidence is zero). 1 and two mirrors at 90° to each i1 NASA’s lunar laser ranging retroreflector array was placed other. It is a simple geometric r1 near the Apollo 11 landing site. Comprised of a 30 cm wide panel calculation to show that the light with 100 reflectors pointing at Earth, it was used by astronomers ray returned by the retroreflector to measure the distance of the Moon from the Earth. Detecting is always at 180° to the incident i2 just a single photon returned r ray. Encourage students to adjust NASA from a laser pulse shot from 2 the position of the ray box to Earth enabled them to time change the angle of incidence on 2 the round-trip and so calculate the first mirror, explore changing the Moon’s distance precise the angle between the two mirrors to a few centimetres out – and compare their results with of 385,000km! using a single plane mirror.

3 Classroom physics | June 2019 News: gender balance

Case study IOP Whole school approach leads to record number of female A-level students Kingsbridge Community College in Devon has had a real drive to address gender bias and stereotyping – and seen Addressing impressive results. In 2018, girls Research gender outperformed the boys at GCSE and imbalance sent an equal numbers of girls and boys in physics to study physics-based subjects at Major new IOP research trial can have university. This year, the school is beneficial enjoying a record 11 girls studying for effects A-level physics. to tackle barriers to girls’ across your The school’s physics lead, Phil Atherton, school has run interventions with last year’s year progression in physics 11 girls (lunch club, ambassador days, trips) since they were in year 7. More We’ve just launched a project working with best practice in gender balance improvement recently, it sent its PHSE co-ordinator, 160 schools to increase the proportion of in schools. Lorien Joyce, on an IOP gender workshop. girls choosing to progress to A-level physics. In fact, a lot of work is not specifically on Joyce, who also teaches philosophy Despite many attempts to encourage girls and RE, said, “The training was not only gender. It’s about working out how to make informative but inspiring. Whole school to continue studying physics post-16, the your classroom friendlier to everyone. If you staff CPD was delivered by the IOP to proportion of A-level candidates who are address these principles, your classroom ensure that awareness of gender bias girls has stubbornly remained at around one should be more inclusive generally and and stereotyping was on the agenda. in five for over 30 years. students should be able to make more This has been fully supported by senior However, recent IOP work on gender informed subject choices across the board, leadership and followed up with students balance has suggested potential not just in physics.” as part of their PSHE programme. breakthroughs, leading to the Department for “As a research school we use evidence Drawing on these approaches, our based practice to inform teaching and Education (England) to ask us to run a randomised control trial will see half of learning so that a real difference is made national research trial. participating schools receiving a programme in the classroom. Planning and developing The Improving Gender Balance research of evidence-based support including: a meaningful response to the issue of trial draws on the success of our recent • training and CPD for teachers gender bias and stereotyping involved pilot project across six schools which saw • the development of a whole-school collaborative research with members of the number of girls taking A-level physics strategy to combat gender stereotyping staff, students and external experts in more than treble over two years and the the field. • options evenings, careers guidance, and IOP’s IGB Scotland programme, which the “This year will see the research put into student-led projects Scottish government embedded in its STEM practical application, including a whole • a dedicated IOP coach. education strategy. school survey and identifying key areas The research will be evaluated by the where data reveals a significant gender Beth Bramley, our Gender Balance UCL Institute of Education. gap: in behaviour, academic progress and Programme Manager explained, “This uptake of subjects at GCSE and A level.” ground-breaking study will tell us what really For more information: Kingsbridge has a new project hoping to works, helping to set the future agenda for beta.iop.org/IGBtrial replicate the success achieved in physics by getting more girls into computer What can you do to address gender balance issues in your school? programming. It is also tackling boys’ underperformance and uptake of A-level • get in touch with us at [email protected] and follow our Gender Action twitter feed @_gender_action or subjects with gender disparity by • visit iop.org/genderresources for student and teacher resources promoting neutral teaching and helping • IOP Regional CPD Days often include sessions on gender balance. Visit talkphysics.org/events teachers understand how to open up to find one near you conversations with boys. • Gender Action is a new award programme promoting a whole-school approach to removing barriers. Lorien Joyce will be speaking at the Currently London only, but a wider roll-out is planned for 2020. All schools can access an online IOP’s south west regional day on 2 July – register at bit.ly/TalkPhysicsSWest library of resources at genderaction.co.uk/online-resources.

