Topics Refer to syllabus Materials You need to have one folder or three ring binder and two notebooks, exclusively for Physics. Also you will need a scientific calculator, a ruler, and a protractor.
This is a convenient way to organize material as it is presented to you. Being organized will certainly improve your chances of success in Physics! I strongly suggest making a section of your notebook for physics terminology. Keeping a list of words and concepts may help your understanding of them. You will be expected to have a method and a place to store your lab reports. Most labs will be turned in on loose-leaf paper. Labs need to be stored together after they are turned in, graded, and returned. A three ring binder is one good way to store these. Colleges may request your lab records to make a final decision to award or not award you college credit for this course, if you choose to take the AP exam. It is important to keep lab reports neat and well organized. Calculators Only to be used for mathematics operations. Calculators used for games or other uses will be confiscated. Penalties: 1st offense: Returned at end of hour 2nd offense: Returned at end of day 3rd and subsequent offenses: Turned into office as an unauthorized electronic device (similar to a cellphone) Preparation for class Tardiness will not be tolerated. The OSH policy will be STRICTLY enforced. You must be in the room and ready to learn when the bell rings. Students are expected to arrive in class fully prepared everyday. You should have on your desk the following materials: notebook, problem notebook, calculator, and pen/pencil. Random material checks will be made throughout the trimester. If the required materials are not readily available you will receive zero credit. Readily available does NOT include inside your backpack. Evaluation You will be graded on the following categories (percents are approximate): 50% Exams 30% Labs
20% Formative Activities.
Grades will be determined according to this scale: A 92.0-100% A- 90.0-91.9% B+ 88.0-89.9% B 82.0-87.9% B- 80.0-81.9%
C+ 78.0-79.9% C 72.0-77.9% C- 70.0-71.9% D+ 68.0-69.9% D 62.0-67.9% D - 60.0-61.9% Plagiarism All students must complete their own work. Copying other students work is plagiarism. Buying a paper off the internet is plagiarism. Not properly citing sources and presenting the research of others is plagiarism. If a student is caught plagiarizing an assignment they will be referred to administration with NO warnings. The alternative assignment that is assigned will be worth 50% credit. Homework Problems Homework will be assigned most nights. ALL HOMEWORK PROBLEMS ARE TO BE COMPLETED IN YOUR PROBLEMS NOTEBOOK. Please label each assignment and use plenty of space for each problem. Problems should be written completely and neatly. Show each step clearly, and be sure to consistently use units with numerical values. I will be collecting but not grading homework on test day. In order to be eligible for a retake ALL homework must be genuinely attempted and turned in when you take the test. Lab Activities Labs are at the core of understanding physics. They will usually be completed in groups of 2 or 3 people, yet each person will complete their own written lab assignment. Working cooperatively together is critical to the success of everyone in the class. Occasionally, labs may be graded as a group that is one write up will be graded and all group members will receive the same score. Lab assignments are to be concise, organized accounts of the work which you have done. There will be two or three formal lab reports will be written in a formal style and typed per trimester, according to the guidelines we will work through together. All other lab assignments will follow the directions provided in class, normally data, calculations, and a summary. Graphs MUST be done electronically or on graph paper. Exams An assessment will given at the end of most chapters. They will be a combination of multiple choice questions and free response problems. These are to be used to help assure you have mastered the appropriate concepts in each chapter. Exams may also contain review material from previous chapters. Retaking Exams Students will be given the opportunity to retake any exam they wish. However, a rather extensive packet will be required to be completed and handed in PRIOR to retaking the exam. The retake will only occur on ONE SPECIFIED day. It is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements for any time other than during guided study or after school. The student will receive the SECOND score, regardless of it being higher or lower. Also, the second test may be SIGNIFICANTLY different, so don’t plan on the first test being a practice test.
Late Work
Accepted by the next day prior to 2:15 pm for 75% credit. After that, but within one week I will accept it for 50%. Do NOT wait until the last minute as you will be less prepared for future topics. Guided Study Students who are missing an assignment SHOULD report to my room during guided study time (generally Monday, Wednesday and Friday). A work request form should be filled before 7:15 am on the morning you will be attending so work may be prepared. Lab makeup, if possible, must be requested the previous day. Some labs may only be completed within one week due to equipment requirements Technology
We will use technology, such as cellphones and laptops, frequently in class. Students are expected to use them for appropriate uses and be good digital citizens. Failure to do this will result in confiscation and penalty under school policy. This equipment is NOT required to complete the course successfully but will enhance the learning experience. Students will be encouraged to work with others that have appropriate technology when possible. One example that will be used significantly is Poll Everywhere (http://polleverywhere.com). This tool allows students to actively engage in class material by responding to a variety of questions. Student responses are automatically tallied and displayed on a special PowerPoint slide or on a website. An advantage of this method is that it allows all students to respond without worrying what peers may think of their response (I had over 85% of students actively engaged using this tool last year!). It is also significantly less expensive than dedicated student response systems (aka clickers), since it employs a device that most students already possess, the cell phone. My classroom will have access to wifi during this school year, so that will expand the capabilities of this system to Ipod Touches and eliminate the need for using text messages on wifi enabled phones. There are three main uses we will make of this technology. One use will be to judge what students misconceptions are for a physics concept. Another use will be to assess what students have learned and understand from the class discussion and lectures. Finally, it may also be used for review sessions. Another application will be using netbooks and laptops to collect data and electronically create lab reports. Students will have a Google Apps account through the district this year. I plan to utilize this by having several lab reports collaboratively generated using Google Docs. A key benefit of this is that multiple students can easily create a report without having to pass around a USB key or emailing files. Another advantage is by using the revisions history I will be able to easily evaluate how much each student contributed to ensure a fair grade is given to all group members. Cell phones and smart phones will be used several times a week as many students always have them. Netbooks and laptops will be used less often and students will be given ample warning of when we will incorporate them. Anytime we introduce cutting edge technology into the classroom there is bound to be some trepidation. As such it is essential to have some rules and expectations. Cell phones will only be used for educational purposes when instructed. Students should have an unlimited text or data plan as appropriate. Students will not send other texts. Any misuse will result in standard cell phone disciplinary action. |
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Physics is Fun! |
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