Kayler, Sarah

APP1 Calendar

San Leandro High School                                                                                                                

Email: skayler@slusd.us

AP Physics 1 (Semester 1 of college Physics)

Course Description:

Students explore principles of Newtonian Mechanics (including rotational motion); work, energy, momentum, and power; mechanical waves and sound; and introductory, simple circuits. The course is based on six Big Ideas, which encompass core scientific principles, theories, and processes that cut across traditional boundaries and provide a broad way of thinking about the physical world. The following are the Big Ideas:

1. Objects and systems have properties such as mass and charge. Systems may have internal structure.
2. Fields existing in space can be used to explain interactions.
3. The interactions of an object with other objects can be described by forces.
4. Interactions between systems can result in changes in those systems.
5. Changes that occur as a result of interactions are constrained by conservation laws.
6. Waves can transfer energy and momentum from one location to another without the permanent transfer of mass and serve as a mathematical model for the description of other phenomena.

At least twenty-five percent of instructional time is devoted to hands-on laboratory work with an emphasis on inquiry-based investigations. Investigations will require students to ask questions, make observations and predictions, design experiments, analyze data (which means GRAPH it to see the relationships), and construct arguments in a collaborative setting, where they direct and monitor their progress.  The ability to self-assess is key to success.

Course Goals and/or Major Student Outcomes:

Students establish lines of evidence and use them to develop and refine testable explanations and predictions of natural phenomena. The use of scientific inquiry promotes an engaging and rigorous experience for AP Physics students. Such practices require that students:

• Use representations and models to communicate scientific phenomena and solve scientific problems;
• Use mathematics appropriately;
• Engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking or to guide investigations;
• Plan and implement data collection strategies in relation to a particular scientific question;
• Perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence;
• Work with scientific explanations and theories; and
• Connect and relate knowledge across various scales, concepts, and representations in and across domains.

Required Materials Everyday:

            100 page (at least) spiral Notebook (must be for this course only)

            Scientific Calculator (must have the trig functions: sin cos tan)

            Pens and pencils (at least 2 colors, highlighters are recommended)

Assessment and Evaluation
Analysis of laboratory work, and in class exams are the basis for the student’s grade. Exams for each unit will include AP style multiple choice and free response questions. All exams will have at least one re-take made available. All grades are on a scale of 1-5, analogous to the AP scores.  The class grade is an average of all individual scores.  If you score less than a 3 on an exam you are required to come in for tutoring and to re-take the exam.  

Course Outline:

Unit 1 Newton's Laws (Forces) and Kinematics (Motion in one and two dimensions, as well as circles) - 10 Weeks

           Lab 1: Motion Use motion sensors and photo-gates to study the relationship between position, velocity, and acceleration. Use Vernier carts and tracks with photo-gates, pulleys and masses to measure and observe both accelerated and constant motion. Use photo-gates and picket fences to measure the acceleration due to gravity. Lab 2: Pendulums - Students measure various pendulums to determine the relationship between period, length, mass, and amplitude. Lab 3: Force and Acceleration.  Measure and test Newton’s Laws using dynamics carts and force probes. Design experiments to determine the acceleration of a dynamics cart in various scenarios.

Static equilibrium hang 3 masses over pulleys connected to the same point.  Calculating and measuring the correct angles that produce static equilibrium. Lab 4: Modified Atwood Machine — Investigate the acceleration of 2 masses connected by a string that runs over a pulley.  Lab 5: Friction – Using various blocks on an incline with an adjustable angle, students explore the properties of friction.

Unit 2  Work, Energy, Power and Momentum - 5 Weeks

Lab 6: Impulse and Momentum – Using dynamics carts on tracks students measure momentum change and impulse.  They investigate elastic and inelastic collisions between carts with various masses. 

Unit 3   Gravitation and Uniform Circular motion - 2 Weeks:

Lab 7: Centripetal Force – Students twirl a mass on a string. The string runs through a small tube and supports a mass at the end. Students measure and calculate the radius, angular speed and centripetal force.

Unit 4   Torque and Rotational Motion - 5 weeks:

Balancing a Seesaw — students calculate where to place masses on a meter stick to make it balance horizontally.

Leaning Ladder — Students simulate a ladder leaning against a wall with a person on it, answering the question, how high can the person climb before the ladder slips both mathematically and experimentally.  Lab 8: Moment of Inertia and circular motion – how to measure the moment of inertia for spinning objects.

Unit 5  Simple Harmonic Motion, Waves, Sound - 4 weeks:

Pendulums – Students review their earlier lab.  Lab 9: Springs – Students measure various pendulums to determine the relationship between period, length, mass, and amplitude.  Inertial mass – another way to measure mass.