4 Classroom physics | June 2019 News: teacher support

Teacher support IOP Social media @TakeOnPhysics Shiny happy is now people: @IOPTeaching For those who follow us meet our on Twitter, you may have noticed we have changed our Twitter handle from new REMs @TakeOnPhysics to This is what an IOP CPD event @IOPTeaching. The way we support teachers around your colleagues and can also help you looks like England has changed. Our new structure with any questions you may have about This isn’t just a change is simpler so that teachers have a single teaching physics. of name: it reflects what we want to be to all point of contact in any region – don’t worry, Regional Education Managers teachers, technicians, our team contains many familiar faces from North-West – Graham Perrin • policy-makers and our existing teacher support team plus some [email protected] therefore future physicists. friendly new faces and extra admin support. • Yorks & N East – Jenny Search @IOPTeaching will Each region now has its own regional [email protected] continue to share details of education manager – a single point of • Midlands – Ian Horsewell CPD events and resources. contact for all IOP projects in that area. [email protected] But it isn’t just a platform Working with a team of IOP Coaches, they • London, East-Anglia, Kent – – we want it to be a place are tasked with supporting physics Jessica Rowson [email protected] to have conversations education in its widest sense. • South – Trevor Plant about teaching physics The regional model allows better tailoring [email protected] with you. We want you of our approach to local schools and local Wales, Ireland and Scotland visit to come here to share resources, hear about needs. It should also reduce the number of iop.org/teachers to find out about IOP CPD opportunities and IOP acronyms thrown at teachers. support for teachers. See the back page of events, ask questions Do get in touch with the manager for your this edition of Classroom Physics or visit and get support from region (see below). They will be delighted to talkphysics.org/events to find out about IOP education as well as discuss the most suitable CPD for you and regional events this summer. from our fantastic network of educators across CPD provider support the country and our 12,500 followers. Do you lead physics CPD? Rachel Hartley heads up our new Professional • Guiding teachers in their application for Chartered Practice Group, She writes: Physicist (CPhys) status, because we firmly “We are a team of physics enthusiasts with a wide believe that teaching physics is doing physics. IOP twitter accounts range of experience in the physics classroom and Email [email protected] for more info. @IOPTeaching of coaching as part of the IOP education networks. “Over the years, we’ve discovered that what has What will we be doing? – IOP support for most impact is getting a critical mass of physics teaching physics • Building a community for everyone involved coaches together to talk about what we do, how in physics coaching @PhysicsNews we do it and why. So there will be a programme – the main IOP account • Developing a CPD curriculum for teachers of physics coaching seminars running as a sharing Institute news of physics combination of day meetings, twilight sessions, and projects • Engaging with current education research half-term and weekend events so that those who on physics pedagogical content knowledge, @PhysicsWorld gender equality and education know most about physics teaching in schools can – the IOP members’ attend. You may be interested in hosting a magazine with physics • Promoting best practice in inclusive news and views physics teaching coaching meeting at your school.” If you are currently coaching teachers of @EducatePhysics • Providing support for physics teachers who are coaching in their school through regular physics or involved in classroom-based research To find out more about – our research journal local meetings in physics, please join our online discussion group the group or to get in Physics Education at talkphysics.org/groups/coaching-practice. touch with your local • Evaluating – using the national pupil database CPD provider supporter, @IoPITeachers to assess the impact of our government-funded Alternatively, you can be added to our email list email Rachel at - IOP Ireland projects to date. by contacting Rachel. [email protected] Teachers Network

5 Classroom physics | June 2019 News

Student activities Pedagogy Borrow a Vertigo data logger Science Capital: beyond the idea of scientific literacy and the sky’s the limit I was recently in a Y11 Physics lesson when a student turned and asked me what was the point The application of Newton’s first and second laws to moving of learning this? I gave a few useful answers, but objects is often a challenging and fun learning journey for could see that the student wasn’t convinced. secondary school pupils. But it is invariably a theoretical exercise. This student was in one of our partner schools Diagrams, videos and simulations can all support concept in an area of high social-economic deprivation and acquisition but data to analyse in this topic can be difficult to low social mobility. In these areas, schools face a come by. plethora of challenges above simply accessing the Jamie Costello, a physics teacher at Sutton Grammar School curriculum. These students are savvy, they need wants to change that. The Vertigo data logger was built in real reasons to engage in something that to them collaboration with colleagues and students, with financial occupies only a small part of their lives. We need support from the Institute for Research in Schools and the ERA to go beyond “you have to do this for your GCSEs” Foundation. And from September, there will be 20 units available and “it will help you get a good job”. for schools to borrow free of charge. To borrow a Vertigo I recently came across the potentially game- changing idea of Science Capital, developed by Louise Combining accelerometer, gyroscope and GPS data, Vertigo unit and to find out Archer at UCL Institute of Education. This extends the can tell you exactly where it has been and exactly how it has more about the project: visit idea of scientific literacy to a pot of skills, attitudes been moving. and behaviours which reflect an individual’s exposure bit.ly/IRISvertigo. Mr Costello said, “The latest edition, Vertigo II, has been to, and engagement with, science such as media designed to allow students with a less technical background to You can see the consumption, family science skills/qualifications, get involved. It’s really is good fun to use. And if you needed web-based Vertigo knowing people in science-related roles and talking an excuse to take your students to Alton Towers or Thorpe Park, tool for students at about science in everyday life. Vertigo is it.” bit.ly/IRISvertigoweb UCL IOE IOE UCL Shutterstock

The Science Capital teaching approach.

To demonstrate some of the devices capabilities, Flt Lt Mikaela Harrison, We should begin by establishing science- a parachutist with the RAF Falcons, agreed to take Vertigo on one of her training relevant links in the lives of our students and camp jumps in America. those around them. We then must explicitly value The results are not the sterile book version of what happens in a jump – the first their input and link the curriculum to this before we can build their science capital through practices, thing students will notice is just how much signal noise there is, not something they activities and opportunities. may be familiar with, but an introduction into ‘real science’. Within that noise is some A quick example would be using local science brilliant data. resources in the community. I work with schools A special point of interest is to see the magnitude of the force when the parachute in the Telford area and the museum at RAF Cosford is first opened. It doesn’t last too long, but comes on pretty quickly. It must feel like provides a wealth of opportunities to engage quite a jolt. learners and their families. The other area which warrants further investigation is when air resistance and drag This is not asking teachers to do more: an are in equilibrium. The graph is anything but smooth, however. And why would it be? investment now could pay dividends in the future Here we have a person, being buffeted around as she moves and adjusts her position engagement, enjoyment and attainment. within the Falcons Team. Staying perfectly still must be all but impossible. This is an abridged version of a blog post by IOP Read the whole of Jamie’s blog analysing Flt Lt Harrison’s results at bit.ly/CPvertigo Physics Coach Mark Whalley. Read the whole article at iopblog.org and look out for more in the series.

