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Course
Profile Physics (SPH4U), Grade 12, University
Preparation, Public
Course Overview
Policy Document: The
Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12, Science, 2000.
Prerequisite: Physics
SPH3U, Grade 11, University Preparation
Course Description
This course enables students
to deepen their understanding of the concepts and theories of physics. Students
will explore further the laws of dynamics and energy transformations, and will
investigate electrical, gravitational, and magnetic fields; electromagnetic
radiation; and the interface between energy and matter. They will further
develop their inquiry skills, learning, for example, how the interpretation of
experimental data can provide indirect evidence to support the development of a
scientific model. Students will also consider the impact on society and the
environment of technological applications of physics.
Course Notes
The Goals of Grade 12 Physics
SPH4U has
three goals as identified in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12:
Science, 2000 (p. 6):
· to relate science to technology, society, and the environment;
· to develop skills, strategies, and habits of mind required for scientific inquiry;
· to understand basic concepts of science.
The activities and assessment tasks in this Course Profile reflect the
importance of the three goals and have been developed around clusters of
Specific Expectations. A design down approach was used in developing the
overview and planning the individual units. Based on the Overall Expectations,
Unit 6 – Final Assessment Tasks was developed first followed by the End-of-Unit
Tasks. The Expectations in each unit were clustered into activities that
connected together logically and provided the necessary background knowledge
and skills to be applied in the completion of the End-of-Unit Tasks. The unit
activities were then expanded following each overview chart. The list of
suggested activities is not intended to be either restrictive or prescriptive;
instead its intent is to provide teachers with suggestions for course
development. Teachers may adapt the profile, including the clustering of
expectations, to suit their circumstances and to match the needs of their
students.
Scientific Literacy for All Students
The
paramount task of science education is to develop scientific literacy – the
combination of knowledge, skills, and habits of mind that enable all students
to think creatively, reason logically, evaluate information critically, and
communicate effectively. This is an essential base for making productive and
ethical decisions, not only about scientific and technological issues, but in
all areas of life. This course is also designed to enhance the preparation of
students intending to study physics and related fields at the university level.
The Ontario
Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Science, 2000 notes, that “Achieving excellence in scientific literacy is not the
same as becoming a science specialist.” (p. 4) The focus in Grade 12 Physics is
scientific literacy for all students, with preparation for further studies in
physics and related disciplines for some students. The policy document goes on
to note, “The newer aspects of the science curriculum – especially those that
focus on science, technology, society, and the environment (STSE) – call for
students to deal with the impacts of science on society and the environment,
which includes both the natural environment and the workplace environment.
This requirement brings in issues that relate to human values. Science
can therefore not be viewed as merely a matter of “facts”; rather, it is a
subject in which students learn to weigh the complex combinations of fact and
value that developments in science and technology have given rise to in modern
society.” (p. 4) This perspective is consistent with the vision advanced in
this Course Profile. The challenge in delivering the course is to find ways to
bring to the classroom an STSE focus from which the specific facts and skills
of physics derive naturally.
Policy Requirements
The
Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Science, 2000 (pp. 8–10) contains recommendations regarding
teaching approaches and curriculum expectations that are reflected in this
profile and should be evident in courses developed using this profile as a
template:
·
The expectations
in science courses call for an active, experimental approach to learning, and
require all students to participate regularly in laboratory activities;
·
Where opportunity
allows, students might be required, as part of their laboratory activities, to
design and conduct research on a real scientific problem for which the results
are unknown;
·
Where possible,
concepts should be introduced in the context of real-world problems and issues;
·
In all courses, a
list of expectations is given that precedes the strands. These expectations
describe skills that are considered to be essential for scientific
investigation, e.g., skills in research, in the use of materials, and in the
use of units of measurement, and skills required for investigating possible
careers in the subject area. These skills apply to all areas of course content
and must be developed in all strands of the course. Assessment of
students’ mastery of these skills must be included in the evaluation of
students’ achievement of the expectations for the course (The Ontario
Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Science, 2000 p. 101). In this profile, these
expectations will be called Science Investigative Skills (SIS). When developing
detailed course plans, teachers use the SIS Expectations as a primary guide.
Planning and Implementing Grade 12
Physics
As teachers organize
and plan the delivery of expectations of SPH4U, using and/or adapting
activities described in this profile, they should consider the following:
·
SPH4U requires an
emphasis on inquiry skills. Through a variety of investigations, students
describe objects and events, ask questions, construct explanations, test those
explanations against current scientific knowledge, and communicate their ideas
to others. They identify their assumptions, use critical and logical thinking,
and consider alternative explanations. Direct experience with materials and
laboratory equipment is necessary to illuminate theoretical concepts and
develop skills.
·
Learning
activities in this Course Profile are set in a context that relates science to
technology, society, and the environment.
·
A number of
activities in this Course Profile have a research focus that requires accessing
information beyond the laboratory or field trip. Students should be taught
explicitly how to use all available sources of information – people, print,
online sources and other media, both within the school and in the community.
They should also be given opportunities to use those skills, and to overcome
the frustrations that invariably accompany the location and acquisition of
quality information. However, care must be taken that student time is spent
primarily on processing information rather than accessing information, so that
the search does not become an end in itself.
·
The expectations
are central to all aspects of this Course Profile. The context in which each
unit is delivered, the skills and concepts developed, and the assessment tasks
used must be interconnected and linked to the expectations. The assessment data
accumulated throughout the course must be sufficient (in variety and number) to
permit teachers to evaluate the consistent level of performance for each
student in each of the categories in the Achievement Chart for Science.
·
The SIS
Expectations are so critical to the development of scientific literacy that
they are given special emphasis in learning activities and are often revisited
e.g., designing and conducting experiments, analysing and synthesizing of
information. They describe curriculum priorities, enduring understandings, and
core learning; students must explore these in depth rather than simply becoming
familiar with them. These expectations are taught, assessed, evaluated and
revisited using alternate instructional strategies.
·
Students
interpret new information in terms of what they already know. They try to make
sense of what is taught by trying to fit it with their experiences.
Understanding key concepts results when students have opportunities to develop
skills and construct understanding through concrete experiences and then to
create generalizations from those personal experiences. The teacher must be
aware of the learning experiences that students have had prior to Grade 12, and
use those as building blocks to new and more complex concepts. Students may
also arrive with misconceptions that will interfere with their ability to
understand new concepts. Identifying and eliminating misconceptions may be
required at times. A number of diagnostic tools and activities are suggested
throughout this profile to identify prior knowledge and misconceptions.
·
Terminology,
formulae and algorithms should be viewed by students as tools for solving
problems and communicating ideas, not as problems in themselves; they should
not dominate the curriculum. SPH4U is intended to promote scientific literacy
and to build a background in a science discipline. It is important to emphasize
key skills and concepts without obscuring them by expecting students to
memorize a multitude of facts, formulae, and equations. Students could be
encouraged to develop reference sheets of significant formulae, algorithms and
concepts for use in class and on tests or examinations. When the size of the
sheet is limited, e.g., to a single-sided sheet of paper, handwritten,
preparation requires that students review their work, then identify and
summarize critical information. Such reference sheets may be submitted for
assessment and evaluation as part of an End-of-Unit Task or a component of the
Final Assessment Task for the course. Teachers may also choose to supply a
reference sheet for student use. Use of reference sheets allows teachers to move
the focus of evaluation away from factual recall and toward higher-level
thinking skills.
·
This Course
Profile describes a Physics course in which students are encouraged to ask
their own questions, and in some cases to find their own answers by inquiry –
through experiment, research or the innovation of a device or process.
Fundamental to the skill set of a scientifically literate person is the ability
to ask quality questions, to interpret the answers critically, and to identify
unstated assumptions.
·
In this Course
Profile there is a reduced emphasis on traditional laboratory activities in
which students are provided step-by-step instructions, and more emphasis on
developing students’ ability to devise and carry out components of procedures
within well-defined limits. The teacher’s role is to decide what knowledge and
skills students must have for them to proceed safely and successfully in a
laboratory setting, without reducing their part in the process to being
followers of recipes with entirely predictable results. Many traditional
laboratory exercises can be made more open-ended by rewording statements into
questions, and replacing detailed procedures with a teacher-led class
discussion. This could be followed by a challenge that requires students to devise
a procedure and have its safety confirmed by the teacher before carrying it
out. By making decisions regarding what data to collect and which format to use
for reporting both data and results, students develop skills of inquiry and
communication essential in science.
Resources
Resources are listed throughout the Unit Overviews and the developed unit wherever the writers felt it provided the most support for teachers. The URLs for the websites were verified by the writers prior to publication. Given the frequency with which these designations change, teachers should always verify the website prior to assigning them for student use.
Units in
this course profile make reference to the use of specific texts, magazines,
films, videos, and websites. Teachers need to consult their board policies
regarding use of any copyrighted materials. Before reproducing materials for
student use from printed publications, teachers need to ensure that their board
has a Cancopy licence and that this licence covers the resources they wish to
use. Before screening videos/films with their students, teachers need to ensure
that their board/ school has obtained the appropriate public performance
videocassette licence from an authorized distributor, e.g., Audio Cine Films
Inc. Teachers are reminded that much of the material on the Internet is
protected by copyright. The copyright is usually owned by the person or
organization that created the work. Reproduction of any work or substantial
part of any work on the Internet is not allowed without the permission of the
owner.
