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Effective StoryTelling in Physics
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
- Isaac Newton’s BirthPlace – WoolsThorpe Manor
- The Cavendish – discovery of DNA by Watson and Crick
Join in!
Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions by messaging us on BlueSky: 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, 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.
- Seasons 5 and 6: Crescents by Ketsa.
- Seasons 3 and 4: Disco Sheik by Podington Bear.
- Seasons 1 and 2: One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus.
- Occasionally we also use Cantina Rag by Jackson F. Smith.
The music is used under the Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License
The Magic of Physics
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.
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 – Website by Matt Pritchard
- 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 – For further reading on the topic of awe and wonder, see Matt’s curated list of resources on his website.
- Core practical – standing waves – YouTube demo of the alternative method using AC, magnets and a wire.
- Table Cloth Trick
- Jumping soda can trick
Join in!
Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions by messaging us on BlueSky: 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, 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.
- Seasons 5 and 6: Crescents by Ketsa.
- Seasons 3 and 4: Disco Sheik by Podington Bear.
- Seasons 1 and 2: One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus.
- Occasionally we also use Cantina Rag by Jackson F. Smith.
The music is used under the Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License
New Year’s Resolutions
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
- Isaac Physics
- Previous Episode on Isaac Physics
- Previous Episode on using A.I. in Physics Teaching
- Chat GPT
- Claude AI
- TeachMate AI
- Lab Logger
- Arbor School Management Software
Join in!
Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions by messaging us on BlueSky: 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, 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.
- Seasons 5 and 6: Crescents by Ketsa.
- Seasons 3 and 4: Disco Sheik by Podington Bear.
- Seasons 1 and 2: One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus.
- Occasionally we also use Cantina Rag by Jackson F. Smith.
The music is used under the Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License
Ogden Fellows and Seasonal Practicals
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
Links
- Ogden Senior Teacher Fellows placed at PhET
- Laser Blox Educational Laser Pointers
- Tea Bag rocket demo – YouTube
- Refraction with Jelly Lenses YouTube
- Science Snow Flake Templates
- Make a Hologram-Like Projector
- Light a bulb with a balloon
- Making dry ice with an old carbon dioxide 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 . You can also message us via our website contact form on every page of the web site at 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.
- Seasons 5 and 6: Crescents by Ketsa.
- Seasons 3 and 4: Disco Sheik by Podington Bear.
- Seasons 1 and 2: One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus.
- Occasionally we also use Cantina Rag by Jackson F. Smith.
The music is used under the Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License
Easy and Fun Physics for Science Week
We talk to Ogden Partnership Coordinator Natasha Peachey who inspires us to think about Science Week 2025. Simon Poliakoff then joins us to give us some beautiful ideas for Physics activities.
Links
- Bruce Yeany – Home Made Science Channel on YouTube
- Bruce Yeany – Balloon on glass
- based recipe for big bubbles
- Tri-String for bubbles
- Simon’s YouTube Channel – Physics with Simon Poliakoff
- Simon’s Centripetal Tray
- Thomas’ double-slit slide – download the original then print as many as you like at digitalslides.co.uk.
Thank you to Simon who sent these links
- Ray box projectors (idea originally from Keith Johnson’s Physics for You book)
- Young Double Slit with mobile phone:
- Bubble mixture: Mix1.5g of Guar Gum with a small amount of glycerol to make a slurry, then mix with 1 litre hot water, then add 40g original fairly liquid (optional 1 teaspoon of baking powder). Mix and leave to cool. Further recipes are available.
- Loudspeaker building
Join in!
Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions by messaging us on BlueSky: 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, 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.
- Seasons 5 and 6: Crescents by Ketsa.
- Seasons 3 and 4: Disco Sheik by Podington Bear.
- Seasons 1 and 2: One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus.
- Occasionally we also use Cantina Rag by Jackson F. Smith.
The music is used under the Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License
A-Level Particles with Dr Ben Still
We catch up with teacher and author Dr Ben Still to get tips on how to address Particles at A-Level.
The podcast starts with the sad news that Robin is finding it impossible to make enough time for the podcast in his new job – he is stepping back for the time being and will contribute again when he feels he can. He actually joined to contribute to this episode in his 30 minutes of free time but then his internet died before he said a word. Sad times.
