Advanced Physics Syllabus 2024-2025

Raisbeck Aviation High School

Brad Fenbert | brad.fenbert@highlineschools.org | 206-631-7200 ex 7240

Office hours: Anytime 30 minutes before and after school, or by appointment.

 

Description of Course: 

In this course, we will explore the scientific principles and concepts of the physical world. Investigations will take us from the sub-atomic to galactic scale, and everything in between. Physics Advanced Studies is an in-depth, lab based course which provides advanced instruction in laws of conservation- thermodynamics- and kinetics; wave and particle phenomena; electromagnetic fields; and fluid dynamics.  Students investigate science concepts through engaging in science and engineering practices of inquiry- modeling- and constructing explanations and arguments.  Laboratory experiences deeply engage students in asking questions- planning- and carrying out rigorous investigations, and analyzing- interpreting- and communicating information.  Mathematical and computational thinking are incorporated throughout. Students also engage in critical engineering practices such as design and evaluation.

 

Course Objectives:

Students in Advanced Physics will build on their observations of the world and deepen their understanding of the laws that govern interactions in the universe. 

Essential Standards:

The essential standards of this course are NGSS and AP Physics 1+2 standards. 

 

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 scientific 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-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 motions of particles (objects) and energy associated with the relative position 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 representions 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 a 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.*

 

Science Practices 1-7 Modeling, mathematical routines, scientific questioning, experimental methods, data analysis, argumentation, making connections. 

Scope and Sequence of Units, Themes or Topics: 

We will cover the following units, including many NGSS standards, as well as content from both AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2.

 

Mechanics

• Engineering/Science Practices

• Kinematics

• Dynamics

• Momentum

• Energy

Electricity, Magnetism and more

• Electricity

• Circuits

• Magnetism 

• Waves

• Light

• Nuclear

• Quantum

• Special and General Relativity

• Thermo/Fluid Dynamics

Required Materials:

A lab notebook and writing utensil. 

Standard calculators will be provided during class. Please bring your own graphing calculator if you prefer. 

 

My commitments:

• I will express genuine curiosity in you as an individual
• I will strive to create a classroom environment that supports everyone
• I will be consistently prepared to provide engaging learning opportunities 
• I will reflect on my own teaching practices and be open to feedback
• I will dedicate my time to your learning and growth

 

My expectations:

You’ll notice my expectations of you mirror the commitments I make to all of my students.

 

• Be Curious. No one knows everything about the world and the people around them. Come to class everyday with a willingness to learn something new about the subject, yourself, and/or the people around you.

• Be Reflective. Our most powerful learning moments don’t come during an experience, but after we take the time to reflect on them afterwards. Take the time to honestly evaluate your engagement, contributions to our community, learning, growth and awesomeness as a human being. 

• Be Engaged. I will provide multiple opportunities, activities and experiences that will challenge your abilities and understanding. Be willing to participate and engage in our daily work. 
• Be Empathetic. We all play a role in creating the classroom culture we will share every day. Causing physical/emotional stress to others will not be tolerated. We all learn best when we feel supported, encouraged and listened to.

• Be Dedicated. Ultimately, the person most responsible for your education is you. Show up dedicated to your own learning, improvement and growth.

Student Classroom Expectations:

Students are expected to fully engage in our learning community and complete all assignments as part of individual and collective learning. Please contact me if you need additional time to complete work or need support to engage in our learning community. If you struggle to complete work and engage in our learning community, I will schedule a meeting with your family to discuss concerns and identify ways to support your learning. 

RAHS provides a lunch time period for students to eat. Therefore, lunches must be consumed during the lunch period only. If you find that you missed lunch for some reason, communicate this to your teacher and consume your food in the lunchroom before returning to class. If you get breakfast in the mornings, you should also finish eating prior to the start of class.  Other snacks may be allowed in the classroom if OK’d by the teacher and only when it is not near computers or in a lab setting. Water is always OK. 

