A secondary physics teacher uses role play to liven-up her KS4 lesson on radiation and smoke alarms, by dressing up as a radiation officer, in this engaging pedagogy video.
She starts by asking her Year 10 pupils to consider how a smoke alarm might work, before getting them to all take part in a modelling exercise, looking at the flow of alpha particles in the alarm. Finally she uses a GM counter to demonstrate the safe levels of radiation in a smoke alarm.
Lynn MacDougall, a physics teacher at Stocksbridge High School, finds that although the students are less than convinced by the disguise itself, they are fully involved in the lesson.
The radiation officer offers a great context for discussing radioactivity and can also be used as an introduction to the topic.