Wave Behavior - Students will observe the behavior of waves on a spring and observe the interference of waves. Lab 10:  Speed of Sound — Students measure the speed of sound using an adjustable length tube and a tuning fork.

Unit 6  Electrostatics and DC circuits - 4 Weeks:

Electrostatics – Students explore charges on pith balls, electroscopes, and use a Van de Graff generator.

Lab 11: Circuits – Students do a series of experiments making and analyzing circuits with various components using voltmeters and ammeters to measure potential and current.

AP Physics 1 Exam – Thursday May 7 noon-4pm

Physics Project – final weeks of class

Expectations 

Homework:  5 days a week 20-40 minutes should be spent studying Physics on the assigned topic.  Problems will be assigned from the text book.  The internet is fantastic, especially www.physicsclassroom.com, www.khanacademy.org, youtube.com, www.bozemanscience.com/ap-physics, and phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations. A portion of each day will be dedicated to answering questions from the homework.  Failure to do the homework results in falling behind and wasting class time.  Come prepared every day. Copying problems is a waste of time.  Copying notes if you were absent is recommended.  The best way to do homework is with others working on the same problems – have a homework party!  Helping means explaining or working together, not giving answers.

Labwork:  Every week you will do lab work.  Physics is meant to be observed and tested.  You will be assessed on your ability to measure, design experiments, choose (and name) the right equipment, collect and analyze data, and draw logical conclusions.  Record lab notes in your notebook. Each lab will be followed by a related lab exam.

Exams: Approximately every week you can expect an assessment of some form.  They will always be in the AP exam style.  Some questions will be multiple choice and some will be free response questions.  The exams are designed to determine your level of understanding rather than memorization.  You will always have access to an equation sheet during exams.  Some will be short and other will be longer. 

Grades will be determined based on assessments.  They will be completed in class.  It will not be a point system.  You will have the opportunity to re-take assessments.

What your grade means:

5/A   Extremely Well Qualified. Distinguished/advanced understanding demonstrated on all course objectives. The student is very well prepared for the next course in the series.

4/B   Well Qualified. Proficient understanding demonstrated on all course objectives. The student is well prepared for the next course in the series.

3/C   Qualified. Basic understanding demonstrated on all course objectives.  The student is prepared for the next course in the series.

2/D   Possibly Qualified. The student should repeat the course before advancing onto the next course in the series.

1/F   Not Qualified. The student should repeat the course before advancing onto the next course in the series.

      Definition of Proficient:  Competent or skilled in doing something or using something

My Grades look weird, What is in the Grade Book?!?!?!?!

All grades will be entered as numbers in the range 1-6.  There is an opportunity for extra credit on assessments. A 6 means, Wow! you are on your way to a AP score of 5. Individual grades are averaged.  Retake exams replace the old grade. If you need help get it! Come in any Tuesday or Thursday after school for tutoring or any day at lunch.

4.80 and up = A+

4.60-4.79 = A

4.50-4.59 = A-

4.40-4.49 = B+

3.60-4.39 = B

3.50-3.59 = B-

3.40-3.49 = C+

2.6-3.39 = C

2.50-2.59 = C-

2.40-2.49 = D+

1.60-2.39 = D

1.50-1.59 = D-

1.49 or less = F

 Use remind or email for questions any time.

Course Objectives: see the four categories below

21^st Century Skills – essential for success

1. Creativity: The use of imagination or original ideas in the production of work
2. Communication: The exchanging of information through writing/reading and speaking/listening
3. Collaboration: The action of working with someone or a group to produce something
4. Critical Thinking: The objective analysis and evaluation of something in order to form a judgment
5. Cultural Competency: The ability to work effectively with culturally diverse populations

Cross Cutting Concepts – themes found throughout all science courses (and beyond)

1. Patterns
2. Cause and effect
3. Scale, proportion, and quantity
4. Systems and system models
5. Energy and matter
6. Structure and function
7. Stability and change

Scientific Practices

   – the scientific habits of mind

1. Asking questions and defining problems
2. Developing and using models
3. Planning and carrying out investigations
4. Analyzing and interpreting data
5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
6. Constructing explanations for science and designing solutions for engineering
7. Engaging in argument from evidence
8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Grade Categories by Unit or Disciplinary Core Ideas

Unit 1   Kinematics and Newton's Laws

Unit 2  Work, Energy, Power and Momentum

Unit 3 Gravitation and Circular motion

Semester Break

Unit 4   Torque and Rotational Motion

Unit 5  Simple Harmonic Motion and Waves

Unit 6 DC circuits