Physics Curriculum

Family-facing version of the Physics curriculum

Goals

This course includes embedded scientific and engineering practices. Engaging in the practices of science and engineering helps students understand how scientific knowledge develops. These scientific and engineering practices include the use of scientific skills and processes to explore the content of science as outlined in the Science Standards of Learning. The engineering design practices are an application of the science content while trying to solve a problem or design an object, tool, process, or system. These scientific and engineering practices are critical to physics instruction.

Student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific and engineering practices by:

  • Asking questions and defining problems. 
  • Planning and carrying out investigations. 
  • Interpreting, analyzing, and evaluating data. 
  • Constructing and critiquing conclusions and explanations.
  • Developing and using models
  • Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information.

Quarterly Overview of Physics

The objectives and outcomes for each unit are common across FCPS and based on the Virginia Standards of Learning. The pacing by quarter and by week provides an example of how the curriculum can be organized throughout the year. Teacher teams may adjust the pacing or order of units to best meet the needs of students.

Units and Details

Unit 1: Horizontal Kinematics

Students will investigate and understand that extremely large and extremely small quantities are not necessarily described by the same laws as those studied in Newtonian physics.

Key concepts include:

  • The special and general theory of relativity.

Unit 2: Newton’s Law and Forces

Students will investigate and understand, through mathematical and experimental processes, that there are relationships among force, mass, and acceleration.

Key laws include:

  • Newton’s Laws of Motion.

Unit 3: Free Fall and Projectile Motion

Students will investigate and understand, through mathematical and experimental processes, that there are relationships between position and time.

Key topics include:

  • Displacement, velocity, and uniform acceleration.
  • Linear motion.
  • Projectile motion.

Unit 4: Conservation of Energy, Work, and Power

Students will:

  • Investigate and understand, through mathematical and experimental processes, that conservation laws govern all interactions. Key ideas include:
    • Mechanical energy is conserved unless work is done on, by, or within the system.
  • Investigate and understand that extremely large and extremely small quantities are not necessarily described by the same laws as those studied in Newtonian physics. Topics, such as these listed, may be included:
    • Nuclear physics.

Unit 5: Impulse and Momentum

Students will investigate and understand, through mathematical and experimental processes, that

  • There are relationships among force, mass, and acceleration. Key laws include:
    • Newton’s Laws of Motion.
  • Conservation laws govern all interactions. Key ideas include:
    • Momentum is conserved unless an impulse acts on the system.
    •  

Unit 6: Circular Motion and Universal Gravitation

Students will investigate and understand that, through mathematical and experimental processes, that:

  • There are relationships between position and time. Key topics include:
    • Uniform circular motion.
  • There are relationships among force, mass, and acceleration. Key laws include:
    • Newton’s Laws of Motion.
    • Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation.
  • Fields provide a unifying description of force at a distance. Key ideas include:
    • Gravitational, electric, and magnetic forces can be described using the field concept.
    • Field strength diminishes with increased distance from the source.

Unit 7: Electrostatics and Circuits

Students will:

  • Investigate and understand, through mathematical and experimental processes, that
    • Conservation laws govern all interactions. Key ideas include:
      • Mechanical energy is conserved unless work is done one, by, or within the system.
    • Fields provide a unifying description of force at a distance. Key ideas include:
      • Gravitational, electric, and magnetic forces can be described using the field concept.
    • Electrical circuits are a system used to transfer energy. Key ideas include:
      • Circuit components have different functions within the system.
      • Ohm’s law relates voltage, current, and resistance.
      • Different types of circuits have different characteristics and are used for different purposes.
      • Electrical power is related to the elements in a circuit 8.e electrical circuits have everyday applications.
  • Investigate and understand that extremely large and extremely small quantities are not described by the same laws as those studied in Newtonian physics. Topics, such as these listed, may be included:
    • Superconductivity.

Unit 8: Waves and Optics

Students will:

  • Investigate and understand, through mathematical and experimental processes, that
    • Waves transmit energy and move in predictable patterns. Key ideas include:
      • Waves have specific characteristics.
      • Wave interactions are part of everyday experiences.
      • Light and sound transmit energy as waves.
    • Optical systems form a variety of images. Key ideas include:
      • The laws of reflection and refraction describe light behavior.
      • Ray diagrams model light as it travels through different media.
  • Investigate and understand that extremely large and extremely small quantities are not necessarily described by the same laws as those studied in Newtonian physics. Topics, such as these listed, may be included:
    • Wave/particle duality.
    • Quantum mechanics and uncertainty.
    • Relativity.

Unit 9: Modern Physics

Students will:

  • Investigate and understand, through mathematical and experimental processes, that conservation laws govern all interactions. Key ideas include:
    • Mechanical energy is conserved unless work is done on, by, or within the system.
  • Investigate and understand that extremely large and extremely small quantities are not necessarily described by the same laws as those studied in Newtonian physics. Topics, such as these listed, may be included:
    • Wave/particle duality.
    • Quantum mechanics and uncertainty.
    • Relativity.
    • Nuclear physics.
    • Solid state physics.
    • Nanotechnology.
    • Superconductivity.
    • The standard model.
    • Dark matter and dark energy.

Assessments

Student assessments are part of the teaching and learning process.

  • Teachers give assessments to students on an ongoing basis to
    • Check for understanding.
    • Gather information about students' knowledge or skills.
  • Assessments provide information about a child's development of knowledge and skills that can help families and teachers better plan for the next steps in instruction.

For testing questions or additional information about how schools and teachers use test results to support student success, families can contact their children's schools.

In Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), seventh grade tests focus on measuring content knowledge and skill development.

Other High School Information