Physics First - Rhode Island

Physics First-Rhode Island, a pilot project launched in 2006, supports 7,500 ninth through eleventh grade students in six of the state’s high schools, including some of the largest, and the entire science departments in these schools.

The Physics First program emphasizes inquiry-based, hands-on teaching and learning based on a three-year course sequence beginning with Foundations for Physics, followed by Green Chemistry and Biology. ALL students in the pilot schools follow this course sequence.  This pilot has accelerated achievement of the Rhode Island Regents’ requirement of 3 high school science courses for all students within the pilot schools.

As a complement to the Physics First pilot, teachers from Portsmouth High school are engaged in a National Science Foundation sponsored project, the Science of Atoms and Molecules (SAM), through the Concord Consortium of Massachusetts.  This project is developing instructional units that permit students to learn core atomic and molecular content through guided exploration of computational (computer) models.

In partnership with the East Bay Education Collaborative and Rhode Island College, the Concord Consortium has been awarded a $1.2M three-year grant from the National Science Foundation for the Rhode Island Information Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (RI-ITEST) project. This will integrate instructional units developed in the SAM grant (atomic and molecular interactions) as an element of the Physics First curriculum.

On November 2, 2007 an independent evaluation of the first year of the Physics First – Rhode Island pilot was delivered to the Governor’s PK-16 Council by Hezel Associates of Syracuse, New York.  The report found:

• The evidence collected suggested the implementation of the first year of Physics First in the six pilot schools was completed with fidelity to the Foundations for Physics paradigm. 
• There was strong evidence to suggest that the course content is of high-quality and well-aligned with the Rhode Island Grade Span Expectations 
• Overall, students expressed enthusiasm for the Foundations for Physics course and indicated an understanding of the coursework and labs.  By and large they enjoyed the lab work and hands-on activities.  Most students said they expected to take more science courses in college.