6 Classroom physics | June 2019 News

Teacher recruitment and retention Eight easy ways to keep science teachers

A new report commissioned by the Gatsby IOP Charitable Foundation has outlined eight straightforward interventions secondary schools can use to improve their recruitment and retainment of high-quality science teachers. With the shortage of specialist physics and chemistry teachers continuing to grow, the eight cost-effective and low-risk interventions aim to provide school leaders with a means of taking immediate action to tackle specialist subject recruitment and retention challenges. Based on a thorough review of existing research, the eight principles cover a range of areas, with suggestions for implementation and supportive references provided.

1 Too much too soon: teaching physics, chemistry and biology increases workload. Instead, concentrate on a specialism. Simple interventions can help a severe shortage of teachers, particularly in the schools keep their science 2 L et them walk before they run: get sciences, and this is only set to worsen with the teachers – this group is confident with a specific key stage or secondary-age school population forecast to grow learning about the rope loop type of pupil before moving on. by 19% in the decade to 2026. Despite various model at an IOP CPD day initiatives, for the past three years we have seen 3 Dream team: make your best science a worrying decline in the number of physics and teachers available to newbies. chemistry trainees. This paper provides school 4 H ere comes the science bit: offer subject leaders with research-backed, pragmatic CPD as well as pedagogical. solutions to the current retention and recruitment challenges faced by science departments.” 5 Practice makes perfect: provide coaching Chris Shepherd, IOP teacher recruitment and in specific skills, practice them in the retention manager “We very much welcome classroom and review progress. Sam’s insights, especially in the areas of Read the full Gatsby report at 6 M oney talks: a new teacher is more deployment and development which mirror gatsby.org.uk/uploads/education/ sensitive to pay than a teacher with our current research projects. The report offers increasingscienceteachers-web.pdf. 10 years of experience. strong evidence about what works and we will Read the IOP’s response to the be discussing these ideas with DfE to get them DfE’s recruitment and retention 7 T he grass is greener: set salaries with an adopted nationally. Similarly, we would urge strategy at bit.ly/IOPgovretention eye to outside earning potential – science teachers to discuss this report in their schools.” and our joint letter printed in the graduates tend to earn more outside teaching. Gatsby’s report came hot on the heels of the TES at bit.ly/CPtesletter 8 Room to grow: give new teachers autonomy English Department for Education’s recruitment backed up with strong leadership and a sense and retention strategy. Sir John Holman, senior How does your school score of shared mission. adviser to Gatsby, and president of the Association for Science Education, welcomed against these recommendations? Sam Sims, the researcher from UCL’s Institute of that report but added that it would take time to We’d love to hear from schools about what has worked – and what Education and author of the paper, said: “Given implement. He said, “The principles in Gatsby’s you are working on. the shortages faced by science departments up latest report provide school leaders with steps Join the TalkPhysics discussion and down the country, the principles outlined are they can take in the meantime to bolster at bit.ly/TPretention not only timely, but much needed. England has science teacher numbers.”

7 Classroom physics | June 2019 Resources: physics education research Shutterstock

Would you want to talk It isn’t just what you know: to a scientist at a party? ways to measure beliefs and attitudes Researchers in America reported a students to respond to statements Education Group, in particular Judith case of a successful engineering such as: Bennett and Sylvia Hogarth’s student who became alienated from • Knowledge in physics consists of wonderfully titled research paper his course because he felt his view of many disconnected topics. Would You Want to Talk to a Scientist learning clashed with the culture of • Learning physics changes my ideas at a Party? High school students’ his programme. Whilst he was about how the world works. attitudes to school science and strongly committed to making sense These types of questionnaires are to science. of the material, he felt that the course often used before and after a particular unfairly rewarded those who rote- intervention or change in teaching CLASS is available in science, learned procedures more than those approach to help give an insight into physics, biology and chemistry who wanted to question and think what effect it may have had. variants. Full details including deeply. This and other similar studies online versions, data analysis One of the interesting aspects of highlight the importance of tools and research papers on its these types of survey is that they investigating not just students’ development and use are available often try to separate out a complex knowledge of physics but their via colorado.edu/sei/class idea such as ‘attitude about science’ attitudes to learning. into subcategories, each with its own There are also some questionnaires Although it may be easier to along similar lines available as part of ‘measure’ if someone understands questions to allow a more nuanced the IOP’s gender balance work here: Newton’s second law than how they look at the students’ views and the iop.org/genderresources feel about physics, in recent years impact of various changes. Some In this column, researchers have developed, refined of the categories that are used in If you would like to join other James de Winter and tested ways to give an insight CLASS are: physics teachers interested in (University of Uppsala into students’ beliefs and attitudes. • Conceptual understanding engaging with the latest research, and University of One of the most widely used tools to discussing classroom applications, • Connections between maths Cambridge) and explore learning attitudes is the attending seminars and getting and physics Richard Brock (King’s CLASS survey (Colorado Learning involved with research, email us at • Sense making / effort College London) Attitudes about Science Survey). [email protected] highlight accessible Developed at the University of • Personal interest or join the Physics Education Research and usable resources Colorado in the US, it uses a Likert • Real world connections (PER) group on Talk Physics at based on research into scale (usually 5 points from strongly There is some excellent work in this talkphysics.org/groups/ physics education. agree to strongly disagree) to ask field from the University of York physics-education-research-per/