The two
resources listed below offer suggestions for co-operative work groups and the
use of graphic organizers such as concept maps:
Bennet,
Barrie and Carol Rolheiser. Beyond Monet –- The Artful Science of Instructional
Integration. Toronto: Bookation, Inc., 2001. ISBN 0-9695388-3-9
Billmeyer, Rachel and Mary Lee Barton. Teaching Reading in the Content Areas –- If Not Me, Then Who? McREL, 1998. (Available through McREL – Mid-continent Regional Eductional Laboratory)
Rationale for the Unit Sequence of
the Course Profile
The unit sequence in
this profile was chosen to build on the concepts developed in Grade 11, and use
those concepts to develop qualitative and quantitative understanding of motion,
energy, momentum, fundamental forces and fields, light and the matter-energy
interface. Discussion of motion leads to momentum and the conservation of
energy. The techniques developed in the earlier units are used to develop an
understanding of the vector nature of forces and fields. Light is introduced
prior to the matter-energy interface unit as background for wave-particle
duality.
Alternatively,
teachers could start with the light and matter-energy interface units and then
cover classical physics. This alternative approach gives students a sense of
modern physics concepts and is strikingly different from the Grade 11 course.
If this approach is used, momentum will have to be covered qualitatively, and
inertial and non-inertial frames of reference will need to be introduced earlier
in the course.
Units: Titles and Times
|
Unit 1 |
Forces and Motion:
Dynamics |
20 hours |
|
Unit 2 |
Energy and
Momentum |
20 hours |
|
Unit 3 |
Electric,
Gravitational, and Magnetic Fields |
20 hours |
|
Unit 4 |
The Wave Nature of
Light |
20 hours |
|
* Unit 5 |
Matter-Energy Interface |
20 hours |
|
Unit 6 |
Final Assessment
Tasks |
10 hours |
* This unit is fully
developed in this Course Profile.
Unit Overviews
|
Key to Abbreviations |
|
K/U =
Knowledge/Understanding |
Unit 1: Forces and Motion: Dynamics
Time: 20 hours
Unit Description
This unit develops
students’ understanding of motion of objects with reference to the forces
acting on them. Students, through laboratory investigations and simulations,
analyse and solve problems involving forces using vectors, graphs, and
free-body diagrams. Students analyse the dynamics of motion with respect to the
development and use of technology in various fields such as space travel and
the development of sports equipment.
Unit Overview Chart
|
Activity/Time/ Focus |
Learning Expectations |
Assessment Categories |
|
|
1.1 |
Linear Motion |
FMV.01, FM1.01,
FM1.02, FM2.01, FM2.02 |
Knowledge/Understanding |
|
1.2 |
Frames of
Reference |
FMV.01, FMV.02,
FM1.01, FM1.05 |
Making Connections |
|
1.3 |
Projectile Motion |
FMV.01, FMV.02,
FM1.01, FM1.02, FM1.03, FM2.03 |
Making Connections |
|
1.4 |
Circular Motion |
FMV.01, FMV.02,
FM1.01, FM1.04, FM1.05, FM2.04 |
Making Connections |
|
1.5 |
Planetary Motion |
FMV.01, FMV.02,
FMV.03, FM1.06, FM2.04, FM3.02 |
Inquiry |
|
1.6 |
Projectile Device
I (Spring Fling I) |
FMV.01, FMV.02,
FMV.03, FM1.03, FM2.03,, FM3.01, FM3.02 |
Inquiry |
Suggested Activities
Linear Motion
1.1.1 Introduction to
End-of-Unit Task with reference to Final Assessment Tasks.
1.1.2 Discussion and analysis of the motion of
objects in horizontal planes (with reference to forces).
1.1.3 Discussion and analysis
of the motion of objects in vertical planes (with reference to forces).
1.1.4 Investigation:
x and y components and the analysis of the motion of objects in
inclined planes; prediction and explanation of motion with reference to the
forces acting on the objects.
Assessment Lab
Report (I, C), Quiz (K/U)
Optional: Create a computer simulation of a
sport/technology application.
Frames of Reference
1.2.1 Investigation:
Using a film, direct observation, or simulation, a ball is launched vertically
from a moving cart. Determine the x and y positions of the ball
relative to the cart, and relative to the ground. Hence, determine the relative
velocities.
1.2.2 Problem-solving: Relative
motion.
Assessment Lab
Report (MC, I, C), Quiz (K/U, MC)
Projectile Motion
1.3.1
Development of
the projectile motion equations and their conditions of use:
1.3.2 Problems involving projectile motion
1.3.3 Investigations:
a) Determine the “muzzle” velocity of a projectile shot vertically into air:
b) Predict the maximum
height of a projectile shot vertically into the air:
1.3.4 Investigation: Predict the height and distance reached by a
projectile given q and v1 (from the previous
investigation).
1.3.5 Discussion and design: Projectile launcher
design (Appendix 1 – Spring Fling Challenge I)
Assessment Lab
reports (MC, I, K/U, C), Written quiz (K/U, MC)
Circular Motion
1.4.1 Discussion of potential misconception:
centrifugal and centripetal acceleration.
1.4.2 Demonstrations: Ball on a string, water in
a bucket, buoy and bottle (accelerometer), etc.
1.4.3 Discussion:
When does water flow up hill? When it flows south. For example, the earth’s
bulge at its centre results in all south flowing rivers flowing “uphill.”
1.4.4 Derivations:
1.4.5 Investigation:
Predict and determine Fc, ac, T, and/or f given a
carousel, merry-go-round, roundabout, turntable, CD-ROM, etc.
1.4.6 Problem-solving:
Circular motion in both horizontal and vertical directions, e.g., leaning a
bike on a curve/banking a plane.
Assessment Lab
Reports (MC, I, K/U, C), Written Quiz (K/U, MC)
Planetary Motion
1.5.1 Teacher-led lesson: Newton and the Law of
Universal Gravitation.
1.5.2 Research: Historical determination of the
gravitational constant (G).
1.5.3 Development: Relationship between G and the
acceleration due to gravity (g).
1.5.4 Research: Variations in g.
1.5.5 Teacher-led
lesson: The orbits of natural and artificial satellites in geosynchronous and
non-geosynchronous orbits developing and using:
1.5.6 Problem-solving: Planetary motion.
Assessment Written/Oral
Reports (MC, I, K/U, C), Quiz (K/U, MC)
Optional: Create a simple computer simulation
of planetary motion.
Projectile Device I
1.6.1 Presentation: Students present their
projectile device, explaining its features.
1.6.2 Challenge:
Students take part in “Spring Fling Challenge I” (Appendix 1 – Spring Fling
Challenge I) or a similar projectile building project.
Assessment Unit
Test (K/U, MC); Oral presentation: theory and hypothesized use of device
(K/U, MC, C);
Prototype: development, testing, effectiveness (I, K/U)
Resources
Interactive Physics 2000 –
http://www.interactivephysics.com
A source of a variety of Physics simulations.
Unit 2: Energy and Momentum
Time: 20 hours
Unit Description
This unit develops
students’ understanding of work, energy, momentum, and conservation of energy
and momentum. Through laboratory investigations and simulations, students
analyse and solve problems involving energy and momentum using vectors, graphs,
and free-body diagrams. Students analyse and describe the design and
development of collision and impact-absorbing devices with respect to energy
and momentum changes.
Unit Overview Chart
|
Activity/Time/Focus |
Learning Expectations |
Assessment Categories |
|
|
2.1 |
Momentum and
Impulse |
EMV.01, EMV.02,
EMV.03, EM1.01, EM1.02, EM2.01, EM3.01 |
Communication |
|
2.2 |
Work and Energy |
EMV.01, EMV.02,
EMV.03, EM1.01, EM1.02, EM1.03, EM1.05, EM2.02, EM3.01 |
Inquiry |
|
2.3 |
Collisions |
EMV.01, EMV.02,
EMV.03, EM1.01, EM1.04, EM2.01, EM3.02 |
Making Connections |
|
2.4 |
Hooke’s Law |
EMV.01, EMV.02,
EMV.03, EM1.08, EM2.02, EM3.01, EM3.02 |
Inquiry |
|
2.5 |
Motion of
Celestial Objects, Gravitational Potential Energy, and Rockets |
EMV.01, EM1.01,
EM1.06, EM1.07 |
Inquiry |
|
2.6 |
Projectile Device
II (Spring Fling Challenge II) |
EMV.01, EMV.03,
EMV.08, EM1.01, EM1.05, EM2.01, EM3.01 |
Inquiry |
Suggested Activities
Momentum and
Impulse
2.1.1 Introduction to End-of-Unit Task with
reference to Final Assessment Tasks.
2.1.2 Introduction
to this unit using various demonstrations of devices that show conservation of
energy, e.g., roller coaster, Newton’s Cradle, momentum e.g., gyroscope, coin
drop, impulse, Eg, Ee; thermal energy, e.g., calorimeter;
Simple Harmonic Motion, e.g., pendulum.
2.1.3 Discussion: Momentum and Impulse relating
back to Newton’s Laws.
