HL IB Physics

Course Syllabus for Year 2

2016-2017

Overview:
Welcometoyear2ofHLIBPhysics!Iamsoexcitedtohaveyouinthisclass!
Youareherebecauseyouhavethedesireandworkethicnecessarytobesuccessfulina
challengingcourse.Myhopeistoprepareeachofyoutothebestofmyabilityfor
completesuccessonyourInternalAssessment(IA)andExternalAssessments(EAs).
Classwillmeetdailyduringourscheduled57minuteclass,butrealizethatthe
completionofyourIAthisyearwillrequireyoutodedicatequiteabitoftimeoutsideof
class.
Materials Needed:
1. Threeringbinder(21/2orbigger),whichshouldincludedividers,looseleaf
paper,andgraphpaper.
2. Compositionnotebookandcalculatorforlabs
3. Pens/pencils(Highlightersarehelpfultoo!)
4. 23packagesofindexcards(Keepinbindertouseoften!)
5. Accesstowordprocessorandtheinternet
6. Threeringfolder(IhavesomeintheStudentCenteryoucanhave!)
Texts Needed:
PhysicsfortheIBDiploma(6thEdition)byK.A.Tsokos2014
Nature of Science:
TheNatureofScience(NOS)isanoverarching
themeintheGroup4sciences.TheNOS
conceptswillhelpteachersconveytostudents
whatismeantbythenatureofscienceand
providesacomprehensiveaccountofthenature
ofscienceinthe21stcentury.Suchconceptsthat
willbeintegratedintothecurriculuminclude:
1. Whatisscienceandwhatisthescientific
endeavor?
2. Theunderstandingofscience
3. Theobjectivityofscience
4. Thehumanfaceofscience
5. Scientificliteracyandthepublic
understandingofscience
The IB aims to help you:
1. Appreciatescientificstudyandcreativitywithinaglobalcontextthatwill
stimulateandchallengestudents
2. Acquireabodyofknowledge,methodsandtechniquesthatcharacterizescience
andtechnology
3. Applyanduseabodyofknowledge,methodsandtechniquesthatcharacterize
scienceandtechnology

4. Developanabilitytoanalyze,evaluateandsynthesizescientificinformation
5. Developacriticalawarenessoftheneedfor,andthevalueof,effective
collaborationandcommunicationduringscientificactivities
6. Developexperimentalandinvestigativescientificskillsincludingtheuseof
currenttechnologies
7. Developandapply21stcenturycommunicationskillsinthestudyofscience
8. Becomecriticallyaware,asglobalcitizens,oftheethicalimplicationofusing
scienceandtechnology
9. Developanappreciationofthepossibilitiesandlimitationsassociatedwith
scienceandtechnology
10. Developanunderstandingoftherelationshipsbetweenscientificdisciplinesand
thetheirinfluenceonotherareasofknowledge
The IBs Assessment Objectives:
1. Demonstrateknowledgeandunderstandingof:
a. Facts,conceptsandterminology
b. Methodologiesandtechniques
c. Communicatingscientificinformation
2. Apply:
a. Facts,conceptsandterminology
b. Methodologiesandtechniques
c. Methodsofcommunicatingscientificinformation
3. Formulate,analyzeandevaluate:
a. Hypotheses,researchquestionsandpredictions
b. Methodologiesandtechniques
c. Primaryandsecondarydata
d. Scientificexplanations
4. Demonstratetheappropriateresearch,experimental,andpersonalskills
necessarytocarryoutinsightfulandethicalinvestigations
The IB Assessments:
1. Theexternalassessmentforbiologyconsistsofthreepapers,andwillbegivenin
thePMonMon,May15(Papers1and2)andintheAMonTues,May16(Paper
3).Paper1consistsof40multiplechoicequestionsonthecoreandAHL.Paper2
willbeworth95marksandconsistsofshortanswerandextendedresponse
questionsonthecoreandAHL.Paper3isworth45marksandhastwosections.
SectionAconsistsoftwotothreeshortanswerquestionsbasedonexperimental
skillsandtechniques,analysisandevaluation,andusingunseendatalinkedtothe
corematerial.SectionBconsistsofshortanswerandextendedresponsequestions
fromoneoption.
2. Theinternalassessmentforphysicsconsistsofasingle,10hourinvestigationthat
enablesstudentstodemonstratetheapplicationoftheirskillsandknowledge,and
topursuetheirownpersonalinterests,withoutthetimelimitationsandother
constraintsthatareassociatedwithwrittenexaminations.Afterperformingthe
investigation,thestudentwillwritea612pagelabreportthatwillbegradedon:
1)personalengagement,2)exploration,3)analysis,4)evaluation,and5)
communication.Thisinvestigationwillbeworth20%ofthestudentsoverall
performance.(Seethetwotablesbelow.)

