Teacher: Melissa Gerhart, mgerhart@eanesisd.net, Room 240
Conference: By appointment
Website: https://sites.google.com/a/eanesisd.net/whsphysics/physicsi
Textbook: Conceptual Physics by Paul G. Hewitt
Course Description:
Our study of physics will include the following broad based topics: mechanics, properties of matter, heat, sound & light, electricity & magnetism, atomic & nuclear physics.
I am excited to be your teacher and I look forward to getting to know each one of you. I encourage you to participate in class and furthermore, enjoy it. Also, please ask questions when you have them; you are probably not the only one with that question.
Grading:
Daily: 10%
Labs: 25%
Quizzes: 15%
Tests: 50%
Assignments:
Practice is assigned daily and will be checked periodically. Our goal is to create these practices to help you develop and master physics concepts. Because of this, we will provide you with answers to most practice problems so that you can check your work as you are going through the practice. If you do have questions, we are happy to cover them the following day in class however we expect that you complete as much of our problems solving process (KUNFU) as possible.
Labs will be assigned throughout each unit. Labs will be assessed on your ability to meet lab write up standards. Labs will be due at the beginning of class on the day that they are due.
Testing and Retesting:
Throughout each unit there will be multiple small quizzes that will allow students to check their understanding of the material. Each unit will end with a single unit test. Students will have the opportunity to review and earn points over topics they are struggling on with structured test corrections after each test.
Make Up Work:
Per the school policy, make-up assignments due to an excused absence is due 1 day later for each day missed. All other late work will be assessed starting at a 70. Unexcused absences result in a zero for any assignments due the day that was missed. You will not be able to make up a test if your absence is unexcused.
You, the student, are responsible for lecture and notes that were missed during any absence. Class notes should be obtained from a friend in class or in the absence bin, ideally before your return to class after your absence. The notes on the physics website can provide extra examples that were gone over in class. While we do not re-lecture, we do encourage you to attend morning tutorials to clear up any questions you may still have after an absence.
Tutoring outside the listed times are by appointment.
Tardies, Absences, Academic Dishonesty:
We follow the school policy regarding tardies (3 tardies prevent you from earning your final exemptions). A tardy is considered arriving after the bell rings.
We will also follow UIL and school policy regarding absences.
We will adhere to the Honor Code as it pertains to academic dishonesty on all assignments.
Class Rules:
Be in class and ready to begin when the bell rings.
Raise your hand before speaking and respect others that are speaking.
Cell Phones will be placed in the cell phone holder. Any cell phone not in the holder will be confiscated.
Per district policy: In grades 9-12, students are not permitted to display, turn on, or use a personal device, during instructional class periods. For grades 9-12, an instructional class period is the time from the tardy bell to the dismissal bell for a class period, and does not include lunch, passing periods, and off periods. With specific teacher permission, students can access personal devices to listen to music during independent study or self-paced time.
Required Materials:
• Pencil/Pen
• Binder or Spiral Notebook
• Paper
• iPad
• Graphing Calculator (TI-83 series or TI-84)