SPH4U - Grade 12 Physics

Grade 12 Physics image
Course Code: SPH4U Course Type: University Preparation Format: Online School Course Prerequisite: SPH3U, Grade 11 Physics Tuition Fee (CAD): $574 Demo Lesson

Course Description For SPH4U Grade 12 Physics Online Course

Grade 12 Physics allows students to deepen their understanding of physics concepts and theories. In this course, students will continue their exploration of energy transformations and the forces that affect motion. They will investigate electrical, gravitational, and magnetic fields, as well as electromagnetic radiation. Students will also have the chance to explore topics such as the wave nature of light, quantum mechanics, and special relativity. Throughout the course, they will further develop their scientific investigation skills, learning how to analyze data related to a variety of physics concepts and principles both qualitatively and quantitatively. Students will also consider the impact of technological applications of physics on society and the environment.

Summary Of Units And Timelines For Grade 12 Physics SPH4U

Below is the suggested sequence of course unit delivery as well as the recommended number of hours to complete the respective unit. For complete details of targeted expectations within each unit and activity, please see each Unit Overview found in the SPH4U course profile.

Unit OrderUnit NameSuggested Time
Unit 0Prerequisite Review & Kinematics10 Hours
Unit 1Force and Motion: Dynamics20 Hours
Unit 2Energy and Momentum20 Hours
Mid Semester Point
Unit 3Electric, Gravitational and Magnetic Fields20 Hours
Unit 4The Wave Nature of Light20 Hours
Unit 5Modern Physics18 Hours
FINALFinal Exam2 Hours
View Sample Gradebook Total110 Hours

Please be aware that, as per Ministry guidelines, OVS has a mandatory minimum requirement of 14 days enrollment for students to be eligible for a midterm report card and 28 days enrollment to be eligible for a final report card.

This course enables students to deepen their understanding of physics concepts and theories. Students will continue their exploration of energy transformations and the forces that affect motion, and will investigate electrical, gravitational, and magnetic fields and electromagnetic radiation. Students will also explore the wave nature of light, quantum mechanics, and special relativity. They will further develop their scientific investigation skills, learning, for example, how to analyse, qualitatively and quantitatively, data related to a variety of physics concepts and principles. Students will also consider the impact of technological applications of physics on society and the environment.

Teachers will bring enthusiasm and varied teaching and assessment approaches to the classroom, addressing individual students’ needs and ensuring sound learning opportunities for every student. The activities offered should enable students to relate and apply these concepts to the social, environmental, and economical conditions and concerns of the world in which they live. Opportunities to relate knowledge and skills to these wider contexts will motivate students to learn in a meaningful way and to become life-long learners. Teachers will to help students understand that problem solving of any kind often requires a considerable expenditure of time and energy and a good deal of perseverance. Teachers also will encourage students to investigate, to reason, to explore alternative solutions and to take the risks necessary to become successful problem solvers. Effective instructional approaches and learning activities draw on students’ prior knowledge, capture their interest, and encourage meaningful practise both inside and outside the classroom. Students will be engaged when they are able to see the connection between the scientific concepts they are learning and their application in the world around them and in real-life situations. Due to its importance, students will have opportunities to learn in a variety of ways- individually, cooperatively, independently, with teacher direction, through hands-on experiences, and through examples followed by practice. The approaches and strategies teachers use will vary according to both the object of the learning and the needs of the students. Teachers will accomplish this in an online environment with the use of virtual labs, online simulation, animations, videos, discussion forums, live chat, and other interactive objects.

As summarized in Growing Success 2010, the primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning. Information gathered through assessment helps teachers to determine students’ strengths and weaknesses in their achievement of the curriculum expectations in each course.

This information also serves to guide teachers in adapting curriculum and instructional approaches to students’ needs and in assessing the overall effectiveness of programs and classroom practices. As part of assessment, teachers provide students with descriptive feedback that guides their efforts towards improvement. Evaluation refers to the process of judging the quality of student work on the basis of established criteria, and assigning a value to represent that quality. All curriculum expectations must be accounted for in instruction, but evaluation focuses on students’ achievement of the overall expectations.

A students’ achievement of the overall expectations is evaluated on the basis of his or her achievement of related specific expectations. Teachers will use their professional judgement to determine which specific expectations should be used to evaluate achievement of overall expectations, and which ones will be covered in instruction and assessment but not necessarily evaluated. In order to ensure that assessment and evaluation are valid and reliable, and that they lead to the improvement of student learning, teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies that:

  • Address both what students learn and how well they learn
  • Are based both on the categories of knowledge and skills and on the achievement level descriptions given in the achievement chart
  • Are varied in nature, administered over a period of time, and designed to provide opportunities for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning
  • Are appropriate for the learning activities used, the purposes of instruction, and the needs and experiences of the students
  • Are fair to all students
  • Accommodate students with special education needs, consistent with the strategies outlined in their Individual Education Plan
  • Accommodate the needs of students who are learning the language of instruction
  • Ensure that each student is given clear directions for improvement
  • Promote students’ ability to assess their own learning and to set specific goals
  • Include the use of samples of students’ work that provide evidence of their achievement
  • Are communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the school year and at other appropriate points throughout the school year.

