Conceptual Physics: which chapters to skip?

[StaceyL in Canada]

I'm using Conceptual Physics (high school edition) this year with my grade 9 and 11 sons. The older one is having an easier time of it : ) At this point, we have completed only 10 chapters, at the rate of a chapter week; I had hoped to squeeze in more but we can't seem to pick up the pace beyond that. At this rate, we obviously will not be able to finish all 40 chapters by the end of this academic year. Any suggestions re which chapters to skip? I believe the author does suggest the two relativity chapters, but which beyond those would be least significant to miss?

 

Also, any specific suggestions re *how* to use this course? All we are doing is reading the chapters and answering a selection of the questions at the end of each chapter. That takes up plenty of time for my sons (and me!)

 

Thanks much.

[StaceyL in Canada]

I'm using Conceptual Physics (high school edition) this year with my grade 9 and 11 sons. The older one is having an easier time of it : ) At this point, we have completed only 10 chapters, at the rate of a chapter week; I had hoped to squeeze in more but we can't seem to pick up the pace beyond that. At this rate, we obviously will not be able to finish all 40 chapters by the end of this academic year. Any suggestions re which chapters to skip? I believe the author does suggest the two relativity chapters, but which beyond those would be least significant to miss?

 

Also, any specific suggestions re *how* to use this course? All we are doing is reading the chapters and answering a selection of the questions at the end of each chapter. That takes up plenty of time for my sons (and me!)

 

Thanks much.

 

...Physics in Your Life. Sometimes a bit over our heads but helpful.

[Miss Marple]

Stacey, I'm so glad you posted. I received you e-mail and intended to write back after ds's surgery when things slowed down, but I forgot. I'm sorry.

 

My class was comprised mostly of older students who had already taken my chemistry class. So we skipped the chapters that were chemistry related. Here's the list of chapters we completed in 30 weeks: 2-13; 25-29; 32-35. In the teachers manual Hewitt gives a list of the chapters he feels are the most important and then gives options for completing the year. I tried to follow that advice. He says that you should not try to complete all 40 chapters. I'm assuming you're using the 3rd edition of the High School Version?

 

This course is so much fun if you do labs for each chapter. The kids really enjoyed predicting where a projectile would land, etc. Many activities are available online if you just google the subject and add the word "lab" or "experiment" and sometimes adding the word "kids" yields some easier ones.

 

We also used TTC physics lectures when appropriate and I utilized the Glenbrook school website that has a lot of animations, etc. that go along with the text. Here's the link

 

It looks like I'll be teaching this again next year with my 9th and 8th graders. I'll definitely scale it back and cover the early chapters more slowly and we'll add in the chemistry chapters.

 

I'll try to remember to send you my syllabus through your e-mail.

[Mandy in TN]

I'm using Conceptual Physics (high school edition) this year with my grade 9 and 11 sons. The older one is having an easier time of it : ) At this point, we have completed only 10 chapters, at the rate of a chapter week; I had hoped to squeeze in more but we can't seem to pick up the pace beyond that. At this rate, we obviously will not be able to finish all 40 chapters by the end of this academic year. Any suggestions re which chapters to skip? I believe the author does suggest the two relativity chapters, but which beyond those would be least significant to miss?

 

Also, any specific suggestions re *how* to use this course? All we are doing is reading the chapters and answering a selection of the questions at the end of each chapter. That takes up plenty of time for my sons (and me!)

 

Thanks much.

 

I looked at the text and liked it so much that I wanted to do it all. So, I just decided to use it over two years.:tongue_smilie: LOL Sorry, that probably isn't much help. Ds's science credit this year will actually be 1/2 credit in oceanography and 1/2 credit in astronomy.

 

Like you we are reading the chapters and answering a selection of the questions at the end of each chapter. We check out youtube for Paul Hewitt videos applicable to the chapter. We also have the TC videos, but my ds has really enjoyed watching Paul Hewitt videos on youtube.

 

Mandy

[Nan in Mass]

We chose things we hadn't covered doing other science. We did waves and light when we got our ham licenses, so we skipped that, and we just did electricity lightly. Can you think about what you've covered other places? Or just read those chapters and not answer the questions? It was slow for us, too.

-Nan