Common Course Syllabus



Course Description:

The purpose of this course is to study the classical translational mechanics, electrostatics, circuits, magnetism, sound and waves, geometric and physical optics. There will be a strong emphasis of conceptual development throughout the entire year. Historical development of physics will be emphasized. Problem solving will be significant in mechanics but will gradually diminish throughout the second semester.

Content Overview:

|First Quarter topics include  |Third Quarter topics are |

|a) The Science of Physics |a) Properties of Waves, Sound & Light |

|b) Kinematics & Vectors |b) Refraction |

|c) Forces & Motion |c) Heat & Thermodynamics (if time permits) |

|Second Quarter topics include |Fourth Quarter topics are |

|a) Work, energy and power |a) Electric Force & Field |

|b) Momentum & Collisions |b) Electrical Energy, Ohm’s Laws |

|c) Gravitation & Circular Motion |c) Magnetic Field & Electromagnetic Induction |

| |d) Atomic Structure & Quantization of Energy ( if time |

| |permits) |

Required Textbook:

Holt Physics, by Serway and Faughn

Evaluation:

Student’s overall grades will be determined based upon the following calculations:

Tests 30%

Labs 20%

Projects 20%

Classwork 15%

Homework 15%

Course Policies:

The following policies are a summary of rules for the course. Additional rules and expectations will be outlined during the first week of school.

1. All students will be expected to follow Broward County Safety Rules in all laboratory activities.

2. Be in the classroom when the bell rings.

3. Have all necessary equipment with you at the start of class.

4. Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself.

5. Treat everyone with respect.

Disciplinary Action:

This should never be needed. If a student chooses to break a specific rule, the following consequences will apply:

FIRST TIME: Verbal warning. A weekly behavior grade may be used to track student’s choice of rule compliance.

SECOND TIME: Parents will be contacted.

THIRD TIME: Student sent to other teacher’s class for the period.

FOURTH TIME: A referral will be sent to school administration.

Additional actions may include:

a) Advice from teacher to student to re-enforce acceptable behavior

b) Student-teacher conference

c) Parent-teacher conference

Pass to leave the room:

You must always have a pass to leave the room. A student agenda, or a “golden pass”, is required for this process. School policy does not allow passes to be issued during the first/last 10 minutes of class. You are responsible for all work missed while you are out of the room for any reason.

Tardiness:

Late arrivals will not be allowed into the classroom without an appropriate pass. Detention or other administrative action will be taken for tardiness.

Late or Makeup Work

• Homework is due at the beginning of the class. Late work will be penalized at a rate of 10 points per day.

• Make up work will be allowed only during the time prescribed by the district. You are responsible for collecting your missed assignments from the designated area as soon as you return to class.

• You must make arrangements for any make-up tests which may be administered during class and after school.

• For more information, please refer to the Student Code of Conduct.

Textbooks

You will receive you own textbook during the first week of school. Books not returned must be paid for at the end of the year. Damaged books will be assessed a damage fee.

Cellular Phones and Electronic Devices

As outlined in the Student Code of Conduct, students may have an electronic device on their person provided the device is turned off and kept out of sight. Devices that are seen or heard can be confiscated.

Flying through Physics!

Physics is a science course dealing with the organized body of tested ideas about the physical world. It offers and explanation for events taking place around us. The activities of this course are designed to get you thinking about and doing physics - in a way that is a lot closer to the way professional scientists think about and do science. You will learn by communicating your ideas with the teacher and with other students, and by trying to make sense of the ideas presented in this course.

During the school year, you may be required to memorize some definitions, vocabulary, and other basic information, but you should not memorize the answers to specific questions and problems. Answers should make sense to you. If they do not make sense to you, then you probably should go back and change how you think about the problem or situation. Even if everyone else seems to understand something, please do not give up! Keep trying until it makes sense to you.

We want everyone in the class to understand physics, and we sincerely believe that everyone can learn to understand physics. The activities in this course are designed to help you start developing the skills needed to learn physics. You must do the rest. If necessary, your teacher and your classmates should be able to help you. Find out how they think about a problem or situation, and adapt their ideas to your own way of thinking. Remember, there are more ways than one to approach a problem and your method of understanding may not be the same as your classmates. And if you are helping someone else, remember that everyone learns at a different rate, so please be patient.

This style of learning requires a lot of dedication and work, especially if you are not familiar with the style. In the short run, this style might seem impossible and not worth the extra effort. But in the long run, it is definitely worth it. We really. really want you to memorize as little as possible. Focus on the ideas that are most widely useful, and learn how to use these to derive the relationships you might need to answer a question or to solve a problem. You will be able to solve a lot of problems using this approach, and you will develop skills that will be useful in any field you might choose to enter. Remember that physics is one way - among many - of looking at the natural world. It's a way of analyzing, describing, explaining, and predicting the behavior of objects and collections of objects.

Useful Internet Sites

• Student Portal:

• Pinnacle Internet Viewer: . This site allows students and parents to access up-to-date grade information.

• Hollywood Hills High School:

If internet access is not readily available to you outside school, all Broward County libraries have free access to the internet with several computers available. You may need a library card, which is also available free of charge. The closest library to the school is the Stirling Road Branch, 3151 Stirling Road, Hollywood, FL 33312. Their phone number is 954-985-2689.

Materials Needed:

Students are required to have:

1. Blue/Black pen and #2 pencil

2. College-Ruled Filler paper (for handing in assignments)

3. Graph paper

4. Scientific Calculator (no cellular phones will be used)

Classrooms are equipped with staplers, clear tape, and hole punchers. Any additional materials are the responsibility of the student.

PHYSICS I HONORS

Physics I Honors

Instructor: Ms. Deb Houts Room 169

Email: (dhouts@) Phone: (754-323-1050)

Website:

I, _______________________________________ and _______________________________________

(Student’s name printed) (Parent(s)/ guardian(s) name(s) printed}

have read the Course description for Physics, including the policies regarding grading, rules, attendance, and make-up policy. I agree that these policies are reasonable and will help maintain an appropriate learning environment, and I agree to abide by these rules or suffer the consequences for not following them.

__________________________________________ ______________________ ____________

Parent(s)/ guardian(s) signature(s) Contact Number Date

___________________________________________ _____________________ ___________

Student signature Contact Number Date

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