SECONDARY EDUCATION: PHYSICS CURRICULUM
Sections: Literature and Humanities, Sociology and Economics
Scope and Sequence, Literature and
Humanities Section
Scope and Sequence, Sociology and
Economics Section
Sections: General Sciences and Life Sciences
Scope and Sequence,
General
Sciences Section
Scope and Sequence,
Life
Sciences Section
Contents
Second Secondary – Humanities Section
Second Secondary – Sciences Section
Third Secondary –
Literature and Humanities Section
Third Secondary –
Sociology and Economics Section
Third Secondary –
General Sciences Section
Third Secondary –
Life Sciences Section
The science curriculum for the two sections: Literature and Humanities, and
Sociology and Economics, is part of a common core of learning, encompassing
mathematics and technology, whose main goal is developing science literacy as
it relates to today's world and prepares for tomorrow.
The topics in the curriculum include themes in Biology, Chemistry and
Physics selected carefully to provide the background for understanding the
latest scientific developments which shape up the
modern society. They are selected so that the students can
concentrate on learning a basic set of ideas and skills that enable them to
engage intelligently in public discourse and debate matters of scientific and
technical concern, to think critically and independently, to lead an
interesting, responsible, and productive life, and to interact positively with the
environment and address the health problems and consumer concerns.
The basic physical ideas in general, and energy in
particular, are distributed as follows:
The second secondary (Humanities section) contains the following topics:
electricity, light and sound with a special emphasis on domestic and car
applications, lasers, microwaves, optical instruments, musical instruments. The
program focuses also on energy considerations, pollution and its effects on our
health and our environment.
The program of the third secondary (Literature and Humanities sections)
contains the following topics: energy, radioactivity and universe with special
highlights on the historical development of science, transformation of energy,
radiation (detection and protection) and their effects on our health and our
environment. In addition, the curriculum of the Sociology and Economics section
treats the economical aspects of energy.
The teaching of science should allow students
to:
-
Acquire the scientific terminology,
knowledge, and skills necessary for every day’s life.
-
Understand the current
scientific information used in the media.
-
Understand the relation
between science, technology, and society.
-
Make responsible decisions
related to health and environmental problems in everyday life.
-
Become aware of biothical, economical and social issues.
-
Appreciate the scope of the
contribution of science and scientists to the intellectual development of mankind.
-
Conduct scientific processes
and acquire scientific attitudes for attaining better autonomy.
|
Theme |
First Year |
Second Year |
Third Year |
|
Electricity |
-
Electrostatics: electric charge and Coulomb's law. -
Potential difference, electric current, resistance, energy and power. -
Generators, receivers, electric circuits. |
-
Generalities: direct and alternating current, potential difference,
power, receiver. -
Production of electric
energy: batteries, accumulators, power stations. -
Transport of electric energy. Transformers. -
Consumption of electric energy (forms and cost). Electricity at home: circuits and machines. Electricity in the car: circuits and elements. -
Dangers of electricity. Electrocution. Precautions. Pollution due to power plants. |
|
|
Mechanics |
-
Kinematics of
rectilinear translation : motion, velocity and
acceleration. -
Forces and interactions. -
Laws of motion. -
Gravitational
interaction |
|
Energy -
Work. Forms of
energy: mechanical, thermal, chemical electrical and nuclear. -
Sources and transformations of energy. -
Equivalence between mass and energy. -
Pollution. |
|
Waves |
-
Mechanical waves: characteristics, transverse and longitudinal waves, associated
phenomena. -
Light waves: characteristics. |
Light -
Aspects of light propagation, frequency wavelength, sources, absorption,
emission and spectrum. -
Radiation energy.
