Welcome to Honors Physics with Mrs. Broadbent!  This will be my 13th year teaching and my 5th year as a pirate.  This semester I am teaching Honors Physics, Honors Advanced Chemistry Topics, and Science Apex.  Go Pirates!!!

My goals for this course are:

• Students will continue their investigations of the universe and have a better understanding of how the world around us works.
• Students will develop skills as interdependent and self-directed learners.

Research informs us that students remember 5% of a lecture 24 hours after hearing it. They remember 90% of material they have taught 24 hours after teaching it. With that comparison in mind, the students will have the opportunity to teach each other and to direct their own work whenever possible. I will provide structure, support, guidance and a framework for this process to occur. We will use the power of technology to support and enhance our learning whenever possible.

 

Syllabus

Course Name:  Honors Physics

Teacher Name:  Mrs. Michele Broadbent

Course Description:

Physics is the study of the basic principles that govern the physical world around us. In this class we will be learning topics in mechanics, kinematics, dynamics, energy, work, power, waves and electromagnetism.   This class will include a large amount of laboratory work to accompany the course content.  This class is meant to give the student a basis for further study in college for students’ planning on a career in medicine, engineering, or any other science related field.

North Carolina Essential Standards:

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/curriculum/science/scos/support-tools/unpacking/science/physics.pdf

 Tentative Pacing:

 

Unit	Tentative Days
Physics Math Review	6
Motion in One Dimension	8
Forces and Newton’s Laws	8
Motion and Forces in Two Dimensions	8
Circular Motion and Gravity	7
Energy	6
Momentum and Collisions	7
Waves	11
Electricity	9
Magnetism	6
Final Exam Review	3

 

Honors Differentiation Statement:

Physics HN is an honors level course. This course is also available in the Program of Studies at the College Preparatory level. Students earning credit for an Honors level course receive an elevated number of Quality Points for their Grade Point Average. Students choosing the Honors level course should be aware that this Honors level course will include:

• Required extension opportunities that are directly related to the Standard Course of Study. This includes additional content beyond that covered in the College Preparatory level.
• More challenging coursework and assessments. Students will be expected to demonstrate higher levels of understanding for grades.
• Projects and presentations will be more in depth.
• Students will have to focus and study regularly to master the content.
• The expectation that students can move through the coursework at an accelerated pace and students experiencing difficulty should quickly seek guidance from their teacher on how they can be more successful.

Examples of Honors Differentiation in this Course:  Below is a sample of how the honors level objectives may differ from the College Preparatory Level.

 

Honors Level Objective	College Prep Level Objective
Students will be able to use significant figures to determine the accuracy and precision of measurements and calculations.	Students will understand the difference between the terms accuracy and precision.
Students will be able to calculate the work done by a horizontal force or a force applied at an angle.	Students will be able to calculate the work done by a horizontal force.

 

 Grading Policy:

Tests and Quizzes-60% Classwork/Homework, Labs-40%

A comprehensive Final Exam will count as 25% of the final grade.

Late Work:

• Late work will be accepted at any time up until the end of the grading period.
• The highest grade a student can achieve on a late assignment is 70%.
• If you turn in an assignment late, you MUST fill out the “Late Assignment Form” which can be found on Canvas in the “Important Info” section.
  • The late assignment will NOT be graded until this form is completed.

 Make-up Work:

• Make-up work should be made up within a timely fashion and will be due within one to two days after the original due date unless other arrangements are made with the teacher.  Tests should be made up within 1 week.
• Students are responsible for obtaining make-up work from the folder or the Canvas course.
• If a student misses a lab, please make up the lab within 2 days or complete the alternate assignment on the Canvas course.
• Tests and Quizzes.
  • The student is responsible for scheduling a time to make up the assignment.

Test Retakes:

• Students will be permitted to retake quizzes AND midterms. 
• Students will first need to complete the "Request to Retest" form which can be found on Canvas in the “Important info” section.
  • The teacher will then schedule a time with the student to retake the assessment. 

Accessing Grades:

Students and Parents have the opportunity to access grades at any time via the PowerSchool Parent Portal.  Progress Reports or Report Cards will be sent home every 3 weeks.

Office Hours:

Office hours will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:10pm - 4:00pm.  Other days and times are available by appointment only.

Supplies Needed:

• Spiral Bound notebook or 3-ring binder for notes
• Notebook Paper
• Pens/Pencils
• Ruler
• Headphones
• Safety Glasses (Optional)
• Scientific or Graphing Calculator
• Reference Tables (Provided): If lost another copy can be found at the following web address: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/accountability/testing/common-exams/physics-reference.pdf

 Resources:

• Textbook (Available for checkout from Mrs. Broadbent)
• Online Resources Page: video tutorials and extra practice problems can be accessed on Canvas by clicking the Extra Help button on the home page.
• EmpowerED Family Portal: https: //www.ucps.k12.nc.us/domain/2917

 Assessments and Assignments:

• Tests and Quizzes will contain multiple-choice, mathematical calculations, and short essay questions. 
• In-class assignments will include problem sets, online assignments through Canvas, and other labs and activities.

Classroom Expectations:

1. Respect the teacher, the classroom, and other students.
2. Be on time, on task, and prepared to learn EVERYDAY!
3. Be responsible for your own learning
4. Clean up after yourselves and your peers
5. Keep all of your personal electronics PUT AWAY.

 Cheating:

• All forms of cheating (texting test answers, copying test answers, copying homework, crib sheets, plagiarism) will not be tolerated
• If students are caught cheating all students involved will earn a zero for the assignment, a parent contact, and possible administration referral.

Lab Safety:

You are expected to follow all lab safety protocols when in lab settings.  The lab safety contract must be signed and on file before participating in lab exercises.   Students in Honors will be required to complete a research project throughout the semester.  This might include lab work depending on the topic chosen.  I would recommend that all work with chemicals or other hazardous materials be done at school under my supervision.  If the student chooses to work at home, parents please supervise your child.  I will also be completing multiple demos throughout the semester.  These are meant to be done by a trained professional and should not be repeated at home.

Canvas:

The majority of assignments not completed on paper will be submitted on our learning platform, Canvas. Assignments can be submitted a variety of ways including, uploading files, typing into text boxes, and sharing Google documents/presentations. Students will be shown how to submit assignments on Canvas as needed. Individual assignments will indicate which method of submission on Canvas is expected. If students need a refresher or have questions, they can access the Canvas Student Guide (https://guides.instructure.com/m/4212) for specific instructions. It is the student's responsibility to ensure assignments are submitted on time and to contact the instructor if there is a problem. Please note that student activity is logged while in Canvas so instructors will be able to see if the student opened the assignment, if there was any activity including a log of student activities during on-line tests and quizzes. Students are not allowed to leave the testing window during assessments. Doing so is considered cheating and will be handled as set forth in the Porter Ridge HS handbook.

 

NOTICE: Although many assignments are submitted and graded in our learning platform, Canvas, the "final" grades shown may not be properly weighted and do not contain assignments that were not graded in Canvas. For the student's official grades, please continue to access the parent portal through Powerschool. Login information is usually sent home with the students at the beginning of the year, and should be the same as last year. If you need assistance accessing the parent portal, please contact the school.

 

Contact Information:

Email: michele.broadbent@ucps.k12.nc.us (BEST way to reach me!),

Canvas message

Phone: 704-292-7662 (school)