Welcome to W"al"T Scientific - AP Physics B - Standard Operating Procedures
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AP Physics B: Standard Operating Procedures
Mr. Hubbard |
Office Hours: |
Mon, Wed 7:30 – 8:00 am by Appointment (will reschedule if raining) Course WEB Site: hubbard.theteterszone.net/apfrisbee.html |
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The Integrity Code: “On my honor, I will not lie, cheat, steal, plagiarize, evade the truth or tolerate those who do,” symbolizes this class’s commitment to academic integrity.
Particulars of the classroom: These are the rules of my classroom – RESPECT THEM!
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Manners…Display the ones you know and learn new ones along the way! (i.e. no foul language, texting has its time and place it's considered rude in here!) | |
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Eating…DON’T! It will be thrown out! Drinking…water – O.K. - ALL other drinks will be disposed of – by me! | |
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Cell Phones or mp3 / itunes players of any sort…Not to be used for any reason (not even to check the time!) | |
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Hats…Not to be worn in class (it’s a respect thing)! | |
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Lab Tables and Desks…learn AT them not ON them! | |
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If it's not yours, DON'T Touch It! | |
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Have a pass ready when you ask to go to the bathroom - I know where the bathroom is! |
Particulars of the course:
1. If you want to see homework problems worked, as soon as you come into the room, write in the upper right hand corner of the board, numbers of the problems you want to see. Only current homework problems will be worked in class. If you want to see past problems worked, make an appointment to come in for help.
2. The teaching strategies used in this course are lecture, large group discussion, small cooperative group work (lab groups of no more than 3 or 4 people) and individual work. Depending on what is scheduled for the day, when the tardy bell rings you should be ready for the day's work or writing a problem number on the board.
3. Class attendance is mandatory to master this subject. The most unique characteristic of this course that you are challenged to think outside of the box. This is accomplished by testing / assessing your ability to apply the concepts that are taught rather than your ability to ‘plug and chug’ numbers into memorized equations. Therefore, if you find it necessary to be absent, be certain to check with me and/or obtain notes and assignments from a fellow student. Class participation is essential, and you will be expected to have all current assignments completed. Class Participation means that you must be focused while we are learning and/or practicing. Therefore this class period is for physics and physics alone! You must do the homework for this class – and all of your other classes –- AT HOME!
37b. (AKA 4.) To gain proficiency in the subject it is necessary to practice what you have learned. Assigned class work and homework must be done daily. To get credit for a homework assignment:
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It must be readable. | |
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All answers must be in complete sentences; one word or a phrase is unacceptable. | |
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Problems must be worked completely using K-U-D-E-S. Solutions should include: | |
| 1. K (-nowns) – write out what is ‘known’ (including units) and its variable symbol. (i.e.: Δx = 13.5 m) | ||
| 2. U (-nknown) – write out what is ‘unknown’ (what you will be solving for) | ||
| 3. D (-iagram) – draw a diagram, free body or otherwise, when appropriate | ||
| 4. E (-quation) – write out the equation you will be using (using symbols only). (ie: v = Δx / Δt) | ||
| 5. S (-ubstitute and -olve) data substitution with units on all numbers - and | ||
| 6. the answer circled. | ||
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Be sure to put your name, the date, chapter, page and exercise numbers on all work. | |
E |
Complete all homework worksheet and / or textbook assignments on notebook paper! No credit will be given for work done in the margins of the worksheets or for an answer where no work is present that shows how you arrived at your answer. |
WebAssign assignments need to be completed by the assigned date. Sample problems will be worked in class. Make sure that you know how to access the assignment and submit solutions before the deadline as you will not have access to the problems after this deadline. If you do not have a home computer, use the school computers in the media center.
5. A test will be given after each topic is covered. Do not bring your books or notebooks to class on test days. Bring only a pencil and a calculator if you choose to use one. Calculators may not be shared during tests or quizzes. No credit is ever given for an answer alone!
6. Your grade will be based on the following percentages. (Because this is an AP class, you are expected to keep track of your own grades. Please keep tabs on your grades so that you will know where you stand as the semester progresses.)
A. TESTS 50 ‑ 70% - Think Outside The Box!
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Check Your Agenda For Science Test Days! | |
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Make‑up tests will be given before school or during the W.E.B. Wednesday afternoons beginning at 1:30. As with any missed assignments, you have as many days to make up a test as the number of days that you missed class. If you return to class without a valid excused absence, you can expect to take the test ON THAT DAY! A missed test - not made‑up before the next regularly scheduled test – becomes a zero and cannot be made up. The last test of first semester must be made up by the Monday of Final Exam week. For second semester, this means Senior Final Exam week! |
B. LABORATORY 5 - 15% - DO NOT LOG ONTO OR OFF OF A COMPUTER WITHOUT PERMISSION!
Late Labs will not be accepted unless previously discussed with instructor. Don’t find out that you forgot to turn in a lab by the zero on your on-line grade – by this time it’ll be too late!
