AP Physics - Merging AP Physics C and AP Physics 1&2 Into AP Physics

Sep 20, 2026

Uploaded by Mia

AP Physics course planning explains how to merge AP Physics C and AP Physics 1&2 into a unified AP Physics structure for a BHS context. It outlines the historical timeline of curriculum and enrollment changes, then identifies key problems behind de facto student placement levels, including misunderstanding of course differences and resulting bias. The document focuses on leveraging recent AP exam changes, clarifying which exams students will take, and defining next steps, challenges, and a revised catalog course description.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

AP Physics course offerings overview

Historical timeline at BHS

Overview of the problem

De Facto Levels

AP Physics Merging AP Physics C (1 BHS course with 2 AP exams) and AP Physics 1&2 (1 BHS course with 2 AP exams) Into AP Physics (1 course with a combination of 2-3 exams) Table of Contents ➢ Introduction ➢ Timeline ➢ Overview of the Problem ➢ De Facto Levels ➢ Taking Advantage of the Recent Changes to theAP Exams ➢ What Exams Will Students Take? ➢ Next Steps ➢ Challenges ➢ New Catalog Course Description Back to Contents Introduction Most Schools only offer a section AP Physics C for their advanced Physics offering, and only prepare students for AP Physics C: Mechanics. BHS offered | BHS Course | AP Physics C | AP Physics 1&2 | | --- | --- | --- | | AP Exams | ● AP Physics C: Mechanics
● AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism
Representing two collegiate semesters of calculus-based Physics for Physics and Engineering majors | ● AP Physics 1
Formerly many algebra-based topics, now just algebra-based Mechanics due to pandemic. Intended to be a full year 11th grade course.
● AP Physics 2
Algebra-based Electricity, Magnetism, Thermodynamics, Waves, Modern Physics. Intended to be a full year 12th grade course. | Back to Contents Introduction ● CollegeBoard has made many responsive changes to the pandemic, and they have realized that few schools actually separated AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2 into 2 separate 11th and 12th grade courses as they had hoped. ● BHS has made many changes to the pedagogy over the past 21 years, to keep up with exam changes, changes in educational technology, student engagement and efforts to increase access to the courses. ● We are taking advantage of a set of major changes once more. ● The next section is a historical timeline of the courses and their changes over 21 years. Back to Contents AP Physics Timeline at BHS | Pre 1997 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 |
2000-01
AP Physics B Begins
1 Section mostly for students in the 1st year of the 9th grade Physics Pilot
1 Section AP Physics C remained
More female students are taking AP Physics than ever before | | --- | --- | --- | --- | |
Physics 2 AP
Physics 2 H
All in one section
Physics 1 and Physics 1 H was a 11th or 12th grade course.
Only 11th graders in Physics 1 Honor were able to take a Physics 2 course
Mostly White Male students took Physics 2 AP or H | Started 9th grade Physics Pilot
4 sections of
Accelerated Physics
The idea of AP Physics B offering a more inclusive and robust Physics 2 option began | All 9th graders took Physics
Freshman Campus at OLS Year 2
AP Physics B was described to this class of students as a future option
Curriculum development began | | Back to Contents AP Physics Timeline at BHS |
2001-2017
Consistent results across 2-3 sections among both courses
‘Flipped Class’ in 2013
Consistently totalling 2-3 sections in both courses over many years
Gradual gains made in diversity and AP exam performance |
2013-2014
CollegeBoard changes AP Physics B to
AP Physics 1 &
AP Physics 2
This was a way to slow the AP Physics B curriculum to two full years. Not applicable to BHS.
This change highlighted the differences in math prerequisite knowledge, and marginalized some gains in diversity. |
2016-2017
Increase in enrollment
The BC Calculus prerequisite for AP Physics C was eliminated
More female students, and more students in AASLP request the courses.
Same AP Performance
Totalling 4 sections |
2017-2018
AP Physics 1&2
2 sections
AP Physics C
3 sections
Fun Fact on the AP C E&M Tests: There are only 184 Female test takers in Mass this year.
26 Female students @ Lexington
24 Female students @ BHSNo more data on performance is available, and our students scored almost as well as Lexington | | --- | --- | --- | --- | Back to Contents AP Physics Timeline at BHS | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 |
Future
Focus on access and eliminating

FAQs

Why does the document propose merging AP Physics C with AP Physics 1&2?

It responds to major AP and school course-structure changes and aims to reduce barriers created by misconceptions about how the courses differ.

What are the main causes of the de facto levels described?

Students misunderstand the difference between the courses; that misunderstanding feeds internalized bias in course selection; it also contributes to unnecessary homogeneity and difficulty choosing among topics in the four AP exams.

Which aspects of the courses have changed over time at BHS?

The document provides a timeline covering shifts in course sections, curriculum pacing changes, prerequisite eliminations (e.g., the BC Calculus prerequisite for AP Physics C), pandemic-era exam format changes, and differences between Physics 1/2 and Physics C offerings.

Sep 20, 2026

Uploaded by Mia