This is the First Semester of a Two Semester High School Physics course, however with a twist! My teaching methodology is project based learning. This class will even include “at home labs” and a super fun final projects where the students will create their very own Rube-Goldberg Machine using the principles and practices from the class! If you don't know what that means, think of the game Mouse Trap where you do a ton of steps to complete a very simple task. The Class will cover the standards of High School Physical Science based in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). This includes everything from the Laws of Motion, Simple Machines, Thermodynamics, Light & Sound, Magnetism and so much more. In addition, there will be “at home” labs, where they will learn the scientific method as well as the standard format for lab write-ups. It takes the mystery out of how to report on the results of a lab and prepares them for college science. One of the documents you receive upon enrolling is that form.

Another very exciting part about this class is what I call Education Live Action Role Play (Edu-LARP) Assignments. It is called "Lost in Space". In this class we simulate a situation where the student has been marooned on a strange planet called Gammalon somewhere in space. They will need to use their physics and other science knowledge to over come the challenges they encounter to survive and find their way home to Terra Firma. These assignments not only make the learning fun, but it usually includes at home builds that solve the problems using everyday household items. These steps can then be used for their final project at the end of Semester 2.

The most important part of what we will be covering, in the course, is WHY YOUR STUDENT CARES ABOUT PHYSICS. You might think the last statement would be obvious. However, over the 20+ years of teaching, what I have discovered is lacking from most courses is how it directly relates to the students’ lives and future educational/professional goals. How many times have you heard the words, “I’ll never use __________ in life! Why am I learning it!” I make sure that each student understands, no matter what they end up doing in their life physics will help them comprehend how the world around them works. I make an effort to learn what those goals interests are, so I can be sure to point it out. 

During this course we will have discussions on the topics (not lectures). There will usually be some slides and some notes for them to take. We will also have some quizzes and exams to encourage them to study and these make great samples if you are with a charter school.  There will also be lots of outside resources that will help your learner to understand the material according to their learning style. We try a multi prong attack of reading, visuals, videos, projects, and of course class time to be sure that each person understands the material. Each day will consist of going over the answers to the quiz or homework assignment from the week prior. This is where we will discuss and answer any remaining questions. Then, we will have our discussion about the new science topics. Finally, depending on the day, we will also discuss any labs that they might have completed since our last session. The students will have a list of what we will cover each week that is sent out as students enroll in the classes. 

The final project for the class is the Rube-Goldberg Machine. A Rube-Goldberg Machine is a complicated series of precise events that are required to do what would normally be a very simple task. They need to construct it using at least one step from each of the units from the syllabus to complete their simple everyday task. Students in past years have done everything from a machine that moved a chess piece to put the king into check to inflating a rugby ball in preparation for practice. The more steps the more interesting and exciting. It is a brilliant way to apply the knowledge they have gained from their studies during the year. 

Here are the NGSS Standards to be covered:
HS-PS1-8 Develop models to illustrate the changes in the composition of the nucleus of the atom
and the energy released during the processes of fission, fusion, and radioactive decay
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 science and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, and refine a device that
minimizes the force on a macroscopic object during a collision
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
HS-PS2-5 Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that an electric current can
produce a magnetic field and that a changing magnetic field can produce an electric current
HS-PS2-6 Communicate scientific and technical information about why the molecular-level
structure is important in the functioning of designed materials
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-PS3-2 Develop and use models to illustrate that energy at the macroscopic scale can be
accounted for as a combination of energy associated with the motion of particles (objects) and
energy associated with the relative positions of particles (objects)
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)
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
HS-PS4-1 Use mathematical representations to support a claim regarding relationships among
the frequency, wavelength, and speed of waves traveling in various media
HS-PS4-2 Evaluate questions about the advantages of using digital transmission and storage of
information
HS-PS4-3 Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning behind the idea that electromagnetic
radiation can be described either by a wave model or a particle model, and that for some
situations one model is more useful than the other
HS-PS4-4 Evaluate the validity and reliability of claims in published materials of the effects that
different frequencies of electromagnetic radiation have when absorbed by matter
HS-PS4-5 Communicate technical information about how some technological devices use the
principles of wave behavior and wave interactions with matter to transmit and capture
information and energy
HS-ESS1-1 Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the life span of the sun and the role
of nuclear fusion in the sun’s core to release energy that eventually reaches Earth in the form of
radiation
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
element
HS-ESS1-4 Use mathematical or computational representations to predict the motion of orbiting
objects in the solar system
HS-ESS1-5 Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and oceanic
crust and the theory of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks
HS-ESS1-6 Apply scientific reasoning and evidence from ancient Earth materials, meteorites,
and other planetary surfaces to construct an account of Earth’s formation and early history
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-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-ETS1-2 Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller,
more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering
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
HS-ETS1-4 Use a computer simulation to model the impact of proposed solutions to a complex
real-world problem with numerous criteria and constraints on interactions within and between
systems relevant to the problem