2.1.4 Investigation:
Students design and conduct an experiment to demonstrate the conservation of
momentum in linear and 2-dimensional air tables. Analysis of experiment is done
using vector diagrams.
Assessment Lab Reports (I, C), Written
Quiz (K/U), Optional: Create a computer simulation of one of the concepts
developed in the section. (I, K/U)
Work and Energy
2.2.1 Discussion: Develop W=FDd, What is work?
2.2.2 Discussion:
Types of energy and related formulae: Ek = ˝ mv2, Ep
= ˝ kx2, Eg = mgh, EH=Q=mcDT,
2.2.3 Investigation:
Students design and perform an experiment to determine Ek, Ep
and ET of an object, e.g., pendulum, model car on a hill, model
roller-coaster throughout its motion. Follow with a discussion on the
conservation of energy.
2.2.4 Problem-solving: Work and energy theorem
problems.
Assessment Lab
Report (MC, I, K/U, C), Problem Set (K/U, I, C), Written Quiz (K/U, MC)
Optional: Create a computer simulation of one of the concepts developed
in the section. (I, K/U)
Collisions
2.3.1 Investigation: Students investigate the momentum, and energies
involved in elastic and inelastic collisions using: simulation, air table,
dynamics carts, ball bearing ski jump.
2.3.2 Problem-solving: Collision problems involving momentum and
change of energy in one and two dimensions.
Assessment Lab Report (MC, I, K/U, C), Problem Set
(K/U, I, C)
Optional: Create a computer simulation of one of the concepts developed
in the section. (I, K/U)
Hooke’s Law
2.4.1 Teacher-led lesson: Hooke’s Law.
2.4.2 Investigation:
Students design a demonstration to verify Hooke’s Law and develop a handout for
other students to follow.
2.4.3 Investigation: Students determine the spring
constant of the spring used in their spring launcher.
Assessment Handout
(C), Lab Reports (MC, I, K/U, C)
Motion of Celestial
Objects, Gravitational Potential Energy, and Rockets
2.5.1 Introduction: Gravitational potential
energy: 
2.5.2 Follow-up questions: Total energies of
satellite in orbit.
2.5.3 Fermi
Question: Students determine the amount of fuel required to place a satellite
into geosynchronous orbit.
2.5.4 Problem-solving: Questions involving the
motion of celestial objects.
Assessment Analysis
of Data (K/U, MC, C), Problem Set (K/U, MC, C), Quiz (I, K/U)
Projectile Device
II
2.6.1 Investigation:
Students use the spring launcher designed in Unit 1 to apply Hooke’s Law and
the work-energy theorem. Students determine the change in length of a
compressed spring required to launch the spring a fixed horizontal distance at
a fixed angle. (Appendix 1 – Spring Fling Challenge II)
Assessment Oral Presentation: Theory and
Design (K/U, MC, C), Prototype: development, testing, effectiveness (I, K/U),
Unit Test (K/U, MC)
Resources
NTNU Virtual Physics Laboratory
Kepler Motion
– http://www.phy.ntnu.edu.tw/java/Kepler/Kepler.html
A simulation of Kepler motion
Interactive Physics 2000 –
http://www.interactivephysics.com
A source of a variety of Physics simulations.
Unit 3: Electric, Gravitational, and Magnetic Fields
Time: 20 hours
Unit Description
Students investigate
and quantify magnetic, gravitational and electric fields, forces, and energies
stored in charged separated particles. Students develop relationships that
quantify the motion of charges through electric and magnetic fields. Students
research technology that uses magnetic and electric fields as part of their
End-of-Unit Task.
Unit Overview Chart
|
Activity/Time/Focus |
Learning Expectations |
Assessment Categories |
|
|
3.1 |
Magnetic Fields and Forces |
EGV.01, EG1.01, EG1.04 |
Knowledge/Understanding |
|
3.2 |
Electric and
Gravitational Fields and Forces |
EGV.01, EGV.02,
EG1.01, EG1.02, EG1.03, EG1.04, EG1.06, EG2.01 |
Inquiry |
|
3.3 |
Electric and
Magnetic Fields |
EGV.01, EG1.01,
EG1.07, EG1.08 |
Inquiry |
|
3.4 |
Potential Energies |
EGV.01, EG1.05,
EG1.06 |
Inquiry |
|
3.5 |
Applications for
Fields, Forces, and Energies |
EGV.02, EG2.01,
EG2.02 |
Inquiry |
|
3.6 |
Field Theory
Applications |
EGV.03, EG3.01,
EG3.02, EG3.03 |
Knowledge/Understanding |
Suggested Activities
Magnetic Fields and
Forces
3.1.1 Introduction to End-of-Unit Task with
reference to Final Assessment Tasks.
3.1.2 Brainstorm:
Working definition and examples of “force field.” Consider discussion of a
science fiction movie.
3.1.3 Investigation: Students trace the magnetic
field around solenoids using magnetic compasses.
3.1.4 Teacher-led
lesson: Quantifying fields using the equation 
, recalling that moving charges are affected by magnetic
fields. Include sample problems.
Assessment Sketches
of the Magnetic Fields (K/U, C), Quiz (K/U)
Electric and
Gravitational Fields and Forces
3.2.1 Review: Law of electric charges.
3.2.2 Investigation:
Using Java applet or physics simulation software, students determine the
magnitude and direction of the electric force around positive and negative
point charges. The unit of the measurement of charge, the coulomb, should be
introduced.
3.2.3 Investigation:
Using physics simulation software, students investigate the strength of force
between two opposite charges and have the software report the force and
distance between the two charge centres. Students then determine the relation
between force and distance and between force and charge. Using the
proportionalities, they determine the overall proportionality constant k.
(Appendix 2 – Coulomb’s Law Investigation).
3.2.4 Teacher-led
lesson: Qualitative and quantitative discussion on Coulomb’s Law:
, and electric field strengths: 
and 
, including sample problems involving the vector nature of
fields.
3.2.5 Investigation:
Students predict and determine the field caused by multiple point charges
(charged plates) in a parallel array. Once the students have completed the
field diagrams, they demonstrate the field between two charged parallel plates.
3.2.6 Discussion:
Students predict the shape of the gravitational field around the earth, after
reviewing the universal law of gravitation 
.
3.2.7 Thought
Experiment: Students compare and contrast Coulomb’s law with Newton’s Universal
Law of Gravitation. They determine the relative strength of the electrostatic
force to the gravitational force and discuss the potential significance of the
similarities between the two laws.
Assessment Quiz (I, K/U), Lab Report (I,
C), Thought Experiment (K/U, MC); Field Diagrams (diagnostic only)
Electric and
Magnetic Fields
3.3.1 Discussion: Electric
fields on the inside and outside of a charged conductor.
3.3.2 Investigation:
Physics simulation software or Java Applet involving forces on moving charges
in uniform magnetic fields. The right-hand rule for moving charges is
introduced along with the equation 
. Problem-solving techniques using the equation would be
included.
3.3.3 Demonstration:
Set up a magnetic field perpendicular to a vertical conducting wire connected
to a power source. Turn on the power source and observe the direction the wire
moves. Reverse the direction of the current and repeat. The teacher introduces
the right hand rule for current-carrying conductors in uniform magnetic fields
and the equation 
. Also included are problem-solving techniques using the
equation.
Assessment Problem
Set (I, K/U, C)
Potential Energies
3.4.1 Teacher-led
lesson: Compare and contrast gravitational potential energy with electric
potential energy. Include potential energy graphs for both types of energy.
3.4.2 Problem-solving:
Electric potential energy (Ee), electric potential (V), potential
between parallel plates, and motion of charged particles in electric or
magnetic fields. These equations should be included.
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
Assessment Quiz (I, K/U), Problem Set (K/U, I, C)
Applications for
Fields, Forces, and Energies
3.5.1 Investigation:
Either through simulation or, if equipment is available, students perform the
Millikan oil drop experiment.
3.5.2 Demonstration: The effect of a magnetic
field on a television’s cathode ray tube.
Assessment Lab
Report (I, C)
Field Theory
Applications
3.6.1 Research
and presentation on field theory as related to one of the following: television
(black and white to high definition), Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or particle
accelerators. Students should focus on the following points:
· how fields are used in these devices and how the theory of fields is used;
· positive impacts of this technology on society;
· any new scientific thinking that has changed as a result of this new technology.
Assessment Research
Report and Presentation (MC, I, C), Unit Test (K/U, MC)
Resources
Interactive Physics 2000 –
http://www.interactivephysics.com
A source of a wide variety of Physics simulations.
Physics 202/208 Lab Manual
– http://badger.physics.wisc.edu/lab/manual2/node4.html – maps electric fields
Science and Mathematics – Worsley
School
– http://www.geocities.com/thesciencefiles/gravity/simulator.html
Gravity simulator applet
–
http://www.mdclearhills.ab.ca/millikan/experiment.html
Millikan Oil Drop Experiment description and simulation
Web Physics –
http://webphysics.davidson.edu/applets/efield4/prb2.html
This applet provides an alternative to the Coulomb’s Law Investigation
Unit 4: The Wave Nature of Light
Time: 20
hours
Unit Description
Through use of
appropriate equipment, students investigate the characteristics of mechanical
waves in two dimensions and relate them to light waves. Through geometrical
analysis, students develop relationships that allow predictions of interference
effects. Students discuss the electromagnetic properties of light, thin film
interference, and polarization and apply these properties to current
technology. Throughout the unit, students use lasers and other optics equipment
in preparation for their End-of-Unit Task that involves a comparison of CDs and
DVDs.
