IB Physics SL Course Outline Board Approved: March 27, 2012 I. Course Information A. Course Title: International Baccalaureate Physics SL B. Course Code Number: 6SC703 C. Course Length: Two Years D. Grade Level: 11 - 12 E. Units of Credit: 10 Credits (per year) F. Prerequisites: Success in Math and Science classes G. Type of Course: Required: Meets the UC/CSU entrance ―d‖ requirement II. Course Description This course will aim to provide students with opportunities to study, at a both theoretical and empirical level, a broad range of physics topics. The subject material will consist of generally accepted physics principles in measurement, mechanics, thermal physics, oscillations, waves and many other components. The goal is for students to learn key concepts in each topic and apply their understanding in a local and global context. Emphasis will be placed on external and internal assessments. Diploma Programme subject outline—Group 4: experimental sciences School name Edgewood High School Name of the DP subject Physics Level Higher (indicate with X) Name of the teacher who completed this outline Date when outline was completed School code Standard completed in two years X 006916 Standard completed in one year * Rick Bernard Date of IB training June 2010 May 2011 Name of workshop Biology 1, Category 1 (indicate name of subject and workshop category) * All Diploma Programme courses are designed as two-year learning experiences. However, up to two standard level subjects, excluding languages ab initio and pilot subjects, can be completed in one year, according to conditions established in the Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme. 1. Course outline – Use the following table to organize the topics to be taught in the course. If you need to include topics that cover other requirements you have to teach (for example, national syllabus), make sure that you do so in an integrated way, but also differentiate them using italics. Add as many rows as you need. – This document should not be a day-by-day accounting of each unit. It is an outline showing how you will distribute the topics and the time to ensure that students are prepared to comply with the requirements of the subject. – This outline should show how you will develop the teaching of the subject. It should reflect the individual nature of the course in your classroom and should not just be a ―copy and paste‖ from the subject guide. – If you will teach both higher and standard level, make sure that this is clearly identified in your outline. Topic/unit Contents (as identified in the IB subject guide) Allocated time One class is 56 minutes. In one week there are 5 classes. State the topics/units in the order you are planning to teach them. Year 1 Physics and Physical Measurements. -The realm of physics 2 weeks -Measurement and uncertainties -Vectors and scalars Mechanics -Kinematics 10 weeks -Forces and dynamics -Work, energy, and power -Uniform circular motion Thermal Physics -Thermal concepts 5 weeks -Thermal properties of matter Oscillations and Waves -Kinematics of simple harmonic motion (SHM) -Energy changes during simple harmonic motion -Forced Oscillations and resonance -Wave characteristics -Wave properties Assessment instruments to be used 6 weeks Resources List the main resources to be used, including information technology if applicable. Summative assessments will be used such as IB standard based tests IB Physics textbook Formative assessments will be used as well such as labs and IB based projects. Internet access Google Docs Student issued laptops Topic/unit Contents (as identified in the IB subject guide) Allocated time One class is 56 minutes. In one week there are 5 classes. State the topics/units in the order you are planning to teach them. Electric Currents -Electric potential difference, current and resistance 5 weeks -Electric circuits Fields and forces -Gravitational forces and field -Electric force and field -Magnetic force and field Assessment instruments to be used 5 weeks Resources List the main resources to be used, including information technology if applicable. Topic/unit Contents (as identified in the IB subject guide) Allocated time One class is 56 minutes. In one week there are 5 classes. State the topics/units in the order you are planning to teach them. Year 2 Atomic and nuclear physics -The atom 6 weeks -Radioactive decay -Nuclear reactions, fission, and fusion Energy, power, and climate change -Energy degradation and power generation 8 weeks -World energy sources -Fossil Fuel power production -non-fossil fuel power production -greenhouse effect -global warming Option E: Astrophysics -Introduction to the universe -Stellar radiation and stellar types -Stellar distances -Cosmology Assessment instruments to be used 8 weeks Resources List the main resources to be used, including information technology if applicable. Topic/unit Contents (as identified in the IB subject guide) Allocated time One class is 56 minutes. In one week there are 5 classes. State the topics/units in the order you are planning to teach them. Option G: Electromagnetic waves -Nature of EM waves and light sources Assessment instruments to be used Resources List the main resources to be used, including information technology if applicable. 