3/3/2021 Physics teacher support material

Physics teacher support material

Introduction

The purpose of the teacher support material

Nature of science
International-mindedness

Structuring a course

Schemes of work
Time allocation for sub-topics
Standard and higher level combined class
Standard level class
Higher level class

Planning activities for a sub-topic

Introduction
Planner for a sub-topic page
Activity 1: Our perception of heat
Activity 2: Science timelines—phlogiston
Activity 3: Heating water
Activity 4: Melting ice—Cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP)
Activity 5: Difference between internal energy and temperature
Activity 6: Database task—specific heat capacity and relative atomic mass
Activity 7: Spreadsheet—equilibrium temperature

Cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP)

A framework for the use of cognitive academic language proficiency

Information and communication technology

Introduction
Use of smart phones
Guidance for the use of simulations

Practical work

Introduction
Errors and uncertainties in physics
The group 4 project
Guidelines for the use of animals in IB World Schools

Internal assessment

Facilitating the individual investigation

The internal assessment criteria
Guidance for the use of the internal assessment criteria

Assessed student work

Overview
Investigation 1: Determining the charge of an electron using a computer simulation
Investigation 2: Investigating properties of light-dependent resistors
Investigation 3: How does the density of water affect single-slit diffraction patterns of waves?
Investigation 4: Determining the circumstellar habitable zones of five stars
Investigation 5: The relationship between suspension length and period of disk rotation
Investigation 6: An investigation of measuring the permeability of free space constant using simple solenoids and a magnetic field
probe
Investigation 7: Calculating Wien’s constant and evaluating the accuracy of a simulation
Investigation 8: What is the best mathematical model we can use to describe the expansion of the universe?

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Appendix

Changes in the syllabus content

Activity 4: Melting ice—Cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP)

Activity 4 is an activity for language acquisition, in this case the vocabulary associated with temperature and energy change during
physical change. The framework below shows how this contributes to understanding in this sub-topic along with the other activities. For
information on CALP, please refer to the “A framework for the use of cognitive academic language proficiency” section in the TSM.

Cognitive

Academic PEDAGOGY
Language

Proficiency

S Background
K Scaffolding for: Extended CALP
knowledge (BK)
I
L New
L Activating and building Processing new New comprehensible Demonstrating and
comprehensible
S up BK input output applying
input

Activity 1
Listening Activity 2 Activity 5 Activity 6

Speaking Activities 1 and 2 Activity 4 Activity 6

Activity 1 Activities 2 and
Interacting Activity 1 Activities 4 and 5 Activities 6 and 7
3
Reading Activity 2
Activity 1
Writing Activity 5 Activity 5
Command terms and
Activity 2 Activity 4 Activity 3 Activities 5, 6 and 7
thinking skills

Figure 1

Activity 4: A framework for planning CALP development

Task 1: Experiment

Resources

Thermometer or temperature sensor

Polystyrene cup, filled ¾ full with water slightly above room temperature
Ice cube at a known temperature

Instructions

Make initial measurements.

Initial temperature of the ice,
Initial temperature of the water,
Mass of ice cube,
Mass of water,
Add the ice cube to the water in the cup and stir until all of the ice has melted.
In groups, try to predict what the temperature will be after all of the ice has melted.
Measure the temperature of the water once all the ice has melted.

Task 2: Making links

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Issue groups with the card set.

Print out the “Macroscopic” cards in one colour and the “Microscopic” cards in a different colour.
Printing onto card and laminating will allow them to be used many times.
Not all the cards will be used, but this will be a good way to identify common misconceptions.
You can add your own terms/phrases on the blank cards on each sheet as you wish and/or remove some of the cards when you give
them to different groups.

Students should arrange the cards into three piles as shown below.

Discuss the card sort activity as a class.

Task 3: Extension activity

The “Physics” card set can be used to quantify the process.

Students could be issued with only the physical symbols. They will need to build up the equation.
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They could also be issued with the numerical values. Ask them to use the values to predict the final temperature of the mixture at the
point when all the ice has just melted.
They could also use their experimental results to calculate the specific latent heat of fusion of ice.

In each of the calculations, students can work in groups to discuss the difference between the experimental and expected values and the
reasons for the differences. This can be used to guide students to what is expected in the evaluation section of the internal assessment
aspect of the course.

Discussion points

Why was the water warmed slightly at the start of the experiment?
Why is the specific heat capacity of ice lower than that of water?
Why was polystyrene used for the container in this experiment?
Why was the polystyrene container ignored in the calculations?
How could the experiment be modified so that the experimental results are closer to the expected values?

Macroscopic card set (1) (PDF)

Macroscopic card set (2) (PDF)

Microscopic card set (PDF)

Physics card set (PDF)

© International Baccalaureate Organization | Mission statement | Learner profile

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