Conceptual Physics Course Package
We will be beginning a project during the 2024-25 school year in which we create a package of materials to support teachers teaching a Conceptual Physics course. The downloadable package will include slide decks, think sheets, labs, quizzes, and tests. Answer keys will be provided. This will be a for-sale item that is offered to teachers. We hope to have the project completed before the start of the 2025-26 school year.
In creating our Lesson Plans and Learning Outcomes for this course we have referenced several of the items that we intend to place in the package. We have used red text wherever we have made such a reference. These items will only be available by purchase of the course package.
Learning Outcomes for Free Fall and Projectiles
Lesson Plans || Learning Outcomes and Activities || Teacher Notes || Labs
The list below displays sample learning objectives for the unit on Free Fall and Projectiles. The various activities from the Lesson Plans have been organized by objective. This format of organizing The Physics Classroom's activities may be more useful to some teachers than the Lesson Plan format. It is worth noting that the activities identified below only include those activities included on the Lesson Plans and in the Pre-Built Task Tracker courses. Additional activities are referenced on the Teacher Notes page.
1. Free Fall and g
Define a free-falling object and distinguish it from other types of falling or airborne objects; identify the acceleration of a free-falling object and explain why it is not dependent upon the mass.
Reading:
Video:
Labs:
Lab 1 - Free Fall Acceleration
2. Characteristics of Free Fall
Use words, diagrams, graphs, vector diagrams, and data tables to describe the motion characteristics of a one-dimensional free falling object.
Reading:
Video:
Think Sheets:
Free Fall Model
How Fast? How Much Time?
Vector Diagrams for an Up and Down Motion
Concept Builders:
3. Predicting How Fast and How Far?
Use a data table, a graph, an equation, or a graphing calculator (e.g.,
Desmos) to relate the time of fall to the speed and the height for a one-dimensional free falling object.
Reading:
Labs:
Lab 2 - Rocket Science
Science Reasoning Center:
Think Sheets:
Concept Builders:
CalcPad Problem Set:
4. Characteristics of a Projectile
Explain what a projectile is; draw a free-body diagram for a projectile; use the concept of a projectile to describe the horizontal and vertical components of displacement, velocity, acceleration, and net force at 1-second intervals.
Reading:
Video:
Think Sheets:
Projectile Motion Model
Physics Interactives with Concept Checkers:
Concept Builders:
Minds On Physics:
5. Velocity Vector Diagrams and Velocity-Time Tables
Construct and intepret a velocity vector diagram or a velocity-time table for a free-falling object, a horizontally-launched projectile, or an angle-launched projectile; use the value of g (as 10 m/s/s) to determine x- and y-velocity values at 1-second intervals of time.
Reading:
Video:
Think Sheets:
Velocity vs. Time - Data and Diagrams
Concept Builder:
Minds On Physics:
CalcPad Problem Sets:
6. Horizontally-Launched Projectile Problems
Use a graph, a graphing calculator (e.g.,
Desmos), or magic numbers (distance fallen at 1 s, 2 s, 3 s, etc.) to relate the distance fallen to the time and the horizontal displacement for a projectile launched horizontally from an elevated position.
Reading:
Video:
Labs:
Lab 3 - Launcher Speed (use
Desmos File to determine launch speed)
Lab 4 - Hit the Target
Think Sheets:
Applying the Projectile Motion Model
Concept Builder:
7. Effects of Air Resistance
Ask an inquisitive question regarding the effects of air resistance on an air-borne object and use a numerical modeling program to answer the question; defend your answer with evidence and reasoning.
Physics Interactives:
Also Available ...
Physics teachers may find the following
for-sale tools to be useful supplements to our Lesson Plan and Pacing Guide section:
- 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.
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)