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Proposed standards for the IB physics course called IB DP Physics SL 1. Introduction to the three-year IB Physics track. 1.1. The purpose of this document is to propose the standards for the three physics courses offered at Rufus King International School: Year 1: IB MYP Physics, Year 2: IB DP Physics SL and Year 3: IB DP Physics HL. I have 27 years of experience in teaching physics in this district, ranging from complete project-and-theme-driven physics classes using cooperative learning exclusively, to AP physics (calculus treatment), to DP physics (next year will be the third DP cycle for which I have designed courses). I have completed Level 2 training. I have 18 graduate credits in physics, and a degree in math. My students attain 7’s in both the SL and HL courses, and both averages are comparable to world averages. Thus, I think that it is correct to claim that there is no teacher in this district who knows more about the Diploma Program physics pedagogy (and perhaps the physics pedagogy, in general) than me. With that said, I hope that my recommendations will be considered with forethought and care. 1.2 There are (unfortunately) three standards bodies that must be incorporated into the hard sciences (Biology, Chemistry, and Physics): the Middle Years Program standards (MYP) chosen by our school and others in the district, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) chosen by our District and State, and the Diploma Program standards (DP) chosen by our school and others in the district. 1.3. The single standard set that is common to all three years of the hard science tracks is the DP standard set. As such, it should be the overall guiding standard set in any IB school which has a Diploma Program. My reasons are as follows: 1.3.1. Rufus King is first and foremost a Diploma Program school. Confusion among students, teachers, parents, and administrators as to whether we are MYP, NGS, or DP can only lead to mediocrity in our DP standing. This is not to say that we cannot address the standards of MYP and NGSS. We can adequately address these two standards, but these two standards must be placed within the DP standard set, in the sense that we do not spend inordinate time on them to the detriment of DP standards which will be the focus of the three papers comprising the exams. With these constraints in mind, we can still fulfill all of the requirements of the District, while still remaining true to the standards that have traditionally made the IB program so desirable to students and parents in the district – standards that have prepared students for advanced standing in college and given the district’s IB schools national recognition. 1.3.2. If at all possible, complete coverage (by early April) of the DP standards within the two/three-year time frame leading to the Standard Level/Higher Level exams is desirable in order to facilitate students practicing complete Papers 1, 2 and 3 from previous years as much as possible. For this to occur, MYP and NGSS standards must be met within the context of the DP standards as much as possible. A brief perusal of any of the Diploma Program Guides for the hard sciences (DP Biology, DP Chemistry, and DP Physics) will convince the reader of two things: Firstly, that the curriculum is intensely broad and detailed, and secondly, that it is not only processbased, but it is first and foremost content-based. Thus, using an MYP standard, say “MYP – B. Inquiring and designing;” is all well and good (and certainly useful and valid), but it is NOT sufficient, and it is NOT tested for on Papers 1, 2 and 3 in the Diploma Program (75% of a student’s overall IB grade). It is valid as a standard, though, in that the DP internal assessments do require inquiry and design (25% of a student’s overall IB grade). 1.3.3. Many of the NGSS standards are naturally covered within the two-year tracks leading up to the standard level hard science exams. Unfortunately, many of them are NOT. This means that students and instructors will be even more pressed for time to meet the DP requirements by sacrificing time to cover the NGSS. Apparently the District is not able to practice differentiation among schools, as we are expected to practice it in the classroom. I can only hope that it is not because the District is lazy, inflexible, or incompetent, but that it is in response external pressure from the state or the federal government which it is incapable of overcoming. 1.4. Given that we are entering a new 7-year physics cycle, standards were chosen for the IB Physics track based on these considerations: 1.4.1. The standards must be flexible enough to hold up until the year 2023. Unlike MYP Biology (exclusively 9th grade) and MYP Chemistry (exclusively 10th grade), the MYP Physics class is a mix of 10th-, 11th- and 12th-graders. New district schools may enter the IB fold. Some schools may offer Higher Level physics, and some may not. 1.4.2. MYP standards, NGS standards, and DP standards must all be incorporated, and there must be both content-based standards and process-based standards, as the three papers for which the physics track is designed (by the IBO) are based on both standard types (but mostly knowledge/content-based). 