Strengthening Teaching and Learning of Forces in Key Stage Three National Strategy

This is one of a suite of continuing professional development (CPD) units from the Department for Education covering the five ‘key ideas’ at Key Stage Three (cells, interdependence, particles, forces and energy). It links with the 2002 Framework for Teaching Science: Years Seven, Eight and Nine and builds on ideas within the misconceptions in Key Stage Three Science CPD unit.

Context
This CPD unit offers background information and practical suggestions to support classroom practice when teaching about forces. It considers how force arrows can represent the size and direction of forces and how students can be helped to understand forces which are difficult to visualise such as gravity, tension and friction. The final two sessions are dedicated to forces and motion, addressing progression issues and common misconceptions.

Development
This CPD unit is designed to be delivered to teachers wishing to improve their teaching of the forces ‘key idea’. It can be delivered as a single day's CPD or as four separate CPD sessions of 75 to 95 minutes. It is particularly useful for non-specialist teachers wishing to improve their subject knowledge and pedagogy. It is also useful for subject specialists to clarify their thinking about teaching interdependence.

Components
The materials consist of separate tutor notes, participants’ notes and PowerPoint hyperlinked to video and animation files. Additional resources include force posters which match the video and animation files for students to annotate.
The four sessions are entitled:
• Session 1: What do pupils know about forces and the use of ‘force arrows’?
• Session 2: Visualisation of forces and their effects
• Session 3: What do pupils know about forces and motion?
• Session 4: Teaching and learning about forces and motion