Best Homeschool Physics Curriculum Live Online Course 2023
The Best Homeschool Physics Curriculum is a series of live online homeschool physics courses for 2022-23 starting with Intro to Physics (Part 1), about Newton’s Laws of Motion. If you missed Physics Part 1, you can still join us for Spring 2023 (Jan-May) for Physics Part 2 about waves (Thursdays from 10:05-10:50 AM PST / 1:05-1:50 PM EST starting Jan 26, 2023) and/or Physics Part 3 about electricity (Tuesdays from 10:05-10:50 AM PST / 1:05-1:50 PM EST starting Jan 24, 2023).
You won’t find complicated math problems here, just fun, approachable high school physics lessons. Alien jokes included, of course!
"Physics that is understandable with middle school math skills is EXACTLY what a traditional science education is missing. It's truly the best homeschool physics curriculum." -- Dan T, parent and science teacher
Best Homeschool Physics Curriculum 2022-23 Overview
Intro to Physics (Part 1) will examine the forces creating motion in a live online course. If you can draw arrows, you can understand this course! Unlike a normal physics class, you won’t need an advanced understanding of algebra to master the physics concepts. We’ll do physics the fun way to cover Newton’s Laws of Motion, a truly classic topic in “classical physics.”
We will start at the beginning, and learners will develop the skill to make scientific drawings. We will analyze the forces and energies for everyday objects including balls, bicycles, cars, planes, skydivers, space ships, satellites, the moon, and, obviously, a catapult of admittedly medieval design.
There are a total of 8 parts in the physics series, and we have a short physics demo course so you can see what the course materials look like.
How to Join This Live Class for 2022-23?
Step 1. Check the Schedule for Fall 2022
Click image to see the schedule.
Or see complete instructions to join a live class.
Best Homeschool Physics Course 2022-23 Topics
Lesson 1: Force Vectors
Our homeschool physics live online course will discuss, analyze, and draw forces using arrows to represent the strength and direction of many common types of forces. We’ll talk about the practical significance of Isaac Newton’s Law that “every action has an equal and opposite reaction.” We will understand how balancing forces result in resting objects while unbalanced forces result in motion.
Lesson 2: Acceleration
We will discuss the scientific concept of motion by introducing the terms speed, velocity, and acceleration. We will learn that gravity is a force that produces acceleration, that is falling objects increase their speed the further they fall. Objects accelerating is covered by the second of Newton’s Laws.
Lesson 3: Kinetic and Potential Energy
There are many, many forms of energy, that stuff that makes things happen. We will discuss two common forms called kinetic energy, the energy of motion, and potential energy, the energy of something at rest. We will discuss how energy is transformed between these forms, but never destroyed. We will introduce the concept of inefficiencies and energetic “losses” that happen in the real world.
Lesson 4: Flight Paths
The path of a flying object can be plotted precisely. The theory involves analyzing the transformation of potential energy into kinetic energy. We’ll use graph paper to plot some flight paths for common objects.
Lesson 5: Gravity and Orbits
We will learn how gravity holds the solar system together. Planets stay in fixed orbits around the sun, and humans have created satellites to stay in orbit around our planet. We will conclude the course by accessing realtime satellite data feeds showing beautiful imagery of our Earth.
Best Homeschool Physics Curriculum Course Sequence
Physics Part 1 is the first, beginner-level live course in our multi-year sequence of live online physics courses. You’ll want to get started here.
Physics Part 1 is followed by Physics Part 2: Waves. Advanced live physics courses include Physics Part 3: Electricity and Circuits and Physics Part 4: Gasses. Physics Part 5 is about nuclear physics, and Physics Part 6 covers dimensions and units.
Course Data for Intro to Physics
Live Course: Yes, meets live on Zoom Thursdays from 10:05-10:50 AM PST / 1:05-1:50 PM EST, starting on September 15, 2022 for the Fall 2022 (Sep-Dec) section.
Videos Included: The video textbook has 87 videos (6.5 hours total) including complete physics lessons and detailed worksheet solutions.
Materials Included: The course has 9 printable pdf files including worksheets and class notes.
Time commitment: Learners typically spend 1-2 hours per week, which includes combined live in-class time and out-of-class time.
Course duration: Semester length (half school year) or summer session.
Instructor Support Included: Dr. Scott teaches the live class personally. He is available for questions and evaluates worksheets by email. There are grades and a certificate of completion at the end.
Who It's For
Physics Homeschool Curriculum
Learning Outcomes
Learners completing Introduction to Physics (Part 1) will be able to:
- Analyze forces on solid objects
- Analyze energy for solid objects and fluids
- Understand energy conservation and losses
- Understand mass, gravity, and the solar system
- Make technical diagrams
- Show curved paths for flying objects
- Get introduced to modern space science
- Access satellite data feeds
- Confidently approach physics
Meet Your Instructor
Hi, I’m Dr. Scott, the course instructor and author of the digital textbook that you get with the homeschool physics course series called Intro to Physics.
As a former college professor, engineer, and scientist, I think it’s really strange that most learners don’t get much physics until about their last year of high school, if at all. Physics is all around us. And it really doesn’t take tons of annoying math to appreciate it.
The focus of my physics homeschool curriculum is a practical physics education, and we’ll strategically avoid most of the complicated equations, weird math, and long calculations that plague the typical physics classroom.
Click the image to schedule your orientation call with Dr. Scott to get the best online physics course at the best price!