401 Physics H

Gr 9 | |6 Class Credits |1 Lab Credit | Year-Long | 6x per Cycle

PREREQUISITE: It is highly recommended that students who take honors physics are enrolled in an honors level mathematics course.

Physics at the Honors level provides students with an in-depth overview of physics topics including mechanics, electricity and magnetism, heat, waves, and energy. The course is designed for students who have a strong proiciency in mathematics, including the ability to easily solve algebraic equations. Students will be expected to express understanding in clear, coherent writing, and to demonstrate mastery of problem-solving techniques. Laboratory work is an integral part of the course. In lab, students will develop foundational science skills, such as experimental design, qualitative and quantitative observations, data and graph analysis, and meaningful communication of scientific results. This rigorous and fast-paced course is suitable for students who can work independently in order to master the material and have advanced skills in reading, writing, math, and data analysis. It is recommended that students also be concurrently enrolled in honors math. This course prepares students for the Introductory Physics MCAS.

Essential Skills in the Physics Honors Classroom

SKILL 1: Investigating Practices

Students will be able to solve problems mathematically using relevant physics content in familiar and unfamiliar contexts. 

Students will be able to use proportional reasoning to solve problems using relevant physics content in familiar and unfamiliar contexts. 

SKILL 2: Sensemaking Practices

Students will be able to analyze and interpret data using relevant physics content in familiar and unfamiliar contexts. 

Students will be able to construct an explanation for a scientific phenomenon using relevant physics content in familiar and unfamiliar contexts.