Course Syllabus

AP Physics 1 2017-2018

Academy of Science and Technology

Mrs. Karen Humes

2nd, 6th and 7th Periods in Room 3105

Conference Period: 11:00am - 11:45am

Email: khumes@conroeisd.net

                                                                                                

Course Description

Physics is a physical science concerned with the relationship between matter and energy.  The ultimate goal of physics is to explain processes and particles in terms of simple interactions and simple particles.  The four main subdivisions of physics are:  mechanics and thermal energy; wave motion; electricity; and nuclear and particle physics.

Because mathematics is the language of physics, an adequate preparation in algebra and geometry is an essential prerequisite.  Elementary trigonometry is necessary for some problem solving.  The method used to solve physics problems consists of a number of logical steps.  Solving a problem in physics is not merely a matter of “plugging” a set of numbers into the appropriate equations.  Understanding the basic principle of the problem is much more important than “getting the right answer.”

This course will involve a considerable amount of laboratory experience.  Investigations will be both qualitative and quantitative in nature and will require manipulation of apparatus, observation, gathering of data, processing data and interpreting the data to form conclusions.

 

The Three Rules of Physics

Perseverance is the most important thing you can take from this class. There will be moments in here when you are sure that you are stupid. There will be moments when you walk down the hall smiling because you know something about reality that very few people in this world understand. The dumbest I ever felt was in physics. The smartest I ever felt was in physics. The trick is not to let the emotions stop you. Don’t give up on yourself when you struggle. Don’t get cocky and stop learning when you are doing well.

I’m going to give you the three rules of physics. You don’t have to believe them, but they are always with you.

1. Don’t Panic. This is the first rule of physics. There will be a lot of moments when you will read a problem on a test and feel completely lost. Sometimes you generally are lost- other times, you are just momentarily disoriented, and if you take a deep breath and relax you’ll be able to work through it. Physics will often daze you, but that does not mean it will defeat you. The people that write the AP exams delight in coming up with totally new situations for students to analyze…there will always be questions that you’ve never seen before on tests…but  that is because the world is infinitely complex…Don’t Panic!
2. If you can’t solve the whole thing, solve anything you can. There are going to be lots of times when you will have no idea how to get to the answer. The best way to deal with this is to try to find something- anything.  Can’t find the work? At least find the mass. You should write out the variables you know, draw a picture, solve for something easy that you can figure out… the important thing is not to throw your hands up and give up. The AP test gives enormous amounts of partial credit- the answer is generally only worth a point out of five or six. There are often points for just choosing and writing the correct equation from the formula sheet.
3. Don’t give up. Physics belongs to those who are willing to bang their head against the wall of ignorance enough times to knock it down. This is not a race, though it will sometimes feel like it. This is not a competition, though I will sometimes use that to motivate you. Perseverance, self-reliance and hard work are the keys to this game. Don’t be afraid to nerd out.

 

Tips for Doing Well

You do not need to be a genius to do well in this class. You will need to work hard (for some of you, harder than you’ve ever worked) but you don’t need to become a monk, forsaking all worldly pleasures and thinking only about physics. If you want to do well in this course, the best thing you can do for yourself is establish a few good habits. Good habits are the key to success in this class.

1. Do not cram. Do I have students who cram for tests and do well on them? Yes. Do these students ever do well on the actual AP test? Possibly. Even if you are a mediocre student, if you are diligent and review regularly, you will do significantly better than a higher level student who crams. This course is known for covering an epic amount of information. Plus, physics builds on itself. You can’t forget a section- it will appear again and again, haunting you when you least expect it on quizzes and tests. 
2. Make every effort to solve example problems and practice problems before you look at the solutions. Physics is not a spectator sport. You must be actively engaged in it, from the first time you see the information, to looking over your mistakes after a test. If you just passively read the solutions, I guarantee you that you will do poorly when the topics come up again in a later unit. 
3. Talk to others. This goes for both the strong students and the weak students. If you are a weak student, you may be embarrassed about asking questions. Don’t worry, physics eventually makes us all feel stupid. Physics will someday (soon) make the smartest kid in this class feel like a moron. So ask for help- not just from me but from your classmates. If you are a strong student, you may feel like explaining problems to others is a waste of time, but let me reassure you that this will make you extremely competitive on the test. The AP Physics exam really favors those who can clearly explain their thinking to others- not those who can just find the answer.
4. Look over your mistakes. This is the most painful. Everyone will have at least one low test in here). In this class, even A papers are usually covered in pen. Look over every comment I make. If I took the time to write it, it is important. Try the problems again at a later date. Take notes on what type of mistakes you made.

 

Required Supplies

1. Notebook

You will need a notebook of your choice for taking notes and working example problems. 

2. Dry Erase Markers

You are required to bring in an unopened package of multi-color dry erase markers, preferably EXPO BOLD.  

3. Graph Composition Notebook

You will need to purchase a composition notebook that contains 4x4 quad graph pages to use as your laboratory notebook (no spirals or plain lined composition books). We will use these for ALL labs. They will function as a lab diary. In addition, many colleges require you to show this notebook before receiving college credit for AP Physics. The content in your lab notebook will be checked regularly throughout the course. The requirements for documenting labs in the laboratory notebook will be available on the first day of school on the Canvas page for the course. 

4. Textbook

You should check out a physical copy of the textbook to use as a reference for completing homework assignments. Additionally you will have weekly reading assignments from the textbook. The text is College Physics, 2e by Jones/Knight/Field. 

5. Black/Dark Blue Pens

You will need a black/dark blue ink pen for documenting all laboratory work. 