Unit Overview Chart
|
Activity/Time/Focus |
Learning Expectations |
Assessment Categories |
|
|
4.1 |
Mechanical Wave
Properties |
WAV.01, WAV.02,
WA1.01, WA1.03, WA2.02 |
Inquiry |
|
4.2 |
Light Properties |
WAV.01, WAV.02,
WA1.01, WA1.02, WA1.03, WA1.04, WA1.05, WA2.01, WA2.03, WA2.04 |
Knowledge/Understanding |
|
4.3 |
Analysis of Waves
in Two Dimensions |
WAV.01, WAV.02,
WA1.01, WA1.03, WA1.04, WA2.02, WA2.04 |
Inquiry |
|
4.4 |
Electromagnetic
Waves |
WAV.01, WA1.01 |
Communication |
|
4.5 |
Applications of
Wave Properties |
WAV.01, WAV.02,
WAV.03, WA1.03, WA2.01, WA3.01, WA3.02, WA3.03 |
Knowledge/Understanding |
|
4.6 |
Comparing CDs and
DVDs |
WAV.02, WAV.03,
WA2.02, WA2.03, WA3.02 |
Knowledge/Understanding |
Suggested Activities
Mechanical Wave
Properties
4.1.1 Introduction to the End-of-Unit Task with
reference to the Final Assessment Task.
4.1.2 Investigation:
Using ripple tanks, students investigate the properties of waves, e.g.,
propagation, reflection, refraction, change of depth, parabolic reflection,
diffraction, double-slit and two-point source interference, nodes and
anti-nodes.
Assessment Observation
Diagrams (I, C)
Light Properties
4.2.1 Investigation:
Using a laser and various optics apparatus, students review the basic properties
of light, e.g., rectilinear propagation, reflection, and refraction. Note: Inexpensive
pen light lasers are sufficient for these purposes. However, teachers must
follow board policies related to laser use. Teachers may wish to demonstrate
this activity to the students. A discussion of laser safety is essential before
beginning the investigation.
4.2.2 Activity:
Using a pair of compasses, students draw wavefront diagrams. Using point
sources separated by 3 cm, students draw concentric circles at 1 cm increments
to develop Huygen’s Principle of wave motion.
4.2.3 Activity:
Students draw interference patterns generated by point sources in phase.
Predict what would happen if the waves hit a screen. Draw a diagram indicating
the anti-nodes.
4.2.4 Investigation:
Does light behave as a wave? Interference of light would prove this. Students
predict what conditions would be necessary to produce noticeable interference.
Students perform a similar experiment to Young’s double-slit experiment using a
laser and an appropriate double-slit. A discussion of how Young’s double-slit
experiment is different from the one previously performed (4.1.2) would lead to
comparing light production in an incandescent bulb and a laser.
Assessment Properties
of Light Quiz (K/U), Lab Report (I, C)
Analysis of Waves
in Two Dimensions
4.3.1 Teacher-led
lesson: Development of the mathematical relationship behind water waves,
including problem solving.
4.3.2 Teacher-led
lesson: Development of the mathematical relationship behind Young’s double-slit
experiment noting the similarities to water waves, including problem solving.
Equations include 
for constructive interference, 
for destructive
interference and
for spacing between adjacent nodes.
4.3.3 Demonstration:
Single-slit diffraction using a laser noting the difference in the width of the
central maximum as compared to double-slit interference. Development of a
mathematical relationship for use in problem solving. Equations include 
for destructive
interference, 
for constructive
interference, and 
for spacing between
adjacent nodes.
4.3.4 Demonstration:
Interference using a diffraction grating and a laser. Development of
mathematical relationships noting the similarities to double-slit and including
problem solving that involves the number of slits/mm (in preparation for the
End-of-Unit Task).
Assessment Problem
Set (I, K/U, C)
Electromagnetic
Waves
4.4.1 Brainstorm:
In groups, students brainstorm all the places where communication and waves are
used and draw a mind map.
4.4.2 Discussion:
Definition of an electromagnetic wave. Using a diagram of the electromagnetic
spectrum, students connect uses from their mind maps to the electromagnetic
spectrum.
Assessment Mind
Map (C, MC, K/U)
Applications of
Wave Properties
4.5.1 Teacher-led
lesson: The colour of soap bubbles, thin film interference and air wedges.
Develop the mathematical relationships using diagrams indicating the path
difference taken by reflected and refracted beams. Include the equations 
and 
. Discuss the applications found in anti-glare coatings on
eyeglasses and computer monitors. Include student problem solving.
4.5.2 Discussion:
Is light a transverse or longitudinal wave? Students design some methods that
might answer the question. Demonstrate these using polarizing films. Discuss
the applications found in polarizing filters in photography.
4.5.3 Discussion:
How was the electron microscope developed and how does it parallel the optical
microscope? Point out the way the wave nature of light was able to be used to
predict and explain the wave nature of electrons.
Assessment Problem
set (I, C, K/U), Quiz (K/U)
Comparing CDs and
DVDs
4.6.1 Following
a review of the safe use of lasers, students use a provided laser with a known
wavelength and determine the number of grooves/mm on a CD and then repeat the
process on a DVD. They should not be given a chance to prepare for this since
they will have already had practice prior to the End-of-Unit Task in using
light wave properties. Students shine the laser onto the surface which creates
an interference pattern similar to a diffraction grating.
Accepted values (approximate): CD - 625 grooves/mm, DVD - 1350
grooves/mm.
Upon comparing the grooves/mm, students then compare several
characteristics of the CD and DVD. These characteristics should be related to
physical specifications such as track pitch, pit length and laser wavelength.
Through research, students determine if the capacity of the CD vs. DVD makes
sense. (There are approximately 650 MB vs. 4700 MB direct single-side to
single-side comparison.)
Assessment Lab Report (C, I, MC), Unit Test (K/U, MC)
Resources
Disctronics –
http://www.disctronics.co.uk/dvd/dvdspecs/dvdphys.htm
Describes differences between CDs and DVDs
Interactive Physics 2000 –
http://www.interactivephysics.com
A source of a variety of Physics simulations.
Molecular Expressions –
micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/electronmicroscopy/magnify1/index.html
A scanning electron microscopy simulation
Web Physics –
http://webphysics.davidson.edu/applets/ripple/ripple_js.html
An applet showing ripple tank interference patterns
Unit 5: Matter-Energy Interface
Time: 20
hours
Unit Description
This unit develops
students’ understanding of the basic concepts of Einstein’s special theory of
relativity early quantum mechanics, and particle physics. Students interpret
data to support scientific models of matter and conduct thought experiments to
explore abstract scientific ideas. Students describe how new conceptual models
and theories can influence and change scientific thought leading to the
development of new technologies.
Unit Overview Chart
|
Activity/Time/Focus |
Learning Expectations |
Assessment Categories |
|
|
5.1 |
Special Relativity |
MEV.01, MEV.02,
MEV.03, ME1.05, ME2.02, FM1.05 |
Knowledge/Understanding |
|
5.2 |
Early Quantum
Mechanics |
MEV.01, MEV.02,
MEV.03, ME1.03, ME1.04, ME2.01, ME3.01, ME3.02, WA1.01 |
Knowledge/Understanding |
|
5.3 |
Nuclear Physics |
MEV.01, MEV.03,
ME1.01, ME1.02, ME1.06, ME2.04, ME3.02 |
Knowledge/Understanding |
|
5.4 |
Particle
Physics |
MEV.02, ME1.07,
ME2.03, ME3.01, ME3.03 |
Knowledge/Understanding |
|
5.5 |
End-of-Unit Task –
Scientific Article Review |
MEV.01, MEV.03,
ME1.01, ME1.02, ME3.01, ME3.02 |
Knowledge/Understanding |
Unit 6: Final Assessment Tasks
Time: 10 hours
Unit Description
By curriculum policy, the Final Summative Evaluation of the course accounts for 30% of the final grade recorded for the course. This summative evaluation is based on assessment of achievement in all four categories of the Achievement Chart for Science and of expectations from all units of the course.
This assessment of the students’ achievement of the expectations has two components. The first component is a written examination primarily designed to assess and evaluate Knowledge/Understanding of concepts, Making Connections and Communication as well as to prepare students for the type of assessment they will experience in university. The second component requires students to use knowledge and skills developed throughout the course to create or adapt a device/model that can be used as a “teaching aid” to demonstrate and explain a concept related to this course. They prepare a technical report that includes a description of the design process and an explanation of the physics principle(s) being demonstrated. Students also briefly present their product to the class.
Unit Overview Chart
|
Activity/Time/Focus |
Learning Expectations |
Assessment Categories |
|
|
6.1.1 |
Written
Examination |
FMV.01, FMV.02,
FMV.03, EMV.01, EMV.02, EMV.03, EGV.01, EGV.02, EGV.03, WAV.01, WAV.03.
