Honors Physics is a course designed to prepare the student for college physics. It is essential that the student attend class regularly if success is desired. Lectures, discussions, and laboratory are all part of the course and are sometimes impossible to replace if missed. For unexcused absences, students will not be permitted to make up missed work and will receive a grade of zero on that work. For excused absences, it is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements for obtaining missed work. The student has one week to make up missed laboratory experiments and assignments.

Since this is an honors course, the student is expected to be self-motivated and capable of reading the textbook and gleaning information from the text. It is the student’s responsibility to read the text faithfully. The student should read through the example exercises and look at all diagrams and tables. The student is also expected to complete all assigned questions and exercises. Success in this course is dependent upon the student’s investment of time and effort!

Please review this packet of material. This packet should contain a course description with objectives, rubrics for homework and class participation, an outline for laboratory reports, study skills requirements, Physical issues in the news, and information on laboratory notebooks. When you have finished reviewing the material, the student and the parent should both sign the final sheet and provide email information. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me.

NOTE: On most tests students will be using a scientific (non-graphing) calculator. Although there is a classroom supply, many students like to purchase their own.

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PHILOSOPHY: This course in physics is designed to be a comprehensive course in first year high school physics.

EXPECTATIONS: The student is expected to come to class prepared to learn and actively participate in class. The student is also expected to devote time at home to reading and study in addition to time spent problem solving. The student will participate in numerous laboratory experiences. Formal lab reports are required for each lab that is performed, unless the instructor states otherwise.

Tentative Course Outline

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Honors Physics 2008-2009 Mrs. Elizabeth Schuck

(301) 475-2814 x404

e-mail: lschuck@smrhs.org

Course Description:

This course gives the student a strong conceptual, experimental, and mathematical background in classical physics. The major topics to be included are statics (objects at rest), dynamics (objects in motion and forces acting on objects), wave mechanics, optics, electricity, and magnetism. In addition, this course will cover such supplementary topics as the theory of relativity, modern particle physics, quantum physics, laser theory, and astrophysics. The course emphasizes problem solving, hands-on learning, and critical thinking.

Course Text:

Physics by Serway and Faughn.

Content Standards;

The following St. Mary’s Ryken Science Standards will be addressed in the Honors Physics course:

1. The student will demonstrate an ability to think and act in a scientific manner which will permit a successful transition into higher education.

2. The student must be able to use both the language and the tools of science in order to be able to function effectively in the future.

3. The student will develop a deeper understanding of the phenomenon of the physical world.

4. The student will become a better steward of the environment by understanding the role of physics in everyday life.

5. The student will become a confident learner through guided experimentation.

Expectations of the student:

To come to class prepared to learn.

To actively participate in classroom discussions, problem solving groups, and laboratory experiments.

To complete homework and reading assignments.

To keep laboratory notebooks, homework notebooks, and class notebooks as outlined in the student requirements.

To complete laboratory reports on assigned labs.

To uphold criteria established in the student-parent handbook on attendance and cheating/plagiarism.

To complete writing assignments designated for the student writing portfolio.

Students will engage in lectures, laboratories, class discussions, problem-solving groups, written assignments, and presentations.

Students will be assigned problems and questions from the textbook or handouts. All homework will be given a due date. Students will also be assigned reading from the textbook. This reading is required for adequate preparation for the lectures or experiments. Formal laboratory reports will be due after each laboratory performed, unless otherwise noted. The students will maintain notebooks for homework, laboratory, and class. The students are required to read and critique at least one article per semester. NO LATE HOMEWORK WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Evaluation/Grading Process

Tests and quizzes will be graded using a hundred-point scale. Homework, notebooks, and participation will be graded using four-point rubrics. The student will receive a rubric for each type of assignment. The weighting for the course components is: