Bernard Rand
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bernardrand.bsky.social
Bernard Rand
@bernardrand.bsky.social
Here to share ideas and resources for teaching Physics.

I have a range of A Level teaching resources for OCR A and AQA on this site - https://sites.google.com/view/alevelphysicsresources/home
Reposted by Bernard Rand
🚨Incredibly excited to announce this job 🚨

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uk.indeed.com/job/head-pro...
Head of Professional Development - Remote - Indeed.com
Carousel Learning Ltd
uk.indeed.com
February 25, 2025 at 5:52 PM
We have a lovely class set of little ripple tanks that allow them to play around and observe wave behaviour
February 25, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Reposted by Bernard Rand
Even though they say 'I don't need to use that' when I introduce 'squashy cos', by the end of the year they all use squashy cos to find components.

#iteachphysics
February 24, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Reposted by Bernard Rand
Day 23 - As I sit untangling my daughters Newton's cradle (!!!!) I need something relaxing and mindless to accompany the infuriating task. Luckily I have this video of a giant pendulum wave with notes for each swing.
#iteachphysics #adventofphysics

youtu.be/b8O1jlHyKpU
Large Pendulum Wave - Glow Eindhoven 2013
YouTube video by Kermiscity
youtu.be
December 23, 2024 at 8:11 AM
I like this one as a predict, observe and explain exercise to hammer home force on a current in a magnetic field and Fleming’s Left Hand Rule.
December 21, 2024 at 6:46 PM
I’ve turned up some real gems from @helenrey.bsky.social’s spreadsheets. A really great resource when first planning or refining your teaching of a topic.
New to teaching physics?

Not new but looking for a new way to do it?

GIFT - Good Ideas For Teaching physics (toys, tricks, labs etc.)

GLASS - Games (online) Labs And Simulations Spreadsheet (with 2nd sheet of video clips)

The complete set (for now)! bit.ly/3mErTj0
December 12, 2024 at 5:12 PM
Wow, a lot of hard work has obviously gone into this and it features so many great ideas explained really well with links and videos. If you want new ideas for teaching magnetism from KS3-5 this has plenty.
I made this google slides of nearly 100 ideas for teaching magnetism and electromagnetism in the Summer term with help from @hookean.bsky.social If you haven’t seen it then it is worth a look: www.teachphysics.org/home/magneti...
November 29, 2024 at 12:18 PM
Reposted by Bernard Rand
Don't know whose this is, but it's up there for the best physics meme ever.

#iteachphysics
November 26, 2024 at 1:10 PM
Reposted by Bernard Rand
Here it is going in circles, with a bit of help!
November 21, 2024 at 7:03 PM
Reposted by Bernard Rand
Depends a lot on the framing and impact.
There's a lot to be said for lay noticing/questioning (I saw this... what's the thinking?)
One of the problems with lesson observation is that we have entangled observing and evaluating, and then put a lot of weight on those evaluations.
November 21, 2024 at 8:39 PM
A couple of students in my enrichment group have made a nice linear motor. #iteachphysics #chatphysics
November 21, 2024 at 7:00 PM
@drussellpsu.bsky.social has some brilliant animations for explaining waves for A level Physics. I’ve been using them for years as they are a brilliant aid for helping students understand the fundamental nature of waves.

#iteachphysics #chatphysics
During the current migration to 🦋 I have gained lots of new #iTeachPhysics follows including many people I don’t recognize from X. I currently teach grad level acoustics but my waves and vibration animations website is useful for HS and undergrads students:
www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/demos.html
Dan Russell's Acoustics and Vibration Animations
www.acs.psu.edu
November 20, 2024 at 8:27 AM
@alomshaha.bsky.social has some beautiful explanations of some great physics demos here. #iteachphysics #chatphysics
Lots more videos with tips on how best to carry out demonstrations and practicals here alomshaha.com/project-type... and alomshaha.com/portfolio/vi...
November 18, 2024 at 8:13 PM
Kicking a concrete football. A nice question for getting students thinking about force and momentum carefully.
November 18, 2024 at 7:28 PM
Reposted by Bernard Rand
In case it is helpful to all you teachers, here is my...

Visibly Random Group Generator v7.3

🍎 Free, no ads
🍎 Set # of groups or group size
🍎 Checkboxes for absences
🍎 Add pairs of Ss that can't work together, be alerted of conflicts
🍎 Editable names & color to match classroom

Link in reply

🧬🥽🎢♾️
November 18, 2024 at 1:08 PM
Building little motors with batteries and neodymium magnets is great fun.
November 16, 2024 at 7:02 PM
Reposted by Bernard Rand
New post just out:

"Dropping Out"

Why improvements to school standards are at serious risk.

(Free to read)

open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/d...
Dropping Out
Why improvements in school standards are at serious risk
open.substack.com
November 16, 2024 at 9:36 AM
The drinks can induction motor. One of my favourite demos, putting Faraday’s and Lenz’s laws together in a fairly complex situation.

To get them really thinking hard you can ask why the current trip on the supply only goes once it spinning at a good rate?
November 16, 2024 at 10:45 AM
I’d love to add more people but in the mean time here is the UK Physics Teacher starter pack.

go.bsky.app/ERKyHSM
November 14, 2024 at 6:28 PM
A lot of these types of challenges are use in what Researchers in Zürich call cognitive activation physics teaching ethz.ch/content/dam/...
ethz.ch
November 13, 2024 at 9:32 AM
The answers to why the sky is blue and why are sunsets red are both illustrated well by this demo #chatohysics #iteachphysics
November 12, 2024 at 10:10 PM
Starting to put together a UK Physics Teacher starter pack. Reply if you’d like adding or let me know who needs including. #chatphysics #scieduk #iteachphysics

go.bsky.app/ERKyHSM
November 12, 2024 at 7:07 PM
This is a nice little Physics puzzle.
November 12, 2024 at 6:36 PM
200g mass (i.e. about 2N) at each end of the string.

What tension does the Newton metre read in the middle? #chatphysics #itachphysics
November 12, 2024 at 12:23 PM
Isaac Physics is great for getting students to practise problem solving and also for providing extension questions for the most able students. Here is my collection of boards for AQA A level Physics - docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
November 11, 2024 at 7:00 PM