8 Lunar phases and launch dates launch and phases Lunar (page 10) Suitable all for students. Moon’sthe phases. explore to system Earth-Moon build amodelStudents of the night. and day experiencing surface lunar the on points different to correspond Moon of the phases The phases Lunar 1: Activity Classroom physics the Apollo 11 Apollo the landing Moon a information: For more a lunar day which is days. as long as 15 Earth of Moon’s is afraction just this though surface, spent 21astronauts 36 hours, minutes on the explore. The of time to plenty Aldrin the land.to and also gaveBuzz It Neil Armstrong –as they came in –andsee avoid necessary if shadows in morning, the making easier them to longer cast surface on the features visibility: was rising over landing the good ensured site Sun the when Arriving morning. lunar the in ApolloThe 11 landing was scheduled for early NASA planned manned timing the first of the landingNASA the Moon. on We’ve help to think about your how students created some activities Night

| June 2019

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t bit.ly/CPapollo11

(page 12) challenge. a enjoy who students for Suitable arrival. their coincide to leaveto Earth the need they when calculating landing the at occurs and site dawn lunar when out working plan to took by mission the the steps the NASA scientists of some follow Students a launch date Planning 2: Activity Equator Centre of Centre nearside

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Did anyone get it right? it anyoneDid get in sky. the in sky. the or set would It rise hang stationary Earth they wouldalways the not see is facing Earth, the that standing they are on asurface because But, spinning. Moon’s.the would Earth They the see mirror that phases lit and through goes partially animation: this, show this they have them discussed After change passes? astime appearance How would its Earth. back the at Moon, of the looking standingwere surface on the would have when they seen astronauts what the describe to try in to pairs, yourAsk students, experiment) (thought world the See differently 3: Activity bit.ly/lunarday

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9 NASA NASA Classroom physics | June 2019 Apollo 11: lunar phases Activity 1: lunar phases The Moon is always half lit (apart from during a lunar eclipse). But from our point of view from Earth, it goes through phases of being fully lit (full moon), to partially lit, to not being visible (new moon) and then back again. Students use a template to build a model of the Earth-Moon system to explore the Moon’s phases. This activity works best in a darkened room. If this is not possible, they may want to cover their models to improve visibility. Equipment required per pair of students: Student instructions 4 cm diameter polystyrene ball (Moon) 1. Cut out the pointer from the Earth-Moon template. Ray box Make a hole at M using a drawing pin. The activity instructions (right) Apollo 11 Earth-Moon template 2. A ttach a polystyrene ball to the pointer by pushing a pin up through (opposite page) copied on to card the pointer at M and into the ball. Two drawing pins 3. Cut out the chart from the template and put it on the board. Corkboard or thick cardboard 4. C onnect the pointer at its centre by pushing a drawing pin through Sticky tape & scissors the Earth position E on the top of both pointer and chart. Limitations of the model 5. Place the ray box about 10 cm away from the chart on the bench This model is not to scale! The Moon is and line up the chart so that the ray box provides light in the oversized to allow easier viewing of the direction of the sunlight arrow. phases and the Earth is not shown 6. P ut the ball at position a (full moon) and use the shadow of the (only its position E is marked). To view ball on the screen to check the ray box and chart are aligned. from Earth they should look along the Fold down the screen when you have finished arrow on the pointer- taking care NOT 7. On ce aligned, stick the chart to board and board to bench using to look directly at the light source! a bit of sticky tape. The ray box should be placed about 8. For each position of the pointer from a to h, you can see how the 10 cm from the edge of the model Moon looks from Earth by viewing along the arrow on the pointer. to provide a fairly broad beam and 9. Record your observations by shading in the circles below simulates sunlight from a faraway sun. (the first two have been done for you). a b c d Phase chart

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10 Classroom physics | June 2019 Apollo 11: Earth-Moon template

