O’Brien and Thompson on assessing Physics First in Maine September 28, 2009 Michael J. O’Brien and John R. Thompson Effectiveness of Ninth-Grade Physics in Maine:  Conceptual Understanding Phys. Teach. 47 (4), 234-239 (2009) The Physics First movement—teaching a true physics course to ninth-grade students—is gaining popularity in high schools. There are several different rhetorical arguments for and against this