Conceptual Physics

This course consists of 12 units that target topics in Mechanics, Static and Current Electricity, Wave Mechanics, and Ray Optics. While numbers are commonly used to help illustrate relationships and principles, the mathematical rigor of the course is significantly reduced compared to our Algebra-Based Physics Course. There is a wide collection of task Tracker assignments, including Simulations with Concept Checkers, Concept Builders, Minds On Physics missions, customized CalcPad problem sets, and Science Reasoning activities. 

The course is well-suited for a junior or senior student with low math and/or reading skills. The course is also suitable for an on-level ninth grade Physics student. The pace of the course and the amount of content it contains is significantly reduced. An effort is made to focus attention upon concepts and relationships. There is little to no reliance upon the algebraic manipulations of equations and the use of equations to solve Physics word problems. Trigonometry is absent from the course. When numerical information is used, it is primarily used to demonstrate relationships and reinforce concepts. 

Use the links below to access the Lesson Plans and Pacing Guides for the various units.  Each Lesson Plan includes links to the actual resources as found on the website. The CalcPad assignments are customized assignments that include problems from a variety of our problem sets.

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What is Conceptual Physics?

Lesson Plans Home Page || About this Section || About Task Tracker || Other Tools

Units

Experiments, Variables, and Relationships (link coming soon)

1-Dimensional Kinematics

Newton's Laws of Motion

Free Fall and Projectiles

Momentum and Collisions

Work and Energy

Circular and Satellite Motion

Static Electricity

Electric Circuits

Vibrations, Waves and Sound

Light Waves and Color

Reflection and Mirrors

Refraction and Lenses

1. Task Tracker Subscription (annual purchase)
   A subscription allows teachers to set up classes, add students, customize online assignments, view student progress/scores, and export student scores. Task Tracker accounts allow your students to begin assignments in class or at school and to finish them at home. View our Seat and Cost Calculator for pricing details.
    
2. The Solutions Guide
   We publish a free curriculum with >200 ready-to-use Think Sheets for developing physics concepts. The Solutions Guide is a download containing the source documents, PDFs of source documents, and answers/solutions in MS Word and PDF format. An expanded license agreement is included with the purchase. (Cost: $25 download)
    
3. Teacher Presentation Pack
   This is a large collection of downloadable content packed with nearly 190 Microsoft PowerPoint slide decks, the corresponding Lesson Notes (as PDF and fully-modifiable MS Word format), about 170 animations (in .gif, .png, and .mp4 file formats), a countless number of ready-to-use images (including the original source documents that would allow for easy modification of those images), and a license that allows teachers to modify and use all the content with their classes on password-protected sites (such as course management systems).  (Cost: $40 download)
    
4. Question Bank
   We distribute a Question Bank that includes more than 9300 questions neatly organized according to topic. The Question Bank is the perfect tool for busy teachers or new teachers. Even if you don't use the website with your classes, the Question Bank will assist you in quickly putting together quizzes, tests and other documents with high-quality questions that target student's conceptions of physics principles. And if you do use The Physics Classroom website, the Question Bank is the perfect complement to the materials found at the website. (Cost: $25 download)