Forces
Ben Psotka
The Forces section of the SPH 3U curriculum emphasizes the analysis of technologies from a dynamics and Newton's Laws viewpoint (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2008). Specifically, beginning with the manner in which technologies depend on and take advantage of these concepts and elaborating into how these technologies could be improved. Students will build their understanding of Newton's second law components (net force, mass, and acceleration) through investigations to create a foundation of physics knowledge that will prepare them for work and energy material. Familiarity with, and distinguishing between, velocity, acceleration, and changes in motion are essential to building this framework. Common misconceptions by students and teachers alike are addressed in the Common Misconceptions page, and direct connections to the Ontario curriculum are laid out on the Expectations page. There are also four detailed lesson plans, complete with all necessary and extra resources, along with an explanation of all types of assessment used in the lessons.
Connections to Foundations of Professional Practice
There are four ethical standards for teaching, as listed by the Ontario College of Teachers; they consist of: care, trust, respect, and integrity. This particular section and website emphasize the importance of both care and trust. The openness of this site offers a certain level of trust from teacher-to-teacher, by freely sharing a collection of resources and working together to offer students effective lessons that would be impossible individually. By providing this collection to more teachers, we are ensuring more students also receive a fair and opportunistic education in physics. Care, as an ethical standard, is supported by the sheer volume of material offered here. Specifically, the additional resources provided for teaching Forces in a 21st century classroom, using 21st century technology and pedagogies ensures that many students can benefit; this is regardless of their own misconceptions or learning habits.
In addition to the four ethical standards, there are five main standards of practice. Intrinsically, the Forces section seamlessly embeds them within its boundaries with an emphasis on a commitment to students and their learning, as well as ongoing professional learning. This resource informs professional practice by providing direct applications of the material to every day applications in a manner that elicits the interests and passions of students. Virtual learning opportunities, in particular, encourage the self-directed learning of practitioners and students alike. This collection of material is drawn together with these ethical standards and standards of practice in mind, and will hopefully prove to be a reliable supply of information for teachers and students through the Forces unit.