CONCEPTUAL PHYSICS CLASS RULES & SYLLABUS
Class Rules
Required Materials: Must be brought to every class, every day!
1. Textbook (Conceptual Physics by Paul G. Hewitt)
2. Pencil
3. Paper
4. Physics 3-ring binder
5. Physics spiral lab notebook
6. Calculator
Procedure for Late Work:
1. For excused absences, you will have one day for each day absent to turn in make up work.
2. If you choose not to turn in an assignment for any reason other than an excused absence, you may turn it in up to two weeks late for 1/2 credit. This excludes absences due to truancy, if you are truant from my class, you may not earn points for assignments given during your truancy.
3. More than 10 absences in a semester will result in loss of credit if you become a disruption to the classroom.
Classroom Expectations:
1. BE RESPECTFUL: Respect yourselves, each other, your teacher, any substitute teachers, the classroom animals and the classroom itself.
2. NO EATING OR DRINKING:
3. NO DISRUPTIONS: This means talking at inappropriate times, cell phones, coming to class late, etc.
4. NO ELECTRONIC DEVICES: Absolutely NO PHONES, CD, IPOD, or MP3 players, video game players, or any other personal electronic devices permitted on campus at any time, for any reason! They will be confiscated on sight!
5. NO CHEATING: Do not share answers, if you are providing answers to another student this is considered cheating just as much as receiving information. If you are working with a partner on a lab assignment, put all information into your own words!
Late Policy:
1. Every time you are tardy to class you will attend an after school detention.
Truancies:
1. Every time you are truant to class you will attend an after school detention. After 3 truancies you will earn a referral for defiance and then a drop from class after on the 5th truancy.
Dress Code:
1. The GHS dress code as outlined in the student handbook will be strictly enforced.
Consequences:
1. VIOLATING CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS: 1st offense will result in a verbal warning followed by parent notification, detention, and a referral to the VP for continued violations. Upon the second referral, you will be dropped from the class without credit.
2. CHEATING: 1st offense will result in loss of credit for the assignment, referral to the VP and parent notification. 2nd offense will result in referral to VP, parent notification and removal from conceptual physics with loss of credit for the semester.
Tutoring/contact information:
1. Tutoring schedule to be determined once the school year begins. I can be contacted by email at jecox@guhsd.net You can also leave a voicemail message at 619-668-6123.
Grading:
1. You must turn in completed assignments to earn points. Your grade percentage for each grading period is determined by dividing your accumulated points by the total points possible. A standard grading scale will be used to determine letter grades for progress reports. 100-90% (A), 89-80% (B), 79-70% (C), 69-60% (D), 59.5% and below (F).
Notebook Requirements
You must have the following each time you come to physics class, in the order listed.
1. Three-ring binder (can have other classes in it too, but have a separate section for physics only)
2. Physics handbook
3. Divider for “NOTES” section. Keep all notes here.
4. Divider for “PACKETS” section. Keep all current and returned packets/assignments here.
5. Divider for “PROJECTS
6. ” section. Keep your spiral lab notebook, your computer labs, any project handouts and your unit reflections here.
You must keep all work, all semester!
Course Standards and Syllabus:
The following syllabus is based on the California State Standards for high school physics. Although this is a conceptual physics class, the standards for physics have been followed as much as possible. In addition, some topics covered in this course are not included in the standards.
The following list of chapters can be found in the text: Conceptual Physics by Paul G. Hewitt. A copy of the current state standards has been included as reference.
Semester One:
• Chptr 1 – About Science
• Chptr 2 – Mechanical Equilibrium Std. 1 b&d
• Chptr 3 – Newton’s 1st Law Std. 1 b&f
• Chptr 4 – Linear Motion Std. 1 a&e
• Chptr 6 – Newton’s 2nd Law Std. 1 c
• Chptr 7 – Newton’s 3rd Law Std. 1 d
• Chptr 8 – Momentum Std. 2 d-g
• Chptr 9 – Energy Std. 2 a-c
• Chptr 10 – Circular Motion Std. 1 g
• Chptr 11 – Rotational Equilibrium
Semester Two:
• Chptr 17 – The Atomic Nature of Matter Std. 5 I
• Chptr 24 – Thermodynamics Std. 3 a-e
• Chptr 25 – Vibrations and Waves Std. 4 a-c
• Chptr 26 – Sound Std. 4 d
• Chptr 27 – Light Std. 4 e
• Chptr 28 – Color
• Chptr 29 – Reflection and Refraction Std. 4 f
• Chptr 32 – Electrostatics
• Chptr 34/35 – Electric Current/Circuits Std. 5 a-b
• Chptr 36 – Magnetism Std. 5 f-h
