Topic title: Theatre Science
Year group: 8
When taught: Autumn or Spring term
Overview: Theatre science teaches students about how we interact with the world through waves. It takes topics students feel familiar with such as light and sound and gets students to explain seemingly simple concepts like how we see objects and colours. Students practice using equations to give a mathematical description of phenomena. We then move on to look at electricity, practice practical skills, and then finally combine these different areas of science to produce a plan for a concert.
What the students targets for this topic?
| I know that we see by light reflecting off an object, into our eyes |
| I know that a shadow is simply the absence of light |
| I can demonstrate the law of reflection: angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection |
| I know that light changes speed when it enters different materials |
| I can describe what refraction is |
| I know that white light is a mixture of the colours of the rainbow |
| I know that an object’s colour depends on which colours of light it absorbs and reflects |
| I can describe the difference between longitudinal and transverse waves |
| I can draw sound waves of different frequencies and amplitude |
| I know that sounds are vibrations |
| I know what frequency is |
| I know how to give an object a static charge |
| I can calculate power from voltage and current |
Why is this important to know?
- This topic enables pupils to link their science, general, and music knowledge together to understand the natural world.
- It gets students to recognise the links between every day and scientific language.
- It helps students to practice the mathematical techniques needed to analyse experiments at GCSE and beyond.
- It allows students to develop practical investigations skills to apply to all future experiments.
Where does this link into our past and future learning?
- This topic builds on the Key Stage Two curriculum delivered in Year 3 where students have learnt about light and some of the wave behaviours, and in year 4 where students learn about electricity and sound.
- The knowledge learnt in this topic feeds into the Key Stage 4 Science curriculum:
- It links to Physics topic 6.6 (Waves) The language and mathematical analysis of waves for both light and sound.
- It links to Physics topic 6.2 (Electricity) including setting up circuits, using the equations, and fuses.
How will we be assessed on this topic?
- There will be an end of unit test in class to formally assess the skills developed. There will be online homework quizzes to help students practice their skills.
What makes a strong piece of work in this topic? What are teachers hoping to see?
- Attention to detail.
- Using key words correctly.
- Title and date written and underlined.
- Clearly set out maths, which is easy to follow.
WAGOLL
Correctly set out and clear practical table marked with green pen
Great effort on a recap quiz, again clearly marked with green pen.
What key words are there in this topic?
What can I try if I want to stretch and challenge myself on this topic?
- Look at other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum and compare the behaviour to visible light.
- Explain how ultrasound uses the same principles such as reflection and speed.
- How are fuses used in the home? What is an RCB?
What wider reading can be done on this topic?
Using different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum in astronomy – click here.
Different animals hearing – click here.