1.4.3. The scope of the material must assume a two-year time frame for the DP Physics SL track, and a three-year time frame for the DP Physics HL track. What this means is that about one-half of the SL material must be presented in MYP Physics (or onethird of the HL material). 1.4.4 Each of the three physics courses has a single common element – the DP standards. Therefore, these standards must be available at each of the three levels. This will provide clear structure to both student and parent, and it will help teachers develop and improve their own school-specific courses in physics, on a year-by-year basis and in response to data from previous years. Not all of the DP standards will be used at each level but they should all be available, so that by the end of the second year, the Core material and two Options will have been covered, and by the end of the third year, Core, Additional Higher Level and two Options will have been covered. 1.4.5. The names of the standards must be transparent, so that parents, students, teachers and administrators know which standards apply to a particular Summative Assessment (piece of evidence) and which primary body that standard is drawn from (MYP, DP, NGS). Thus, standards from one body should not be “embedded” in a standard from another body, and be given a name that is not in any body. If a piece of evidence satisfies standards from more than one body, each body’s standard should be reported with that evidence. A parent has a right to know when and where MYP, NGSS and DP standards are being met through the complete two- or three-year track. 1.4.6. Sequencing must be flexible so physics instructors may not only choose Options, but may choose when to teach them. For example, some of the Option material may be covered in the MYP Physics class in order to satisfy NGSS. This flexibility is in the spirit of the IB program which is meant to offer maximum flexibility to meet school, instructor, and student needs. As a concrete example, an MYP Physics instructor might want to satisfy the standard (NGSS-)PS1-8. Fission, fusion and radioactive decay by satisfying the standard DP-7. Atomic, nuclear, and particle physics, or by satisfying the standard DP-12. Quantum and nuclear physics. Allowing flexible sequencing of the standards will respect the instructors’ professionalism, improve the students’ learning, and foster a more empowered culture in the IB learning community. 1.4.7. Sequencing must be flexible so that differentiation can occur reflecting variations in a school’s unique physics program (for example, HL Physics is / is not offered or it is offered only after school, and some of the AHL material must be presented in both the MYP and the SL classes – which is what I do at King). 1.4.8. Sequencing must be flexible so that differentiation can occur reflecting variations in the student population (for example, sometimes “the class of 201X” is behind “the Class of 201Y” for reasons like “Northwestern Academy closed and its students were absorbed by Rufus King kicking and screaming” and MYP Physics must be covered more slowly, or concepts from previous years must be reviewed during the secondand third-year courses). 1.5. The proposed standards for all three physics courses are shown below. Note that the continuity and interrelatedness of the IB Physics track is maintained by the DP strand. →MYP Physics contains the three bodies of standards: MYP, DP and NGS. The MYP standards are process-based, while the DP and NGS standards are knowledge/contentbased. It is expected that MYP Physics students will have completed all of the NGS physics standards during this first-year physics course, since this might be the only physics course they ever take. It is also expected that MYP Physics students have completed about one-half of the SL standards. →DP Physics SL contains the three bodies of standards: DP, NGS, and IA (Internal Assessment) with the qualification that the NGS standards could be removed. (The only reason NGS is included is because a usually small proportion of the population of a typical DP Physics SL class consists of 11th-graders, and review for the Next Generation test could be incorporated into the course.) The IA standards are process-based, while the DP and NGS standards are knowledge/content-based. →DP Physics HL contains the two IB bodies of standards: DP and IA. The IA standards are process-based, while the DP standards are knowledge/content-based. 