Questions and Answers about The Conceptual Physics Course Package
We anticipate that teachers interested in buying the Conceptual Physics Course Package will have the following questions. If you don't see your question and answer, please reach out to us and we will get back to you.
What is the Conceptual Physics Course Package?
Briefly put, the Conceptual Physics Course Package is a downloadable package of content (Leaning Outcomes, Think Sheets, Student Lab Sheets, Answer Keys, Teacher Guides, and much more) that will support a teacher faced with the task of teaching a Conceptual Physics course. This package is unique in that it complements the many resources that are available on our website, allowing a teacher to have a ready-to-use curriculum that is supported by an already awesome collection of resources.
What is included with the Conceptual Physics Course Package?
We have answered that question thoroughly on our Contents page. There you will find a thorough description of the contents of the downloadable package. Information about topics, learning outcomes, Think Sheets, labs, answer keys, slide decks, etc. is available there. We are not hiding anything; details can be found there. It is worth the read. We believe you should know what you are buying before you buy it.
What can I use the Conceptual Physics Course Package for?
The intended use of the Conceptual Physics Course Package is to assist teachers in planning and teaching a conceptual-styled Physics course. The ready-to-use Think Sheets and Student Lab Sheets can be copied, printed, and distributed to your students OR uploaded to your class management site (assuming there is password protection of the files). The inclusion of source documents makes the ability to customize the files an easy task. The inclusion of answer keys, learning outcomes, and the publicly available Lesson Plans makes planning and running a conceptual-styled Physics course as easy as PI. And as if that weren't enough, it's such a cool product that you can impress your friends by letting them know that you bought it. You will probably email us asking if we sell bumper stickers that accompany this product.
Is this product associated in any way with Paul Hewitt's Conceptual Physics textbook?
No, it is not. Though we will quickly admit that's a great book. And like a lot of Physics teachers, it's a book we reference quite often. We even bought the Hewitt Drewit Clip Art Collection on 33 floppy disks (back in the day). If you have the book, it gives you a great idea of what Conceptual Physics is all about since Paul Hewitt and his textbook are widely regarded as the definition of Conceptual Physics. If you are considering purchasing our Course Package, it would be wise to read about our own flavor of Conceptual Physics. It is a slight departure from what you might find in the Paul Hewitt textbook.
How is this Course Package different than what you already offer at The Curriculum Corner?
That's a great question. They are different in several ways. First, the Curriculum Corner was written for on-level, College Prep Physics course. The Conceptual Physics Course Package was prepared for a different level of student - one for whom algebraic problem-solving and manipulatives are generally out of reach. Second, this Course Package is a bit larger, consisting of Lab Activity Sheets and numerous bonus items that are not found in the package provided at our Curriculum Corner. Finally, we started from ground zero in building this curriculum. We didn't take the College Prep curriculum at the Curriculum Corner and downgrade or remove the heavier math components. Instead, we started with nothing and made something pretty special.
Are there answer keys to the student activities?
Yes! The download includes 110 Think Sheets. Each has its own answer key. The download includes 55 Student Lab Sheets. Each has its own Teacher's Guide; one section of the Teachers Guide includes sample data, calculations and graphs, answers to any questions, sample conclusions written with a claim-evidence-reasoning format (where applicable). The BONUS folders for each unit often include additional Think Sheets and Lab Sheets. Many of these include answer keys as well; but not all do. But then again, they're bonus items. You can view details of this by looking at the listing of items that we have prepared for each unit. See our Contents and Topics page.
If I purchase this product, will I gain access to answer keys for other sections of the website like Concept Builders, Minds on Physics, and the Physics Interactives sections?
No. You are purchasing a curriculum with Think Sheets and Student Lab Sheets. We provide answer keys to the Think Sheets and Student Lab Sheets. There are no answer keys or source documents to the other sections of our website. Please review our Contents page for detailed information about what you are purchasing.
Are there slide decks included in this download?
Yes, there are. We included these in our BONUS folders. There is one slide deck per unit with anywhere from 20 to 70 slides. We consider the slides to be appropriately leveled to the target student. But please don't buy this product for the slide decks. We included those as a last addition with only a mild amount of editing. You'll like them. But as far as slide decks go, we'd recommend our Teacher Presentation Pack. That's a slide-deck-on-steroids offering. You can read more about those slide decks here.
Do you have recommendations of the best way to use this curriculum?
Ideally, a teacher would acquire a Task Tracker subscription and set up classes in Task Tracker. They would utilize the Lesson Plans for the course, adjusting them to the pace that fits their own students. They would use the readings, videos, simulations, and interactive content on our website in conjunction with the Think Sheets and the Student Lab Sheets. By using Task Tracker, teachers can customize the activities, track student progress on the activities, and easily view and export scores on the activities. When this download package, the Lesson Plans we have provided, our Task Tracker tool, and the numerous resources available at our website are integrated together, you are taking the fullest advantage of what we have put together to teach a course. While this is not the only way or the required way to use the curriculum, it is the way that provides the most cohesive experience for you and your students.
Can I use this curriculum with an on-level or College Prep Physics course?
That's a good question. We believe that you could use it for a College Prep Physics course under the condition that you supplement the curriculum with a stronger mathematical emphasis, including some algebraic problem-solving and some trigonometry. You will need to add a Vectors unit with the necessary mathematics. Some of the labs might need a bit up leveling up. And we believe our approach to projectiles would look a lot different in a College Prep Physics course. Otherwise, we think this could serve as a strong foundation from which to build a College Prep Physics course. But do remember our target audience for this package - students in a conceptual-based Physics course who may be below grade-level in mathematics or simply be 9th grade Physics students. The Curriculum Corner section of our website is targeted to a College Prep Physics student.