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11 Classroom physics | June 2019 Apollo 11: lunar day and launch dates Activity 2: lunar days and launch dates In the 27 Earth days it takes the Moon to orbit our planet, it only spins once on its axis. This means daytime lasts a lot longer on the Moon. 2000 miles 500 miles The Moon is tidally locked to the Earth and this means that the same part of the Moon (the nearside) always faces the Earth. NASA studied images of the nearside for two years before announcing five potential landing sites for Apollo 11. They also looked for smoothness of the sites, evenness of the approach path and ease of return to Earth should a problem occur on the way to the Moon. Equator Landing The landing site finally chosen was about 500 miles from the centre of Centre of nearside Site the nearside on the equator. In this activity, students work out when to launch a future mission in order to arrive at the landing site at first light. Equipment required South pole The Earth-Moon model from activity 1 Access to this and next month’s calendar (eg displayed on the board) Student instructions The date of the last full moon 1. On your model, mark a cross on the ball’s equator, indicating the centre of the Expected results nearside of the Moon. 2. M ark a dot 1 cm to the right of the cross on the equator to indicate the Apollo 11 landing site 3. The journey from Earth to the Moon takes three days. You want to arrive just as the Sun rises at the landing site, so first work Sunrise at the landing site Three days corresponds to a change out the Moon’s phase at arrival: (see above) occur when in angle of 3/27 x 360° = 40°, a. Move the Moon around the chart again, the pointer is at about giving the Moon’s position for ensuring that the cross always faces the 240° on the chart launch at around 200° on the chart Earth as it moves, with the dot staying (waxing crescent Moon). (ie about 15 days after a full moon). to the right of the cross. The launch date will depend on when the students carry out the activity. b. F ind the position on the chart at which If, for example, it is the last week of June 2019, the date of last full moon it will be sunrise at the landing site. was 17th June, and so they can launch around the 2nd July 2019. 4. The Moon takes 27 days to complete Limitations of the model an orbit of the Earth. Using this Students should be able to set a launch date to within about +/- 1 Earth information, can you work backwards day. To improve on this, they would need to account for the motion of the to find the Moon’s position at launch Earth-Moon system around the Sun (eg by detaching the model from the three days earlier? bench and moving in a circle around a lamp), model an elliptical rather 5. Use the date of the last full moon to set than circular orbit and also take account of any small variations in a launch date for your mission. the Moons path caused by the gravitational pull of other planets. How long is a month? The Moon takes 27 Earth days to orbit Earth (a sidereal month), but the lunar phase cycle, full moon to full moon (a synodic month) is, on average, closer to 30 Earth days. The Moon spends the extra days “catching up” because Earth travels around the Sun during the time the Moon completes one orbit around Earth. Astronomers have many more definitions of a month!

12 Classroom physics | June 2019 Resources: stories from physics

Moonwalking To test his hypothesis, he mixed tobacco pipe clay and water and dropped lead pistol balls into the powder to observe the formation of The motion of the human leg can be modelled as an inverted pendulum, craters. Not all his intuitions about the moon were correct. He believed with the pivot where the foot touches the ground and the body’s centre the moon to be ‘covered over with some kinds of vegetable substances’ of mass tracing a circular arc as it rises and falls during one step. which he likened to the ‘the short Sheep [sic] pasture which covers Applying the centripetal acceleration formula, a person whose centre the Hills of Salisbury Plains’. of mass is 0.9 m above the ground has a maximum comfortable walking speed around 3 m/s – to reach higher speeds, people typically have to Lunar weather run or jog. On the moon, the lower Though the effects of the moon’s gravitational field on the Earth gravitational field strength gives a are small, it has been hypothesised that it can cause changes to the lower upper limit to the comfortable weather. The Earth’s atmosphere bulges in the direction of the moon walking speed as 1.2 m/s. Hence causing a slight increase in pressure in the bulging area and a small astronauts on the moon resort to increase in temperature. This temperature change increases the a hopping motion to move about the atmosphere’s capacity to hold moisture and so decreases the surface rapidly. probability of rain – though the change is small in magnitude. Hooke on the moon The reclusive selenographer Though better known for his research Mary Adela Blagg made a significant contribution to the study of the on materials and microscopes, moon. In middle age, she attended a series of lectures given by John Hooke also constructed a number of Herschel’s grandson. He expressed frustration that some features on telescopes. In October 1664, using the moon’s surface were, at the time, known by multiple names, a 30-foot refracting instrument to inspiring Blagg to publish a systematic list of lunar formations in 1913. observe the moon, he made a She also published on the relationship predicting the spacing of the detailed drawing of the Hipparchus planets and on variable stars. To honour Blagg’s research, a lunar crater crater. Ahead of his time, Hooke was named after her. Her obituary reported: ‘in all her work she realised the moon’s surface was displayed not only skill and judgement, but also originality and courage’. not timeless and that craters were formed by collisions. Follow Richard’s stories about physics on Twitter @RBrockPhysics Rocket balloon Marvin & Milo cartoons can be download at iop.org/stemclub

13 Classroom physics | June 2019 Digest

Physics Education is our international journal for physics teaching research. Affiliated Schools have access to the journal online atiopscience.org/physed . Email us at [email protected] if you need a reminder of your login details. There are over 50 years of papers in the Physics Education archive. Here, editor Gary Williams picks his favourites on the theme of the moon. From red star rising Hollywood goes to the Moon: to rocket’s red glare: the greatest hoax of them all? space travel, the early years