MEV.01, MEV.02, MEV.03 |
Knowledge/Understanding |
|
6.1.2 |
Design, Construct
and Demonstrate a Device |
SIS.01, SIS.04,
SIS.06, SIS.09, SIS.10, and a selection of FMV.02, EMV.02, EGV.02, WAV.02
depending on the nature of the device |
Inquiry |
Suggested Activities
Written Examination
6.1.1 Students
complete a comprehensive examination encompassing primarily Knowledge/
Understanding and Making Connections expectations from the entire course. This
component consists of a variety of assessment instruments such as: multiple
choice, extended response, short answer, laboratory-based questions (e.g.,
design an experiment), analyse a procedure for errors, and data analysis
(determine mathematical relationship between two variables from sample data).
In preparation for the written component, students create web maps, summary
tables, and a formula sheet. In groups, students brainstorm and design possible
exam questions and review past quizzes and tests.
Design, Construct
and Demonstrate a Device
6.1.2 This
component of the final 30% is introduced after the students have completed
their first design/construct assignment (End-of-Unit Task, Unit 1). Students
make a device/model/teaching aid that will demonstrate and explain a concept
related to this course, e.g., a transformation of energy device converting four
or more energy conversions, a device that shows the conservation of energy, a
simulation demonstrating electric, magnetic and gravitational fields
(Cavendish’s Experiment), a device that measures the speed of light. Students
research and prepare a technical report on their device/model/teaching aid with
a description of the design process and the inclusion of an explanation of the
physics principles involved.
Assessment Written
Examination (K/U, MC stressed with some C, I), Device (I, C, MC)
Teaching/Learning Strategies
Since the
over-riding aims of this course are to develop scientific literacy in all
students and to prepare students for science courses at university, teachers
should use a wide variety of instructional strategies to provide learning
opportunities that accommodate a range of learning styles and interests.
In planning
activities for Physics class it is important that students have:
·
opportunities to
work individually, in pairs and small groups, and in large groups;
·
direct
instruction as well as opportunities for open-ended exploration;
·
opportunities to
develop concepts themselves from observed data;
·
tasks in which
they define some of the parameters (such as scope or procedure);
·
opportunities to
acquire knowledge and apply that knowledge in a variety of contexts;
·
opportunities to
communicate using standard formats (such as lab reports) as well as
opportunities to choose and develop the format;
·
opportunities to develop
skills that would assist them in being successful at university: note taking
during a lecture, examination preparation, multiple choice test taking,
in-depth independent research, report writing, and time management.
Students
need to be informed in advance of methods of assessment and evaluation. From
the beginning, students should understand the nature and scope of the course’s
Final Assessment Task and how the completion of the End-of-Unit Tasks assists
them in gaining the skills and knowledge necessary for its successful
completion. Expectations are presented in such a way as to prepare students for
the End-of-Unit Tasks. Assessment and evaluation then become an integral part
of the teaching/learning strategies.
Skills are
Developed through Experience and Refined with Practice
Lesson
design should evolve during the course. Initially lessons could focus on the
familiar guided discovery approach, but the final unit(s) of the course could
be organized around a lecture, laboratory, tutorial, and seminar format. Early
experiences with the use of the lecture format should include assessment
opportunities. The adequacy of recorded notes may be assessed by the teacher,
peers or self, using a checklist; they may also be assessed by the teacher by
means of an open note quiz.
Seminars can be used to enhance class discussions of
science issues as they relate to technology and the environment. An article,
selected by the teacher or students, could be assigned for pre-reading prior to
the seminar. A quiz could be used to assess whether the article had been read
before involving the class in a teacher or student-led discussion. Teacher-led
discussions could occur near the start of the course with student-led
discussions taking place later in the course.
Many of the
Learning Expectations describe Inquiry Skills. Students should be given
repeated opportunities to carry out genuine inquiries in which they are
responsible for defining one or more of the components of the inquiry: the
topic or question, the methodology, the mode of presentation, the criteria of
success. In their physics course, students should have multiple opportunities
to practise a variety of inquiry styles, including:
·
Research: accessing information that has been previously
gathered, selecting the relevant details, analysing that information for
patterns and meaning, and communicating their findings or conclusion. This will
require instruction and practice in techniques for effective use of
library/resource centre resources, searching the Internet and interviewing
experts.
·
Experimentation: developing questions, identifying controls and
variables, designing the experimental procedure, observing and measuring,
analysing the data for patterns and meaning, and communicating conclusions.
This may occur in laboratories or the field. Ensure that laboratory techniques
and safety procedures are taught and assessed.
·
Design/Innovation: applying knowledge to define a problem or
challenge, setting criteria for a satisfactory solution, devising and executing
a procedure, and assessing the result.
Every inquiry should be driven by a clear question that is manageable
and has relevance to the students. Students must be given instruction and
repeated practice in:
· identifying and refining good inquiry questions;
· developing testable hypotheses;
· setting the parameters of the solutions to be sought;
· assessing results.
All forms of inquiry as well as other activities throughout the course
develop Communications Skills. Although the traditional written report
is one form of communication, students need to describe what they do and what
they learn in other formats, such as poster presentations, computer
presentation software, videos, or webpages. Through various formats of
co-operative learning, they discuss, debate and reflect on their own thinking
and learning.
In addition
to key physics concepts, every learning activity should identify a technique or
skills that will be taught or reinforced and assessed. Over the length of the
course, all skills required to meet the SISs should be practised repeatedly in
a variety of contexts.
Initially, the
teacher may assign specific review exercises from a textbook or other resource.
Later students could simply be told to complete what questions they feel are
necessary to ensure their own understanding of the concepts.
Use of Computer
Technology
Computer
applications should be included in activities whenever they enhance learning by
enabling students to complete work more efficiently or to complete work that
otherwise could not be done. A wide variety of software tools should be used to
record and display information. Examples include word-processing (e.g.,
reports), spreadsheets (e.g., class data from measurements taken in the
laboratory), graphics (e.g., flow charts), concept maps, diagrams in place of
written reports of investigations, databases (e.g., to gather observations
taken by small groups or individuals into a class set); collections of data
from replicated experiments, and presentation programs (e.g., an alternative
for reporting on investigations, particularly by groups). Probeware should be
used to collect data, e.g., to permit replications of experiments where complex
procedures would limit students to single experiments. Simulations may be
substituted for experiences but should not be used to replace direct
experiences that are safe, ethical and available. In this course, there are
many opportunities to use simulations on the Internet. Teachers should make use
of these where possible and encourage students to find additional ones. The
portability of calculator-based laboratory systems makes them useful for work
outside the classroom.
On-line
communication between teacher and students could occur throughout the course.
Homework assignments and answers could be posted, along with reminders about
upcoming assignment deadlines and evaluation dates. Sample exam questions could
be included and links made to pertinent sites, covering a variety of STSE
topics. On-line tutorials could be arranged and one of the later units in the
course could be presented on-line. Many of these experiences will mirror what
students will encounter at university.
Learning Skills
While not evaluated
for marks, learning skills – Works Independently, Teamwork, Organization, Work
Habits/Homework, Initiative – are keys to success in school and beyond. As with
other skills, they should be taught, practised, and assessed in the Physics
classroom. Variety is essential: individual assignments foster independence;
small-group cooperative learning experiences (including laboratory work done in
pairs) provides opportunities to develop teamwork.
A number of
group activities are described in this profile that allow students
opportunities to practise and be assessed and evaluated for Teamwork, one of
the five Learning Skills. Teamwork is often identified as a key employability
skill. Initiative, Organization, and Work Habits/Homework, three other Learning
Skills, can be practised, assessed, and evaluated to some extent.
Group Work
Considerations
When group
assignments are used to evaluate course learning expectations, the teacher must
ensure that this is done on an individual basis. This can be accomplished in a
number of ways:
·
Arrange
individual teacher/student conferences. Student responses to a series of
questions can be used to evaluate Knowledge/Understanding, Communication Skills
and Making Connections most easily, but can also be used for Inquiry.
·
On a regular
basis, collect and evaluate work journals or log books, where students describe
their role and responsibility in completion of an activity.
·
Students use
reflection journals to describe their learnings related to a certain activity;
teachers then evaluate them for Knowledge/Understanding and Making Connections.
·
Work logs and
reflection journals can be in formats other than pencil-and-paper. Some
students might produce more complete and detailed answers if they were using a
tape recorder or a concept map. This would allow different learning styles to
be addressed.
· Students could pool their experimental or research results, and then produce an independent, individual final product that would be evaluated.
· Students could contract for different aspects of research or communication within a group project. This is another opportunity to address individual learning styles. When evaluating the group presentation, the teacher is aware of individual responsibilities.
· Use a quiz to evaluate specific Knowledge/Understanding or Making Connections expectations gained through a group activity.
· Teacher observation, using a checklist, and on-the-spot questioning, can be used to assess and evaluate meeting of expectations on an individual basis.
·
Acquisition of
technical skills could be evaluated in another, individual situation such as by
means of a summative, practical skills test.
Self- and peer assessment of individual performances within a group
setting are appropriate and useful to assist students in becoming
self-monitoring. However such assessments are not to be the basis for
evaluation; evaluation is the sole responsibility of the teacher.
