The magic of storytelling in the diverse physics curriculum

Storytelling has always been a powerful way to share knowledge, shape understanding, and engage curiosity — but its role in the physics classroom is often overlooked. In this session, we will explore how narratives can transform the way students experience physics, making it more engaging, memorable, and authentically inclusive. The session begins by unpacking the concept of a curriculum narrative — a structured and sequenced thread that connects key ideas across lessons and units. Participants will examine how narrative techniques can help learners perceive the curriculum not as a collection of isolated facts but as a cohesive and compelling story. Using classic narrative structures, we will discuss how educators can build meaningful arcs around topics such as forces, radioactivity, or energy, framing physics as a human story of curiosity, bravery, collaboration, and discovery. It’s important to acknowledge the risks and challenges of storytelling in physics education: as such, the session will encourage us to consider how to balance narrative elements with rigorous concept delivery, avoid reinforcing stereotypes, and design lessons that make key ideas explicit and secure. The session will be highly practical and interactive, with opportunities to: - Explore a range of narrative themes relevant to physics teaching, such as awe and wonder, bravery in discovery, collaboration, and resilience - Map existing units onto a narrative structure and develop creative approaches to embedding stories into everyday practice - Discover new and inclusive sources for narratives, including students’ own cultural contexts, contemporary STEM careers, and “what if” scenarios that spark curiosity. By the end of the session, attendees will: - Understand the principles and benefits of curriculum narrative design in physics - Be equipped with actionable strategies for incorporating storytelling into lessons and schemes of work - Gain insights into how stories can challenge outdated stereotypes and foster a more inclusive physics curriculum   that resonates with every learner.