What's happening in class

The class is divided into 6 thematic units as follows:

• Texting and Driving - Basic kinematics, an introduction to four patterns (horizontal, proportional, quadratic & inverse) that students will see repeatedly through the year, an introduction to spreadsheets, a final project about texting and driving.
• Energy and Engineering - Conservation of energy, gravitational, kinetic and elastic energy, more spreadsheets with a final project on bungee jumping.
• Forces - Momentum and Newton’s Laws, with  a final project on collisions and bike helmets.
• Waves and Technology - basic wave concepts and relationships, and their application to cell phones, ultrasounds and a lot more of our modern tech.
• Electricity and Power Production - basic electrical relationships with a final project on optimizing a windmill.
• Power Production and Oregon’s 50 year plan - the grid, multiple power options, climate change and the challenge of developing a 50 year plan to meet Oregon’s needs.

Each unit includes an emphasis on technology and engineering and culminates in a project as well as a test.  More information about class routines and grading can be found at class routines.