During the first semester the students learn about forces, pressure, and vectors. Students investigate these topics in pairs by designing and conducting experiments. In these lab experiments they make measurements, compile and organize data, analyze results, and communicate their conclusions in lab notebooks. Students are encouraged to ask questions and work together. They develop their mastery through daily homework assignments, and they are assessed through their notebooks, essays, and tests.

During the second semester the students investigate waves, heating and cooling, energy, and motion. A major goal throughout the year is for students to see science as a process rather than an established set of facts. Students behave as scientists by conducting investigations that probe the fundamental relationships in physics. As a capstone to the year, students complete an independent research project and present their results at the school’s Science Fair.