Making Connections
The knowledge expectations of this course have intrinsic worth as useful
information, but they also serve as vehicles for developing other expectations:
·
acquiring
knowledge through inquiry develops inquiry skills;
·
connecting
physics concepts to social and environmental issues develops the necessary
habits of mind for making connections;
·
applying
scientific knowledge to practical problems makes connections to technology;
·
considering how
scientific knowledge is acquired brings understanding of the role that
technology plays in scientific discovery.
During their study
of physics, students should be encouraged to develop attitudes that support the
responsible acquisition and application of scientific and technological
knowledge to the mutual benefit of self, society, and the environment.
Assessment & Evaluation of
Student Achievement
Seventy per
cent of the grade will be based on assessments and evaluations conducted
throughout the course. Thirty per cent of the grade will be based on a final
evaluation in the form of an examination, performance, essay, and/or other
methods of evaluation.
Assessment
is a process of gathering information and providing descriptive feedback about
student learning. Evaluation is the process of judging work and assigning a
value, based on established criteria.
The purpose
of assessment is to improve student learning. This means that judgements of
student performance must be criterion-referenced so that feedback can be given
that includes clearly-expressed next steps for improvement. Tools of varying
complexity can facilitate this:
·
For
assessing/evaluating a test or quiz, a marking scheme is used.
·
Where completion
or non-completion is the issue, a checklist is sufficient.
·
Where quality of
performance is easily identifiable, a rating scale can be used.
·
For more complex
tasks, the criteria may be incorporated into a rubric where levels of
performance for each criterion are stated in language that can be understood by
students.
Marking schemes, checklists, rating scales, and rubrics become powerful
tools for improving learning when students understand the criteria and levels
of performance before they undertake the task. Discussion of the criteria for
success should be part of every learning task. Wherever possible, involve
students in the development of the rating scale or rubric (identifying criteria
and setting levels of achievement in terms they understand).
Assessment
must be embedded within the instructional process throughout each unit rather
than being an isolated event at the end. Often, the learning and assessment
tasks are the same, with formative assessment provided throughout the activity.
In every case, the desired demonstration of learning is articulated at the
beginning and the learning activity is planned to make that demonstration
possible. When planning learning activities for Physics, this process of
beginning with the end in mind helps to focus on the expectations and to reduce
the inclination to expand what is taught beyond what is required by the guideline.
Assessment,
Evaluation and Reporting are tied to the Learning Expectations and Achievement
Chart for Science, in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Science,
2000 (pp 172 - 175). Every learning activity and its assessment should
produce data for allowing the teacher to make judgements about performance in
one or more of the Achievement Categories: Knowledge/Understanding, Inquiry,
Communication, and Making Connections. Within each unit and throughout the
course, the teachers must collect sufficient data (in kind and number) to make
valid judgements about student performances in all categories.
In the end,
the evaluation of the assessment data is expressed as a percentage based on
Achievement Chart levels. That evaluation must be based on relative individual
student performance to the criteria, not to other students’ performances. Final
evaluations should reflect the teacher’s informed, professional judgement of
each student’s most consistent level of performance in each category of the
Achievement Chart. Added weight should be given to more recent performances.
There must be opportunities for students
to demonstrate learning at all levels of the Achievement Chart.
The Examination
Component of the Final – 30%
In first
year university, Science courses rely heavily on examinations encompassing the
concepts taught throughout the year. Students of SPH4U need to be properly
prepared for this form of evaluation. Study skills, including chunking of
content, use of different graphic organizers, and preparation of study sheets,
should be integrated into a number of lessons. Multiple-choice questions should
be used as one of a variety of ways of evaluating a wide range of expectations.
Students should experience all types of questions throughout the course and be
taught strategies for answering them.
The examination,
together with the other components of Unit 6 – Final Assessment Tasks, must
allow for evaluation to occur within all four categories of the Achievement
Chart for Science and at all four levels.
Accommodations
Exceptional students, whether identified formally or not, need additional supports to succeed in Grade 12 Physics to their full potential. Teachers should consult student Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for specific direction on accommodations for individuals. Where there are specific accommodations required in an activity, the suggestions are noted within the activity.
Teachers
need to use a wide and balanced range of assessment strategies to respond to
the varied learning styles of all students, to meet the needs of exceptional
students, and to encompass a broadened range of knowledge and skills
expectations. Teachers will consult individual IEPs for specific direction on
accommodation related to assessment for individuals.
The following are examples
of accommodations and aids that may be helpful in a general way:
·
Ensure that peer
helpers are available when students are working in small groups.
·
Help students
create data charts into which they record information.
·
Allow students to
report verbally to a scribe (teacher or student) who can then help in note
making.
·
Utilize student
strengths by permitting them a wide range of options for recording and
reporting their work, e.g., drawings, diagrams, flow charts, concept maps.
·
Extend timelines
to give students more time to process language and put their thoughts into
words.
·
Give readings in
advance to students or provide a selection of materials at different reading
levels.
·
Consider a
“take-home” exam, or a portion of an exam, where feasible.
·
Have ESL students
keep a science dictionary of terms using pictures and first language words.
·
Permit the use of
a translation dictionary on assessments.
·
Provide
additional time on assessments for dictionary use and processing language.
·
Have the
library/resource centre staff identify resources with appropriate reading level
when research is required.
OSS Policy Considerations
Students can
apply and refine the skills, knowledge and habits of mind they acquire in SPH4U
through Cooperative Education, work experience and service placements within
the community.
A work site placement must be directly connected to the expectations of SPH4U if it is to contribute to a student’s perspective of future careers or educational opportunities. The wording in the document Cooperative Education and Other Forms of Experiential Learning (Ontario, Ministry of Education, 2000) provides clear direction, and should be the focus of the personalized learning plans for students. “The personalized learning plan must include the following: the Curriculum Expectations of the related course that describe the knowledge and skills the student will extend and refine through application and practice at the workplace.” (p. 23)
The placement is not intended to introduce the student to the expectations, but should connect closely enough that significant expectations are clearly extended and refined in a workplace setting. Both workplace and community experiences may offer unique opportunities for students to achieve a major goal of SPH4U: “To relate science to technology, society, and the environment” and to gain experience in the Science Investigative Skills defined at the beginning of the course description in the guideline. (The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Science, 2000 p.6, p. 101) The personalized placement learning plan of a student who has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) must be developed with direct reference to the IEP.
Appendix 1
Spring Fling Challenge I (Activity 1.6, Projectile Device I)
1. You are to design and build a spring launcher
similar to the one shown below.
2. You must determine “muzzle” velocity of a
spring shot vertically into the air, given that the spring is pulled back a
fixed distance (e.g., 25 cm).
3. You will then be given the angle, q, of your launcher.
4. Predict the height, h, and the
distance, d, that the spring will reach.
Example
A spring is launched
with a “muzzle” velocity of 10 m/s at an angle of 30°. How high will the spring
go? How far will the spring go?
Timelines
The contest will be
at the end of the unit.
Evaluation
|
1. Launcher design |
10% |
|
(Stability, safety, and ease of use) |
|
|
2. Correct theoretical determination of height |
5% ´ 3 |
|
3. Correct theoretical determination of distance |
5% ´ 3 |
|
4. Spring reaches correct height ± 0.5 m |
10% ´ 3 |
|
5. Spring reaches correct distance ± 0.5 m |
10% ´ 3 |
Rules
1. You get three launches. After each launch the
angle is changed.
2. The theoretical height and distance are
calculated and evaluated for each launch.
3. The actual height and distance are measured
and scored for each launch.
Sample Launcher
Appendix 1 (Continued)
Spring Fling
Challenge II (Activity 2.6, Projectile Device II)
1. You are to design a spring launcher similar
to the one shown below.
2. You must determine the force constant, k, of
the spring using Hooke’s Law, the mass, m, of the spring and then the
distance, x, that a spring must be pulled back in order to travel
through the air to a target.
3. You will be given the launch angle, q, and the distance, d, of the target.
Example
A target is placed
5.0 m away and the launcher is set to 30°. Given that the mass of the spring is
44.0 g and k = 40.0 N/m what distance must the spring be pulled back to land on
the target?
Timelines
You will need an
equation in order to do this competition. The correct derivation of the
equation must be submitted at least one week prior to the competition.
The contest will be
at the end of the unit.
Suggested
Evaluation Items
1. Derivation of Equation
2. Launcher Design (Safety, stability and ease
of use)
3. Shot Accuracy
Rules
1. Each time a hit/rim shot is scored the target
distance and the launch angle is changed.
2. In the event of a tie the first team ready
for a shoot-off wins.
Sample Launcher
Appendix 1 (Continued)
Spring Fling
Equation Derivation
Given
m (mass)
q (angle of elevation)
d (distance)
k (spring constant)
x (spring extension)
h (height)
If h is
small then DEg » 0, therefore:
but 
therefore 
Solving for x
we get 
Again, note that
this is only true for Dh is small.
Appendix 2
Coulomb's Law Investigation (Activity
3.2.3)
Using physics simulation software set up two opposite charges
separated by a certain distance. The software allows you to adjust Coulomb’s constant.
