Physics 1 - Course Syllabus
2013-2014 Timber Creek High School
Mr. Hobby
Location: Building 4, Room 412
Email (Preferred): Chad.Hobby@ocps.net
Phone: (321) 235-7800 ext. 614412
Course Description
This course has a broad scope and covers a large variety of topics. This course is not intended
as a compilation of every facet of Physics, but rather as an introductory course into the beautiful
world of Physics. Students will have opportunities to research and explore the world of Physics
they live in through labs and projects. Your Algebra II skills will be put to heavy use in this
course, because Physics uses Math to solve and analyze questions about the world.
Required Supplies:
4 Dry Erase Markers, 3 Ring Binder, Scientific or Graphing Calculator, Graph Paper
Grading Plan
Your grade is composed of the following every nine weeks:
10% Class Work
10% Homework
10% Quizzes
25% Labs/Lab Reports
30% Tests
15% Projects
The Letter Grade assigned is based on the following scale:
90-100: A
80-89: B
70-79: C
60-69: D
0-59: F
Rules of Conduct
1. Be Respectful--to your teacher, to your peers, and to yourself.
2. Be Diligent--Work harder and work longer to succeed.
3. Be Safe--Ensure that your behavior and the behavior of your peers does not endanger
yourself, your class, or your school.
Cellphones: Cellphone should be on silent and I should not see it out. If your phone goes
off, stop the ringing, put it on silent, and put it away. Do NOT answer the phone or return the
text, it can wait till after class. If you are texting in my class I’ll ask for your phone. I will not go
through your phone; it will just sit on my desk till the end of class.
Tardiness/Skipping: Being late or absent without a pass breaks rule number 1. When
you enter the room you will be quiet and seek not to disrupt or draw the attention of the other
students. If you have a pass you will place it on my desk, no further explanation is warranted. If
you do not have a pass, take your seat and get to work. If I want to talk to you about your
tardiness I will call you over, do not interrupt the class to explain why you are late.
Plagiarism/Cheating: It is very easy to find the answer to nearly every Physics problem
or question on the internet with a Google search or through a friend. HOWEVER if you do get
“help” from a friend or from the internet, I expect you to give credit to the source of your answer.
That being said, you are NOT allowed to use the internet or a friend when taking the tests or
quizzes in the course. The main purpose of the assignments is for you to prepare for the
tests and quizzes by learning the material. So please do not rob yourself of that preparation
by simply copying down the answers from the internet.
Consequences: The general consequences follow the pattern at the top of next page;
however there are exceptions for severe infractions (Violence, Illegal Activity, etc...)
1st offense: Warning
2nd offense: Call home
3rd offense: Detention and Call home
4th offense: Longer Detention and Call home
5th offense: Referral and Call home
Procedures
Bellwork: When you enter the room every day sit down, prepare for class, and begin the
Bellwork. Bellwork will be on the whiteboard. When you finish the bellwork, place it in the bin
that matches your period and work on homework until the lesson begins. Bellwork is graded.
Labs: There will be a lab every Monday and Tuesday. There will be a lab
demonstration/explanation before you begin. The labs will be done in groups at your lab table,
and I will be available to help answer questions should you have any. When there is time, each
lab group will use the whiteboard at their table to present their findings to the class at the end of
the lab. The lab report is typically due the following Thursday.
Homework: Homework will be assigned every Wednesday AND the previous week’s
homework will be collected every Wednesday. The homework problems will be similar to a
majority of the Test and Quiz questions and it will be graded. Time permitting; we will go over
the homework problems, as a class, on Wednesdays using the whiteboards at the group tables.
If we are unable to go over the homework in class I will provide feedback on the homework and
return it to you on Thursday so you’ll be able to review it before the Quiz/Test.
Projects: Each student will complete an individual project each quarter (Nine Weeks).
This will be a flexible research project that the student has relative freedom in the content and
type of project. There is a separate handout for this. There will only be one per Nine Weeks and
it is worth a sizable amount of your grade so do not wait till the last minute. These are meant to
be fun and interesting.
Quizzes and Tests: There will be a quiz every Friday that there is school, and
occasionally on other days. If there is not a quiz on a Friday it is because there is a Test
instead. There are 2-3 Tests per nine weeks which occur at the end of each Unit. The test
questions will be similar to the quiz questions so it is highly recommended that you save your
quiz.