The achievement chart outlines four categories of knowledge and skills. They include; knowledge and understanding, thinking, communication and application. Teachers will ensure that student work is assessed and/or evaluated in a balanced manner with respect to the four categories, and that achievement of particular expectations is considered within the appropriate categories. A final grade is recorded for this course, and a credit is granted and recorded for this course if the student’s grade is 50% or higher. The final grade for this course will be determined as follows:

  • Seventy percent of the grade will be based on evaluations conducted throughout the course. This portion of the grade should reflect the student’s most consistent level of achievement throughout the course, although special consideration should be given to more recent evidence of achievement.
  • Thirty percent of the grade will be based on a final evaluation and administered towards the end of the course.

All students can succeed. Some students are able, with certain accommodations, to participate in the regular course curriculum and to demonstrate learning independently. Accommodations allow access to the course without any changes to the knowledge and skills the student is expected to demonstrate. The accommodations required to facilitate the student’s learning can be identified by the teacher, but recommendations from a School Board generated Individual Education Plan (IEP) if available can also be consulted. Instruction based on principles of universal design and differentiated instruction focuses on the provision of accommodations to meet the diverse needs of learners.

Examples of accommodations (but not limited to) include:

  • Adjustment and or extension of time required to complete assignments or summative tasks
  • Providing alternative assignments or summative tasks
  • Use of scribes and/or other assistive technologies
  • Simplifying the language of instruction

Teachers will bring additional resources and teaching materials that provide a rich and diverse learning environment. Units in this course profile make specific reference to the intended textbook for this course but can be substituted for any relevant and approved text.

  • Hirsch, Alan J. Nelson Physics 12. Toronto: Nelson Thomson Learning, 2003. Print. ISBN 0176259880
  • Gizmos! ExploreLearning. Web. 16 June 2010.
  • “PhET: Free Online Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Earth Science and Math Simulations.” Web. 17 June 2010.
  • “Advanced Placement Physics B : Free Education : Download & Streaming : Internet Archive.” Internet Archive: Free Movies, Music, Books & Wayback Machine. Web. 17 June 2010.

Reference: Science, The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12, 2008 (Revised) Ministry of Education of Ontario

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) Requirements for all course.

Sample Lesson Video: Grade 12 Physics (SPH4U)


Frequently Asked Questions

SPH4U is a Grade 12 Physics course at a University preparation level.

4U refers to the Grade level of the courses and the pathway. 4 means it is a grade 12 course and U means it is a university preparation course.

Click here for more information on Course Coding System

At Ontario Virtual School (OVS) you can complete an online highschool credit courses as quickly as 4 weeks, or take as long as 12 months.

Yes, we can send the marks for your online courses directly to OUAC, OCAS, your home, and to your day school.

Student & Parent Recommendations

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Kenza Tounakti
I had recently finished SPH4U in a span of a month. I started in early May and was able to finish it by June. I needed the credit and I would not have been able to do it without this course. The lessons are very clear and concise and they provide you with tons of worksheets and practice questions. There is also optional assignments which helped boost my mark. The teacher got back to me within 24 hours and I had my tests marked within 48 hours. The teacher is always there to answer any questions or concerns. Overall, the experience was very smooth and I was able to finish the course with a great mark. Normally, you would have 365 days to finish it but you can do it in as little as 4 weeks like I did.
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Naya Akkad
I took the MHF4U course at OVS, and the lessons were very descriptive and easy to understand. The tests were a good amount of difficulty, and you are given a more than reasonable amount of time to complete them. My teacher marked all my tests and final exam, in no more than a day, and was super helpful with any questions I had. My midterm and final marks were also uploaded to the OUAC in less than 2 days, and was a super easy process! I strongly recommend this course to anyone who's having a bit of trouble with how fast-paced their math class is at their day school, and wants to learn at their own comfortable speed.
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ginaxs7
I completed the Physics 12 course with OVS. The lessons were very clear, providing good notes to take down and revise from. There were lots of videos and practice questions to solidify all the new content. My instructor - Ms. Vanderkamp - responded really quickly to any questions that I had, and helped point out where my understanding may have been at fault. Tests and labs were marked and returned very quickly as well, which was really nice as it helped me move quickly through the course. The questions in the tests included multiple choice, short answer, and some (challenging but fun) critical thinking questions. I also thoroughly enjoyed the discussion assignments at the end of each unit. These allowed me to think about how the principles taught in the course are used in the real world. Also, there were no hidden fees at all! I enjoyed my experience, and would highly recommend this to anyone.
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Raina Fatima
My name is Raina and I completed grade 12 physics at Ontario Virtual School (SPH4U). When I first started the course, I was amazed at the teaching style. Each concept was explained in detail and videos were also provided to strengthen my understanding. I also liked how I could complete the course at my own pace and did not have any pressure. My teacher was also extremely friendly and always responded quickly. All in all, I am grateful for my experience at Ontario Virtual School and I would highly recommend this for students who want to finish a course quickly and efficiently.
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Mike Gutsell
I recently took ENG 12 with Mr. Ford to upgrade my previous high school mark. It was very challenging but accessible. The lectures were well organized and easy to follow. Mr. Ford was very, very prompt with grading and answering emails. The expectations of the course were realistic and the practice test/exam was something I wish I'd had in high school. Not only were there practice questions but tips on what was expected from each answer. All-in-all a great experience.
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Gurjeet Sabharwal
So I was enrolled in 2 courses in Ovs - MHF4U and SPH4U. My overall experience with Ovs was pretty good and both of my teachers Ms. Sridhar and Ms. Garcia were very supportive even though I once uploaded an unsolved physics assignment and made a lexical error in the Communication section of MHF4U.