2. The proposed standards for DP Physics SL: 2.1. The following table shows the Long Names (white cells) of the proposed DP Physics SL standards. Standards for course called IB DP Physics SL IB-Specific NGSS-Specific – Content Standards* DP Core, AHL, and Options – Content Stds NGSS-HS-PS1 DP-1: Measurements and uncertainties PS1-8: Fission, fusion, and radioactive decay DP-2: Mechanics NGSS-HS-PS2 DP-3: Thermal physics PS2-1: Newton’s laws DP-4: Waves PS2-2: Momentum conservation DP-5: Electricity and magnetism PS2-3: Collisions DP-6: Circular motion and gravitation PS2-4: Gravitational and electric force DP-7: Atomic, nuclear, particle physics PS2-5: Magnetic field DP-8: Energy production PS2-6: Designed materials DP-9: Wave phenomena NGSS-HS-PS3 DP-10: Fields PS3-1: Conservation of energy DP-11: Electromagnetic induction PS3-2: Kinetic and potential energy DP-12: Quantum and nuclear physics PS3-3: Energy conversion DP-A: Relativity PS3-4: Thermal energy transfer DP-B: Engineering physics PS3-5: Energy in fields DP-C: Imaging NGSS-HS-PS4 DP-D: Astrophysics PS4-1: Wave properties IA Internal Assessment – Process Standards PS4-2: Digital transmission IA-PE: Personal engagement PS4-3: Wave / particle duality IA-EX: Exploration PS4-4: Effects of radiation IA-AN: Analysis PS4-5: Waves and technology IA-EV: Evaluation IA-CO: Communication *NGSS could be removed at this level: General Science – Process Standards Lab-T: Lab practices in topical area Com-T: Communicate in topical area 2.2. Each Long Name has a direct reference to the body of standards from which it is drawn. As previously stated, there should be complete transparency in the names of these many standards that the sciences must incorporate into their reporting. Thus, DP-4. Waves, is directly named from the IBO DP Physics Guide. 2.3. Note that I have included two other process-based standards under the General Science category. The sciences are unique in that they have a practical lab aspect associated with each topic. An instructor cannot just say “student can use lab equipment.” Rather, an instructor should be able to say “student can use voltmeter” or “student can use triple-beam balance” if so desired. This flexibility should be available for instructors if they want it. Aspects such as lab safety, procedural expertise, and measurement are all included, and are all topically unique. The standard Lab-T. Lab practices in the topical area is meant to address this missing and significant element. This standard is both process- and content-based. 2.4. The other piece of the General Science category is the technical communication aspect unique to the sciences. Creating effective oral, written, and visual scientific presentations within each topical area, and demonstrating best practices in evaluating and understanding observed presentations, is one of the most important skills that a student can get from a science class and carry on into adulthood. Considering the exposure the general population has to information in the realm of science, the standard Com-T. Communicate in the topical area is meant to address this missing and significant element. This flexibility should be available for instructors if they want it. This standard is both process- and content-based. 2.5. Both of these standards differ significantly from the IA standards IA-EX and IA-CO in that the IA standards are cumulative, whereas the Lab-T and the Com-T standards are topic-specific. 3. Formatted standards for the course IB DP Physics SL. NOTE: ALL STANDARDS BEGIN WITH 4- TO 5-CHARACTER CODES TO KEEP REPORTING TRANSPARENT TO STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND ADMINISTRATORS. 3.1. NGS-specific standards. These standards are content-based, and drawn directly from the NGSS Guide. They are included because second-year physics classes may be populated by a small number of 11th-graders who will be taking the Next Generation test in April. They are only present at this level to allow for review of the NGS standards, in the spirit of flexibility. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE NGS STANDARDS COULD BE REMOVED FROM THE DP SL COURSE WITH NO SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS ON NEXT GENERATION TEST SCORES. PS1-8: Fission, fusion, and radioactive decay Develop models to illustrate the changes in the composition of the nucleus of the atom and the energy released during the processes of fission, fusion, and radioactive decay PS1-8: Nuclear PS2-1: Newton’s laws Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration PS2-1: Newton’s laws PS2-2: Conservation of momentum Use mathematical representations to support the claim that the total momentum of a system of objects is conserved when there is no net force on the system PS2-2: Momentum PS2-3: Collisions Apply scientific and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, and refine a device that minimizes the force on a macroscopic object during a collision PS2-3: Collisions PS2-4: Gravitational and electric force Use mathematical representations of Newton’s Law of Gravitation and Coulomb’s Law to describe and predict the gravitational and electrostatic forces between objects PS2-4: Gravity/electricity PS2-5: Magnetic field Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that an electric current can produce a magnetic field and that a changing magnetic