Energy and Change: Background Stories for Teachers

In Background Stories for Teachers, the authors of the ‘Teaching about why things change’ project illustrate a new approach to the fundamental question 'why do things change?'. They do so with the help of stories about some scientific topics which show how the topics can be looked at in a new light.

The collection of stories illustrates the wide range of contexts in which the ideas developed in the other two Energy and Change booklets may be applied. Many of the topics dealt with are also to be found in the school curriculum, and while in general the treatment is too advanced for most students, there are many ideas which may be appropriately used at school level.

The main purpose of these stories is to provide a broad understanding of energy and processes of change, so that teaching about these ideas at a more elementary level may rest on firmer foundations. While the stories may be read individually, they are ordered in such a way that fundamental ideas are introduced and developed through the stories.

The stories about energy and change
* The lively Universe
* Pollution
* Sitting in an energy river
* Downhill all the way
* Keeping on the move
* Frost and flood
* Is smelting like melting?
* Flying high
* Life burns its fingers
* Living off sunlight
* Fuel for home and factory
* Wind and rain
* Energy on tap
* Travel by fire
* Keeping cool makes such a difference
* Running, jumping and standing still
* Blood
* Shapely molecules
* Think electric!
* Packaged electrical difference
* Uphill by chance