Why do high school students choose to study physics? I haven't found or done any formal research on the topic (yet!), but anecdotally, from almost ten years of high school physics teaching (and asking students this question at the start of the school year), most of them are interested in understanding (and perhaps eventually designing) new and modern technologies. Some of them might be more aspiring Steve Jobs' than Elon Musks, but cutting edge technology seems to be a common thread in students' answers to that question. During the teaching and learning of physics it is easy to get bogged down in the details of, say, diffraction gratings or the Doppler effect without looking up (literally, in this case, to the stars) and noticing the big picture of how such knowledge is a building block of modern scientific and technological endeavours. It is hoped that by bringing such inspirational contexts to the foreground more often throughout students' IB Physics journey, more of them will be be inspired to pursue further studies in STEM, and contribute to making these future technologies a reality.
An additional aim of this website is to facilitate the teaching of the new (2023) IB Physics guide in a more integrated, thematic and conceptual manner. This expectation has been made explicit in the new guide through the addition of "linking questions", which encourage students to make connections between the different areas of physics that might previously have been studied "compartmentally". Although not directly examined, the IB clearly does expect more "cross-topic conceptual understanding" from students in the longer questions at the end of Paper 2 in the new specimen papers. As such, I have included a list of linking questions that students should be able to attempt to answer as they progress through the unit at the end of the page for each thematic unit of study (found under the Scope and Sequence drop-down menu).
How to use this website:
The scope and sequence is presented under three main "umbrella themes":
The physics of mechatronics (EVs, robotics, eVTOLs, drones, automation, etc.)
The physics of space exploration (rockets, orbits, EM radiation, astrophysics, etc.)
The physics of energy sources (thermal power plants, nuclear energy etc.)
Each theme is explored twice during the course, through different IB Physics syllabus topics.
All guiding questions, syllabus points ("understandings") and "skills in the study of physics" from the IB Physics guide have been mapped to the six units, so you can follow the topics sequence exactly as I have suggested.
The index page provides an overview of how the IB Physics syllabus topics have been mapped to each unit.
Alternatively, you can just browse the units as a source of inspiration for your own PSOW (Practical Scheme of Work) activities and/or ways of integrating what I call "Future Physics Contexts" into your own IB Physics course.
Have fun!
Email questions, comments and suggestions to benson.wallace@gmail.com.