field can produce an electric current PS2-5: Magnetism PS2-6: Designed materials Communicate scientific and technical information about why the molecular-level structure is important in the functioning of designed materials PS2-6: Materials PS3-1: Conservation of energy Create a computational model to calculate the change in the energy of one component in a system when the change in energy of the other component(s) and energy flows in and out of the system are known PS3-1: Energy conservation PS3-2: Kinetic and potential energy Develop/use models to illustrate energy at macroscopic scale is combination of energy associated with motions of particles (objects) and energy associated with relative position of particles (objects) PS3-2: Mechanical energy PS3-3: Energy conversion Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy PS3-3: Energy conversion PS4-4: Thermodynamics Plan/conduct investigation to provide evidence that when two components of different temperature are combined in a closed system, transfer of thermal energy results in more uniform energy distribution PS4-4: Thermodynamics PS3-5: Energy and forces in fields Develop and use a model of two objects interacting through electric or magnetic fields to illustrate the forces between objects and the changes in energy of the objects due to the interaction PS3-5: Fields PS4-1: Wave properties Use mathematical representations to support a claim regarding relationships among the frequency, wavelength, and speed of waves traveling in various media PS4-1: Waves PS4-2: Digital transmission and storage of information Evaluate questions about the advantages of using a digital transmission and storage of information PS4-2: Digital PS4-3: Wave/particle duality Evaluate claims/evidence/reasoning behind idea that electromagnetic radiation can be described by a wave model or a particle model, and that for some situations one model is more useful than other PS4-3: Duality PS4-4: The effects of electromagnetic radiation Evaluate the validity and reliability of claims in published materials of the effects that different frequencies of electromagnetic radiation have when absorbed by matter PS4-4: Radiation PS4-5: Waves and technology Communicate technical information about how some technological devices use the principles of wave behavior and wave interactions with matter to transmit and capture information and energy PS4-5: Technology 3.2. DP-specific standards. These standards are content-based, and drawn directly from the IBO DP Physics Guide. They are included because second-year physics is half of the two year standard level track and one third of the three-year higher level track. The DP standards are the single standard thread that runs through all three levels of IB Physics and as such must be included to promote continuity, overall structure, and transparency in reporting. DP-1: Measurements and uncertainties in physical systems Apply/adapt graphical and analytical methods to physical systems within the areas of: 1.1.Measurements in physics, 1.2.Uncertainties and errors, and 1.3.Vectors and scalars DP-1: Measurement DP-2: Mechanics and Newton’s laws of motion Apply/adapt graphical and analytical methods to physical systems within the areas of: 2.1.Motion, 2.2.Forces, 2.3.Work, energy and power, and 2.4.Momentum and impulse DP-2: Mechanics DP-3: Thermal physics Apply/adapt graphical and analytical methods to microscopic systems within the areas of: 3.1.Thermal concepts, and 3.2.Modeling a gas DP-3: Thermal DP-4: Waves Apply/adapt graphical and analytical methods to physical systems within the areas of: 4.1.Oscillations, 4.2.Traveling waves, 4.3.Wave characteristics, 4.4.Wave properties, and 4.5.Standing waves DP-4: Waves DP-5: Electricity and magnetism Apply/adapt graphical and analytical methods to physical systems within the areas of: 5.1.Electric fields, 5.2.Heating effects, 5.3.Cells, and 5.4.Magnetic effects DP-5: E&M DP-6: Circular motion and gravitation Apply/adapt graphical and analytical methods to physical systems within the areas of: 6.1.Circular motion, and 6.2.Newton’s law of gravitation DP-6: Circular motion DP-7: Atomic, nuclear and particle physics Apply/adapt graphical and analytical methods to physical systems within the areas of: 7.1.Discrete energy and radioactivity, 7.2.Nuclear reactions, and 7.3.The structure of matter DP-7: Atomic and nuclear DP-8: Energy production Apply/adapt graphical and analytical methods to physical systems within the areas of: 8.1.Energy sources, and 8.2.Thermal energy transfer DP-8: Energy production DP-9: Wave phenomena Apply/adapt graphical and analytical methods to physical systems within the areas of: 9.1.Simple harmonic motion, 9.2.Single-slit diffraction, 9.3.Interference, 9.4.Resolution, and 9.5.Doppler effect DP-9: Wave phenomena DP-10: Fields Apply/adapt graphical and analytical methods to physical systems within the areas of: 10.1.Describing fields, and 10.2.Fields at work DP-10: Fields DP-11: Electromagnetic induction Apply/adapt graphical and analytical