NASA For a student-ready account of the run up to the Moon landing then download this easy-to-read paper. Published in July 2007 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the launch of the first artificial satellite, the article looks at the early years of space travel and One hoax some of the key moments during that theory time. The author tells the story from centres the first Sputnik to Eugene Cernan, around there the last man on the Moon, climbing being no the ladder of Apollo 17’s lander in stars in this December 1972 and includes lots image of of great images you can download. Buzz Aldrin Read the full article at on the Moon bit.ly/PEmoonchap. Should you need to head off any Moon landing separate science from pseudo-science. Written by Stephen Chapman hoax question then this paper, published back If you can get your students thinking along (Institute of Education, University in September 2003, deals with this major these lines then you are succeeding in your of London) misunderstanding. The author writes, “The key teaching of physics and science in general.” to using the Moon hoax theory for study is in Crater measurements applying the scientific process to decide which Read the paper at bit.ly/PEmoonhoax. Investigating craters is a favourite pieces of evidence are reliable and convincing Written by David Bowdley (Education Projects activity when looking for something and which are not. A critical eye is needed to Manager for the Faulkes Telescope Project) hands-on to do with the Moon. This pair of papers was published in July 2013. The first takes the reader through the process of using the length Are we living on the Moon? of a shadow and the angle of the This is the title of a letter from June 1970s by the Apollo missions, has Read the full letter at source rays of light to measure the 1974 in which the author explains a revealed that the Moon has the same bit.ly/PEonthemoon. depth of an impact crater. It also theory of how the Earth-Moon system ratios of stable isotopes of oxygen as Written by RM Helsdon enables students to learn the formed. The upshot is that it is the Earth – which was not expected. (Poole, Dorset) importance of evaluating conclusions suggested that what we stand on This 45 year old letter could act as by comparing data which have been today, the continental crust, is not a great hook into your teaching. analysed using different techniques. To take it up a gear, look at the second of this earth, but was part of a moon Space, density, radioactivity, tides, paper. This provides high ability that was pulled apart. The material formation of the continents, all could students with the opportunity to use was less dense than the crust that be introduced as part of a research real scientific data to derive the depth/ now sits underwater, and so formed topic to see what students can work diameter ratio of rimmed and rimless the parts of the continents above the out. There is plenty of information craters. Data from the rimless craters sea that we see now. online for them to follow the story, can then be used to estimate the It all sounds rather strange until exploring contemporary theories of volume of ejecta material excavated you realise that we don’t currently how the Earth and Moon were during an impact cratering event. have a clear model of how the Moon formed. And what they will discover Read the papers at bit.ly/PEcrater1 formed. You may recall that in the may suggest that the original letter and bit.ly/PEcrater2. past few years, research on samples wasn’t a million miles away from Written by Robert Scott (The brought back from the Moon in the the truth. Radclyffe School, Oldham) et al

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15 . Classroom physics | June 2019 Digest

Stories from our magazine for the global physics community. Visit physicsworld.com Event Horizon Telescope takes first-ever image of a black hole ScienceNational Foundation This image of the supermassive black hole that lies at the centre of the huge Messier 87 galaxy has become iconic since its release in April. Katie Bouman, the computer scientist who generated the image, likened the process of observing the black hole to listening to a song being played on a piano with over half of its keys broken – just as your brain can still recognise the song if there are enough functioning keys, algorithms can intelligently fill in the missing information to reveal the underlying black hole image. She hopes the image has captured the imaginations of a generation of new young scientists. Michael Banks, news editor of Physics World, has a great video about the image and why it matters at bit.ly/PWblackhole1 Read the news story from the May edition bit.ly/PWblackhole2

Edited highlights from our online discussion forum. Log in or register to join these discussions at talkphysics.org.

Optical fibres Why would a diode change colour?

IOP Coach Dave Cotton is a pro Alex and his year 12s were our green ones did the same, Shutterstock when it comes to shopping for measuring the Planck constant becoming increasingly yellow clever ideas for the lab. His latest using LEDs. A student noticed a and then orange. find is selenite. that the yellow LEDs changed My understanding is that the “It is that time for teaching colour at different voltages which light photons are produced as optical fibres again. We have a few got him – and the rest of electrons transition across the TalkPhysics – thinking. bandgap of the semiconductor in demonstrations and I have been why would the colour change “At low voltages it was a ‘pure’ the LED. The photon energy is really pleased to find a great depending on the voltage? yellow but became increasingly equal to the bandgap. The supplier of highly polished selenite. “Is anyone here able to Selenite and ulexite (caveman TV redder as the voltage increased. bandgap has a fixed value, hence enlighten me?” rock) both have striations running I was unable to explain why this all photons produced are of the parallel to each other throughout happened. We then experimented same energy and an LED is a Follow the discussion at the crystal. These column totally with our other LEDs and found monochromatic light source. So bit.ly/TPdiode internally reflect the light up from the bottom to the top of the crystal. Highgate day of physics 2019 Selenite is also great if you In March, teachers from the Inclusive Physics outside Forces make a big spectrum in your • • south east of England gathered of the classroom Inclusive teaching session classroom. You can capture the • for a CPD day. The IOP coaches Using Electrolycra as Embedding Careers into spectrum in space as it travels • • who ran the sessions have a Force Sensor physics teaching to your screen.” posted their resources at • Electromagnetism • Engaging physics See a video of his selenite cube in talkphysics.org/groups/ • Teaching energy Well worth a browse at action at bit.ly/TPselenite highgate-day-of-physics-2019. • Academic Resilience bit.ly/TPhighgate19

16 Classroom physics | June 2019 Digest 7 simple rules for science teaching When thinking about implementing retrieval practice Originally published in in your classroom, consider: Education in Chemistry’s 1. keeping the stakes low as part of a series to support each evidence- 2. ensuring all students are actively engaged based principle in the 3. how and when to feed back Education Endowment 4. optimum spacing between learning and retrieving Foundation’s Improving 5. whether different topics will be mixed Secondary Science 6. how to support students in preparing for guidance. Written by Adam Boxer, a chemistry retrieval practice teacher at the Jewish 7. how to respond to students who do not appear Community Secondary to be improving. School. The main thing is to actually do retrieval practice and get into a routine. To help, I built a simple Read the full article and download the program called retrieval roulette. It starts with a classroom resources bank of pre-written questions, numbered and series at rsc.li/2I89sQA Information stored in long-term memory is vital for success in ordered according to how I’ll teach the various science – and not just in school. This information forms the topics. At the beginning of the lesson, I open the building blocks of all our complex thought, creativity and critical program, look at which question I’m up to, and reasoning: without it, our students cannot be the thinkers we enter that question’s number. It automatically would wish them to be. generates five random questions, up to and Unfortunately, most students are unaware of effective study including that number. strategies, and instead spend their time on ineffective practices like Students come in and answer the questions in highlighting. Research has shown that active retrieval of previously their books in silence. When they’re finished, we go learned knowledge is more effective. Termed “retrieval practice”, over the questions, discuss corrections and move this is any time in which a student has to actively recall information. on. This simple routine means every lesson gives Retrieval practice also provides fertile ground for new learning. students the opportunity to engage with what I It activates old memories and allows new material to be consider to be perhaps the best researched understood more readily. memory technique in existence.