8 weeks -Optical instruments -Two-source interference of waves -Diffraction grating 2. The group 4 project As the IB guides say, ―The group 4 project is a collaborative activity where students from different group 4 subjects work together on a scientific or technological topic, allowing for concepts and perceptions from across the disciplines to be shared in line with aim 10—that is, to ‗encourage an understanding of the relationships between scientific disciplines and the overarching nature of the scientific method.‘‖ Describe how you will organize this activity. Indicate the timeline and subjects involved, if applicable. Group 4 Project The group 4 project, which will be a collaborative effort between Biology (HL) and Physics (SL) students. Group Design Groups will consist of at least one Physics (SL) and one Biology (HL) student with a maximum of four students. Lab Equipment/Facilities Labs will be open before school and after school on specified dates that will be posted. Students may use the facilities and equipment during this time to conduct their research, perform experiments, analyse results, and/or prepare final report. Instructors will be present in a supervisory capacity only. Student groups are expected to generate their own procedures, conduct their own analysis and draw their own conclusions. Time Frame In the spring semester of the students junior year (April), students will select lab groups, topic, and specific experimental questions. (2-4 hours) In the fall semester of the second year, groups may schedule lab time as necessary in order to conduct their research. Research should be completed by the end of October. (6-8 hours) Final report/presentation is to be completed by the end of the fall semester (December) of the second year (4-6 hours). A record log of hours spent working on the project (experimental design, lab work, analysis, and conclusion) and group/peer self evaluations will also be due at this time period. 3. IB practical work and the internal assessment requirement to be completed during the course As you know, students should undergo 40 hours (at standard level) or 60 hours (at higher level) of practical work related to the syllabus. Use the table below to indicate the name of the experiment you would propose for the different topics in the syllabus. Indicate which experiments you would use for assessing each of the internal assessment criteria—design (D), data collection and processing (DCP) and conclusion and evaluation (CE). An example is given. Add as many rows as necessary. Name of the topic Experiment Indicate the experiments you would use for assessing design (D), data collection and processing (DCP) and conclusion and evaluation (CE) Any ICT used? Remember you must use all five within your programme. (use D, DCP or CE) Acids and bases Titration Physics and physical movementScientific Method Measurement Lab DCP Yes No Estimation Lab Circle Lab Mechanics Constant velocity experiment D, DCP, CE Yes Constant acceleration experiment Gravitational field strength lab Free-fall experiment Force table experiment Running up a hill investigation Washers on a string experiment Thermal Physics Kinetic theory investigation and simulation Heat capacity lab Pressure and volume of a gas lab Yes Name of the topic Experiment Indicate the experiments you would use for assessing design (D), data collection and processing (DCP) and conclusion and evaluation (CE) Any ICT used? Remember you must use all five within your programme. (use D, DCP or CE) Oscillations and waves Simple harmonic oscillation investigation Yes Resonance experiment Waves and energy transfer investigation Wave interference investigation Wave simulations Sound labs Wave speed experiment Electric Currents Electric field simulation Yes Ohm‘s Law lab Voltage across and current through a wire experiment Vandegraff generator simulation Circuit Labs Battery investigation Fields and Forces Gravitational field force strength lab No Magnetic field investigations Magnetic field around solenoid lab Energy, power and climate change Energy degradation lab Power generation research Constructing mini power plant activity Greenhouse gases experiment Yes Name of the topic Experiment Indicate the experiments you would use for assessing design (D), data collection and processing (DCP) and conclusion and evaluation (CE) Any ICT used? Remember you must use all five within your programme. (use D, DCP or CE) Astrophysics Scaling activity Yes Stellar life cycle activity Parallax lab Electromagnetic Waves Refraction experiments No Thin lens experiment – converging/diverging Multiple lens systems lab Interference simulations Diffraction Grating Lab 4. Laboratory facilities Describe the laboratory and indicate whether it is presently equipped to facilitate the practical work that you have indicated in the chart above. If it is not, indicate the timeline to achieve