The course covers standard high school level physics topics in the areas of motion, forces, momentum, energy, electricity, magnetism, waves, sound, and light.

These topics are investigated through the discovery process utilizing a wide variety of lab equipment and developed further with direct teaching and a textbook. Students are actively engaged in it all, and it has been really exciting to see students sharing their connections with the material and bringing things to class that illustrate topics we are studying.

Topic details: 1st Semester Standards, 2nd Semester Standards

Homework 

Student work at home includes analyzing data, writing lab reports, problem-solving, doing “home experiments,” receiving instruction (via textbook or video), and taking weekly quizzes. I estimate that students will need to invest about 6-8 hours outside of class each week. Students use Edmodo to access assignments, check their work against solutions, and post questions to me or the class. More information…

Grading

I use “standards-based” grading which means that students are assessed according to their level of mastery on each standard.  I am looking for enduring understanding, so each standard is assessed more than once, and the most recent score on a standard replaces any previous score(s).

Graded assessments include frequent “closed-book” quizzes taken at home, written lab reports, and an in-class final exam at the end of each semester. Students receive a letter grade for each semester, which is a combination of a their standards scores and the final exam.  A portfolio containing the student’s quizzes, one or more lab reports, and a statement of the final grade is provided for each semester.

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