5th Sep '25

Schemes of Work

P1
- P1.3
  - Lesson 01 - What is static charge? (SEPARATES ONLY) Lesson Plan Lesson Title
    - The further away from the charged object, the weaker the field
    - When certain insulating materials are rubbed against each other they become electrically charged.
      - Suggested Activity:
        What is static electricity?
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT_LmwnmVNM
        
        Phet - Creating static
        https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/john-travoltage/latest/john-travoltage_en.html
    - A second charged object placed in the field experiences a force.
    - Negatively charged electrons are rubbed off one material and on to the other.
      - Suggested Activity:
        Extended writing:
        Describe and explain how rubbing materials against each other can get them to become charged, in terms of particle movement.
    - Two objects that carry the same type of charge repel.
    - The electric field is strongest close to the charged object.
    - The force gets stronger as the distance between the objects decreases.
    - Two objects that carry different types of charge attract.
      - Suggested Activity:
        Investigate the effect charged objects have on other objects placed near it – both charged and uncharged?
        
        Phet - Interacting charges
        https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/balloons-and-static-electricity/latest/balloons-and-static-electricity_en.html
    - Students should be able to draw the electric field pattern for an isolated charged sphere
      - Suggested Activity:
        Diagrams of electric fields
        http://www.cyberphysics.co.uk/topics/electricity/higher_electricity/electric_field.htm
    - The material that gains electrons becomes negatively charged. The material that loses electrons is left with an equal positive charge.
    - Attraction and repulsion between two charged objects are examples of non-contact force.
    - Students should be able to explain the concept of an electric field
    - Students should be able to describe the production of static electricity, and sparking, by rubbing surfaces
      - Suggested Activity:
        Dangers of static
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzsTamPPnHc
    - Students should be able to explain how the concept of an electric field helps to explain the non- contact force between charged objects as well as other electrostatic phenomena such as sparking.
    - Students should be able to describe evidence that charged objects exert forces of attraction or repulsion on one another when not in contact
    - Students should be able to explain how the transfer of electrons between objects can explain the phenomena of static electricity.
  - Lesson 02 - How do series and parallel circuits differ? Lesson Plan Lesson Title
    - There are two ways of joining electrical components, in series and in
      parallel. Some circuits include both series and parallel parts.
    - Students should be able to explain the design and use of dc series circuits for measurement and testing purposes
      - Suggested Activity:
        use students to demonstrate the difference between series and parallel circuits (ensure students hold hands/wrists with skin contact to make it work. first show a circle for series and then add in students to create a parallel - listen to the change in the sound then add a second ball in.
        Equipment Required:
        conductivity balls
    - A charged object creates an electric field around itself.
      - Suggested Activity:
        Demonstrate static electricity using the Van de Graaf generator.
        Equipment Required:
        Van de Graaf generator.
    - For components connected in series:
      ? there is the same current through each component
      ? the total potential difference of the power supply is shared between the components
      ? the total resistance of two components is the sum of the resistance of each component. Rtotal = R1 R2
      - Suggested Activity:
        Investigate PD, current and resistance through series and parallel circuits.
        1. Make a simple circuit containing a switch, power supply and a lamp
        2. Add more lamps – both in series and then in parallel
        3. Note the effect on the brightness of the lamps.
        
        Current through, and potential difference across, each lamp can be measured to get numerical values and see the effect of adding more lamps.
        Equipment Required:
        Power packs
        Voltmeters
        Ammeters
        Leads
        12 volt lamps
        Switch
        Variable resistors
    - Students should be able to calculate the currents, potential differences and resistances in dc series circuits
      - Suggested Activity:
        Investigate how the current in each loop of a parallel circuit compares to the current in the main branch of the circuit
    - For components connected in parallel:
      ? the potential difference across each component is the same
      ? the total current through the whole circuit is the sum of the currents through the separate components
      ? the total resistance of two resistors is less than the resistance of the smallest individual resistor.
    - When two electrically charged objects are brought close together they exert a force on each other.
    - Students should be able to use circuit diagrams to construct and check series and parallel circuits that include a variety of common circuit components
      - Suggested Activity:
        Why are decorative lights for Christmas trees connected in parallel and not series?
    - Students should be able to describe the difference between series and parallel circuits
    - Students should be able to solve problems for circuits which include resistors in series using the concept of equivalent resistance.
    - Students should be able to explain qualitatively why adding resistors in series increases the total resistance whilst adding resistors in parallel decreases the total resistance
      
      Students are not required to calculate the total resistance of two
      resistors joined in parallel.
  - Lesson 03 - How can we calculate the power of an appliance? Lesson Plan Lesson Title
    - Students should be able to explain how the power transfer in any circuit device is related to the potential difference across it and the current through it, and to the energy changes over time:
      power = potential difference ? current
      P = V I
      
      power = current2 ? resistance
      P = I2 R
      
      where:
      power, P, in watts, W
      potential difference, V, in volts, V
      current, I, in amperes, A (amp is acceptable for ampere)
      resistance, R, in ohms, ?
      - Suggested Activity:
        Demo the equations for calculating power.
        