Microwave ovens -
Lasers: properties, applications in medicine. -
Effects on health. Sound -
Sound waves: nature, propagation, frequency, wavelength, sources. -
Musical instruments: strings and tubes. -
The human ear as a detector, Ultrasound and applications. -
Acoustic energy. -
Noise and its effects on the human ear. |
|
|
Optics |
-
Reflection and
mirrors.. -
Refraction and lenses. -
Application to some optical instruments. |
-
Optical systems: microscope, optical fibres,
eye. |
|
|
Modern Physics |
|
|
Radioactivity -
Natural and artificial sources. -
Spontaneous and stimulated nuclear reactions (fission and fusion). -
Effects on health and environment. -
Detection and protection (acceptable doses). Universe -
Historical development of astronomy. -
The solar system. -
Evolution and dimensions of the universe. -
Instruments of observation: telescopes, radiotelescopes. -
Space stations
and satellites. -
Cosmology: Big
Bang, age of the Universe, Hubble's law , black
holes. |
|
Theme |
First Year |
Second Year |
Third Year |
|
Electricity |
-
Electrostatics: electric charge and Coulomb's law. -
Potential difference, electric current, resistance, energy and power. -
Generators, receivers, electric circuits. |
-
Generalities: direct and alternating current, potential difference,
power, receiver. -
Production of
electric energy: batteries, accumulators, power stations. -
Transport of electric energy. Transformers. -
Consumption of electric energy (forms and cost). Electricity at home: circuits and machines. Electricity in the car: circuits and elements. -
Dangers of electricity. Electrocution. Precautions. Pollution due to power plants. |
|
|
Mechanics |
-
Kinematics of rectilinear translation: motion, velocity and acceleration. -
Forces and interactions. -
Laws of motion. -
Gravitational
interaction |
|
Energy -
Work. Forms of
energy: mechanical, thermal, chemical electrical and nuclear. -
Sources and transformations of energy. -
Equivalence between mass and energy. -
Pollution. Energy and
economy -
Petrol : extraction, reserves, offer
and demand, prices, revenues, international organizations. -
Transport: cars, diesel, fuel and pollution, electric car. -
Research on new sources of energy. |
|
Waves |
-
Mechanical waves: characteristics, transverse and longitudinal waves,
associated phenomena. -
Light waves: characteristics. |
Light -
Aspects of light
propagation, frequency wavelength , sources,
absorption, emission and spectrum. -
Radiation energy.
Microwave ovens -
Lasers: properties, applications in medicine. -
Effects on health. Sound -
Sound waves: nature, propagation, frequency, wavelength, sources. -
Musical instruments: strings and tubes. -
The human ear as a detector, Ultrasound and applications. -
Acoustic energy. -
Noise and its effects on the human ear. |
|
|
Optics |
-
Reflection and mirrors. -
Refraction and lenses. -
Application to some optical instruments. |
-
Optical systems: microscope, optical fibres,
eye. |
|
|
Modern Physics |
|
|
Radioactivity -
Natural and artificial sources. -
Spontaneous and stimulated nuclear reactions (fission and fusion). -
Effects on health and environment. -
Detection and protection (acceptable doses). Universe -
Historical development of astronomy. -
The solar system. -
Evolution and dimensions of the universe. -
Instruments of observation: telescopes, radiotelescopes. -
Space stations
and satellites. -
Cosmology: Big Bang, age of the Universe, Hubble's law, black holes. |
This curriculum aims to help secondary school students develop their scientific
knowledge and their practical skills. It also aims to familiarize students with
the scientific method in an accessible and simple way through group work and
experimentation. On one hand, it allows a good assimilation of the physics
concepts directly related to the environment, health, and everyday social life.
On the other hand, it provides an understanding of the universe, the basis of
modern technology, and recent discoveries.
The Physics Curriculum is adjusted to serve the
needs and abilities of the students. It takes into consideration their
individual differences and their previous knowledge, and favors several
teaching approaches, where the natural phenomena will serve as a starting point
for knowledge acquisition. A minimum amount of experimental work will be done by the teacher in the form of demonstrations
and by the students in the form of laboratory experiments. The available
audio-visual means, media and computers will be used
whenever possible.
