Introduction
This is a credit course for University-bound students. Many University programs require Grade 12 physics, and many post-secondary students also have to take physics in University. This course gives you a solid foundation in important concepts so that you succeed both at the grade 12 level and at the first-year University courses you take.
The foundations laid in our course will be very useful when you take first-year University classes such as Physics, Chemistry, and Astronomy.
How we are different
Don't you just wish that physics is easy? Physics should be intuitive, understandable, and fun to learn. Yet too many high school students dread the physics class.
That’s a shame because physics is one of the most fascinating subjects on earth. Physics lets you understand and explain the universe's underlying behaviour. It is a journey through the deepest depths of the universe to understand the underlying laws that govern it.
As wonderful and interesting as it is, students will only appreciate physics if the course is taught well enough that students are not struggling with the course material. This is why we offer high quality lecture content that guides students through important concepts, eases them step-by-step through ideas that may seem counter-intuitive at first, brings concepts to life with animations, and gently leads them through sample problem sets. At every step through the course, we reinforce learning by reiterating important concepts and provide students with the toolbox they need to succeed.
Physics without fear
Physics is a mathematical science, and so mathematics is an unavoidable part of physics. Students who have taken this course, though, do not fear math. Whether you are math phobic or already a mathematical wizard, by the end of this course you will have the confidence and the tools to succeed.
We help you by breaking down seemingly complex mathematical equations into manageable chunks, providing you with a road map and guiding you through it as we transform the complex into the simple. We walk you through parts of equations step-by-step, delving into what the parts mean and the consequences and applicability of the equation to real-life examples.
Simultaneously we deepen your understanding of mathematics while also helping you gain a newfound knowledge of the fundamental laws of nature. Physics has never been so approachable.
Course Description
Here, we invite you to join us on our journey in understanding the world around us. Take this course and unlock the laws of the universe. In this course, we ditch the mental barriers, embrace the awe-inspiring laws of nature, and engage with the world around you in an entirely different way.
This course builds on grade 11 physics and enables students to deepen their understanding of physics concepts and theories. Students will continue their exploration of energy transformations and the forces that affect motion, and will investigate electrical, gravitational, and magnetic fields and electromagnetic radiation. Students will also explore the wave nature of light, quantum mechanics, and special relativity. They will further develop their scientific investigation skills, learning, for example, how to analyse, qualitatively and quantitatively, data related to a variety of physics concepts and principles. Students will also consider the impact of technological applications of physics on society and the environment.
The following topics and concepts are covered in this course:
- Dynamics
- Forces affect motion in predictable and quantifiable ways.
- Forces acting on an object will determine the motion of that object.
- Many technologies that utilize the principles of dynamics have societal and environmental implications.
- Energy and Momentum
- Energy and momentum are conserved in all interactions.
- Interactions involving the laws of conservation of energy and conservation of momentum can be analysed mathematically.
- Technological applications that involve energy and momentum can affect society and the environment in positive and negative ways.
- Gravitational, Electric, and Magnetic Fields
- Gravitational, electric, and magnetic forces act on matter from a distance.
- Gravitational, electric, and magnetic fields share many similar properties.
- The behaviour of matter in gravitational, electric, and magnetic fields can be described mathematically.
- Technological systems that involve gravitational, electric, and magnetic fields can have an effect on society and the environment.
- The Wave Nature of Light
- Light has properties that are similar to the properties of mechanical waves.
- The behaviour of light as a wave can be described mathematically.
- Technologies that use the principles of the wave nature of light can have societal and environmental implications.
- Revolutions in Modern Physics: Quantum Mechanics and Special Relativity
- Light can show particle-like and wave-like behaviour, and particles can show wave-like behaviour.
- The behaviour of light as a particle and the behaviour of particles as waves can be described mathematically.
- Time is relative to a person’s frame of reference.
- The effects of relativistic motion can be described mathematically.
- New theories can change scientific thought and lead to the development of new technologies.
Strictly follows Ministry of Education curriculum
This is an OSSD credit course. It has been developed based on the following Ontario Ministry of Education documents:
- The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12 Science, Revised 2008
- Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools (2010)
Curriculum Expectations
| A Scientific Investigation Skills and Career Exploration | |
| A1 | demonstrate scientific investigation skills (related to both inquiry and research) in the four areas of skills (initiating and planning, performing and recording, analysing and interpreting, and communicating); |
| A2 | identify and describe a variety of careers related to the fields of science under study, and identify scientists, including Canadians, who have made contributions to those fields. |
| B Dynamics | |
| B1 | analyse technological devices that apply the principles of the dynamics of motion, and assess the technologies' social and environmental impact; |
| B2 | investigate, in qualitative and quantitative terms, forces involved in uniform circular motion and motion in a plane, and solve related problems; |
| B3 | demonstrate an understanding of the forces involved in uniform circular motion and motion in a plane. |
How you are assessed in this course
At Agile Preparatory Academy, tests and assignments are carefully crafted to promote understanding of course content and help students achieve academic success. This success translates to high grades achieved by our students, which reflect a thorough understanding of concepts covered in the course as well as meeting and exceeding curriculum expectations.
Assessment FOR / AS / OF learning
Our teachers champion the idea that the primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning. Our teachers monitor student progression through the course and provide reflection and feedback that guides students towards improvement. The assessment and evaluation strategies of our school follow the Ministry of Education's policies and curriculum requirements. Our teachers use the following types of assessments to improve student learning:
Assessment for learning – These assessments include practice questions which do not contribute significantly (or at all) to the final grade. These assessments give students opportunities to practice their skills and test their knowledge prior to attempting assessments that affect their final grade. It also gives students and teachers opportunities to identify gaps in understanding and discover concepts that have been misunderstood. Here, our teacher gives students descriptive feedback and coaching for improvement.
Assessment as learning – These assessments include self reflections. The purpose of these assessments is to help students develop their capacity to be independent and autonomous learners who are able to set their own goals, monitor their own progress, determine next steps, and reflect on their thinking and learning. These tasks allow students to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses and allow them to advocate for their own learning.
Assessment of learning – These assessments contribute to the final mark of the course. Our teachers ensure that these assessments are ongoing, varied in nature, and administered over a period of time to give multiple opportunities to our students to demonstrate the full range of their learning. It allows our teachers to judge the quality of student learning with respect to curriculum expectations and assign a percentage grade to represent that quality. These assessments are designed to be fair, transparent, and equitable for of our students.
The Final Grade
The overall grade of the course is composed of:
- 70% from course work
- 30% from final evaluation
Most of the overall grade, 70%, is based on course work done prior to the final evaluation. This portion of the grade reflects the student's most consistent level of achievement in the course, with special consideration given to more recent evidence of achievement. Here, our teachers gather evidence of learning from assignments, projects, presentations, and tests throughout the course (Assessment of Learning), giving students multiple opportunities to perform well.
The balance, only 30% of the overall grade, is gathered from final evaluations administered at the end of the course. The final assessment may be a final exam, a final project, or a combination of both an exam and a project.
The OSSD credit
A credit is granted and recorded when the final percentage mark in this course is 50 per cent or higher.
Agile Prep Academy is a high school through which a student can earn credits towards the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) high school diploma. We are in compliance with Ontario Ministry of Education policies, and are assessed and authorized by the Ministry to grant the OSSD diploma as well as OSSD credits.
Our courses are taught online, which allows our students to meet and exceed the online credit requirements needed for graduation. For further high school graduation requirements, including the Online learning graduation requirement, please visit the Ministry’s website.