Professional Learning Programs
Physics Curriculum
In 2019, New Visions partnered with STEMteachersNYC, an established, teacher-led community of educators based in NYC, to develop a series of open-access, models-based physics units. While we have not continued to develop these materials, we provide access to them here for anyone to use.
Unit 1: Forces and Motion
Forces and motion form the foundation of studies in physics with a focus on graphical representations of kinematics and force representations for Newton’s laws. In this unit, students find patterns that relate different types of motion with the associated laws.
Big Idea 1: Constant Velocity
Big Idea 2: Balanced Forces/Newton’s 1st Law
Big Idea 3: Defining and Representing Forces
Big Idea 4: Acceleration
Big Idea 5: Unbalanced Forces/Newton’s 2nd Law
Big Idea 6: Newton’s Third Law
Big Idea 7: Graphical Problem Solving
Unit 2: Momentum Transfer
This Core Resource focuses on the definition of systems, the idea of momentum, and the idea of momentum conservation. When interactions are happening within a system, the total momentum does not change.
Big Idea 1: Conservation
Big Idea 2: Impulse
Unit 3: Energy Storage and Transfer
This unit introduces energy as a way of thinking about and analyzing physical systems and facilitates students in developing quantitative expressions for calculating energy storage and transfer that are then used for quantitative problem solving.
Big Idea 1: Energy Storage Modes
Big Idea 2: Energy Formulas and Problem Solving
Big Idea 3: Work
Unit 4: Electric Circuits
How does charge flow in series and parallel circuits? How do current and voltage together determine the power delivered to a circuit element?
FAQs
No, we do not have those resources for the units.
Not exactly, but this is a models-based physics course, which is very supportive of student sensemaking and engagement with the SEPs.
For some teachers, this may be the full physics course. If there are other topics you need to cover, it may be necessary to go beyond what is covered here.
Yes, these are topics from the NY State Regents, but this set of materials doesn’t include a NY Regents Physics item bank.
We suggest looking into the online and professional learning community at STEMTeachers NYC.
There are also a number of great physics blogs that support a models-based approach. We recommend you start here: https://kellyoshea.blog/author/kellyoshea/
Questions?
Please get in touch if you have questions about these materials.