Physics & Astronomy

Teaching Resources & Lesson Plans

  • The Institute of Physics hosts hundreds of teaching resources and lesson plans to cover all aspects of physics and astronomy, suitable for ages 11+, arranged into topics and all linked to the National Curriculum, including;

    • Light, Sound & Waves - 573 resources including teachers notes and practical activities covering diffraction, lasers, shadows, lenses & mirrors

    • Properties of Matter - 308 resources including teachers notes and practical activities covering materials, forces, diffusion & crystals

    • Forces & Motion - 662 resources including teachers notes and practical activities covering gravity, Newton's laws, magnets & inertia

    • Electricity & Magnetism - 659 resources including teachers notes and practical activities covering electromagnets, electrons & conductivity

Online Activities

  • Galaxy Zoo looks at galaxies, each one of the systems, containing billions of stars, has had a unique life, interacting with its surroundings and with other galaxies in many different ways; the aim of the Galaxy Zoo team is to try and understand these processes, and to work out what galaxies can tell us about the past, present and future of the Universe as a whole.

  • Globe at Night is an international citizen-science campaign to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by inviting citizen-scientists to measure & submit their night sky brightness observations. It's easy to get involved - all you need is computer or smart phone

Activity Kits & Ideas for Home Learning

  • The Institute of Physics has a whole host of home science experiments in their 'Do Try This At Home' series, available on YouTube, including;

    • 'Shrinking Coin' - explore the differences between two and three dimensions using coins and paper, suitable for ages 7+

    • 'Electric Balloons' - explore static electricity using balloons and some wool or string, suitable for ages 5+

    • 'Hot Water Rising' - explore temperature and how hot & cold water interact, suitable for ages 11+

Downloadable Resources