Curriculum Overview

 

Subject: Science

Course: Physics/Honors (246)

Grade Level: 11-12

                                                                                                                       

Concepts

Topics/Units

Content/Skills

Essential Activities/Agreements

 

Students Will:

 

·         learn about motion and forces through Newton’s laws

·         study the difference between vector and scalar quantities and learn how to solve problems involving these quantities

·         learn about the conservation of energy and momentum and how these are applied to everyday situations

·         learn about heat and how thermal energy is transferred throughout the different phases of matter

·         gain a better understanding of electric current, voltage, and resistance by learning about Ohm’s law

·         gain knowledge about the electromagnetic spectrum in terms of wavelength and energy.

 

1.        Introduction to Physics and Measurement

2.        Analysis of motion in a straight line

3.        Introduction to Vectors and Kinematics

4.        Free Fall and Projectile Motion

5.        Interactions I:  Introduction to Forces and Newton’s Laws

6.        Vector Addition and Subtraction, Relative Motion

7.        Interactions II:  Forces as Vectors, Net Force and Free Body Diagrams

8.        Problem Solving in Mechanics: Statics and Dynamics

9.        Circular Motion and Universal Gravitation

10.     Energy and Momentum

11.     Introduction to Electromagnetic Phenomena

 

Students Will:

 

·         Demonstrate understanding of measurement, including error and uncertainty.

·         Take careful measurements using appropriate tools.

·         Use unit analysis to perform conversions

·         Make inferences from observations.

·         Demonstrate computer skills of data collection, analysis, and modeling.

·         Create and interpret graphs and diagrams.

·         Use graphs to describe position, velocity and acceleration in one and two dimensions

·         Use equations of motion for one and two dimensions

·         Perform a mathematical analysis of free fall and projectile motion

·         Identify forces that act in common situations

·         Interpret Newton’s Laws

·         Decompose a vector into components using trigonometry

·         Add and subtract vector quantities

·         Create and interpret scale drawings

·         Create and interpret free body diagrams

·         Use dynamics to predict and analyze outcomes in physical situations

·         Calculate circular motion quantities and describe motion of orbit

·         Use energy and momentum ideas in problem solving

·         Investigate the nature of charge and electrostatics

·         Calculate voltage and resistance in a circuit

 

·         Electronic Classroom Polling using PRS (Personal Response System)