Building an electric motor from scratch

There is nothing like the feeling of accomplishment when the Westminster motor starts spinning around having assembled it from bits of wire and sticky tape and a couple of magnets. Getting the commutator build correct.

 

Apple, Linux and Windows

 A Level Computing. Apple, Windows or Linux as well as Windows Servers and online platforms The students are given a choice to try out new to them operating systems to help prepare them for the real world

Are these Microscopes any good?

 

Are these digital microscopes any good? I believe yes to get the students into the macro world. They are strong and portable enough to look at mobile screens, clothes fibres, finger prints and insect wings, to excite the students into the small world around us.

Openboard

 

Online Maths teaching works quite well. Using openboard (I have found it better than other paid for versions) on the Wacom and on the Smart board means that information and examples can be freely passed around and it works well in the classroom as well.

Reacting Masses

 I was going over reacting masses and discovered that a student had never seen a crucible or even heated Magnesium Ribbon. This student is about to enter year 11. The teacher doesn't even demo experiments because they are too costly.

Resonance

 Looking at all forms of resonance in A level Physics. Investigating the useful and and harmful effects. Working out ways to stop it and in some cases increase it.

Understanding what a sine is?

 Sine functions used to be easier to comprehend when sine tables were used. Now pressing a button on a calculator doesn't mean anything, so I am using calculator graphs and online calculators to try to show what is going on and improving the students understanding.