Concepts in Physics: High School Physics - Part 1 With Weekly Labs/Projects

Get $21 off my classes with coupon code DANLEYSAVINGS21 until Aug 1, 2025

A grade is available if requested.  Requirements for a grade are to complete all three tests and 6 of the experiments/projects of the learner’s choosing.

REFUND POLICY: Full refund until 12 hours after the first class meeting (6 hours in the summer).  


What students will learn:
Students will explore key physics concepts through a mix of Socratic teaching, visual aids, and guided problem-solving. Topics include:

Motion, forces, and energy
Newton’s laws and applications
Simple machines
Momentum and collisions
Waves and sound (topics may vary by part)
Real-world connections between concepts

Conceptual understanding is prioritized over memorization—ideal for learners who enjoy critical thinking and active participation.


Each class includes:

Interactive instruction using the Socratic method
Collaborative worksheets with problems and short-answer questions
Optional homework with answer keys
Project-based learning opportunities

Also included: Three optional assessments with answer keys


Required Skills: Students should have a solid foundation in Algebra 1 to succeed.


Who This Course Is For:
Homeschoolers seeking a complete physics course 
High school students needing supplemental physics support
Teens interested in STEM and real-world problem solving
Learners who thrive in interactive, discussion-based environments

Please Note:
This course does not include formal lab reports or in-depth lab experiments, however students will collect and analyze data in certain experiments.  


Week 1 - Linear Motion
Speed, Velocity, Acceleration, Free Falling Objects, Objects Thrown Upward, Air Resistance

Lab/project:  DETERMINING CONSTANT ACCELERATION WITH GRAVITY


Week 2 - Projectile Motion 
Vectors and Scalars, Working with Vectors, Upwardly Launched Projectiles

Lab/Project: PROJECTILE MOTION (SHOOTING A MARBLE FROM A RAMP)


Week 3 - Newton's Laws of Motion
Newton's Three Laws of Motion, Weight, Friction

Lab/Project: HOW HIGH CAN YOUR ROCKET GO?


Week 4 - Momentum
Changes in Momentum, Conservation of Momentum, Elastic and Inelastic Collisions, Momentum Vectors

Lab/Project: EGG DROP CHALLENGE 


Week 5 - Energy
Work, Power, Potential and Kinetic Energy, Conservation of Energy, Machines

Lab/Project: TESTING A CLASS 1 LEVER


Week 6 - Circular Motion and Center of Gravity
Rotational Speed, Centripetal and Centrifugal forces, Center of gravity

Lab/Project: LOCATING THE CENTER OF GRAVITY


Week 7 - Rotational Mechanics
Torque, Rotational Inertia, Angular Momentum

Lab/Project: INVESTIGATING THE MOTION OF A PENDULUM


Week 8 - Universal Gravitation and Gravitational Interactions
Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation, Gravitational Fields, Weight and Weightlessness, Ocean Tides, Black Holes

Lab/Project: CALCULATING THE RADIUS OF THE EARTH


Week 9 - Special Relativity: Space and Time
Space-Time, The First and Second Postulates of Special Relativity, Time Dilation, Space and Time Travel

Lab/Project: WRITE A SHORT STORY WITH CORRECT CALCULATIONS ON THE TWIN PARADOX


Week 10 - Special Relativity: Length, Momentum, and Energy
Length Contraction, Momentum and Inertia in Relativity, Equivalence of Mass and Energy, Kinetic Energy in Relativity, The Correspondence Principle

Lab/Project: LIGHT FROM DISTANT STARS (INTENSITY VERSUS DISTANCE)


Week 11 - Solids and Liquids
Density, Elasticity, Compression and Tension, Liquid Pressure, Buoyancy, Floatation, Pascal's Principle

Lab/Project: BUILDING A MODEL SUBMARINE


Week 12 - Gases
Atmospheric Pressure, Barometers, Boyle's Law, the Bernoulli Principle

Lab/Project: TAKE FLIGHT - DESIGN A FLYING OBJECT


Week 13 - Heat and Heat Transfer
Temperature, Heat, Specific Heat Capacity, Thermal Expansion, Conduction, Convection, Radiation

Lab/Project: COFFEE CUP CALORIMETRY


Week 14 - Thermodynamics
The First Law of Thermodynamics, Engines, Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

Lab Project: THE HEAT DEATH OF THE UNIVERSE (A RESEARCH PROJECT)


Week 15 - Vibrations and Waves
Anatomy of a Wave, Transverse and Longitudinal Waves, Interference, Standing Waves, The Doppler Effect

Lab/Project: MEASURING THE SPEED OF LIGHT


Week 16 - Sound
Sound in Air, Loudness, Resonance, Interference, Beats

Lab/Project: ABSORPTION OF SOUND