methods to physical systems within the areas of: 11.1.Electromagnetic induction, 11.2.Power generation and transmission and 11.3.Capacitance DP-11: Induction DP-12: Quantum and nuclear physics Apply/adapt graphical and analytical methods to physical systems within the areas of: 12.1.The interaction of matter with radiation, and 12.2: Nuclear physics DP-12: Quantum/nuclear DP-A: Relativity Apply/adapt graphical and analytical methods to fast/massive objects within the areas of: A.1.The beginnings, A.2.Lorentz transformations, A.3.Spacetime diagrams, A.4.Mechanics, and A.5.General DP-A: Relativity DP-B: Engineering physics Apply/adapt graphical and analytical methods to extended objects within the areas of: B.1.Rotational dynamics, B.2.Thermodynamics, B.3.Fluid dynamics, and B.4.Forced vibrations and resonance DP-B: Engineering physics DP-C: Imaging Apply/adapt graphical and analytical methods to physical systems within the areas of: C.1.Introduction to imaging, C.2.Imaging instrumentation, C.3.Fiber optics, and C.4.Medical imaging DP-C: Imaging DP-D: Astrophysics Apply/adapt graphical and analytical methods to galaxies within the areas of: D.1.Stellar quantities, D.2.Stellar evolution, D.3.Cosmology, D.4.Stellar processes, and D.5.Further cosmology DP-D: Astrophysics 3.3. IA-specific standards. These standards are process-based, and drawn directly from the IBO DP Physics Guide, specifically the Internal Assessment portion. They are included because Internal Assessment is approximately 25% of a student’s IB grade. IA-PE: Personal engagement Personal engagement in the IA can be recognized in evidence of independent thinking, creativity or initiative in the designing, implementation or presentation of the investigation IA-PE: Personal IA-EX: Exploration. Scientific context for work is established, a clear/focused research question is stated. The concepts, techniques, and safety/environmental/ethical considerations are appropriate to the DP level IA-EX: Explore IA-AN: Analysis evidence for processing and interpreting the data. The report provides evidence that the data has been selected, recorded, processed, and interpreted in a way relevant to the research question and can support a conclusion IA-AN: Analyze IA-EV: Evaluation of the investigation and results The report provides evidence of the evaluation of the investigation and the results with regard to the research question and the accepted scientific context IA-EV: Evaluate IA-CO: Communication of focus/process/outcomes are effective The investigation is presented and reported in a way that supports effective communication of the focus, process, and outcomes IA-CO: Communicate 3.4. General Science standards. These standards are both knowledge- and process-based, and are drawn from 26 years of experience. Lab-T: Lab practices in the topical area Demonstrate proper and effective use and care of lab equipment, and understanding of lab safety techniques within each topical area Lab-T: Lab Com-T: Communicate in the topical area Create effective oral, written, and visual scientific presentations within each topical area, and demonstrate best practices in evaluating and understanding observed presentations Com-T: Communicate 4. Summary. 4.1. Because of the unique position of the IB sciences in the MPS district, three overlapping standards bodies (MYP, NGS, and DP) have to be incorporated into each three-year IB science track. Of the three bodies, DP is the most important to the IB Diploma Program high school, as it is a well-defined thread common to all three levels of each science track (MYP, SL, and HL) and provides rational, seamless, and consistent structure to all three levels and binds them together in a transparent continuum. 4.2. Because the spirit of IB permits and encourages flexibility in the design of both SL and HL courses over two- and three-year time frames, respectively, the individual course standards must be comprehensive to permit this flexibility. Thus, an MYP instructor will use a DP Core, AHL or Option standard to satisfy one or more MYP or NGS standards, and a DP SL instructor will use a Core, AHL or Option standard to satisfy a DP standard or an NGS standard, or review first-year course DP standards. 4.3. Sequencing of the flexible IB DP science courses is only constrained by the following considerations: 1) NGS standards are met by students by April of their 11th grade; 2) Approximately one-half of the DP SL standards (and one-third of the DP HL standards) are met by the end of the MYP year; 3) DP SL standards are met by May (or preferably early April) at the end of a two-year time frame; and 4) PD HL standards are met by May (or preferably early April) at the end of a three-year time frame. 4.4. These proposals can be found on my Wiki at IBPhysics2016.wikispaces.com on the Standards page. I’ll keep them updated. The new Wiki will eventually contain complete PowerPoint notes and other resources for IB physics teachers and students, just as my current Wiki does (IBPhysicsLund.wikispaces.com).