Cloud chambers v2 CLEAPSS We have a new cloud chamber design that will knock your socks off. By the time this bulletin goes to press, CLEAPSS is an advisory service supporting science we should have a video online and technology in schools. demonstrating how good it is. A couple Its advice and guidance is of parts are directly available from recognised by Ofsted and CLEAPSS – and the rest are commonly the HSE for safe practice found pipe fittings used in plumbing. for practical work in This cloud chamber has been a schools. It has extensive The growing and shrinking marshmallow man in a bell jar massive hit on our RPS course, and at resources for teachers As a bonus, a much requested the ASE conference in Birmingham at and technicians. Most The Bell Jar experiment on a CLEAPSS helpline, the start of the year. For more schools can access its Want to dust off that old vacuum the vacuum ping-pong cannon, has information, see GL256 on our website. website and resources through Local Authority pump and bell jar? We have recently been tried and tested at subscriptions produced three new guides (and CLEAPSS – and we are most This article originally appeared cleapss.org.uk accompanying videos) on the use of impressed by the results. To make in CLEAPSS bulletin 165 a bell jar for various vacuum and carry out this experiment (Summer 2019). experiments. There is often successfully, so search our website confusion about whether or not a for “vacuum ping pong cannon”. It’s a trap is needed, or how to set it up striking demonstration of air pressure well so you don’t hear the ringing which launches a ping pong ball at a bell at all – all is explained within very high speed. There is a video of each guide – simply search our this in action too, so have a look if website for “bell jar”. you are interested.

17 Classroom physics | June 2019 Student opportunities from our partners

Will more air inside a basketball Your students ideas can change make it bounce higher? the world The Great Science Share for Schools is a national campaign to The Youth Industrial Strategy Competition is a new national inspire young people into science and engineering by sharing STEM initiative that aims to inspire & challenge young people their scientific questions. Last year it reached over 40,000 aged 11-to-19. young people. Focused around the four Grand Challenges of the UK Government’s You’ll benefit from taking part by: Industrial Strategy, the Competition calls on students to come up • encouraging young people to communicate their scientific with innovative solutions that have the potential to change our questions and investigations with new audiences future industries, society and the environment. • improving teacher confidence in teaching children to think Students can work on their own or as part of a team to create and work scientifically their own science or technology project based on the Grand Challenges. For inspiration and ideas, visit the CREST Awards • raising the profile of school science, improving the science library for a full range of teaching resources, project topics and capital of children and families other helpful tips. Download resources and information at www.greatscishare.org.uk Entries close in November 2019. Find out more about the Any questions or ideas email us at [email protected] Competition, including how to enter, at www.yisc.org.uk and follow us on @greatscishare

Be part of the Royal Society Student Conference Top Secret: From Ciphers to Cyber Security

From the trenches of the First World War to the latest innovations in cyber security, the Science Museum’s Top Secret exhibition (10 July 2019 – 23 February 2020) will trace over a century’s worth Has your school or a school you work with of communications intelligence and aims to engage KS3 and KS4 taken part in a STEM scheme? students with the skills at the heart of intelligence work. If so, you could display your project at the Royal Society Student With historical exhibits and anecdotes from GCHQ staff doing top Conference on 19 November 2019. The conference celebrates and secret work to defend against terror attacks and serious crime, showcases investigative project work undertaken by UK secondary Top Secret also considers the challenges of digital security in the school or college students. For further details and to express you 21st century. interest in attending, please contact the Royal Society’s Schools An interactive puzzle zone will give the chance to practice the Engagement team at [email protected]. logical, linguistic and numerical reasoning skills used by cryptographers and codebreakers themselves. “I thought this was a fantastic opportunity for students… Giving them the experience of School visits to the Science Museum having to present on their own has improved and admission to Top Secret are free. their confidence massively and they haven’t Charges apply for some optional stopped talking about how they got to activities. Plan your trip at present in front of a Royal Society Fellow” sciencemuseum.org.uk/learning Teacher who attended the 2018 conference or call 020 7942 4777.

