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

Marvin and Milo

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Music

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