Physics First

1
Physics First

• Kenneth ORourke

2
Overview

• What is the Physics First curriculum?
• What is the logic behind Physics First?
• How is it implemented?
• Where can you find out more information?

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What is Physics First?

• One of the key components of the framework is a
  reversal of the sequence in which the three
  primary disciplines in high school
  educationBiology, chemistry and physicshave
  been taught since the late nineteenth century.
• physics becomes the focus of the first year of
  high school science study, chemistry remains the
  second, and biology becomes the third

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What is Physics First?

• Most of the science requirement today is
  fulfilled by courses constructed as if they are
  discrete, disconnected disciplines. These courses
  are collections of facts and principles to be
  memorized. This science curriculum is
  structurally flawed. The Physics First
  curriculum presents the disciplines as integral
  parts that are self supporting to build broad
  coherent knowledge steeped in the scientific
  method.

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Reasoning behind Physics First

• Too many schools/districts are stuck in
  disconnected, fact-loaded, assembly-line modeled
  curricula and pedagogy that bear no resemblance
  to the excitement of true scientific inquiry and
  discovery. In order for our students to grasp
  the big ideas and the total picture of the
  universe we as educators need to realize that the
  current system is not preparing the next
  generation in these 5 areas

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Reasoning behind Physics First

• Science and mathematics literacy for all students
• Citizens able to understand issues based in
  science and technology
• Citizens able to discriminate between scientific
  understanding and personal belief
• A capable work force for a modern technological
  society
• People with a joy and pleasure in understanding a
  complex universe and the individuals role in it.

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Reasoning behind Physics First

• The sequence of high school study in
  sciencebiology, chemistry and physicswas set
  out in 1894 on the basis of a prestigious
  national commission (The Committee of Ten).
  Todays high school science courses, largely
  textbook-driven, are treated as independent and
  unrelated. The sequence is inappropriate and does
  not respect developments in the disciplines over
  the past century.

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Reasoning behind Physics First

• How do you explain heat or energy effectively?
• How can DNA or any cellular activity be really
  understood without a firm basis in chemistry?
• Gas laws are just memorized formulas, unless the
  physics of the kinetic energy and pressure are
  understood.
• The movement of energy through the food chain is
  abstract and almost magical until the law of
  conservation of energy is understood.

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Implementation

• Physics in Year One
• The curriculum approaches physics as a foundation
  of building blocks that both serve to facilitate
  the three years of science study and honor the
  subject as a standalone discipline. It begins
  with visible and familiar physical objects, then
  progresses to abstract levels. A fundamental goal
  is to elicit student fascination and a desire to
  discover why something happens and what a given
  experience means.

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Implementation

• Physics year 1 (alphabetical order)
• Atomic Theory, Structure of Atoms, Molecule
  Formation, Atomic and
• Molecular Models
• Conservation of Energy
• Conservation of Mass
• Electricity/Charge
• Energy as a Universal Currency
• Gases
• Gravity
• Kinetic Theory of Gases
• Light and Photosynthesis
• Light as a Wave and Particle
• Matter, Properties of Matter
• Momentum
• Pressure
• ARISE AMERICAN RENAISSANCE IN SCIENCE EDUCATION
  27

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Implementation

• Chemistry year 2
• Much of Year Two is punctuated by extended
  laboratory experiences and project based units
  that build upon Year One experiences. Again, the
  curriculum should allow considerable time to
  elicit student fascination and discovery,
  combined with insights for relating their
  chemistry experiences to their physics knowledge.
• During this chemistry-based year, the curriculum
  is a building block for the following years
  focus on biology. Atoms and molecules
  particularly important to biology, such as
  phosphorus and water, are in the forefront in
  examining chemical reactivity and the affinity of
  different substances. Students should also
  explore chemistrys relationships to such new
  topics as materials science, and to immunology
  and cloning in biology.

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Implementation

• CHEMISTRY TOPICS (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
• Acids and Bases
• Atoms
• Bond Geometry, Bond Tension
• ARISE AMERICAN RENAISSANCE IN SCIENCE EDUCATION
  28
• Chemical Reactivity and Relationship to
  Structure
• Equilibrium
• Fundamental Reactions
• Kinetics
• Model Building Models Visual, Mathematical,
  Computer
• Organic Chemistry
• Oxidation-Reduction
• Periodicity
• Radioactivity, Atomic Stability
• Simple Chemical Bonding
• Solubility
• Structure and Function, Property Level and
  Geometric Level
• Thermodynamics
• Three-Dimensional Visualization, Molecular
  Geometry

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Implementation

• Biology in Year Three
• In the spirit of the previous years, the biology
  curriculum should emphasize content-based
  experiences in field, classroom and laboratory.
  Students should be capable of processing their
  experiences with considerable efficiency during
  this year, given the skills and conceptual
  frameworks mastered during Years One and Two.
• A simple but meaningful departure occurs this
  third year where, in a general reversal of Years
  One and Two, studies begin at the microscopic
  levelcell structure and functionand move toward
  larger, more systems-based topics. A fundamental
  goal for this year should be an appreciation for
  the unity and diversity of life, and the varying
  quests of science to understand, manipulate or
  control it. The curriculum should also expand to
  embrace global, temporal, and societal topics,
  ethical questions, lifestyles and the future of
  science.

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Implementation

• BIOLOGY TOPICS (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
• Atoms (Phosphorus, Carbon, etc.)
• Behavior of Organisms
• Biological Diversity Genetic, Species and
  Ecosystem
• Cell Structure and Function, Malfunction
• Energy, Flow of Matter and Energy in Living
  Systems
• Evolution
• Heredity, The Molecular Basis of Heredity
• Interdependence between Living and Non-Living
  Entities
• Interdependence among Organisms
• Levels of Biological Organization Cells,
  Tissue, Organs, Organisms
• Levels of Ecological Organization Species,
  Populations, Communities,
• Ecosystems
• Molecules of Importance (Water, DNA,
  Carbon-Based Molecules, Proteins, etc.)
• Photosynthesis
• Rate, Scale and Magnitude of Change
• Relationships between Human Population Growth,
  Industrialization and
• Regional/Global Ecology
• Reproduction

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Resources

• ARISE (American Renaissance in American
  Education) See the "Bibliography," "Why Change?",
  and the suggested "Course Sequence." Click on
  "Workshop Whitepaper" to access L.M. Lederman's
  72-page pdf document on ARISE.  See also the
  Lederman Science Center
• AAPT  Physical Science Resource Center. under
  "Curriculum"/"High School Physical
  Science"/"Comprehensive Curricula."
• Goldberg, F. , Heller, P.  and Bendall, S.
  Constructing Physics Understanding,  San Diego
  State.
• Hickman, Paul. (1990). Freshman Physics? The
  Science Teacher, March, 45-47.
• Lewin, Tamar. A Push to Reorder Sciences Puts
  Physics First. New York Times. January 24, 1999.
  http//www.nytimes.com/library/national/012499educ
  -physics.1.jpg.html
• NSTA Scope, Sequence Coordination Project