AP PHYSICS B 2008/2009                                                           MR. SPERGEL

 

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 

This is an algebra-based, course in general physics.  It is equivalent to a two year sequence, incorporating both high school regents and college level physics concepts and topics.  It will be taught as if the participants were college students in an introductory physics course.   In order to receive credit for this class, all students are expected to take the AP Exam in May and pass the Regents Exam in June.

 

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Office: Room A300

Email: hspergel@schools.nyc.gov

Webpage: www.midwoodscience.org/spergel  (Temporary)

 

SUPPLIES

 

You are responsible for coming to class prepared every day.   That includes bringing the following items to class every day:

á     Notebook

á     Pen and #2 pencil with eraser

á     Scientific or graphing calculator

á     Physics Reference Tables

á     Centimeter ruler

á     Protractor

 

 

Recommended items include:

                                          

á     USB Flash Drive

á     Graphical Analysis (Available for sale in Midwood bookstore)

 

 

 

STUDENTS MAY NOT:

á     Share material during a quiz or exam

á     Participate in acts of cheating, fraud or plagarism

á     Play games on a graphing calculator

á     Use unauthorized electronic devices such as cell phones, PDAÕs, games, etc.

á     Violate any other Midwood HS or NYC Department of Education rules

 

HOMEWORK

 

Students are expected to attempt all homework problems and exercises.  Homework will be checked by a variety of methods.  Students should be prepared to be called upon to explain solutions to problems at the blackboard at anytime.  Every legitimate attempt earns a check.  Homework grades will be based upon the number of checks earned.   Homework assignments willed be collected and checked at random times.

 

LABS

 

á     There is a lab component to this course.  The New York State Education Department requires that students must complete a minimum of 1200 minutes of laboratory activity and submit acceptable laboratory reports for same in order to be allowed to sit for the Regents Exam in June.  Students who do not fulfill this requirement will be barred from the exam.

á     Labs meet every other Monday.  Physics labs are designated to take place on ÒAÓ weeks.  There will be approximately 8-9 labs each semester.  Students must complete at least 7 per semester or they will be barred from the Regents exam.

á     Students must make every effort to attend lab.  .  If Available, make up lab is scheduled for the alternate week.  Only those Students who have an excused absence and a note from a parent or doctor will be admitted to the make-up.        

á     Lab reports are required to receive credit for the lab.  Reports handed in after the due date will be penalized a minimum of 10 points.  Penalties will begin on the day after the due date and increase thereafter.  Late reports will not be accepted once graded reports are returned to the class.

á     In addition, you must retain all completed and graded lab reports and submit them for archiving at the end of the semester as proof of Regents eligibility.  If less than 7 lab reports are present in your collection you may be barred from the exam.

 

 

QUIZZES AND EXAMS

 

Quizzes

á     Quizzes can be given at any time on any day of the week.  You can expect to have approximately 8 to 9 quizzes.  They may or may not be announced in advance.

á     Quizzes will typically consist of problems to be solved.

á     There are no make-up quizzes.  I will drop one quiz grade, so if you are absent on the day of a quiz, it will be the one dropped.  Cutting class on the day of a quiz will result in a grade of zero.  That grade will not be dropped.

 

 

Tests

 

Physical Science test day is Tuesday.  There will be approximately six to eight exams given throughout the semester.  Half of the exams will consist of multiple choice questions.  These exams will be taken on Scantrons.  Therefore, you must have a number 2 pencil on exam day.  Pencils will not be provided.  Final selections must be marked in ink.  The remainder of the exams will contain 4 multi-part AP-level problems to be solved.  All work must be shown.  Partial credit may be awarded at the discretion of the teacher.

 

Make-up exams are available only for students who are absent with well-documented extenuating circumstances.  Make-ups must be taken on the day the student returns to school.  It is the studentÕs responsibility to remember to take the make-up.

 

GRADING POLICY

 

Grades are determined by the following formulas:

                                               

Exams and Quizzes*                           70%    

Lab reports**                                       15%                

Homework and in-class assignments    15%                            

(The New York State Regents Exam will count as two exams in the final grade for the Spring semester)

 

* Each quiz is weighted as either ¼  or 1/2 of an exam. (Exams are worth 100 points and quizzes are worth either 25 or 50 points. 

** One lab report grade will be dropped when computing the lab grade.  If you attend all labs and complete all lab reports, the lowest one will be dropped.  If you are absent from a lab or do not turn in a report, that will count as the dropped grade.   If you are missing two or more labs, they will count as zeros in the lab average.

 

 

Note that grading is cumulative throughout the term!!!  Grades given for the first and second modules are progress indicators and are components of the final grade given at the end of the term.

 

No extra credit projects will be given.