Course Syllabus

syllabus

Physics A

Welcome

We are pleased that you selected this course to fulfill your unique educational needs. You are now a member of the Mizzou Academy's global student body.  

Course Overview

Physics is the foundational study for a deep understanding of any area of science. The study of physics provides us with a basis for describing the universe around us. Physics is the study of matter, space, energy, and time. It describes space-time, the way objects move, the many forms of energy, as well as how energy interacts with matter.

There are many fields of physic such as mechanics, electricity, heat, sound, light, condensed matter, atomic physics, nuclear physics, and elementary particle physics. Physics is the foundation of all the physical sciences, including chemistry, material science, and geology, and it is important for understanding many other fields of human endeavor such as biology, medicine, computing, ice hockey, television…the list goes on and on.

One of the key ideas in physics is that there is an underlying simplicity and unity in nature behind the complexity of the world around us. This is often expressed through all-embracing fundamental concepts such as the principle of conservation of energy. 

Physics is fascinating and can be fun. At its heart, physics is about finding things out—about understanding what lies behind everyday phenomena such as rainbows, red sunsets, and blue skies, as well as the more revolutionary concepts of quantum theory, relativity, and cosmology.

This first half unit of the course takes you through an adventure of understanding how and why things move. It provides you with a basic understanding of the nature of matter and the properties of matter. 

Course Description

In this introductory physics course, students will learn about the physics of motion, heat, and the nature of matter. They will investigate the nature of motion, what makes things move (or change their motion), the interactions of matter and energy, and waves and the properties of sound.  No textbook or additional materials are required.  However, some optional extension activities may use common household items to help illustrate concepts.  

Lead Teacher Introduction

Ericca Thornhill 

Teacher

thornhiller@mail.missouri.edu 

Science Division Chair

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Explain how motion is described and mathematically expressed.
  • Describe two-dimensional motion quantitatively, qualitatively, and graphically. 
  • Explain how forces affect motion. 
  • Describe the relationship between forces and work.
  • Describe and measure the amount of motion of an object. 
  • Explain the relationship between energy and work.
  • Explain gravitational and circular motion. 
  • Describe how do the Laws of Motion apply to a rotating object.
  • Explain the properties of waves.
  • Explain the properties of sound. 

Pacing

This course can be completed in as few as six weeks or take up to 6 months (180 calendar days). The six weeks are counted from the date of the first lesson submission and not the date of enrollment.

Required Materials

There are no additional required materials.  Students are provided with a free version of Vernier Graphical Analysis and Vernier Video Analysis to use to make graphs and analyze video labs. 

Technical Requirements

The most up-to-date requirements can be found here: 

Additional requirements for the course are below: 

  • audio and video recording capabilities (e.g. smartphone, camera)

Accessibility

If you anticipate barriers related to the format or requirements of this course, please let Mizzou Academy know as soon as possible. If disability-related accommodations are necessary (for example, a scribe, reader, extended time on exams, captioning), please contact Mizzou Academy.

Exams

You are required to take two proctored exams for this course.  Each exam will contain multiple-choice questions. There are two writing prompts that are part of the examination category, but will be submitted separately, and are not part of the proctored time.

See the "About Exams" in the policies section for additional information on exams at Mizzou Academy.

Grades

Your final grade will be based on the number of points you earn on assignments and exams.

Points Distribution
Source Available Points
Assignments 175
Quizzes 250
Midterm and Final Exam 600
Total 1025

 

You will be able to see your exam percentage in the "Exams" column in your gradebook.

The following grading scale applies only to students who meet this standard:

Grading Scale
Grade Percentage
A 90–100
B 80–89
C 70–79
D 60–69
F 0–59

After completing the course, unofficial transcripts will be available in the Tiger Portal. See this page for information on requesting official transcripts. 

Canvas and Technical Support

Canvas will be used as the primary platform for accessing course materials and assignments for this class.