this objective and describe the safety measures that are applicable. The laboratory facilities are sufficient. We have a stock room that is able to equip appropriate lab supplies. The room has mobile tables to assist in group work. It also consists of seven sinks, paper towel dispensers, electrical outlets, an eye wash and vent. 5. Other resources Indicate what other resources the school has to support the implementation of the subject and what plans there are to improve them, if needed. As a brand new school, district funds have been allotted in developing a media centre with access to up to date computers, software, and research software for students to utilize. Students will be given textbooks for IB SL Physics as well. Plans are on going in the development of access to software based curriculum in the classroom. Every student has a laptop and students will have access to Google Docs to explore assignments and various IB Science topics. 6. Links to TOK You are expected to explore links between the topics of your subject and TOK. As an example of how you would do this, choose one topic from your course outline that would allow your students to make links with TOK. Describe how you would plan the lesson. Topic Link with TOK (including description of lesson plan) Pseudoscience/Scientific Method Today in many different cultures are beliefs that are held high. Are these beliefs subjected to Science or are they left to ―faith‖? What causes people to believe various aspects of the paranormal. The objective of the lesson would be to examine claims made in the area of pseudoscience. These include the paranormal, psychic mediums, and alternative medicine. Students will explore the various aspects of the claims of these ―believers.‖ Students will address the following questions. What knowledge claims are made? In what ways are they scientific? In what ways are they not? What evidence is there of the paranormal efficacy? Students will be able to make a presentation in identifying a claim and discussing it as whether it is supported by science. Students‘ task will be to research the pseudoscience topic of choice and evaluate claims, historic relevance, and scientific congruency. 7. International mindedness Every IB course should contribute to the development of international mindedness in students. As an example of how you would do this, choose one topic from your outline that would allow your students to analyse it from different cultural perspectives. Briefly explain the reason for your choice and what resources you will use to achieve this goal. Topic Contribution to the development of international mindedness (including resources you will use) Energy, power, and climate change How has human affect the environment? Students will present findings of the controversy of ―Global warming.‖ Has humans really caused global warming or is it just cycles that the earth goes through? Students will address what nations have addressed this environmental issue. They will research social issues that impact the way government address environmental concerns. The reason for choosing this topic is because this is a global topic that affects the global community. Students will study and discuss the contributions of scientists from around the world that have impacted social choices in human lifestyles. In dealing with physics, a key question that will be examined is: What energy saving devices can be implemented in a culture‘s lifestyle? This question will address various topics such as automobile manufacturing, energy resources, and other combustion devices that impact the environment. The resources that will be used are articles from recent publications addressing global warming, multi-media presentations, and the use of student laptops for internet research. 8. Development of the IB learner profile Through the course it is also expected that students will develop the attributes of the IB learner profile. As an example of how you would do this, choose one topic from your course outline and explain how the contents and related skills would pursue the development of any attribute(s) of the IB learner profile that you will identify. Topic Contribution to the development of the attribute(s) of the IB learner profile Mechanics The goal throughout the course will be to promote the IB Learner Profile. The education of the whole person will always be the main goal which includes social, personal, and emotional growth in additional to intellectual growth. In physics the concept of equilibrium (cause and effect) can be very helpful in explaining the market mechanism in economics. What in economics are the limits in the market equilibrium comparison with the physics understanding of equilibrium? Also, students will be able to explore aspects of finances in a personal, local and global economy. In mechanical physics there is an action and reaction in relation to forces. So too in one‘s personal life for every choice one makes, there is a consequence, positive or negative. The goal will be to relate physics in a student to accept personal responsibility.