The lab procedures have been written to provide you with a means in which you may take an active part in arriving at your own conclusions to phenomena in the physical world. We can then take our findings and compare them to those of earlier scientists in an attempt to see what they saw and/or to shape our own understanding of how things work! The laboratory grade will be based on the following – and more!
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Pre‑lab preparation and appropriate use of time and equipment. Students will be charged replacement cost for broken equipment. A grade of zero will be given for the lab until broken equipment issues are resolved. | |
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A grade of 78 will be given for correct data collected. Correct data means readable data in neat data tables with correct units and correct significant digits submitted for my approval before continuing. | |
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Interpretation of results. Graphs, analysis and conclusion turned in by the next day earns you a grade of 88 on the lab. | |
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The written report. Items 1, 2, and 3 above and a well-written report the next day earns you an A on the lab. Please respect the work that I've done in writing these labs by using them to write your own conclusions! | |
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The first name listed in each lab group will always be responsible for the acquisition and return of all lab materials. The second name listed in each lab group will always be responsible for the maintenance of the lab area – including pushing chairs in! The third name listed in each lab group will always be responsible for any computer related needs during investigations. Any other names listed in a lab group will serve as back-up for the entire group. Group members not completing their assigned task will have points removed from their lab. | |
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Doing work for other classes at the lab station during a lab activity will earn you a zero on the lab and you will be kindly asked to return to your seat for the remainder of the activity. |
C. HOMEWORK 5 - 10%
Homework problems are drawn from three different locations – The Textbook, Worksheets, and The WEBASSIGN Web Site. Web problems are typically the more challenging problems and contain randomly generated numbers such that no two students work exactly the same problem. Students are allowed 5 chances to submit answers to the web problems – so it would be to your advantage to print the problems out and to work them thoroughly on paper before arriving at and submitting your final answer. The web site will let you know if you are right or wrong after you submit your answers.
Textbook / Worksheet homework will be checked randomly! A grade of + (10/10) or – (0/10) will be given - that’s all or nothing. To get a plus, your assignment must be at least 70% complete as directed in item 37b above. WebAssign grades will be as calculated – meaning if there are 5 answers to submit for a particular assignment – and you get 4 of them correct – then your grade on that assignment will be 4 / 5 or 80%.
Check with me to see whether or not a homework check had been conducted on days you were absent - as it is your responsibility to show homework that would have been checked had you been present. Textbook and Worksheet problems – completed as directed in section 37b above – are to be placed in a notebook that will be taken up and graded at the end of the semester – don’t forget – no credit for answer alone! K-U-D-E-S!
D. QUIZZES 0 – 5%
Quizzes will be short. Some will be announced, and others will be unannounced. A missed quiz is an opportunity lost. Missed quizzes cannot be made up. Work done for a substitute teacher may count as a quiz.
E. NOTEBOOK 5%
Keep a notebook containing all notes, handouts, class work, homework (from the Textbook and from Worksheets) and lab reports. This ‘tool’ will serve you well in your initial college experience with physics. This will be collected and graded. K-U-D-E-S!
F. FINAL EXAM 15% First Semester / 0% Second Semester
A comprehensive final examination will be given. All students are expected to take the AP exam at the end of second semester.
7. Grading scale. A: 90 ‑ 100 B: 80 ‑ 90 C: 74 ‑ 80 D: 70 ‑ 73
8. Extra Help. Extra help is available - by appointment – during office hours. Sign-up or arrange if you plan to come in for help. Don't wait until the night before the test to get help if you are having difficulty. The first time you do not understand something - come in for clarification. No homework help is provided on test day!
9. Letter of Recommendation. I will be glad to write you a letter of recommendation if you are (1) a student in good standing in this class and (2) you give me all the forms and information about yourself at least two weeks in advance.
10. Additional information about AP Physics. AP Physics is a year long course (two semesters). If you drop the AP course or are asked to change levels after one semester, any credit you earn will be for Honors Physics. In AP Physics – as in all physics classes – one of the stated goals is to build a knowledge base that will serve you later as well as on the AP exam. It is essential that you take the final exam at the end of first semester to keep this knowledge base current. There can be no exemptions. According to school policy, everyone in this course is expected to take the AP Exam in May. A practice exam will be given in April or May.