 

RAHS School-Wide Cell Phone Policy:

• Cell phones must be silenced and put away during all class times. Teachers may require phones to be placed in a pocket chart or basket, or put away in your backpack.
• Students may not wear headphones or earbuds of any type during class time.
• Headphones may not be worn during “quiet time” in class, during independent work or while working as a class TA. 
• Cell phones or other digital devices may not be used during bathroom breaks.
• Students may use phones and/or headphones only before and after school, between classes and at lunch, or with the express permission of their teacher for a school related activity.
• Students will always be able to call home from the office if needed.

Standards-Based Grading:

Grades are a reflection of student learning and communicate to the student and family, their progress towards mastery of content skills. Student work is scored on rubrics for the content standards we are learning. Students demonstrate learning through assignments, activities and assessments. In the gradebook, these are described as:

• Formative Assessments or Assignment: Measures students’  understanding during a learning experience and allows for teachers to give feedback to students to inform and allow for growth
• Summative Assessments: Measures understanding after a learning experience is complete, and demonstrates the students knowledge and learning of a standard
• Reassessments (May be listed as optional): Measures understanding after more learning (see below)

Learn more: highlineschools.org/grading 

 

Grading and Reassessment Policy:

• Formative assessments are required because they help you practice skills and give you feedback on your learning before the summative assessment. 
• The most recent scores of formative or summative assessments are used to calculate your grade. Formative assessments you complete early in the semester provide you with feedback on your learning and guide you on how to improve your grade.
• Continued learning is necessary and always encouraged when you do not yet show proficiency in a standard. I will share reassessment opportunities for you to improve your grade. 
• Before you reassess, please talk with me about your plan and complete the required relearning.
• You can reassess up to two weeks after the unit/standard summative assessment is complete. 
• Formative assessments are required to be completed prior to a reassessment on a standard being done.
• Please complete a reassessment request to demonstrate you have gained NEW learning since the last summative assessment. 

 

Late Work and Missing Work:

In order to achieve success in school and in life, it is imperative that students practice and participate in all learning activities. While there may not be a specific grade attached to a “homework” assignment, all work assigned to students holds value in helping students achieve comprehension at a high level. If students fail to complete work or turn in assignments, teachers can not adequately assess where students may need to improve. The benefit of a standards based grading system is that a student, their parents and the teacher, can see students' growth towards a standard and ensure the student is ready for the summative assessment. 

• All late work or missing assignments will be counted as a “0” score (missing) until the student turns in the work.
• Students will have up to two weeks (time) to turn in missing assignments after the unit/standard ends. 
• Late work will not be docked points, but could negatively impact overall grades if the teacher does not have the opportunity to help the student improve.
• No late work will be accepted within one week of the semester/grading period ending. 

Grades:

In StudentVue and ParentVue, the most recent scores for essential standards are averaged and generate a letter grade based on this scale*:

Grade	Average	Description
A	4.0-3.2	Student is meeting most standards and exceeding on some.
B	3.19-2.4	Student is meeting most standards and may be approaching or exceeding on some.
C	2.39-1.6	Student is approaching on most standards and may be beginning or meeting on some.
D	1.59-0.8	Student is beginning on most standards and may be approaching on some.
NC	0.79-0.00	Student has not yet demonstrated learning on most standards and may be beginning in some. In high school, the NC does not earn credit for a course.
P	Pass	The P grade is used in Advisory and indicates participation in advisory activities.

*These are general descriptions and there may be exceptions.

Academic Honesty Policy: 

We take academic honesty seriously. You are expected to maintain the highest levels of integrity. It is important that we can assess what you know and can do independently so that we can accurately support your learning. Here are guidelines that ensure that you are upholding academic honesty:

• Do your own work: Do not  copy or plagiarize someone else's work, including text, images or ideas. Strive to produce original work that represents your own thoughts and ideas.

• Give credit: If you use a source such as a book, article, website or generative AI, you must give appropriate credit. Include a citation that clearly identifies the source of your information. 

 

Failure to uphold academic honesty will be addressed and corrected, including but not limited to re-doing the assignment and family conferences. Academic honesty ensures you are learning and growing in the most effective way possible.