High School Physics is being revised to align with NGSS Science Standards below

Physics is the study of matter and energy and how they interact. Students investigate the concepts of physics in the context of everyday life in order to be able eventually to answer many of the “I wonder why...” questions that they have been asking throughout their lives. Students who take physics are exposed to problem solving techniques that apply to a number of different problem types. Mastering the ability to synthesize information will allow students to continue finding their own answers to problems after the course is over. Experimentation and laboratory work make up a large percentage of the course.

The Physics course incorporates Earth Science principles and concepts.

Course Levels - Honors Physics differentiates from College-Prep Physics in the amount of homework, topic coverage, pacing, rigorous assessments and level of math requried for problem solution.

NGSS STANDARDS

Matter and its Interactions

• HS-PS1-1 Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level of atoms.
• HS-PS1-3 Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.

Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

• HS-PS2-4 Use mathematical representations of Newton’s Law of Gravitation and Coulomb’s Law to describe and predict the gravitational and electrostatic forces between objects.

Energy

• HS-PS3-2 Develop and use models to illustrate that energy at the macroscopic scale can be accounted for as a combination of energy associated with the motions of particles (objects) and energy associated with the relative positions of particles (objects).
• HS-PS3-5 Develop and use a model of two objects interacting through electric or magnetic fields to illustrate the forces between objects and the changes in energy of the objects due to the interaction.

NGSS STANDARDS

Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

• HS-PS2-1 Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.
• HS-PS2-2 Use mathematical representations to support the claim that the total momentum of a system of objects is conserved when there is no net force on the system.
• HS-PS2-3 Apply scientific and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, and refine a device that minimizes the force on a macroscopic object during a collision.

Earth's Place in the Universe

• HS-ESS1-2 Construct an explanation of the Big Bang theory based on astronomical evidence of light spectra, motion of distant galaxies, and composition of matter in the universe.
• HS-ESS1-3 Communicate scientific ideas about the way stars, over their life cycle, produce elements.

Engineering Design

• HS-ETS1-1 Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
• HS-ETS1-3 Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.

NGSS STANDARDS

Energy

• HS-PS3-1 Create a computational model to calculate the change in the energy of one component in a system when the change in energy of the other component(s) and energy flows in and out of the system are known.
• HS-PS3-3 Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy.
• HS-PS3-4 Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that the transfer of thermal energy when two components of different temperature are combined within a closed system results in a more uniform energy distribution among the components in the system (second law of thermodynamics).

Earth's Systems

• HS-ESS2-1 Develop a model to illustrate how Earth’s internal and surface processes operate at different spatial and temporal scales to form continental and ocean-floor features.
• HS-ESS2-2 Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth's surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.
• HS-ESS2-3 Develop a model based on evidence of Earth’s interior to describe the cycling of matter by thermal convection.
• HS-ESS2-4 Use a model to describe how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth’s systems result in changes in climate.
• HS-ESS2-5 Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes.

Engineering Design

• HS-ETS1-2 Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.