The use of mathematics will be limited in order not to mask the physics
contents. Some physical formulae might be given
without mathematical derivation.
Evaluation of the student's work will test the objectives of the teaching
process. It will be based on problems and examples
reflecting real situations with practical data.
The curriculum of the first secondary class is common to all students; its
program takes into consideration the difficulty that some students face in using
mathematical formalism. The themes, laws, and concepts taken at the
intermediate level are repeated and reinforced in order to
give a general knowledge accessible to all. The program of this year
allows the student to choose between the scientific and the literary sections;
it gives the students the elements needed by either of the two sections.
The program of the second year (scientific sections) introduces some
theories of physics: the kinetic theory of gases and electromagnetism.
The program of the third year-general sciences section and life science ssection - offers the students a global view of Physics, of
its theories and technological applications. However, the details of the
content and the applications included are not the same in the two sections.
The following objectives are common to the three years (first year
secondary, second and third year scientific sections).
The object of teaching physics at the secondary level is to contribute to
the achievement of the general objectives of science teaching, and to emphasize
the specific nature of physics and its relations with other scientific
disciplines.
This teaching, based on the knowledge acquired at the intermediate level,
aims to :
§ Give the students a scientific knowledge through:
-
enlarging the scope of their
knowledge,
-
interpretation of scientific
observations,
-
understanding laws, models,
and theories of natural phenomena,
-
relating physical
laws to technological applications.
§ Appreciate the scope of the contribution of science and scientists to the
intellectual development of mankind.
§ Prepare the students for scientific careers based on physics and awaken
their scientific vocations.
§ Make students aware of the scientific method with all the rigor,
intellectual honesty and critical thinking it requires.This
consists of :
-
practicing the experimental
method in order to develop the skills of observation, data collection, and
interpretation of results,
-
the mathematical formulation
of the laws of physics and the construction of models,
-
the resolution
of concrete problems.
§ Make the students understand the scientific messages contained in diagrams,
graphs and media.
§ Train students to express themselves scientifically through
the use of the appropriate terminology and abstract representations.
§ Train students to work in groups through experimental work and discussions.
§ Contribute to make students behave as responsible citizens that are able to
make decisions based on scientific attitudes.
§ Make students aware of the development of the ideas in physics and their
interaction with the development of human thought.
|
Theme |
First Year |
Second Year |
Third Year |
|
Electricity |
-
Electrostatics: electric charge and Coulomb's law. -
Potential difference, electric current, resistance, energy and power. -
Generators, receivers, electric circuits. |
-
Electrostatics: electric field and potential energy. -
Capacitors: capacitance,
energy, grouping, effects of dielectrics. -
Electromagnetism: magnetic field and electromagnetic force. -
Motion of charged
particles in a uniform electric field and in a uniform magnetic field when vo^B. Applications. |
-
Electromagnetic
induction. -
Altermating sinusoidal currents: sources circuits, power. -
Transformers and transmission of electric energy. -
Applications. |
|
Electronics |
|
-
Semi-conductors: conduction, types, P-N junction, i
(v) characteristics, applications. -
Transistors : functioning and
applications. -
Operational amplifier: functioning and applications. |
|
|
Mechanics |
-
Kinematics of rectilinear translation: motion, velocity and acceleration. -
Forces and interactions. -
Laws of motion. -
Gravitational interaction. |
-
Plane motion of a particle. Applications: projectile and satellite, Kepler's
laws. -
Material systems. Center of mass. -
Rotational dynamics. Applications -