Can I use this curriculum with an Honors Physics course or an AP Physics course?
Just to be clear: if you buy this package, you have our permission to use it to teach any course you wish - Honors Physics, AP Physics, Biology, Chemistry, ... whatever you wish. HOWEVER, we don't recommend that you use this for an Honors Physics course or an AP Physics course. And before you consider using it with your Biology course, you may want to talk to your principal or department head and consult with your Guidance department about the possibility of changing the name of the course. As for Chemistry, you might want to check out our Chemistry curriculum at the Curriculum Corner. But if you're buying this curriculum, you should know that its beauty is the quality of the conceptual development that it promotes through Think Sheets, Student Lab Sheets, and the supporting activities on our website. It is not designed for Honors Physics or AP Physics.
Wait! What's a Conceptual Physics course? Do you mean that students don't do any math? Is that even possible to do Physics without math?
We knew this question was coming. "Doing math" has different meaning to different people. Furthermore, not all students in a typical high school are able to proficiently do much of the math that is used in a typical College Prep or Honors Level Physics course. For instance, the use of trigonometric functions or a system of two equations is not even a possibility. For many students, algebraically manipulating an equation like d = vo•t + 0.5•a•t2 to solve for vo or a is somewhere between a stretch and an impossibility. But these shortcomings do not mean that students aren't able to analyze data that show that acceleration is inversely proportional to mass and to predict an acceleration value that results when a mass is doubled. Nor does it mean that they cannot draw a free-body diagram and subtract a given force value from a second given force value to determine a net force and then divide by mass to get an acceleration. The trick is to use the abilities for "doing math" that your students do have to illustrate the numerical expressions of the physics concepts that we all teach. And providing appropriate scaffolding along the way will help these students climb to heights we never guessed were possible.
So you're telling me that students won't even solve a projectile problem? That's not Physics!
Actually, our curriculum has students solving many of the same projectile problems that we include in our College Prep Physics curriculum at the Curriculum Corner section of our website. So, I guess it is Physics after all. (If you're wondering about the math involved in our Conceptual Physics package, we suggest you review the page titled Our Flavor of Conceptual Physics.)
Is this an NGSS curriculum?
Thanks for asking. Mom warned us that this question might come up. Though it's a bit of a loaded question in our opinion. If you're asking if the curriculum includes three-dimensional projects centered around a set of about 15-20 performance expectations related to Physics topics, then the answer is no. If you're asking if the curriculum addresses the disciplinary core ideas of the NGSS, involves students implementing many to all of the science and engineering practices of the NGSS, and includes cross-cutting science concepts emphasized by the NGSS then the answer is largely yes. You will find several activities in the package that could be considered three-dimensional. And you will find even more on our website that could be considered three-dimensional. But our best contribution to NGSS might be the many free activities in our Science Reasoning Center. If your principal or department head is wanting you to make sure you're preparing your students for NGSS-based state assessments, then you need to visit our Science Reasoning Center.
Who shouldn't buy the Conceptual Physics Course Package?
If the level of student that we describe is nowhere near to the level of student that you teach, then this package is probably not a wise purchase. The contents of the download are fully customizable. You can edit it (add, subtract, etc.) to be appropriately leveled to your classroom. But if that level is far from what we have described as a Conceptual level student, then you're asking for a lot of work. That's generally not why a teacher buys a curriculum package like this. If you're having doubts, we'd suggest you review the page titled Our Flavor of Conceptual Physics.
What is the licensing agreement for its use?
The Conceptual Physics Course Package comes with a licensing agreement that permits the user the right to edit all content and to use all content in any projects for their classroom or the classrooms of other teachers within the same school. We thoroughly describe the end user license agreement on our Contents page. Please know the limitations to the license. Use and distribution of the contents are limited to your own students and those at your school via media that prevent access to the contents by those outside your school. This prohibits the distribution of the contents to the public at large and requires the use of password-protected course management systems. The licensing agreement is described in full on our Contents page.
Can I try it out for a while and get a refund if it doesn't work for me?
No. This is not a retail product that you can return to a store. Once you download the files they are on your computer. It's not something that can be returned. We do not offer refunds. We make every effort to describe it clearly and thoroughly. See our Contents page and the entirety of this page. If this is something that you need, then buy it. If it isn't something that you need, then don't try it.
Can I claim this as a deduction on my income taxes?
Uhmmm. Ask your accountant. We're going to stay in our lane.
Did you include any good Physics jokes in this package?
Ummm. We put a folder of Ohm jokes in the Circuits folder. And you'll find the usual collection of punny names in our Think Sheets. We did clean things up a bit and left out the most offensive ones (we hope). (For instance, Seymour Butz makes no appearances in this curriculum.) There's not a lot of stand-up comedy taking place, but we do think it will elicit a frequent chuckle (or sigh) from your students.
What is the cost?
$75 (US).
Wait! $75? Is that a monthly fee?
No. That's a one-time fee to download the curriculum. This is not a subscription product. Though if we ever do issue an update, you will get a notification to download the update for free.
How do I purchase the Conceptual Physics Course Package?
You will find information about purchasing the product on our Purchasing page. You can make your purchase with a credit card or a Purchase Order. Before we deliver the download, we will first confirm that you are a teacher.
What am I waiting for?
That's a good question. You certainly don't want to wait until you retire. Purchase it now and make the most out of your purchase.
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