Honors Physics
Focused on the study of how and why objects move as they do, Mr. Cicconi’s Honors Physics classes junior year use problem solving and laboratory skills to engage students and allow them to see how physics applies to the world around them. For those who are interested in physics mechanics and have a background in math, this class emphasizes those ideas and builds on them.
The Honors Physics class that is taught by Mr. Cicconi is one of many honors science courses in the school. It can be taken by students in 11th grade, and is weighted with an honors 5%. The class is a college-prep introductory course with a focus on mechanics. Students must have either an 82% in Honors Chemistry or an 88% in Academic Chemistry as a prerequisite. It takes up two periods, with a study hall every other day.
“I want my students to experience physics in a way that is educational but also fun,” Mr. Cicconi said. “I often say at open house that my class is ‘essential for any student entering any STEM major, but still fun for those who aren’t!’ I like to use different characters, PowerPoint animations, and sayings. My hope is that these extra things help keep my class interesting and memorable.”
Mr. Cicconi uses an engaging style to hook students and make the educational aspect of his class fun for students. He focuses on problems and solutions, and does so through various labs and presentations.
“My favorite part about teaching honors physics (and any physics really) is all of the hands-on activities that can be done,” Mr. Cicconi said. “There are lots of different labs and experiments that can be done to solidify concepts.”
Mr. Cicconi and the class in general affects students positively. Students feel that they learn a lot through the fun and personal style of teaching, which shows one of the many reasons to take the class.
“My favorite activity that we have done is the Graphing Motion Lab, where we rolled someone down the ramp on a scooter,” junior Gabriella Zimmerman said.
Students completed the Mario Kart Lab and the Graph Acting Video, where they were to play games and record videos to show their physics knowledge. One of the videos from the Graph Acting Video lab assignment made by students Nikolas Kelly, Dominic Schultheis, Daniel Stovall, and Theo Summers can be seen below.
“It’s easily one of my favorite classes of the day,” junior Molly Geissler said. “Mr. Cicconi is incredibly helpful if I ever have a question, always being ready to answer any questions. I truly enjoy physics.”
Overall, there is much to learn and do in Honors Physics. With an engaging, fun, and thorough class, there is no stopping students from grasping an understanding and enjoyment of physics. If a student would want to take this class they must follow the prerequisite and schedule it for their junior year.