Dr Ben Still worked with neutrinos on the T2K experiment before writing the lego book on Particle Physics and then seeing the light and going in to teaching. Like Thomas, Rosie has no background in Particle Physics and had a few questions for Ben which he was kind enough to answer.
Links
- Dr Ben Still
- Quarkle Card Game (Pre-printed Deck)
- Quarkle Card Game (Printable version from resources shared by Matthew Benyohai)
- CERN’s Contribution to Society
- Dry Ice on-line – but don’t forget this is easily made for free (and bonus awe and wonder) on-site with protective guantlets, an expired CO2 fire extinguisher and a tote bag.
Join in!
Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions by messaging us on BlueSky: 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, 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.
- Seasons 5 and 6: Crescents by Ketsa.
- Seasons 3 and 4: Disco Sheik by Podington Bear.
- Seasons 1 and 2: One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus.
- Occasionally we also use Cantina Rag by Jackson F. Smith.
The music is used under the Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License
Inspiration with Sir Peter Ogden
The first in our series of interviews with the Ogden Trust and a glimpse into the key life experiences that motivated Sir Peter Ogden towards a life time career supporting physics educators and education.
Thomas, Robin and I reminisce about the inspirational teachers that lead us into careers in physics education; Quirky characters and memorable methods abound. We also share our favourite practical actives to bring fun, flair and engagement into the classroom.
- The Ogden Trust
- Marching Soldiers Activity – Explaining Refraction
- Energy Ball – Teaching Circuits with students
- Brainiacs – Electric Fence Video
- “Air is Heavy”- Thomas’ blog post from the podcast’s early days
- The Flame Probe “Silver, Gold, Blades, Fire and High Voltage”
- Calculating Specific Latent Heat (Bond energy of water) – with Mrs Physics
- Aluminium Foil Speakers – with Rhett Allain
- Wimshurst Machine
Sir Peter Ogden If you have a moment please do share with us your favourite YouTube videos or memorable practicals to inspire and engage – there is a contact form on every page of the web site – the.physicsteachingpodcast.com, or email us contact at thephysicsteachingpodcast dot com or on X – @physicstp or BlueSky @physicstp.bsky.social.
Join in!
Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions by messaging us on BlueSky: 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, 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.
- Seasons 5 and 6: Crescents by Ketsa.
- Seasons 3 and 4: Disco Sheik by Podington Bear.
- Seasons 1 and 2: One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus.
- Occasionally we also use Cantina Rag by Jackson F. Smith.
The music is used under the Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License
Primary Physics with Ben Rogers – Space
This week, as the term starts, Rosie has been using plastic bottles to allow her year 10s to ‘feel’ gas pressure increasing with temperature. Thomas has had to slow down and take things easy having lost his voice (but thankfully he recovered in time to join us to record this podcast) and Robin has made the time within his fast-and-furious schedule at his new school to speak with Ben Rogers, author of Big Ideas in Physics and How to Teach Them, about Physics in Primary Science and more specifically the topic of Space.
Dear listener, what advice would you give to a non-specialist primary school teacher about to teach space? Is it “That all kids love space and dinosaurs” or would you go into the common science misconceptions that are picked-up at a young age and how to go about building models and stories into teaching pedagogy to help students understand abstract concepts? Whatever your preference Ben and Robin have some great ideas on both these areas. Including how to make Primary science tactile by using globes and getting students moving by learning technical terms through British Sign Language. (Link to BSL scientific keywords can be found below).
Finally a huge thank you to all our dear listeners that have sent in their favourite Youtube videos. If you haven’t had a chance to contact us then there is still time to send in a link that you think other teachers would enjoy and benefit from using. Contact forms can be found on every page of the web site –the.physicsteachingpodcast.com, or email us contact@thephysicsteachingpodcast.dot.com or on X – @physicstp or on Instagram – @physics_teaching_podcast or on BlueSky @physicstp.bsky.social.
Links
- Ben Rogers – Big Ideas in Physics and How to Teach Them: Physics 11-18
- Primary Science In a Nutshell Website (Book version coming out soon).