18 Classroom physics | June 2019 Teacher opportunities from our partners

ESERO-UK Secondary Space Conference 25 September 2019 Newport, Wales

European Space Education Resource Office UK will be holding their annual teacher conference in September alongside the UK Space Conference. Participants will be able to engage in activities linked ESA’s ExoMars mission, the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the First Manned Lunar Landing and the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope. Attendees gain free access to the UK Space Conference. The conferences will help you to understand how current space missions can provide an engaging context for teaching and you will be able to take part in practical activities which you can deliver in the classroom. You will also learn more about STEM Astronomy on Tour! careers in the rapidly growing UK space industry. #RASreach2019 Register at bit.ly/CPesero19 5 December 2019, Life Science Centre, Newcastle-upon-Tyne The Royal Astronomical Society will be holding an education and outreach training and networking day for anyone involved in astronomy or geophysics, including teachers, amateur astronomers and student. The programme is TBC, but sessions topics might include: • Presenting your research in schools Isaac Physics in Manchester • Diversity, inclusion and equality and Cambridge • Working with primary age children 27 & 28 June Manchester • Innovative outreach ideas for unusual situations 12 & 13 July Cambridge (e.g. sensory space shows with toddlers) These free-to-attend (check details on the weblinks below) • Showcasing education and outreach projects going two-day symposia offer the opportunity to practise the range on in the North of England of questions on Isaac Physics, from Mastery to Problems. • Networking with experts in the field, including our We will work through our Mastering Physics books and extend Patrick Moore and Annie Maunder medal winners beyond these questions into related problems to develop confidence and familiarity in core topics. It is available to • Working with under served audiences teachers of Physics (GCSE or A level, or equivalents) and to • GCSE Astronomy teachers of A level Maths (Mechanics). Every participant (from a state-funded English school) will be given a free set of our • STEM ambassador sign up Skills Mastery books. • Presenter training Every participant can access free teacher support after the • Tour of the new Space Galleries at the Life Science Centre symposium to help embed Isaac in your teaching and schemes of work. To register, visit bit.ly/CPras19 Register at bit.ly/CPisaacman19 and bit.ly/CPisaaccam19.

ras.ac.uk

19 Classroom physics | June 2019 Opportunities: IOP teacher CPD

Find a CPD event near you at talkphysics.org/events IOP

Teaching magnetic fields using space and North east physics teachers’ day 2019 East midlands annual network day planetary physics (IOP and Ogden Trust) 4 July 2019 9:30 am – 4:00 pm 21 September 2019 Department of Physics, Uppingham School, Rutland LE15 9QE 21 June 2019 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Durham University DH1 3LE A lecture, choice of three workshops from eight, Lancaster University Physics Department, This popular annual day for everyone teaching lunch, speed physics and free raffle. This event LA1 4YB physics is a mix of practical workshops, inspiring is funded by the IOP, so no cost to you. Develop your understanding with researchers who talks and congenial networking. All teachers of For details contact use magnetic fields to understand planets, their physics, technicians and trainees welcome. [email protected] moons and space weather. Create teaching Register at bit.ly/CPnept19 A day for everyone teaching physics resources on the day to use with your students . South regional teacher day Register at bit.ly/CPlancs or (IOP and nustem) 6 July 2019 9:00 am – 4:00 pm contact [email protected] 5 October 2019, 9:30 am – 3:00 pm Charterhouse School, Surrey GU7 2DE University of Northumbria, North west physics teacher network Join us for a full day of physics CPD workshops Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 8ST conference whether you’re a physics specialist or not. All teachers of physics, technicians and trainees A mix of workshops, lectures, new ideas, practicals 27 June 2019 9:30 am – 3:30 pm are welcome. Register at bit.ly/CPsouth19 together with convivial networking designed to Daresbury Laboratory WA4 4AD enhance your skills in engaging the next generation Jodrell Bank’s Prof Tim O’Brien will talk about ‘One Maths for physics of young people with physics. The day is for anyone Giant Leap: Jodrell Bank and the race to the Moon’. 10 July 2019 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm who teachers physics, even if you don’t consider Plus a variety of workshops, a make-and-take Cheney School , Oxford OX3 7QH yourself as physics teacher. session, tours around Daresbury Laboratory and Hints, tips and practical ideas to make the maths Register at bit.ly/CPnustem19 meet apprentices working at Daresbury. in physics lessons more accessible. We’ll look Prepare to teach a-level physics: Register at bit.ly/CPdares19 or at ways to enable students to transfer skills from a 6 day course (IOP and Ogden Trust) contact [email protected] maths lessons to the physics lab. Register at bit.ly/CPmaths19 9 Oct, 13 Nov 2019 Rocket launcher make-and-take 26 Feb, 25 Mar, 6 May, 8 July 2020 KS3 and KS4 electricity 27 June 2019 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm Rugby High School, CV22 7RE Oakgrove School, Milton Keynes MK10 9JQ 11 July 2019 9am – 2:30pm Study the concepts underpinning major topics Attendees will make a launcher for paper rockets Sir Christopher Hatton Academy, examined at A-level, and consider alternative using plumbing parts, and we will finish the Northants NN8 4RP methods of teaching and learning. Set up and workshop with a discussion on how it can For non-physicists teaching physics, we’ll be practise practical demonstrations and student offering practical strategies and demos based on be used in school. experiments, including required practicals. the theme of electricity plus a maths for physics Register at Participants are expected to commit to all six days. session. Build your CPD, gain a support network bit.ly/CProcket or contact [email protected] Register with [email protected] and implement new ideas into your school. or contact Helen Pollard [email protected] South west physics CPD day 2019 For details contact 2 July 2019 9:15 am – 3:45 pm [email protected] Ivybridge Community College, Devon PL21 0JA Technicians workshop Join us whether you’re a physics specialist or 12 July 2019 10am – noon not, teacher, technician or trainee. A wide choice Sir Harry Smith Academy, of workshops, networking opportunities and Cambridgeshire PE7 1XB our popular ‘Have you ever shown them this?’ A short workshop for lab technicians. Helen Rose, carousel of classroom-ready teaching ideas. senior technician at the STEM centre, York, will be All events listed are funded by Register at bit.ly/TalkPhysicsSWest or passing on some practical ideas. the IOP and free to attend unless contact [email protected] Register with [email protected] otherwise stated.

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