        Students to apply.
    - Everyday electrical appliances are designed to bring about energy transfers.
      - Suggested Activity:
        Investigate a number of electrical appliances, either around the lab or well-known devices, eg a TV, to look at the energy transfers that occur.
        Equipment Required:
        Circus of electrical appliances
        Energy meters
    - The amount of energy an appliance transfers depends on how long the appliance is switched on for and the power of the appliance.
    - Students should be able to describe how different domestic appliances
      transfer energy from batteries or ac mains to the kinetic energy of electric motors or the energy of heating devices.
    - Students should be able to explain how the power of a circuit device is
      related to the potential difference across it and the current through it
  - Lesson 04 - How do we calculate the energy transferred by an appliance? Lesson Plan Lesson Title
    - Work is done when charge flows in a circuit.
    - The amount of energy transferred by electrical work can be calculated using the equation:
      energy transferred = power ? time
      - Suggested Activity:
        Demo the equation for calculating work done in a circuit
        
        Students to apply.
    - Energy transferred can also be calculated by: energy transferred = charge flow ? potential difference
      - Suggested Activity:
        Investigate how the amount of energy transferred to an electrical appliance depends on the amount of time that it is on for by connecting the appliance to a joulemeter.
    - Students should be able to explain how the power of a circuit device is
      related to the energy transferred over a given time.
    - Students should be able to describe, with examples, the relationship
      between the power ratings for domestic electrical appliances and the
      changes in stored energy when they are in use.
  - Lesson 05 - Why do UK plugs have 3-pins? Lesson Plan Lesson Title
    - Mains electricity is an ac supply.
    - In the United Kingdom the domestic electricity supply has a frequency of 50 Hz.
    - [In the United Kingdom the domestic electricity supply] is about 230 V.
      - Suggested Activity:
        Demonstrate alternating current and direct current with pupil electrons
        or a long loop of string
        Equipment Required:
        Several meters of string joined in a loop.
    - Students should be able to explain the difference between direct and alternating potential difference.
      - Suggested Activity:
        Research the use of direct and alternating potential difference. Find out why the USA used direct potential difference, then changed to an alternating potential difference..
    - Most electrical appliances are connected to the mains using three-core cable.
      - Suggested Activity:
        Demo to take apart a plug and sketch how it is wired. Then research the role of each part of the plug
        - Plastic casing
        - Insulated cable
        - Fuse
        - Live wire
        - Neutral wire
        - Earth wire
        Equipment Required:
        DEMO using visualiser
        Plug
        Screwdriver
        Wire stripper
    - The insulation covering each wire is colour coded for easy identification:
      live wire ? brown
      neutral wire ? blue
      earth wire ? green and yellow stripes.
    - The live wire carries the alternating potential difference from the supply.
    - The neutral wire completes the circuit.
    - The potential difference between the live wire and earth (0 V) is about 230 V.
    - The neutral wire is at, or close to, earth potential (0 V).
      - Suggested Activity:
        What safety measures are used with mains electricity?
    - The earth wire is at 0 V, it only carries a current if there is a fault.
    - Students should be able to explain that a live wire may be dangerous even when a switch in the mains circuit is open
    - Students should be able to explain the dangers of providing any connection between the live wire and earth.
    - The earth wire is a safety wire to stop the appliance becoming live.
  - Lesson 06 - How is a plug supplied with electricity? Lesson Plan Lesson Title
    - The National Grid is a system of cables and transformers linking power
      stations to consumers.
      - Suggested Activity:
        Model the National Grid to show how electricity is sent from power stations to consumers.
        Equipment Required:
        National grid demo
    - Electrical power is transferred from power stations to consumers using the National Orid.
    - Step-up transformers are used to increase the potential difference from the power station to the transmission cables
      - Suggested Activity:
        Demo: How transformers affect potential difference
        http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_ocr_pre_2011/electric_circuits/mainsproducedrev5.shtml
    - Step-down
      transformers are used to decrease, to a much lower value, the potential
      difference for domestic use.
    - Students should be able to explain why the National Grid system is an
      efficient way to transfer energy.
      - Suggested Activity:
        Extended writing
        In the UK, electricity is delivered to consumers by the National Grid.
        Explain the main features of the National Grid.