Set the value to a constant around
1 × 1011 Nm2·C-2 to allow the attraction to
happen quickly. Set the software to measure the force while the charges are
attracting. Students then determine the proportionality between force and
distance.
Students then change the values of the charges and keep the distance constant and have the software report the force of attraction. Students then determine the proportionality between force and charge.
Students combine the proportionalities between force vs. distance and force vs. charge to determine the overall constant that would be just like determining Coulomb’s constant.
Teachers may give
different Coulomb constants to allow students a unique determination.
Evaluation of the accuracy of student answers can be included.
Coded Expectations, Physics, Grade 12, University Preparation, SPH4U
Scientific Investigation Skills
SIS.01 - demonstrate an understanding of safety
practices by selecting, operating, and storing equipment appropriately, and by
acting in accordance with the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
(WHMIS) legislation in selecting and applying appropriate techniques for
handling, storing, and disposing of laboratory materials (e.g., wear
appropriate protective clothing when handling radioactive substances);
SIS.02 - select appropriate instruments and use them
effectively and accurately in collecting observations and data (e.g., select
appropriate instruments, such as stopwatches, photogates, and/or data loggers,
when preparing an investigation concerning the law of conservation of energy);
SIS.03 - demonstrate the skills required to design and
carry out experiments related to the topics under study, controlling major
variables and adapting or extending procedures where required (e.g., design an
experiment to determine the relationship between the force applied to a spring
and the extension produced);
SIS.04 - locate, select, analyse, and integrate
information on topics under study, working independently and as part of a team,
and using appropriate library and electronic research tools, including Internet
sites;
SIS.05 - compile, organize, and interpret data, using
appropriate formats and treatments, including tables, flow charts, graphs, and
diagrams (e.g., analyse the forces acting on an object, using free-body
diagrams);
SIS.06 - use appropriate scientific models (theories,
laws, explanatory devices) to explain and predict the behaviour of natural
phenomena;
SIS.07 - analyse and synthesize information for the
purpose of identifying problems for inquiry, and solve the problems using a
variety of problem-solving skills;
SIS.08 - select and use appropriate SI units, and apply
unit analysis techniques when solving problems;
SIS.09 - select and use appropriate numeric, symbolic,
graphical, and linguistic modes of representation (e.g., algebraic equations,
vector diagrams, ray diagrams, graphs, graphing programs, spreadsheets) to
communicate scientific ideas, plans, and experimental results;
SIS.10 - communicate the procedures and results of investigations
and research for specific purposes using data tables, laboratory reports, and
research papers, and account for discrepancies between theoretical and
experimental values with reference to experimental uncertainty;
SIS.11 - express the result of any calculation involving
experimental data to the appropriate number of decimal places or significant
figures;
SIS.12 - identify and describe science- and
technology-based careers related to the subject area under study (e.g.,
mechanical engineer, civil engineer, medical doctor, astronomer, air-traffic
controller, nuclear physicist).
Forces and Motion: Dynamics
Overall Expectations
FMV.01 · analyse the motion of objects in horizontal,
vertical, and inclined planes, and predict and explain the motion with
reference to the forces acting on the objects;
FMV.02 · investigate motion in a plane, through
experiments or simulations, and analyse and solve problems involving the forces
acting on an object in linear, projectile, and circular motion, with the aid of
vectors, graphs, and free-body diagrams;
FMV.03 · analyse ways in which an understanding of the dynamics of motion
relates to the development and use of technological devices, including
terrestrial and space vehicles, and the enhancement of recreational activities
and sports equipment.
Specific Expectations
Understanding Basic
Concepts
FM1.01 – define and describe the concepts and units
related to dynamics (e.g., inertial and non-inertial frames of reference);
FM1.02 – analyse and predict, in quantitative terms,
and explain the linear motion of objects in horizontal, vertical, and inclined
planes;
FM1.03 – analyse and predict, in quantitative terms,
and explain the motion of a projectile with respect to the horizontal and
vertical components of its motion;
FM1.04 – analyse and predict, in quantitative terms,
and explain uniform circular motion in the horizontal and vertical planes with
reference to the forces involved;
FM1.05 – distinguish between inertial and
accelerating (non-inertial) frames of reference, and predict velocity and
acceleration in a variety of situations;
FM1.06 – describe Newton’s law of universal
gravitation, apply it quantitatively, and use it to explain planetary and
satellite motion.
Developing Skills
of Inquiry and Communication
FM2.01 – analyse experimental data, using vectors,
graphs, trigonometry, and the resolution of vectors into perpendicular
components, to determine the net force acting on an object and its resulting
motion;
FM2.02 – carry out experiments or simulations
involving objects moving in two dimensions, and analyse and display the data in
an appropriate form (e.g., investigate the motion of objects on a horizontal or
inclined plane; or the motion of projectiles);
FM2.03 – predict the motion of an object, and then
design and conduct an experiment to test the prediction (e.g., verify
predictions for such quantities as the time of flight, range, and maximum
height of a projectile);
FM2.04 – investigate, through experimentation, the
relationships among centripetal acceleration, radius of orbit, and the period
and frequency of an object in uniform circular motion; analyse the
relationships in quantitative terms; and display the relationships using a
graph.
Relating Science to
Technology, Society, and the Environment
FM3.01 – describe, or construct prototypes of,
technologies based on the concepts and principles related to projectile and
circular motion (e.g., construct a model of an amusement park ride and explain
the scientific principles that underlie its design; explain, using scientific
concepts and principles, how a centrifuge separates the components of blood);
FM3.02 – analyse the principles of dynamics and
describe, with reference to these principles, how the motion of human beings,
objects, and vehicles can be modified (e.g., analyse the physics of throwing a
baseball; analyse the frictional forces acting on objects and explain how the
control of these forces has been used to modify the design of objects such as
skis and car tires).
Energy and Momentum
Overall Expectations
EMV.01 · demonstrate an
understanding of the concepts of work, energy, momentum, and the laws of
conservation of energy and of momentum for objects moving in two dimensions,
and explain them in qualitative and quantitative terms;
EMV.02 · investigate the laws of conservation of
momentum and of energy (including elastic and inelastic collisions) through
experiments or simulations, and analyse and solve problems involving these laws
with the aid of vectors, graphs, and free-body diagrams;
EMV.03 · analyse and describe the application of the
concepts of energy and momentum to the design and development of a wide range
of collision and impact-absorbing devices used in everyday life.
Specific Expectations
Understanding Basic
Concepts
EM1.01 – define and describe the concepts and units
related to momentum and energy (e.g., momentum, impulse, work-energy theorem,
gravitational potential energy, elastic potential energy, thermal energy and
its transfer [heat], elastic collision, inelastic collision, open and closed
energy systems, simple harmonic motion);
EM1.02 – analyse, with the aid of vector diagrams,
the linear momentum of a collection of objects, and apply quantitatively the
law of conservation of linear momentum;
EM1.03 – analyse situations involving the concepts of
mechanical energy, thermal energy and its transfer (heat), and the laws of
conservation of momentum and of energy;
EM1.04 – distinguish between elastic and inelastic
collisions;
EM1.05 – analyse and explain common situations
involving work and energy, using the work-energy theorem;
EM1.06 – analyse the factors affecting the motion of
isolated celestial objects, and calculate the gravitational potential energy
for each system, as required;
EM1.07 – analyse isolated planetary and satellite
motion and describe it in terms of the forms of energy and energy
transformations that occur (e.g., calculate the energy required to propel a
spaceship from the Earth’s surface out of the Earth’s gravitational field, and
describe the energy transformations that take place; calculate the kinetic and
gravitational potential energy of a satellite that is in a stable circular
orbit around a planet);
EM1.08 – state Hooke’s law and analyse it in
quantitative terms.
Developing Skills
of Inquiry and Communication
EM2.01 – investigate the laws of conservation of
momentum and of energy in one and two dimensions by carrying out experiments or
simulations and the necessary analytical procedures (e.g., use vector diagrams
to determine whether the collisions of pucks on an air table are elastic or
inelastic);
EM2.02 – design and conduct an experiment to verify
the conservation of energy in a system involving kinetic energy, thermal energy
and its transfer (heat), and gravitational and elastic potential energy (e.g.,
design and conduct an experiment to verify Hooke’s law; develop criteria to
specify the design, and analyse the effectiveness, through experimentation, of
an “egg-drop” container).
Relating Science to
Technology, Society, and the Environment
EM3.01 – analyse and
describe, using the concepts and laws of energy and of momentum, practical
applications of energy transformations and momentum conservation (e.g., analyse
and describe the operation of a shock absorber, and outline the energy
transformations that take place; analyse and explain, using scientific concepts
and principles, the design of protective equipment developed for recreational
and sports activities; research and explain the workings of a clock);
EM3.02 – identify and analyse social issues that
relate to the development of vehicles (e.g., analyse, using their own or given
criteria, the economic and social costs and benefits of the development of
safety devices in automobiles).
Electric, Gravitational, and Magnetic
Fields
Overall Expectations
EGV.01 · demonstrate an understanding of the
concepts, principles, and laws related to electric, gravitational, and magnetic
forces and fields, and explain them in qualitative and quantitative terms;
EGV.02 · conduct investigations and analyse and solve
problems related to electric, gravitational, and magnetic fields;
EGV.03 · explain the roles of evidence and theories
in the development of scientific knowledge related to electric, gravitational,
and magnetic fields, and evaluate and describe the social and economic impact
of technological developments related to the concept of fields.
