Antimatter - Matter's Hidden Shadow
This poster looks at the nature of antimatter. One side of the poster discusses Dirac’s prediction and the subsequent discovery of antimatter, in the form of the positron. The difficulty of the storage of antimatter is explained and the use of positrons in medical imaging (PET scanners) is described. The other side of the…
The Structure of Matter
This poster looks at the structure of matter. One side of the poster discusses the limits of imaging with light and the use of electron microscopes, and looks at the 20th century pioneers – from J. J. Thomson’s plum pudding model, through Rutherford and Chadwick’s advances in understanding the nucleus, to the use…
The Sky’s the Limit! Introducing GCSE Astronomy at Glyncoed Comprehensive School
Edexcel’s GCSE Astronomy syllabus provides an opportunity for students to develop their understanding and enthusiasm for astronomy, as well as to complement and extend the reach of their study of Key Stage Four science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. This article from School Science Review is based…
Teaching Astronomy in UK Schools
This School Science Review article attempts to summarise the good, bad and (occasionally) ugly aspects of teaching astronomy in UK schools. It covers the most common problems reported by teachers when asked about covering the astronomy/space topics in school. Particular focus is given to the GCSE Astronomy qualification offered…
Resources for Teaching Astronomy in UK Schools
This School Science Review article looks at a selection of resources currently available for use in the teaching of astronomy in UK schools. It is by no means an exhaustive list but it highlights a variety of free resources that can be used in the classroom to help engage students of all ages with astronomy and space science. It…
Using Space as a Context for Teaching Science
This School Science Review article describes how the Science Department at Shoeburyness High School in Essex introduced a space-themed Year Eight (ages 12–13) science course to increase student engagement and motivation. As well as discussing the rationale for such curriculum change, it describes the processes of planning and…
The Space Academy: Going Beyond ‘Inspiration’ – a Pioneering Model for Science Education
This School Science Review article outlines the Space Academy programme led by the National Space Centre from 2008 to 2011 with the stated goals of harnessing the inspirational contexts of space and climate change to support GCSE, A-level and vocational students in their curriculum studies as well as to enhance STEM teacher effectiveness…
The James Webb Space Telescope: Inspiration and Context for Physics and Chemistry Teaching
This article from School Science Review, describes the design, delivery, evaluation and impact of a CPD course for physics and chemistry teachers. A key aim of the course was to use the context of the James Webb Space Telescope project to inspire teachers and lead to enriched teaching of STEM subjects. The authors are: Dan Hillier,…
Evaluation of the European Space Education Resource Office
NFER has been commissioned by the National STEM Centre to evaluate the effectiveness and early impacts of the European Space Education Resource Office for the UK (ESERO-UK). ESERO-UK aims to promote the use of space as a context for enriching science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teaching and learning in schools…
Cosmic Rays: Mysterious Extraterrestrial Visitors
Produced by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), Cosmic Rays is a colour A5 leaflet that opens out into an A2 double-sided wallchart describing cosmic rays and where they come from, what effect they have on Earth and how they are used in scientific applications. Sections of the leaflet cover: • The discovery…
space:uk - Winter 2011, Issue 33
This issue of space:uk, published by the UK Space Agency, focuses on the planet Mercury and the spacecraft being designed and built with the aim of investigating the 'weird' planet. The issue reports on current news stories including the launch of the two Galileo 'In-Orbit Validation' (IOV) spacecraft, new missions…
Spaceflight History: Rockets and Shuttle
Produced by FootageVault and using original video from NASA, these clips show some of the major milestones in the development of spaceflight. The Apollo missions used the Saturn V launcher and it's lift off is shown. NASA's most recent launch vehicle is the Space Shuttle. This launcher returns to Earth where it can…
Living in Space
Produced by FootageVault, these videos from NASA illustrate the effects of apparent weightlessness as astronauts live and work in space. Clips include astronauts in Skylab, the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. The clips can be used to illustrate forces, movement and how objects behave in space. It should…
2/5- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Video
Spaceflight History: First Spacewalk
Produced by FootageVault, this original NASA video shows America's first spacewalk, made by astronaut Ed White, from his Gemini IV spacecraft on the 3rd of June 1965. The spacewalk lasted 23 minutes, during which time the astronaut manoeuvred using a hand-held oxygen-jet gun to push himself.
The International Space Station and Skylab
Produced by FootageVault and using original NASA video, these clips illustrate life onboard the International Space Station (ISS) and its forerunner, Skylab. The clips cover a range of topics and show: • views of the earth • floating in zero gravity • approach of the Space Shuttle Endeavour • living in…
Playing with Toys in Space
Looking for a clip to illustrate momentum? Footagevault has provided this footage of astronaut Jeff Hoffman playing with a red toy car on a looped race track on board the Space Shuttle. The car's momentum and centripetal force keep it on the race track initially, before friction slows it and without its circular momentum…
Astronauts on 'Space Walk' from the International Space Station
This vertiginous video clip , from Footagevault, shows an astronaut emerging from the Quest airlock on board the International Space Station. Further views recorded from a small camera mounted on the astronaut's helmet show the astronaut-eye view of his spacewalk, looking around the outside of the Space Station and the Space…
Apollo 1 Fire - the Aftermath
This historic footage, from Footagevault, was recorded at the top of the Apollo 1 rocket stack shortly after the fire which claimed the lives of the first Apollo astronauts. The film shows how ferociously things burn in a high pressure pure oxygen environment. The engineers running this Apollo test procedure had pumped pure oxygen…
Astronauts Leaping on the Moon
This footage, from Footagevault, documents the locomotion of humans on the moon under reduced gravity conditions is always fun to watch and can be used with Key Stage Three and Four students to start discussions about forces. This clip shows Apollo 17 astronaut Gene Cernan leaping towards the camera with great big kangaroo hops,…
The Hammer and the Feather on the Moon
This classic Apollo 15 clip, from Footagevault, demonstrates that the mass of an object does not affect the time it takes to fall when dropped in a vacuum. The clip could be used in Key Stage Three and Four lessons on forces.
Saturn V Rocket Lift-off, Showing Staging
This clip, from Footagevault, could be used for teaching Key Stage Three and Four content on energy, electricity and forces, or chemical and material behaviour. The film clip dramatically shows Newton's Third Law of Motion in action, "to every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction...". The footage…
Tides Simulator and Workshop
Produced by the National Schools Observatory, this PowerPoint workshop and accompanying flash animation explains tidal activity on Earth. The workshop takes the form of a PowerPoint presentation that explains why tides exist, why there are two tides each day and covers related topics such as spring/neap tides and tidal lag. The…
All about Telescopes
Produced by ESERO-UK, these short video clips look at a range of different telescopes and give advice and guidance on choosing a telescope for your school, as well as advice on how to make use of remote telescopes in school and also include an introduction to the Hubble Space Telescope. Presented by William Hill of the Royal Observatory,…
- 4/5
- Publication year: 2000 - 2009
- Video
Eggnaut
In this resource from ESA, students' mission is to design and build a vehicle that will protect their Eggnaut from the perils of re-entry from space. The objective is to have your Eggnaut survive the fall without a crack. The project can be adpated for either primary or secondary students. The resource was produced by Spaceweek…
Explore Saturn and Titan
On 14 January 2005, the European probe Huygens entered the atmosphere of Titan - one of Saturn's moons. Based on this major event in space exploration, ESA offers a cartoon-style teaching aid with fact sheets for teachers to use in the classroom. The factsheets are available for use with different aged students - the materials…