Physics First Works

MTPhTeam18.pdf          Modeling Grade 9 Physics and Competition Results                       (T. Burgess Ph.D....Retired, Mobile, AL) ACTAnal0016.pdf ___  ACT Performance Prior, During and After Physics Firs t                        (T. Burgess Ph.D....Retired, Mobile, AL) ALAAPT14.pdf                Presentation  on AP, ACT & External Assessments                     (T. Burgess, Ph.D.....Presented at Alabama AAPT Section Meeting 2014) JPIIHS2013.pdf               Modeling Science Improves College Readiness                       (Dye, Cheatham, Rowell, Barlow, Carlton, EJournal of Science Education) APNC13Anal.pdf    ...

Freshman getting data from photo-electric effect apparatus.        The links below are resources used prior to and during the transition the "Physics First" science sequence at a 1100 student urban high school focused on college preparation. Timeline :                               This page provides the key dates during the implementation of the Physics First Sequence.  This version of the web page now reveals comparisons using ACT© and AP© performance before, during and then after implementation of the "Physics First" sequence at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School. Introduction to Physics First Presentation :             This is the presentation to the staff, administration school board and parents explaining "Physics First" and to sell the sequence as a possible benefit to the school.  The school previ...

Mankind's greatest achievements often require mastery of Physics. The points below were in the website supporting Physics First and providing information to the community starting the February prior to initiation of the program. ========================== Physics for All?      1.  Most modern technology involves physics.    Any technology involving electricity, magnetism, force, pressure, heat, light, energy, sound, optics involves physics principles. The foundational knowledge required for chemistry in creating products like fertilizers, drugs, plastics, and chemicals involves physics at the most basic level.  Manufacturing is then dominated by physics-based technology.  Medical and Biological advancements and services often involve the use of Physics based principles like sound, electromagnetic resonance, optics, electrostatics, radiation or nanotechnologies (among many others principles).      2.  An understanding of ph...

The timeline below was provided at the time the supporting website was launched.  It detailed the efforts to implement Physics First at an urban Catholic High School of 1100 students. =================================== Date(s) Activity relating to Science Sequence 13.6 Billion BCE Birth of Physics from the initial “Big Bang”with high temperatures, density and relativistic speeds (based on standard model & background radiation readings.) 13.7 Billion BCE Birth of chemistry and estimated time of the formation of the atom (mostly Hydrogen based on simulations using the standard model of early universe) and the birth of Chemistry. 3.5 Billion BCE Birth of Biology from estimated time of simple single cell organisms called prokaryotes (from earliest fossil evidence). 1893  Committee of Ten determines and states optimal instructional order of sciences in United States Secondary schools to be Biology, Chemistry and then Physics 1903 Photoelectric Effect paper by Einstein lay...

           The chart above depicts average ACT Science section scores prior to the transition to "Physics First" during the transition and after the transition.      The "Common Questions" below were on the school website and on the back pages of our "Physics First Pamphlet". It answered what the staff thought would be common questions about the new "Physics First" sequence". Our focus was to make sure that no parents or staff would be surprised by the new sequence. ========================== Common Questions                    What will be the sequence of science courses for the high school?        Physics is taken the freshman year.  Chemistry is engaged the sophomore year.  Biology is required of all students the junior year.  Senior choose an elective science the senior year.    What is meant by a coherent sequenc...