- Day and Night Demonstration
- Phases of the Moon Demonstration
- British Sign Language for Curriculum Terms
- Marvin and Milo
Marvin and Milo Join in!
Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions by messaging us on BlueSky: 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, 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.
- Seasons 5 and 6: Crescents by Ketsa.
- Seasons 3 and 4: Disco Sheik by Podington Bear.
- Seasons 1 and 2: One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus.
- Occasionally we also use Cantina Rag by Jackson F. Smith.
The music is used under the Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License
Ramps and Trolleys
Welcome back for another year of Physics Teaching ramblings. It has been a momentous Summer with Thomas cycling off into the mountains for his sabbatical, Robin becoming ever more important in his new school and the arrival on board of the new co-host Rosie McTavish. Robin and Thomas visited Rosie at McTavish Towers to deliver her vacuum cannon and think about the year ahead. We forgot to take a photo though. We have new theme music – it is called Physics Is Our Business by Miracles of Modern Science
The new season starts without Robin who is up to his eyeballs in management stuff – though he has recorded an interview that will be the backbone of Episode 2. Rosie and Thomas reminisce about their summers and Thomas asks the dear listeners if they have any favourite “must see” youtube videos they would like us to share. Then on to the meat of the podcast – taking the podcast back to its roots: supporting the heroic non-specialists who take on this magnificent subject.
If someone is teaching a required GCSE practical or PAG and need advice, what would you say to them in that 10 minute chat at break? This episode we selected good old Ramps and Trolleys. What can you do, what should you record and how can you use the data?
Thomas thinks it will be large groups so is keen to give specific roles for the experiment and Rosie likes to measure the speed of the trolley once it has left the ramp. We both love light gates and think they are worth the time to learn how to use them for the excellent data they can provide. Good questions to ask are if you double the height do you double the speed (no) or halve the time to descend the ramp (yes) – these can give more of a focus to the lesson rather than just gathering data.
Inevitably we want to draw a graph and Rosie reminds Thomas about scale selectors – little strips that allow the students to line up with the bottom of their graph paper and work out which scale is best.
Do share your favourite youtube videos – there is a contact form on every page of the web site – the.physicsteachingpodcast.com, or email us contact at thephysicsteachingpodcast dot com or on X – @physicstp or BlueSky @physicstp.bsky.social.
Scale Selectors 
More scale selectors Links
Youtube on straws in to a pumpkin aka Deadly Straw bullets – thanks to Gian Ascone.
Join in!
Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions by messaging us on BlueSky: 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, 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.
- Seasons 5 and 6: Crescents by Ketsa.
- Seasons 3 and 4: Disco Sheik by Podington Bear.
- Seasons 1 and 2: One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus.
- Occasionally we also use Cantina Rag by Jackson F. Smith.
The music is used under the Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License
The Ogden Trust – Teaser Episode
Thomas tells Rosie about some special episodes coming next term.
As the summer holiday is finally on the horizon, Robin is off sailing and Thomas cycles his way into his sabbatical, crossing Northern Spain from Santiago de Compostela to A Coruña, and stops to take a breather and share with Rosie some of the exciting new episodes lined up for September.
Listen in as Thomas asks some titans of the Physics teaching world “What does the Ogden Trust mean to you?” and gives us a taste of episodes to come in September.
Links
- The Ogden Trust
- Our Episode about The Ogden Trust – What the Ogden Trust Can Do For You
- Roman Light House – Tower of Hercules
- The Ogden Trust – A brief History
- ‘What the Ogden Trust can do for you’ episode
- Lewis Matheson – Physics Online (@legopysicsguy)
- Carol Kenrick – The really helpful Science Education Blog (@Helpful Science)
- Jed Marshall – Marshall Physics
- Everton McClymont
- Jessica Rowson
- James De Winter
- Edward Ogden
- Melanie Windbridge
- Becky Parker (@ProfBeckyParker)
- PGL – School adventure and camping trips
Join in!
Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions by messaging us on BlueSky: 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, 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.
- Seasons 5 and 6: Crescents by Ketsa.
- Seasons 3 and 4: Disco Sheik by Podington Bear.
- Seasons 1 and 2: One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus.
- Occasionally we also use Cantina Rag by Jackson F. Smith.
The music is used under the Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License
