Purpose

The Year 7, 8 & 9 Physics curriculum aims to ignite students' curiosity about the natural world and develop their understanding of fundamental physical concepts. It helps develop character by fostering critical thinking, problem-solving skills and resilience. Through hands-on experiments and real-world applications, students learn to observe, hypothesize, and analyze scientific phenomena. Students develop perseverance and autonomy. Curiosity gets deeper and courage gets stronger. This foundation prepares them for more advanced studies in physics and other sciences, encouraging a lifelong interest in scientific inquiry and innovation while nurturing a growth mindset.

 Content

Year 8 Physics is an exciting journey through the wonders of the physical world! Students start with distance-time graphs, learning to visualize motion and understand speed. They explore moments and pressure, discovering how forces create turning effects and how pressure impacts different materials. Hooke’s Law introduces them to the fascinating world of springs and elasticity.

In the realm of electricity, students investigate resistance, static electricity, and the magic of magnets and electromagnets. They learn how resistance affects current flow, the mysteries of static charges, and the practical uses of electromagnets.

The study of light reveals how it travels, reflects, and refracts, opening up the secrets of optics. Energy stores and transfers teach students about different forms of energy and how they change from one form to another.

Throughout the year, students hone their experimental skills, conducting hands-on experiments, recording data, and drawing conclusions. This hands-on approach makes learning physics both fun and engaging!

Beyond the classroom

Opportunities include Fun Science Club, Personal Projects, STEM challenges (in the past this has included building and racing an underwater drone or model F1 car), House Science, links to STEM webinars, visiting speakers and the JCG Careers Fair, Science Week in Challenge Week and “If I were an engineer…" (Engineering Competition).