8. Graphing Calculator

You should also have your own calculator in class daily. While a scientific calculator is acceptable, you may wish to have a graphing calculator (e.g. TI-84 plus or better). I do not always have extra calculators available for borrowing. If you don’t have your calculator on test day, your math skills need to be good enough to work the problems by hand.

 

 Course Organization

• Laboratory activities will typically occur once to twice a week.
• MasteringPhysics online homework assignments will be assigned each week in advance and will be due on Tuesays by 7:20am, unless it lands on a test
• Tests (major grades) will be held at the end of each unit.
• A project (major grade) will be assigned each nine-weeks.
• A formal lab report (major grade) will be assigned each nine weeks.
• Students who are not successful on the original unit test will be allowed to take a cumulative retake test on an assigned date within the last two weeks of a 9 week grading period.  Unit tests occurring after the cumulative retake cannot be retaken.  
• All make-up work should be completed as soon as possible.
• Late daily work is not accepted.
• The planned schedule for each unit is posted in Canvas. However, day to day activities may have to move to meet the needs of students in individual classes and / or outside factors such as fire drills.  Test dates however will typically not be moved.  

 

Student Evaluation

• Laboratory Work
  • You will be required to take a quiz on laboratory safety before being allowed to participate in laboratory activities. The quiz will cover the list of laboratory rules provided to you the first week of school.
  • Although work will often be done in pairs or larger groups, each student is responsible for turning in individual lab activities sheets / lab reports.
  • Formal laboratory reports must have a paper copy turned in and the document shared on google drive within one week of the actual lab day.
• Quizzes
  • Quizzes will consist of completion questions, multiple choice questions and/or free response questions.
  • Quizzes will cover concepts developed in class and/or in homework assignments.
  • Quizzes will count as triple daily grades
• Tests
  • Tests will often refer to laboratory activities as well as material covered in lecture and reading material. Therefore, studying for tests should include a review of notes, homework and laboratory reports.
•  Retest Policy -
  • There will be 1 retake offered each nine weeks offered on a specific day during the last two weeks of the 9 week grading period.
  • In order to be eligible to sign up for the retake, you are required to turn in completed test corrections for each test during that unit, not just for the test you want to replace. If corrections are not completed and checked by Mrs. Humes by the end of signups, you will not be eligible to take the retake. The deadline for signups will usually be a couple of days in advance of the retake date.
• Instructions for completing test corrections will be given in class following the first regular exam.
• The retest will be cumulative for all material covered in the class up to the last test handed back before the last day to sign up for the retake.
• Retake score will replace the lowest test score. If the retake score is lower than the lowest test score, then the original grade will remain unchanged.
• Determination of Grades
  • Major grades are 80% of a nine-week average. Major grades consist of tests, formal lab reports, and projects. 
  • Daily grades are 20% of a nine-week average. Daily grades include quizzes, in-class assignments, laboratory activities, and homework assignments.
  • Semester Exams are 15% of the semester average.

 

ATTENDANCE

You are responsible for finding out what you missed while absent and must make arrangements with Mrs. Humes to complete any missed work. All topics covered each day, assignment due dates, and quiz and test dates are posted on the course Canvas calendar at the beginning of a new unit. It is to your advantage to make arrangements with Mrs. Humes in advance if you know you are going to be absent. 

• A "z" zero will be entered in the gradebook in place of any missed assignments until they have been turned in.
• Physical homework assignments are due immediately upon return to class or they will remain a zero.
• Missed quizzes must be made up before the unit test day.
• Exams are Makeup exams will be in short answer/essay format (no multiple choice) after you return OR if you know you are going to be absent you can take a different version of the original exam before the test day. You have 1 week to makeup a missed exam from the day you return, otherwise the grade will remain a zero.
• All makeup quizzes and exams will be taken on your own time, not during class.
• Refer to the AP Physics 1 Laboratory Manual for details on how to make up missed laboratory activities, as the procedure varies depending on the type of activitiy.
• There are no extensions for MasteringPhysics online homeworks and Canvas online homework quizzes due to absences because they are posted and open before the start of a unit. 
• If you are absent more than two days in a row for any reason, please make arrangements to have a conversation with Mrs. Humes about how to prioritize your makeup work so that you do not fall behind.

 

ACADEMIC HONESTY

You are encouraged to discuss and debate the ideas in any of your assignments with your instructor, lab partners, and other classmates. If you work on an assignment cooperatively, rather than independently, you may share ownership of spreadsheet, graph, and diagram files based on data you have taken with partners.  However, any other spreadsheet or written assignments must be expressed in your own words. Thus, you may not copy (even with some modification) assignments, journal entries, or written material on examinations.  If there is reasonable evidence of copying, it will be construed as cheating

 

TUTORING

If you are having difficulty understanding the material presented, it is your responsibility to get extra help. It is always a good idea to check with me beforehand to ensure my availability in case I have duty or a meeting scheduled. 

• I will typically be available for tutoring every day before school starting at 6:45 am, after school until 3:30 pm, and during all advisory periods.  
• I am unavailable for tutoring on the mornings on which a test in any course is being given, so check the whiteboard in my room to see when the next tests are in all of my courses and make arrangements around those dates.
• Some days will have tutoring priority assigned to either AP Physics 1 or  AP Physics C, indicated with a sign on the marker board. This means that particular course has an important assignment due the next day, so those students (if present) will be the focus of my attention during tutoring. If both classes have a major assignment due the next day, or neither class has priority, then the sign will not be posted.
• My classroom is also open any time I am in my room to use as a quiet place to work or study even if you do not need tutoring.
• It is also a great idea to form a study group. Just make sure that you attempt the problems on your own before working with a group.
• Do not wait until you are completely frustrated and confused, seek help early!