Component

Overall
Weighting
(%)

Paper 1
Paper 2
Paper 3

20
36
24

IA

20

1+2
3
10
10
18
18
12
12
Covers Objectives
1, 2, 3 and 4

Internal Assessment Criteria

Personal
Exploration Analysis
Engagement
2 (8%)

6 (25%)

Approx. Weighting
of Objectives (%)

6 (25%)

Duration
(Hrs)
1
2.25
1.25
10

Evaluatio
n

Communication

Total

6 (25%)

4 (17%)

24
(100%)

Grading:
1. Yourgradewillbedeterminedbyaccumulatingpointsforallassignments,labs,
andassessments.Theamountofpointsaccumulateddividedbythenumberof
possiblepointswillearnyouapercentage.Thisisaweightedclass,soanAearns
you5pointstowardsyourGPAinsteadofonly4points.
2. DuetotherigoroftheIBprogram,therewillbemanypointsaddedintoyour
gradetohelpbufferorcurveit.Forexample,manyhomeworkassignmentswill
beworth10pointsforyourpracticeandfullcompletionontime.
3. TestcorrectionswereallowedinYear1inordertomakefailurealearning
experience.Inyear2,studentswillbegradingtheirowntestsagainstthe
markschemesinordertobetterunderstandthewayinwhichIBquestionsare
wordedandgraded.Testscoreswillbecurvedtofitwhatisconsideredapassing
scoreinIB.
4. TherewillbeanRHSgradeissuedforthemeetingofeachdeadlinetowardthe
IA.StudentswillreceiveaparticipationgradefortheIA,whichwillalsobe
assessedusingtheIBcriteriaabove.
5. Thereisnoextracreditofferedinthiscourse.
TOK and International Mindedness Connections:
1. The theory of knowledge (TOK) engages students in reflection on the nature of
knowledge and on how we know what we know. TOK identifies eight ways of
knowing: reason, emotion, language, sensory perception, intuition, imagination,
faith and memory. Students explore these means of producing knowledge within
the context of their various courses, including the natural sciences.
2. Within the students textbooks are multiple information boxes, including one
called TOK. Students are always encouraged to read the TOK information
boxes while reading the assigned content.
3. We will draw students attention to knowledge questions which arise from
studying biology. Questions that may be addressed could be: 1) How do we
distinguish science from pseudoscience, 2) When performing experiments, what is
the relationship between a scientists expectation and their perception, 3) How
does scientific knowledge progress, 4) What is the role of imagination and

intuition in the sciences, 5) What are the similarities and differences in methods in
the natural sciences and the human sciences?
4. The aim of all IB programs is to develop internationally minded people who,
recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help
to create a better and more peaceful world.
5. Within the students textbooks there are International Mindedness information
boxes with an icon of the world. Students are always encouraged to read the IM
information boxes while reading the assigned content. Often times, class
discussions will occur around these ideas.
Acceptance:
Ihavereadandunderstandtheexpectationsforthiscourse.
_________________________________
(Studentname)

__________________________________
(Studentsignature)

Contact Info:
Ifatanytimeyouhavequestionsorconcerns,pleasecomeseemeorcallme!!!!
Myworknumberis6657754andemailislgray@garfieldre2.net.