General Information for Physics:
Instructor: Bill Paine (wpaine2002@yahoo.com) (http://blmcchs.org)
Welcome to an exciting year in physics. I look forward to being your instructor and hope to have a fun filled year, while working hard. Please use my webpage as a regular resource. There you will find calendars, homework assignments, class announcements etc.
Text: Holt Physics
Above anything else: Please come see me any time you have a problem or question. I can be found from 7:45-8:00 in B29 (or somewhere in the vicinity), or after school 2:40-3:10. If you have trouble finding me during this time please arrange an appointment on the calendar outside my door. Many times during the academic coaching season, I post an appointment schedule to meet with students. Please use this schedule when things get busy. It is your responsibility to come in for help before it is too late. Any personal issues should be resolved after class. Class time is reserved for learning and instruction.
I do teach bell to bell, so 30 seconds before the bell rings is not the time to ask an involved question. Personal grading questions etc. will not be handled during class and should take place during 2nd hr, 9th hr or after school.
Materials Needed for Class:
=Pencil, notebook,
=Loose-leaf paper (homework will only be accepted on loose-leaf paper)
=Scientific calculator (However, a graphing calculator will give you an advantage)
=Student Handbook (assignment notebook)
Grading: Each quarter will be worth 2/5 of your semester grade, leaving 1/5 for the final exam. Your grade will be composed of these factors:
Tests ~50% The exams will have a mix of types of questions. Multiple choice, true false, short answer and problem solving test items will be used. You will be required to show your work for full credit. An equation sheet will be given for tests, giving you the basic equations you will need. Only the skeletal equations will be given, you will still need to know how to use them.
Note on quizzes and exams. If you are absent on quiz or exam day, most likely you will not receive the same quiz or exam as the rest of the class. You must make up any quizzes or exams the day following your return. It is your responsibility to make arrangements. For every extended day that you take in making up the test, ten percent will be deducted.
Zero Tolerance: Cheating will not be tolerated. Academic dishonesty goes against all that we believe at Central. If you are caught cheating you will receive a zero, and parents will be contacted, no questions asked. This is a serious offense.
Projects~20% Part of the fun of science is applying your knowledge to the real world. Scientific knowledge is useless without practical application. During the semester, we will have various projects and competitions. Past ideas have included trebuchets, bridges, ballistic pendulums and musical instrument projects. Projects will be announced in class and guidelines will also be posted on the web.
-Early progress will be tracked by journals, conference days, or periodic deadlines. You cannot wait until the last minute to start your projects. Groups not showing progress will not receive full credit.
Labs ~10% Every week, students should be in a laboratory or group learning setting. This enables students to learn from their group members, as well as encourage hands on learning, and teaching students the processes of science. Science is not just memorizing and learning what other scientists have learned, but making our own discoveries before even opening the book. The labs will be a mix of the discovery "flavor" and traditional "flavor". There will be a "lab handout" further outlining lab requirements.
Homework/Daily Quizzes ~15%: Homework assignments provide you and me a chance to check your understanding of the material (before committing an "oops" on the exam).
All homework will be assigned regularly. However, some days we may do a completion grade and some days I will give a short quiz from the homework. This means that you must do a good quality assignment for each homework assignment. Any homework that I believe is copied will not receive credit.
Homework must:
-contain your name, date and assignment number at the top of the page
-be done in pencil (so you can erase)
-show all work and be done in an orderly fashion
Homework that does not meet these criteria will not receive full credit.
Expect a quiz every day. Quiz topics may be anything from the previous night's homework and anything from the current class period's material. Quizzes must be done in pencil and must have the date and quiz number in the heading.
Class Participation: ~5%: You are expected to arrive to class on time with all required materials (see above). Pencils, notes, books, and calculators must be on the desk and you need to be engaged and paying attention. In addition, you need to be paying attention and participating in class regularly.
Notebooks: Keep all notes, handouts, homework, labs and tests and whatever else you gather in class in your notebook. You are required to keep these up to date. In any grading record question, the first thing we will ask for is your notebook as it is your record of your progress.
I understand that you are mature young adults. That's how you will be treated. Since this is an advanced science class, your responsibility will be more than in the past, preparing you for college.