Welcome to AP Physics

"When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That's relativity."    — Albert Einstein.

 

Mr. Keeney

 

Contact Information:

 

School phone – (814) 274 – 8500

 

Email –

 

Course homepage:  https://coudersportschools.com/curriculumcorner/keeney4.html

 

Course Overview:

Prerequisites:

          AP Physics is offered to students at the 11^th and 12th grade level who have demonstrated above average achievement in previous science classes (above a 90% average).  AP Physics may be taken concurrently with Pre-Calculus, though it is recommended that it be taken after Pre-Calculus.  Previous math classes must also show grades of 90% or above. 

 

Learning Materials:

• Text: Physics, Giancoli, 6^th Ed., Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004
• Supplement: Preparing For the Physics B AP Exam, Giancoli et. Al., Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004

 

• Materials: Graphing Calculator, Computer, Other  Resource Materials

 

What is taught:         

          The content taught during the course mirrors recommendations by the College Board, and reflects material commonly covered in the first two semesters of College level Physics.  It represents approximately 2x as much as our General Physics course.  Students are expected, but not mandated, to take the AP test at the end of the course, which may qualify them for advanced placement in college. 

 

 

How it will be assessed:          

            Students will be formatively assessed through the use of pre tests that may be performance based or more traditional, graded practice, quizzes, and summative tests at the end of units.  Students will be exposed to many application-oriented activities throughout the course meant to improve mastery and retention and to show the relevance of material learned during the course.  As with all courses, the overall course grade may be calculated by using the following formula:

        

               (1^st Quarter Grade + 2^nd Quarter Grade + 3^rd Quarter Grade + 4^th Quarter Grade + (Mid Term + Final)/2) / 5  = Final Grade

 

Course Graded Activities:

Students are expected to:

• be active in their learning
• practice independently
• show mastery of important topics in the course, at least in each chapter

 

As a measure of students being active in their learning, some exploratory exercises will be graded, and scored based on completeness and/or quality. It is understood that when topics are introduced, the student and teacher will be working together to acquire knowledge and skills.

 

Practice may be guided or independent, and may take on either classwork or homework assignments. A minimum expectation is that all assigned exercises are attempted in good faith, and at least 70% be correct. Exercises that are not correct provide a rich source of material for learning to move to mastery of a topic. 

 

Labs will be an important part of our course, and will require a variety of products to be prepared, usually demonstrating mastery of one or many parts of the Scientific Method.  Labs will vary in value from 10 – 50 points and average 1 per week.  Demonstrations and other types of hands-on practice may be included as well.

 

Mastery will be shown via quizzes and tests. One type of quiz will come directly from student homework problems and be open notebook. (usually 15 pts – weekly).  Other quizzes may be given during the course and will mostly be pre announced.  (10 – 20 pts). 

 

Tests (50 – 100 pts, 1 or 2 per quarter) are major, full period assessments, and will be modeled after the types of questions faced on the AP Exam.  Students wishing to repeat a test may do so by performing further practice that will be ungraded or writing detailed explanations as to how to do the problems that they did incorrectly and then taking another form of the test again.   Make ups must be taken within 2 weeks of getting back the test.  Test scores will be averaged to provide a single test grade.

 

Though the AP Exam will be taken on May 9, students will fill out a detailed, independent study plan for the remaining time that they will be in school.  This will serve as a contract and include grading for their work.

 

 

 

 

Administrative Notes:

 

Excused absences allow for some extra time to hand in work, in accordance with the school’s policies. Late homework, and class work will not be accepted, unless because of excused absences. Quizzes and tests must be taken when the student returns to school, though if there was an excused absence, the test or quiz may be postponed the number of days equal to the absence by arrangement. The test or quiz may be different than that given originally. Extenuating circumstances will be taken into account.

 

You are expected to be on time, ready to learn. Unexcused absences or tardinesses will cause you to miss entire grades for assignments, which could hurt your grade one or several letter grades!

 

I am available for extra help by arrangement. I am extremely willing to help you be successful in any way possible, but you must ask for help outside the classroom. Avoid falling behind and feeling overwhelmed – I am here to help but can only help if I know you need it. I can make myself available before or after school as needed.

 

 

 

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