Work and energy:
work of a constant force, power, variation of gravitational potential energy,
kinetic energy and work-energy theorem, mechanical energy and its
conservation. |
-
Conservation laws: linear momentum, angular momentum, energy. Applications. -
Fluid mechanics: pressure of a liquid, surface tension, Bernoulli’s
equation and viscosity. -
Oscillations: simple
harmonic motion, notions about forced and damped oscillations, resonance |
|
Heat |
|
-
Ideal gases : laws and equation of state. -
Kinetic theory of gases: pressure, kinetic energy, and temperature. -
Change of state. -
Thermal equilibrium: Zeroth law of thermodynamics. -
First law of thermodynamics. -
Heat engines and efficiencies. |
|
|
Waves |
-
Mechanical waves: characteristics, transverse and longitudinal waves,
associated phenomena. -
Light waves:
characteristics. |
-
Reflection and superposition of waves. -
Standing waves. -
Sound waves: energy. Doppler's
effect, musical sounds, biological effects. |
|
|
Optics |
-
Reflection and mirrors. -
Refraction and lenses. -
Application on some optical instruments. |
|
-
Wave aspect of light: characteristics, coherent light, electromagnetic
spectrum. Linear polarization,
diffraction, interference -
Particle aspect: quantization of energy and photoelectric effect. |
|
Modern Physics |
|
|
-
Atoms: atomic models, energy levels, spectra and lasers. -
Nuclei: composition, radioactivity, nuclear reactions (fusion and
fission), effects of radiation on living organisms. Application. -
The universe: the Big Bang and the expansion of the universe. Life and death of stars. |
|
Theme |
First Year |
Second Year |
Third Year |
|
Electricity |
-
Electrostatics: electric charge and Coulomb's law. -
Potential difference, electric current, resistance, energy and power. -
Generators, receivers, electric circuits. |
-
Electrostatics: electric field and potential energy. -
Capacitors:
capacitance, energy, grouping, effects of dielectrics. -
Electromagnetism: magnetic field and electromagnetic force. -
Motion of charged
particles in a uniform electric field and in a uniform magnetic field when vo^B. Applications. |
-
Electromagnetic
induction. -
Altermating sinusoidal currents: sources circuits, power. -
Transformers and transmission of electric energy. -
Applications. |
|
Electronics |
|
-
Semi-conductors: conduction, types, P-N junction, i
(v) characteristics, applications. -
Transistors : functioning and
applications. -
Operational amplifier: functioning and applications. |
|
|
Mechanics |
-
Kinematics of rectilinear translation: motion, velocity and acceleration. -
Forces and interactions. -
Laws of motion. -
Gravitational interaction. |
-
Plane motion of a particle. Applications: projectile and satellite, Kepler's
laws. -
Material systems. Center of mass. -
Rotational dynamics. Applications -
Work and energy:
work of a constant force, power, variation of gravitational potential energy,
kinetic energy and work-energy theorem, mechanical energy and its
conservation. |
-
Conservation laws: linear momentum, angular momentum, energy. Applications. -
Fluid mechanics: pressure of a liquid, surface tension, Bernoulli’s
equation and viscosity. -
Oscillations:
simple harmonic motion, notions about forced and damped oscillations,
resonance |
|
Heat |
|
-
Ideal gases : laws and equation of state. -
Kinetic theory of gases: pressure, kinetic energy, and temperature. -
Change of state. -
Thermal equilibrium: Zeroth law of
thermodynamics. -
First law of thermodynamics. -
Heat engines and efficiencies. |
|
|
Waves |
-
Mechanical waves: characteristics, transverse and longitudinal waves,
associated phenomena. -
Light waves:
characteristics. |
-
Reflection and superposition of waves. -
Standing waves. -
Sound waves: energy. Doppler's
effect, musical sounds, biological effects. |
|
|
Optics |
-
Reflection and mirrors. -
Refraction and lenses. -
Application on some optical instruments. |
|
-
Wave aspect of light: characteristics, coherent light, electromagnetic spectrum. Linear polarization, diffraction, interference -
Particle aspect: quantization of energy and photoelectric effect. |
|
Modern Physics |
|
|
-
Atoms: atomic models, energy levels, spectra and lasers. -
Nuclei: composition, radioactivity, nuclear reactions (fusion and
fission), effects of radiation on living organisms. Application. |