Indiana State Standards for Physics 1

that Relate to Ch 1 - About Science


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Background:

The Indiana Academic Standards 2000 for Physics I contain two standards and four supporting themes. The standards are:

The supporting themes are:


Chapter 1 - About Science lays the groundwork for the study of physics and introduces the four supporting themes of the Indiana Academic Standards for Physics 1. (The following is quoted from the standards document.)

"The Nature of Science and Technology

It is the union of science and technology that forms the scientific endeavor and that makes it so successful. Although each of these human enterprises has a character and history of its own, each is dependent on and reinforces the other. This first theme draws portraits of science and technology that emphasize their roles in the scientific endeavor and reveal some of the similarities and connections between them. In order for students to truly understand the nature of science and technology, they must model the process of scientific investigation through inquiries, fieldwork, lab work, etc. Through these experiences, students will practice designing investigations and experiments, making observations, and formulating theories based on evidence.

Scientific Thinking

There are certain thinking skills associated with science, mathematics, and technology that young people need to develop during their school years. These are mostly, but not exclusively, mathematical and logical skills that are essential tools for both formal and informal learning and for a lifetime of participation in society as a whole. Good communication is also essential in order to both receive information and disseminate it; to understand others' ideas as well as have one's own ideas understood. Writing, in the form of journals, essays, lab reports, procedural summaries, etc., should be an integral component of students' experience in Physics I. 

The Mathematical World

Mathematics is essentially a process of thinking that involves building and applying abstract, logically connected networks of ideas. These ideas often arise from the need to solve problems in science, technology, and everyday life ˜ problems ranging from how to model certain aspects of a complex scientific problem to how to balance a checkbook. Students should apply mathematics in scientific contexts and understand that mathematics is a tool used in science to help solve problems, make decisions, and understand the world around them.

Common Themes

Some important themes, such as systems, models, constancy, and change, pervade science, mathematics, and technology and appear over and over again, whether we are looking at ancient civilization, the human body, or a comet. They are ideas that transcend disciplinary boundaries and prove fruitful in explanation, in theory, in observation, and in design. These themes provide students with opportunities to engage in long-term and on-going laboratory and fieldwork, and thus understand the role of change over time in studying concepts in Physics I.

 

Principles of Physics

Students recognize the nature and scope of physics, including its relationship to other sciences and its ability to describe the natural world. Students learn how physics describes the natural world, using quantities such as velocity, acceleration, force, energy, momentum, and charge. Through experimentation and analysis, students develop skills that enable them to understand the physical environment. They learn to make predictions about natural phenomena by using physical laws to calculate or estimate these quantities. Students learn that this description of nature can be applied to diverse phenomena at scales ranging from the subatomic to the structure of the universe, and including every day events. Students learn how the ideas they study in physics can by used in concert with the ideas of the other sciences. They also learn how physics can help to promote new technologies. Students will be able to communicate what they have learned orally, mathematically, using diagrams, and in writing."

 


BHS -> Mr. Stanbrough -> Physics -> About Science -> Terms & Objectives -> this page
last update July 24, 2001 by JL Stanbrough