Electricity and Magnetism

Things you'll need to decide on as you plan: Power and Voltage

Teaching Guidance for 11-14 Supporting Physics Teaching

Bringing together two sets of constraints

Focusing on the learners:

Distinguishing–eliciting–connecting. How to:

  • keep ideas of power, energy, charge and current separate
  • connect the calculations to everyday concerns
  • emphasise differences between current and voltage measurements

Teacher Tip: These are all related to findings about children's ideas from research. The teaching activities will provide some suggestions. So will colleagues, near and far.

Focusing on the physics:

Representing–noticing–recording. How to:

  • use the idea of voltage, rather than getting stuck on explaining the idea
  • be clear and consistent about your use of prepositions
  • relate calculations back to physical changes in loops

Teacher Tip: Connecting what is experienced with what is written and drawn is essential to making sense of the connections between the theoretical world of physics and the lived-in world of the children. Don't forget to exemplify this action.

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