C979 Science Methods: Secondary Physics is a Western Governors University course on planning and teaching high school physics.
WGU describes it as focusing on science teaching methods for graduate students seeking an endorsement in secondary physics. Content centers on standards-based lessons using the three dimensions of science and the appropriate integration of technology, with students evaluating, enhancing and planning instruction in their content area.
The course includes laboratory safety training and certification, and previous coursework in curriculum, instruction and assessment is a prerequisite. Physics teaching is challenging because students arrive with strong everyday intuitions about motion and force that are often wrong, and the maths can hide whether they really understand.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Western Governors University (WGU) |
| Course code | C979 |
| Level | Graduate, endorsement in secondary physics |
| Prerequisite | Prior coursework in curriculum, instruction and assessment |
| Includes | Laboratory safety training and certification |
| Typical work | Physics lesson evaluation, enhancement and planning |
Three Dimensions in Physics
| Dimension | Physics example |
|---|---|
| Practice: analyzing and interpreting data | Graphing force against acceleration |
| Practice: using mathematics | Deriving relationships from graph slopes |
| Crosscutting: cause and effect | Net force causing changes in motion |
| Crosscutting: energy and matter | Energy transfers in a roller coaster or pendulum |
| Core ideas | Forces and motion, energy, waves, electricity and magnetism |
Investigation First, Equation Second
A powerful approach in physics is to let students discover a relationship from data before naming the equation. Many physics teachers use a modeling cycle: investigate, build a model (graph, diagram, equation), then apply it to new situations.
Example lesson, grades 11 to 12: Based on NGSS HS-PS2-1 (analyzing data to support the claim that Newton's second law describes the relationship between net force, mass and acceleration).
Groups pull a low-friction cart with a force sensor and measure acceleration with a motion sensor or video analysis, first changing force with mass constant, then changing mass with force constant. They graph acceleration against force (a straight line through the origin) and against mass (a curve that becomes straight when plotted against 1 / mass). From the slopes, the class builds the model a = Fnet / m, then uses it to predict the acceleration of a new cart before testing it.
The equation arrives as a summary of evidence, which is exactly what the performance expectation asks for.
Planning for Physics Misconceptions
A good C979 lesson anticipates what students already believe. Common examples:
| Misconception | Scientific idea | Teaching move |
|---|---|---|
| Motion needs a constant force | Net force changes motion | Low-friction carts and pucks |
| Heavier objects fall faster | Same acceleration without air resistance | Drop tests and video |
| Current is used up in a circuit | Current is the same in a series loop | Ammeters at several points |
Assessing Physics Explanations
Correct numerical answers can hide weak understanding. Assessment in a three-dimensional physics lesson should ask students to explain and represent, not only calculate.
- Ask for a free-body diagram before any calculation.
- Give two graphs and ask which matches a described motion, and why.
- Use a short written claim about a new situation, supported by the model the class built.
Concept inventories, such as the Force Concept Inventory, are widely used by physics teachers to check whether core ideas have shifted.
Laboratory Safety in Physics
The course's safety certification covers safe practices, classroom procedures and personal protective equipment. Physics hazards are mostly mechanical, electrical and optical:
- Projectiles and springs: eye protection, clear launch zones and limits on force.
- Heavy masses: secure clamps and keep feet clear of falling weights.
- Electricity: low-voltage supplies, checks for damaged leads, and care with short circuits that heat wires.
- Lasers: use low-power classroom lasers and never point them at eyes.
Typical Tasks and How to Approach Them
| Task type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Lesson analysis | Three-dimensional design | Check whether students generate evidence |
| Lesson enhancement | Inquiry and modeling | Turn a worked problem into an investigation |
| New lesson plan | Standards and assessment | Assess explanation, not just calculation |
| Safety plan | Physics lab safety | Mechanical, electrical and optical hazards |
Where Students Get Stuck
- Calculation-only lessons. Add tasks where students explain physics in words and diagrams.
- Technology without purpose. Sensors and video analysis should produce data students interpret.
- Ignoring prior ideas. Start with a prediction so misconceptions surface.
- Vague assessment. Align assessment to the performance expectation's verb, such as analyze or model.
Tips for C979
- Use free simulations, such as PhET, when equipment is limited, and ask students to manipulate variables.
- Collect a bank of quick prediction questions for each unit.
- Use NSTA and American Association of Physics Teachers resources for lesson ideas and safety.
- Keep objectives measurable and tied to your state standards.
How We Help with C979
Send the task instructions, rubric, standard and evaluator comments. A science education writer with a physics background reviews your lesson, explains three-dimensional design, or prepares a model lesson plan to study. Our education assignment help guide covers other teaching coursework.
GradeEssays is independent of Western Governors University. Our help is for study and reference: plan and submit your own lessons under WGU's academic integrity policy. We never complete safety certifications or log in to student accounts.
Plan Physics Lessons Students Understand
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Frequently Asked Questions
Methods for teaching secondary physics: three-dimensional, standards-based lessons, appropriate technology and laboratory safety training and certification.
Students then see the equation as a summary of evidence they collected, which deepens understanding and matches three-dimensional standards.
That motion needs a constant force, that heavier objects fall faster, and that current is used up in a circuit.
Projectiles, springs, heavy masses, electrical circuits and lasers all need specific precautions.
WGU lists previous coursework in curriculum, instruction and assessment.
Yes, as a reference to adapt. You plan, teach and submit your own lesson.