AP Physics 1 Syllabus

Langley High School

Class Syllabus 2016-2017

Instructors: Derek Fertig, Bob Foley, Abhi Kaur, Tom Pratuch

Overview of AP Physics 1
This first-year physics course is equivalent in content to the 1st semester of a first-year trigonometrybased college physics class. In most colleges, the trigonometry-based college physics class is a one-year
course including a laboratory component. This course can be considered as a survey course, covering a
wide spectrum of topics in Physics. The content and pace indicated in this syllabus have been designed to
prepare students for the AP Physics 1 Exam given in May. All enrolled students are required to take this
exam. Many colleges award credit to students achieving a score of 4 or 5 on that exam. The AP Physics
curriculum is derived from the College Board Curriculum Framework. More detailed information can be
found at the College Board web site.
AP Physics 1 is also the prerequisite course for either AP Physics 2, which is equivalent to the second
semester course for non- physics majors, or AP Physics C, which is equivalent to a first semester
mechanics course for physics and engineering majors.
We will cover a broad range of Physics Topics at a very fast pace. The tentative schedule is:
Constant velocity & accelerated motion
Impulse and Momentum
Projectile Motion
Oscillations & Waves
Newtonian Mechanics
Electrostatics
Rotational Motion
Electrical Currents
Gravity and Planetary Motion
Simple Circuits
Work, Power, and Energy
Other topics as time permits
The topics we cover are the same as the regular (non-AP) version of Physics 1, but the depth of coverage,
and the complexity of problems we analyze is much greater, and the pacing is much faster.
In order to be successful in this college-level course, you should expect to apply yourself rigorously
outside of classtime, including HW, reading from the textbook, and studying. It is critical to keep up in
your work as it is particularly difficult to catch up due to the highly cumulative nature of this material.
Furthermore, you should expect an emailed HW assignment on any day that school is canceled due to
snow.
Text: Knight, Jones, Field. College Physics, A Strategic Approach, 2nd Edition, Addison Wesley, 2012.
What to Bring to Class Every Day
Binder and notepaper or notebook
Pencil or Pen

Scientific Calculator TI 83 or 84 (or equivalent)

Grading
Grading (by Quarter)

Final Grade
Your final grade will be weighted as follows:
Quarters 1-4 (ea.)
25%

HW:
10%
Labs, Activities
30%
Tests, Quizzes, other assessments 60%
No assignment will count for more than 30% of a quarters grade. Assignments will be graded as soon as
possible with the goal of the most usual assignments to be posted in SIS within 7 days of the due date.
Major assignments may require additional time.
Late submission of HW & Labs is accepted (for half credit) only up til the next class after the initial due
date.

Lab & Activity Assignments - Some or all will be incorporated into each unit:
Labs - Physical Investigations (Data Collection and Analysis Activities) and Simulations
Reading Textbook and Supplementary Reading
Problems Examples, Guided and Individual Practice, Topic Problems
A note about reading assignments: It is essential to do reading assignments punctually. Due to the wide
range of topics covered in AP Physics, class lectures will sometimes cover only selected areas of a
chapter; it is therefore incumbent upon the student to have read the relevant sections of the chapter before
it is covered in class.
Tests & Quizzes
Reading quizzes and HW quizzes are given frequently. These are short ~ 5 to 10 minutes. These
quizzes may or may not be announced.
End-of-unit Quizzes and Mid-quarter tests are low-stakes and minor assessments of
comprehension and retention, and will generally be given after every few sections of a chapter
(approximately 3-4 times per quarter) in order to make sure that the latest ideas are sinking in.

Major Tests are deeper assessments of how well you grasp the most recent ideas and incorporate
them into your problem-solving methods. Expect tests to be challengingeven so, students who
work hard will do well. Tests will be cumulative, and will be given at the end of each quarter,
although circumstances may dictate slight variations in frequency. Tests will be modeled after the
AP Physics Exam, including multiple choice and free response questions.

An optional full-length practice exam will be administered on a Saturday shortly before the real AP test
(date TBD). The test will be scored on the AP scale of 1-5, using the released grading guidelines and
statistics. Those students who choose to participate in the optional practice exam may receive extra credit
in the class. Further information about the practice exam will be provided later.
During the weeks following the AP Exam, classtime will focus on selected topics from modern physics.
We try to cover topics that, although not part of the AP Physics curriculum, are nonetheless important for
an educated 21st Century adult to be aware of. Examples include relativity, particle physics, and
cosmology.
Langley Make Up Work Policy:
Students who are absent one day will take previously announced quizzes and test and hand in previously
assigned work the day they return to school. In the case of pre-arranged absences, students will deliver to
teachers all previously assigned work due during their absence the day they return. A student who is
absent from class for a field trip, medical appointment, excused tardy, or clinic visit but who is in
attendance for any part of the day, is required to hand in assigned work and make up quizzes/tests on that
day. Per FCPS Grading & Reporting Policy, students will get one day to make up work for every day
absent, up to a maximum of 10 days.
School and FCPS policies regarding make-up work will be adhered to. If you miss a class, it is your
responsibility to see your teacher outside of class time to clarify what youve missed and to arrange any
make-up assignments. Please check Blackboard.com and/or contact a classmate before your return, and
try to complete any reading/homework that has been assigned. If you are sick at an inopportune time, or
for an extended period, e-mail and Blackboard are convenient and effective ways to stay caught up.
Making up labs is almost always problematic. So, it is particularly important to proactively seek me out to
schedule a makeup lab as soon as you are back in school. In general, labs must be made-up within 1 week
of your return to school.
Extra Help/Contact Information: Extra help is readily available. You may stop in during Saxon time as
you like. The instructors are also available most days after school.

AP Physics 1 Syllabus

Test Re-take Policy: Major tests (end of quarter exams) are offered at the end of each quarter. In accordance
with FCPS policy, students who score less than 80% on a major test (excluding the final exam for the year) may be
allowed a second opportunity to take a similar test to improve their grade. This retake opportunity is subject to the
following:
There will be a single retake opportunity for each major test. The day of the retake test will be announced
at least 48 hours in advance. No makeups for the retake will be allowed.
Students are expected to attend at least one Saxon time session to review their test results and also
complete a test corrections before attending the retake test.
The re-take test will cover the same material as the original test but may be a different format. The highest
grade that can be achieved on the retake is 80%.

Student Advocacy Protocol

Students will:

take ownership of their education through active engagement in their courses

consult Blackboard consistently
use an agenda or other device, as agreed upon with the instructor, to track their
assignments
communicate directly with teachers before parent/teacher communication is initiated

We have been asked to pass on to you the Langley High School Parent Communication Policy.
Langley High School is committed to fostering positive communications with parents. To that end,
teachers will make every effort to reach out to parents in positive and meaningful ways. LHS respectfully
asks that parents reciprocate. We hope to foster professional, cooperative relationships between teachers
and parents. If you have concerns, please allow the teacher an opportunity to provide information or to
explain circumstances. The Langley High School administration will not permit teachers to respond to
abusive or harassing emails or phone calls. Together, parents and teachers will have the ability to resolve
any issues that might arise.
Lets look forward to an interesting and challenging year.
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AP Physics 1 Syllabus