AP Calculus AB (Vahsen)
AP Calculus AB 2013 – 2014
Your teacher: Ms. Vahsen
Phone: (571) 252 – 2000
Email: mel.vahsen@lcps.org
Where is Ms. V?
Before School
1st Block
2nd Block
3rd Block
4th Block
After School
253 or 218
250
Math office
214
Math wing
253 or 218
5th Block
Raider Rally
7th Block
8th Block
253
1st half- 253, 2nd half- 151
218
218
Course Overview:
The purpose of the course is to develop mathematical thinking and a thorough understanding
of the concepts and connections among concepts in calculus. The two major themes are the
derivative as a rate of change and the integral as an accumulation function. Technology is used
throughout the course and students are taught how to use graphing calculators to help solve
problems, experiment, interpret results, and support conclusions.
Course Goals: My goal as your Calculus teacher is to prepare you for the AP Calculus exam on
Wednesday, May 7, 2014. It is the expectation that each student will take this exam. That being said,
taking the exam is not a requirement for the course.
Goals set forth by the College Board (taken directly from Advanced Placement Program Course
Description: Calculus AB, Calculus BC, The College Board):
- Students should be able to work with functions represented in a variety of ways: graphical,
numerical, analytical, or verbal. They should understand the connections among these
representations.
- Students should understand the meaning of the derivative in terms of rate of change and
local linear approximation and should be able to use derivatives to solve a variety of
problems.
- Students should understand the meaning of the definite integral both as a limit of Riemann
sums and as a net accumulation of a rate of change and should be able to use integrals to
solve a variety of problems.
- Students should understand the relationship between the derivative and the definite
integral expressed in both parts of the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus.
- Students should be able to communicate mathematics both orally and in well-written
sentences and should be able to explain solutions to problems.
- Students should be able to model a written description of a physical situation with a
function, a differential equation, or an integral.
- Students should be able to use technology to help solve problems, perform experiments,
interpret results, and verify conclusions.
- Students should be able to determine the reasonableness of solutions, including sign, size,
relative accuracy, and units of measurement.
- Students should develop an appreciation of calculus as a coherent body of knowledge and
as a human accomplishment.
AP Calculus AB (Vahsen)
Materials Needed EVERY DAY:
* TI-83/84 (or TI-89/Nspire) calculator
* Separate notebook (with paper/some graph paper) for calculus
* Pencils
Grading:
0%
Homework
Algebra/skills
reviews
100%
Weekly quizzes
Labs/Activities
Quizzes/Quests
Tests
Projects
Homework will be given EVERY NIGHT and checked for effort and
completeness. At the end of every week, there will be a
homework/skills quiz that focuses on simpler problems from the
homework or harder ones we went over in class. Homework will be
collected as a packet before each test and used to determine whether
or not a student is eligible for test corrections.
Algebra/skills reviews will be done weekly. You will be given a paper
with 10 problems for review for the week. I will post answers on the
board. At the end of every week, up to 5 of these problems will be on
your weekly quiz (see below).
Weekly quizzes will usually be given at the beginning of the final class
of each week (Thursday or Friday, usually). These quizzes will usually
contain questions directly from homework assignments (easier ones or
harder ones that we went over in class) and up to five problems from
the skills reviews.
Some assignments will be completed in class, either as group or
individual work.
Smaller than tests, quizzes and quests (bigger than a quiz, smaller than
a test) will be given throughout units.
At the end of most chapters, there will be a cumulative test covering
material studied in the chapter, as well as previously studied material
(everything is fair game). There will be an opportunity for test
corrections to earn up to 1/3 of the missed points after every test.
Tests will generally be worth about two quizzes.
Projects will allow students to show knowledge of the content in more
creative ways. There will be at least one project each quarter. Projects
will be worth one test grade.
Cheating: Don’t do it. I’ll know (and you’ll get a 0).
Absences: Should you find it necessary to miss class, you are expected to try your best to keep up
with assignments. You have an assignment sheet that has all the work for the current unit- use that,
talk to friends to get notes, and come see me the day you return to school. If you’d like to ask me
questions about the material you missed, it is your responsibility to set up a time with me to go over
that material. Most notably, assignments that were due when you were absent are due the day
you get back and tests missed must be taken within a week the original test date. For
extenuating circumstances, please talk to me as soon as possible!
AP Calculus AB (Vahsen)
Notable routines:
1. NO LATE WORK will be accepted.
2. I will always be available Wednesday mornings from 8:00 to 8:50 and Wednesday after
school from 4:00 to 5:00 for extra help in Calculus. If you would like to schedule another time
to come in for help, please see me (ideally give me a day notice). I am available most days
before/after school.
3. Any returned work or handouts from days you were absent will be in the folders in the crate
stationed at the back of the classroom. It is your responsibility to pick these up!
4. When entering the room, please write the number of any problem that you did not understand
in the homework on the board. If the number you wanted to write is already on the board, but
a mark next to it so I know which problems to focus on during our (limited) homework review.
Please know that homework review will be limited in time- you might have to come during
Raider Rally or before/after school for more help!
5. At the beginning of most classes, you will have some problems to do (affectionately called the
DO NOW). You should be in your desk working on these problems when the bell rings.
6. Cell phones and food that is more substantial than a snack should remain in your bag/away.
Calculus is a difficult subject- you don’t need to create distractions!
7. If you want a Raider Rally pass, see me prior to the start of 5th block.
8. There will be an option for students to make test corrections after each test. To be able to
make test corrections, students must have turned in their (completed) packet of homework
problems. When completing test corrections, students must do them on a separate sheet of
paper, show their work, and write a complete sentence about why their old answer was
wrong/why the new one is right. Answers without work/justification will not receive credit.
Each correct answer will earn students 1/3 of their points back.
Communication: I will most certainly be talking to parents/guardians if…
1. You are failing/in danger of failing.
2. Your grade drops two letter grades.
3. You are continually disrupting my class.
4. You do something awesome.
And of course at Back to School night (Monday, September 16 at 7:00 PM) and parent-teacher
conferences!
AP Calculus AB (Vahsen)
Dear Parent(s) or Guardians,
Hello and welcome to a new school year! I will be your student’s AP Calculus AB teacher this
year and am so looking forward to a productive and enjoyable year. My goal as a teacher is to provide
your student with the best learning environment possible to that he/she may be successful not only in
this course, but in future mathematics courses.
Please indicate below that you have read the syllabus of this course. I will use the information
provided in CLARITY to contact you. Please indicate below what your preferred method of contact is.
If your preferred contact method is not listed on/different from what is on CLARITY, please list it
below. I will be contacting you to keep everyone informed about what is happening in your child’s
classroom and their progress in this course.
Please feel free to add, at the bottom of this page, any comments or questions you may have
regarding the course and/or classroom policies. You can also email me (mel.vahsen@lcps.org) if that
is more convenient. If at any time during the year you have a concern you would like to discuss with
me, I can be reached by phone or email.
Thank you for your time. I look forward to a great year!
Sincerely,
Mel Vahsen
Name of student (printed): _________________________________________________________________
I have read the syllabus (sign/initial): _____________________________________________
Name of parent(s)/guardian (printed): ____________________________________________________
I have read the syllabus (sign/initial): _____________________________________________
Preferred method of contact (phone, email, etc.): _________________________________________
Preferred time of contact (morning, afternoon, etc.): _____________________________________
Contact info if different from CLARITY:
Phone: _______________________________________________________________________________
Email: ________________________________________________________________________________