Overview
What is physics? The best explanation that I've heard was from my high school physics teacher, Mr. Hyatt, who said "it is the science of everything". From the weird quantum world of quarks and subatomic particles to the mysteries of black holes, physics is our humble attempt to understand the universe in which we live. While we may touch on a few of the more "interesting" topics during the school year, you have to walk before you can run, so our time will be spent studying classical Newtonian mechanics (OnRamps Physics 1 and Physics C: Mech) and electromagnetism (Physics C: E&M). Each of these courses can result in the awarding of 1 semester of college credit whether through passing the UT Austin course (OnRamps) or by passing the AP exams for Physics C. We are also excited to be offering Astronomy this coming school year for the first time. This is an upper level science course in which the students will learn about the formation and structure of our solar system as well as the formation and life cycle of stars and galaxies. We will also touch on exoplanets and cosmology in general. Astronomy is an observational science so students will spend a great deal of time outdoors in the evening observing the night sky and recording observations in a formal log. In addition, we will have class and school star parties to which the entire community is invited so keep on the lookout for announcements.
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My Core teaching philosophy
It is my belief that students must construct their own knowledge...I cannot give it to them.
I strongly believe that the most effective way for students to learn is to productively struggle through challenging activities and problems while having an experienced or knowledgeable guide (me) to help should they become stuck. I also strongly believe that lecturing for the majority of the class period while students copy notes is the least effective method of instruction. What does this mean for the experience in class? Most days students will be working through new concepts in the form of activities, problems, and labs and my role is to help them make sense of what they are seeing. This is going to be new for most of students and many will find it quite difficult yet rewarding. What students won't be doing is sitting around listening to me talk about physics everyday. Of course, there will be some lecture during the year, but it will be interactive in nature and very limited. This form of active learning springs from a constructivist traditional and is backed by extensive research in both physics and general education. It is my belief that success is determined by hard work, not inherent ability. Often referred to as a fixed versus growth mindset, I hold that those students that work the hardest in class will have the most success and this has been the case since I took on the AP Physics program. Now, this is not to say that it is easy. Every student...and I really mean every student...will experience difficulty with one topic or another that they will struggle to understand. What determines whether or not they master that topic is how hard they work, not whether they can "do physics" or not. Being able to fail, pick yourself up and try again is a skill that will serve students throughout their lifetimes. This belief translates to my classroom in several ways. First, is the development of a supportive learning environment where effort is prized. This is support from teacher to student and student to student. No one in class will every be left alone to struggle. In addition, there are few hard deadlines to learn something by. While assignments (attempts to learn) will be due on certain dates, students' mastery of the concept may occur at different times and some students may have to put in more work that others. So there are few limitations on retaking assessments as long as the student has attempted to learn between the attempts. Additional instruction
Most, if not all students, will need help at some point or another during the year. I highly recommend (and may require) that students form study groups that they can rely on throughout the course. These peer groups will prove to be invaluable for making up missed class, preparing for exams, and completing assignments. This is practice for university, where peer study groups abound.
I am also available for assistance nearly everyday. I normally arrive at school at 8 am and leave around 5 pm, although there may be days where I have obligations before or after school. Regardless, all students are free to come in for help alone or in groups before or after school all week. Contacting Me
For parents/guardians, my preferred method of contact is through email: [email protected]. Note that there is no "e" before the @. I normally sit down and answer emails in the early evening, but you can expect a reply within 24 hours.
We also use Remind in class and parents are welcome to join the class. The access codes are: OnRamps Physics 1 - @ffd72 Astronomy - @ephsas AP Physics C - @6e6g8g The AP Exam
All students enrolled in AP Physics C are REQUIRED to take the AP exam in the spring semester. eXAM fORMAT
AP Physics C
There are two exams for Physics C: Mechanics and E&M. Each exam has a 35 question multiple choice section and 3 question free response with 45 minutes for each section (a total of 90 minutes per exam). These two exams are given back-to-back on the same exam day, so it is a total of a 3 hour exam for both. eXAM prep sessions
In order to help students prepare for the exam, there will be review sessions throughout the Spring semester, however, Physics is a complex topic and cramming for the exam is not advised. It is better to build your knowledge throughout the year and then use the few weeks prior to the exam to review the big ideas and how they fit together.
That being said, throughout the year we will look at AP style questions, both multiple choice and free response in class to help you prepare. If there is anything that you are struggling to understand then it is imperative that you come in for additional instruction as soon as possible. DO NOT let misunderstandings carry forward. That will only lead to more difficulty. |