Specific Expectations
Understanding Basic
Concepts
EG1.01 – define and describe the concepts and units
related to electric, gravitational, and magnetic fields (e.g., electric and
gravitational potential energy, electric field, gravitational field strength,
magnetic field, electromagnetic induction);
EG1.02 – state Coulomb’s law and Newton’s law of
universal gravitation, and analyse and compare them in qualitative terms;
EG1.03 – apply Coulomb’s law and Newton’s law of
universal gravitation quantitatively in specific contexts;
EG1.04 – compare the properties of electric,
gravitational, and magnetic fields by describing and illustrating the source
and direction of the field in each case;
EG1.05 – apply quantitatively the concept of electric potential energy in a
variety of contexts, and compare the characteristics of electric potential
energy with those of gravitational potential energy;
EG1.06 – analyse in quantitative terms, and
illustrate using field and vector diagrams, the electric field and the electric
forces produced by a single point charge, two point charges, and two oppositely
charged parallel plates (e.g., analyse, using vector diagrams, the electric
force required to balance the gravitational force on an oil drop or on latex
spheres between parallel plates);
EG1.07 – describe and explain, in qualitative terms,
the electric field that exists inside and on the surface of a charged conductor
(e.g., inside and around a coaxial cable);
EG1.08 – predict the forces acting on a moving charge
and on a current-carrying conductor in a uniform magnetic field.
Developing Skills
of Inquiry and Communication
EG2.01 – determine the
net force on, and resulting motion of, objects and charged particles by collecting,
analysing, and interpreting quantitative data from experiments or computer
simulations involving electric, gravitational, and magnetic fields (e.g.,
calculate the charge on an electron, using experimentally collected data;
conduct an experiment to verify Coulomb’s law and analyse discrepancies between
theoretical and empirical values);
EG2.02 – analyse and explain the properties of
electric fields and demonstrate how an understanding of these properties can be
applied to control or alter the electric field around a conductor (e.g.,
demonstrate how shielding on electronic equipment or on connecting conductors
[coaxial cables] affects electric and magnetic fields).
Relating Science to
Technology, Society, and the Environment
EG3.01 – explain how the concept of a field developed
into a general scientific model, and describe how it affected scientific
thinking (e.g., explain how field theory helped scientists understand, on a
macro scale, the motion of celestial bodies and, on a micro scale, the motion
of particles in electromagnetic fields);
EG3.02 – describe instances where developments in
technology resulted in the advancement or revision of scientific theories, and
analyse the principles involved in these discoveries and theories (e.g.,
analyse the operation of particle accelerators, and describe how data obtained
through their use led to enhanced scientific models of elementary particles);
EG3.03 – evaluate, using their own criteria, the
social and economic impact of new technologies based on a scientific
understanding of electric, gravitational, and magnetic fields.
The Wave Nature of Light
Overall Expectations
WAV.01 · demonstrate an understanding of the wave
model of electromagnetic radiation, and describe how it explains diffraction
patterns, interference, and polarization;
WAV.02 · perform experiments relating the wave model
of light and technical applications of electromagnetic radiation (e.g., lasers
and fibre optics) to the phenomena of refraction, diffraction, interference,
and polarization;
WAV.03 · analyse phenomena involving light and
colour, explain them in terms of the wave model of light, and explain how this
model provides a basis for developing technological devices.
Specific Expectations
Understanding Basic
Concepts
WA1.01 – define and explain the concepts and units
related to the wave nature of light (e.g., diffraction, dispersion, wave
interference, polarization, electromagnetic radiation, electromagnetic
spectrum);
WA1.02 – describe, citing examples, how
electromagnetic radiation, as a form of energy, is produced and transmitted,
and how it interacts with matter;
WA1.03 – describe the phenomenon of wave interference
as it applies to light in qualitative and quantitative terms, using diagrams
and sketches;
WA1.04 – describe and explain the phenomenon of wave
diffraction as it applies to light in quantitative terms, using diagrams;
WA1.05 – describe and explain the experimental
evidence supporting a wave model of light (e.g., describe the scientific
principles related to Young’s double-slit experiment and explain how his
results led to a general acceptance of the wave model of light).
Developing Skills
of Inquiry and Communication
WA2.01 – identify the theoretical basis of an
investigation, and develop a prediction that is consistent with that
theoretical basis (e.g., predict diffraction and interference patterns produced
in ripple tanks; predict the diffraction pattern produced when a human hair is
passed in front of a laser beam; predict effects related to the polarization of
light as it passes through two polarizing filters);
WA2.02 – identify the interference pattern produced
by the diffraction of light through narrow slits (single and double slits) and
diffraction gratings, and analyse it in qualitative and quantitative terms;
WA2.03 – collect and interpret experimental data in
support of a scientific theory (e.g., conduct an experiment to observe the
interference pattern produced by a light source shining through a double slit
and explain how the data supports the wave theory of light);
WA2.04 – analyse and interpret experimental evidence
indicating that light has some characteristics and properties that are similar
to those of mechanical waves and sound.
Relating Science to
Technology, Society, and the Environment
WA3.01 – describe instances where the development of
new technologies resulted in the advancement or revision of scientific theories
(e.g., outline the scientific understandings that were made possible through
the use of such devices as the electron microscope and interferometers);
WA3.02 – describe and explain the design and
operation of technologies related to electromagnetic radiation (e.g., describe
the scientific principles that underlie Polaroid filters for enhancing
photographic images; describe how information is stored and retrieved using
compact discs and laser beams);
WA3.03 – analyse, using the concepts of refraction,
diffraction, and wave interference, the separation of light into colours in
various phenomena (e.g., the colours produced by thin films), which forms the basis
for the design of technological devices (e.g., the grating spectroscope).
Matter-Energy Interface
Overall Expectations
MEV.01 · demonstrate an understanding of the basic
concepts of Einstein’s special theory of relativity and of the development of
models of matter, based on classical and early quantum mechanics, that involve
an interface between matter and energy;
MEV.02 · interpret data to support scientific models
of matter, and conduct thought experiments as a way of exploring abstract
scientific ideas;
MEV.03 · describe how the introduction of new
conceptual models and theories can influence and change scientific thought and
lead to the development of new technologies.
Specific Expectations
Understanding Basic
Concepts
ME1.01 – define and describe the concepts and units
related to the present-day understanding of the nature of the atom and
elementary particles (e.g., radioactivity, quantum theory, photoelectric
effect, matter waves, mass-energy equivalence);
ME1.02 – describe the principal forms of nuclear
decay and compare the properties of alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma
rays in terms of mass, charge, speed, penetrating power, and ionizing ability;
ME1.03 – describe the photoelectric effect in terms
of the quantum energy concept, and outline the experimental evidence that
supports a particle model of light;
ME1.04 – describe and explain in qualitative terms
the Bohr model of the (hydrogen) atom as a synthesis of classical and early
quantum mechanics;
ME1.05 – state Einstein’s two postulates for the special theory of relativity
and describe related thought experiments (e.g., describe Einstein’s thought
experiments relating to the constancy of the speed of light in all inertial
frames of reference, time dilation, and length contraction);
ME1.06 – apply quantitatively the laws of
conservation of mass and energy, using Einstein’s mass-energy equivalence;
ME1.07 – describe the Standard Model of elementary
particles in terms of the characteristic properties of quarks, leptons, and
bosons, and identify the quarks that form familiar particles such as the proton
and neutron.
Developing Skills
of Inquiry and Communication
ME2.01 – collect and interpret experimental data in
support of a scientific theory (e.g., conduct an experiment, or view prepared
slides, to analyse how the emission spectrum of hydrogen supports Bohr’s
predicted transition states in his model of the atom);
ME2.02 – conduct thought experiments as a way of
developing an abstract understanding of the physical world (e.g., outline the
sequence of thoughts used to predict effects arising from time dilation, length
contraction, and increase of mass when an object travels at several different
velocities, including those that approach the speed of light);
ME2.03 – analyse images of the trajectories of
elementary particles to determine the mass-versus-charge ratio;
ME2.04 – compile, organize, and display data related
to the nature of the atom and elementary particles, using appropriate formats
and treatments (e.g., using experimental data or simulations, determine and
display the half-lives for radioactive decay of isotopes used in carbon dating
or in medical treatments).
Relating Science to
Technology, Society, and the Environment
ME3.01 – outline the historical development of
scientific views and models of matter and energy, from Bohr’s model of the
hydrogen atom to present-day theories of atomic structure (e.g., construct a
concept map of scientific ideas that have been developed since Bohr’s model,
and outline how these ideas are synthesized in the Standard Model);
ME3.02 – describe how the development of the quantum
theory has led to scientific and technological advances that have benefited
society (e.g., describe the scientific principles related to, and the function
of, lasers, the electron microscope, or solid state electronic components);
ME3.03 –
describe examples of Canadian contributions to modern physics (e.g.,
contributions to science and society made by Bert Brockhouse, Werner Israel,
Ian Keith Affleck, Harriet Brooks, Richard Taylor, or William George Unruh).
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