Dynamics

Morning Module 3, 2006-2007

Syllabus

Introduction

Physics comes from the Greek word for Nature. Thus, Physics is the study of nature, and is in some ways the most basic of sciences. Physics asks the questions: "Why do things happen? What is the essence of change? What are the behaviors of the things around us, and what causes them? In this class we will be focusing on motion - what causes an object to go from one place to another? Do all objects follow the same rules? How can we predict where an object will go, or how long it will take to get there? This will take us mainly into the fields of Kinematics and Dynamics, but we will also touch on Relativity. We will examine simple machines, Newton's Laws, collisions, projectiles, and other related topics.

Essential Question

How does Physics explain events and their results?

Class Activities

Because of the complexity of much of the material in Physics, lecture is an important part of the learning process. Students are expected to take careful notes, and are responsible for all material gone over in class. If there are reasons that lecture and note taking are difficult for you, please talk to me as soon as possible to discuss ideas for making it easier.

In addition to lecture, demonstrations and experiments will play an important role in this class. Demonstrations are for the whole class to see and interact with. Experiments will be performed in smaller groups. The goal of experimentation is twofold: for students to see and experience the ideas that we discuss in lecture and for students to use the scientific method in their own explorations. All experiments will require a student lab write-up afterwards.

Exhibition

For their exhibition, students must answer the essential question for the class. In order to do this, students will select a particular event, use experimentation to examine that event, and then make a prediction about what will happen in a similar event. The exhibition will thus consist of two main portions – a visual showing the results of experimentation, and a presentation demonstration the predictive powers of physics. For example, a student might want to examine the event of a rubber ball rolling off a table and bouncing. Through experimentation, the student would examine this event through repeated trials, describing a theory as to what is happening, and demonstrating that theory through his or her experiment.  This data would be collected and developed into a visual presentation – a poster, a website, a video log, a PowerPoint demonstration. The student will then recreate their experiment with new conditions – a new rubber ball, a different height, a different landing surface. Their goal is to be able to predict where the object will go and to defend their prediction.

Assignments

In addition to their experimental work which is part of their exhibition, students will also be required to turn in their class notebooks, which will include their lab write-ups. Students will need a notebook solely devoted to this course, which they can easily turn in. Students will also have homework practice, quizzes, and a test. Students will also be evaluated on classroom discussion and their engagement in experiments. The breakdown of points for assignments is as follows:

Homework and Quizzes                                                25%

Test (1)                                                                        20%

Discussion and Engagement                                          20%

Physics Notebook                                                        15%

Content Exhibition                                                         15%

Performance Exhibition                                              5%

                                                                                    100%

Texts

For this class we will use selections from various texts. Students will be provided with their own binder textbook containing all the photocopies needed. Major texts include The Cartoon Guide to Physics and Conceptual Physics.

Classroom Practice

Lateness

Students should not be late, and will be penalized for their latenesses. Each student receives two lateness at no penalty. Each lateness after that reduces your final grade by 1%. This is assessed after your final grade is determined. This penalty will NOT reduce your grade by a full value (from A to B or B to C, etc) , UNLESS you have more than seven latenesses.

Extra Credit

I do not give extra credit assignments on principal. My belief is that the work assigned for a class is the work that a student should be working on. There is enough flexibility and variation of assignments that alternatives should not be necessary. Students are encouraged to discuss with me alternative approaches to the assignments given if they feel that the format limits them or posses special difficulties. 

Late Assignments

Assignments done late often destroy the educational purpose for which they were created. As such, I expect students to meet deadlines without constant reminding. Students will be informed of deadlines, and those deadlines will be posted in the classroom.. Absence due to medical issues is a valid excuse for turning in assignment late, but I expect the assignments to be turned in at the earliest possible time (one day after the student returns to school in all cases short of debilitating illness). Any assignment received one day late (beginning from the moment of collection) will lose one letter grade off that assignment. It is important for students having difficulty with an assignment to speak with me well before the due date – protestations that you 'didn't understand' given at the time of collection will not be respected.