Tentative Schedule
Week
Content
Assignment(s) Due
Assessment
Aug 19-23
Nature of Science; Cube Lab;
Cube Lab Report
Begin Kinematics: Linear Motion
None
Aug 26-30
Kinematics: Linear Motion
continued--Toy Car Lab
HW 1; Toy Car Lab
Report
Quiz on
Kinematics
Sep 3-6
Kinematics: Linear Motion
continued
HW 2; Kinematics
worksheet
Quiz on
Kinematics
Sep 9-13
Kinematics: Linear Motion Unit
ends; Projectile Motion Lab
HW 3; Projectile Motion
Lab Report
TEST on
Kinematics
Sep 16-20
Begin Laws of Motion Unit;
Newton’s First Law Lab
HW 4; Newton’s First Law Quiz on
Lab Report
Newton’s 1st
Sep 23-27
Laws of Motion continued;
HW 5; Newton’s Second
Quiz on
Newton’s Second Law Lab
Law Lab Report
Newton’s 2nd
Sep 30-Oct 4
Laws of Motion continued;
Newton’s Third Law Lab
HW 6; Newton’s Third
Law Lab Report
Quiz on
Newton’s 3rd
Oct 7-11
Laws of Motion Unit Ends; Laws
of Motion Final Lab
HW 7; Laws of Motion
Final Lab Report
TEST on
Newton’s Laws
Oct 14-18
Begin Circular Motion Unit;
Circular Motion Lab
HW 8; Circular Motion
Lab Report
Quiz on
Circular Motion
Oct 21-23
Circular Motion Unit Ends;
Torque Lab
HW 9; Torque Lab
Report; Research Project
None
2nd Marking Period Begins
Oct 28-Nov 1
Universal Law of Gravity Unit;
Universal Gravitation Lab
HW 10; Universal
Gravitation Lab Report
Quiz on
Universal Law
Nov 4-8
Universal Law of Gravity Unit
continues; Kepler’s Laws Lab
HW 11; Kepler’s Laws
Lab Report
TEST on
Universal Law
Nov 11-15
Momentum Unit Begins;
Momentum Carts Lab (elastic)
HW 12; Momentum Carts
Lab Report 1
Quiz on
Momentum
Nov 18-22
Momentum Unit Ends;
Momentum Carts Lab (inelastic)
HW 13; Momentum Carts
Lab Report 2
TEST on
Momentum
Dec 2-6
Energy Unit Begins; Work,
Potential, Kinetic Energy Lab
Work, Potential, and
Kinetic Lab Report
Quiz on
Energy Basics
Dec 9-13
Energy Unit Continues;
Conservation of Energy Lab
HW 14; Conservation of
Energy Lab Report
Quiz on
Energy Cons.
Dec 16-20
Energy Unit Ends; Roller
coaster Lab
HW 15; Roller coaster
Lab Report
TEST on
Energy
Jan 6-10
Heat Unit Begins; Heat Capacity Heat Capacity Lab Report Quiz on Heat
Lab
Capacity
Jan 13-16
Heat Unit Continues; Change of
Phase Lab
HW 16; Change of Phase
Lab; Research Project
None
3rd Marking Period Begins
Jan 21-24
Heat Unit Continues;
HW 17; Heat Worksheet
TEST on Heat
Jan 27-31
Electricity Unit Begins; Static
Electricity Lab
HW 18; Static Electricity
Lab Report
Quiz on Static
Electricity
Feb 3-7
Electricity Unit Continues;
Electric Field Lab
HW 19; Electric Field Lab
Report
Quiz on
Electric Field
Feb 10-14
Current Electricity Begins; Flow
of Charge Lab
HW 20; Flow of Charge
Lab Report
Quiz on Flow
of Charge
Feb 18-21
Current Electricity Continues;
Electric Circuits Lab (Resistors)
HW 21; Electric Circuits
Lab (Resistors)
Quiz: Resistor
Circuits
Feb 24-28
Current Electricity Ends; Series,
Parallel Circuits Lab
HW 22; Series, Parallel
Circuits Lab Report
TEST on
Electricity and
Current
Mar 3-7
Magnetism Lab; Magnetism and
Electromagnetism
HW 23; Magnetism Lab
Report
Quiz on
Magnetism
Mar 10-14
Magnetic Field Lab; Magnetism
and Electromagnetism (EM)
HW 24; Magnetic Field
Lab Report
Test on EM
and Magnetism
Mar 17-20
Wave Basics Unit Begins; Wave HW 25; Wave Lab
Lab
Report; Research Project
Quiz on Wave
Basics
4th Marking Period Begins
Mar 31-Apr 4
Sound Unit Begins; Speed of
Sound Lab
HW 26; Speed of Sound
Lab Report
Quiz on Sound
Apr 7-11
Sound Unit; Resonance Lab
HW 27; Resonance Lab
Test on Sound
Apr 14-18
Light Unit Begins; Speed of
Light Lab
HW 28; Speed of Light
Lab Report
Quiz on Light
Basics
Apr 21-25
Light Unit; Reflection Lab
HW 29; Reflection Lab
Quiz on
Reflection
Apr 28-May 2
Light Unit Continues; Refraction
Lab
HW 30; Refraction Lab
Report
Quiz on
Refraction
May 5-9
Light Unit Continues; Lenses
lab
HW 31; Lenses Lab
Quiz: Lenses
May 12-15
Light Unit Continues; Diffraction
Lab
HW 32; Diffraction Lab
Report
Quiz on
Diffraction
May 19-23
Light Unit Ends; Interference
Lab
HW 33; Interference Lab
Report
Test on Light
May 27-30
Modern Physics Unit Begins
HW 34; Nuclear Fission
Worksheet; Research
Project
None
June 2-4
Nuclear Fission Simulator;
Modern Physics Continues
HW 35; Nuclear Fission
Simulator Report
None