PhYSICS
A level - Mrs. Severance
Classroom Expectations: The 4P’s of Physics!
Be Prompt!
 You are expected to arrive each day ON TIME! This means being in your assigned seat by the time
the bell rings.
 If you are absent, it is your responsibility to ask about any missed assignments, quizzes, or tests.
o You are expected to get missed notes from a reliable classmate.
o Lecture notes/PowerPoint Presentations will be posted online for you to look at and reference
in the event of an absence.
o Missed labs will be dealt with on a lab-by-lab basis.
o You are expected to make up ALL missed assignments IN A TIMELY MANNER.
Be Polite!
 You are expected to behave in a mature, respectful, and courteous manner toward the teacher and
other students at all times. You can expect to be treated the same.
 Put quality effort into your work. You can expect this class to be challenging, but by no means
impossible as long as you take the class and the teacher seriously.
 Leave the classroom and lab cleaner than you found it.
Be Prepared!
 You are expected to come to class prepared. This includes having appropriate writing utensils,
paper, a calculator, ruler, textbook and homework (completed and on time).
Participate!
 Be active and involved in class. This means asking and answering questions, volunteering to work
out problems in class, and participating in class discussions.
 You are expected to collaborate with your peers if you do not understand how to do homework.
However, do NOT copy homework answers thinking you will figure out how to do the problems
later. Ask your peers HOW they figured out the problem…have a conversation about it. Understand
the process. It is okay to give hints or help, but not answers!
Technology Expectations:
 You will receive assignments that require the use of technology. If you do not have access to the
tools you need at home you can use the library computers during your Access Period as well as
before and after school. You will need a pass from me that you can get after class. Manage your
time responsibly and you will be fine.
 Printer issues and other problems are not excuses for late completion. Points will be lost! Don’t
wait until the last minute and always bring a backup copy on a flash drive.
 It’s a great idea to have a flash drive dedicated to school that you bring to all your classes every day.
Always save your own copy of your group’s work.
 Bring a scientific CALCULATOR to class EVERY DAY!!
Class Information:
1. There will be homework almost every night. Most assignments will be spot-checked for completion,
not correctness! I don’t expect you to master any topic overnight, but I do expect you to do your
best to come up with logical answers for the homework. Based on effort you will receive a 5, 3, or 0
out of a possible 5 points
 If you miss a homework assignment, the first two times you can turn it in the next day for 3 points
if you show all of your work.
 If you have three or more missed assignments you will be given a “Homework Detention” and
must attend science resource to make it up.
 Every subsequent missed homework assignment will result in a “Homework Detention”.
 Homework made up in science resource will be turned in at the end of science resource to the
resource teacher and given 2 points of credit.
2. Over the course of the year, you will be expected to work with your classmates on labs or group
projects. Most lab work will be done in groups of 3 or 4, but I will expect each student to collect and
record the data in their own notebooks. Some lab reports will be done in pairs. Projects will usually
be done in groups of 3.
3. Tests will be given at the beginning, middle and end of each unit.
 Each is worth the same amount of points & will cover all of the topics to be covered in the unit.
 They may or may not be the same questions and same format.
 The best score of the three will be kept as the EXAM score for that unit. The other two scores will
be thrown out.
4. Generally there will be a variety of quizzes throughout the unit. Quizzes can range from the
traditional announced or pop quiz to quizzes over homework and labs. There may also be electronic
versions of the quizzes as well given via EDU 2.0.
5. There will be few opportunities for extra credit. In order to be eligible for extra credit, you must have
no more than 1 missing assignment.
6. I am available for extra help. Many, if not all, students will need extra help at some point in time. You
can make appointments to meet with me before school if arranged beforehand. You can also utilize
the Science Resource Center during lunch. I encourage you to ask for help early on to prevent you
from getting more confused later.
7. The grading scale is as follows:
A - 90% and above B - 80-90%
C - 70-80%
D - 60-70%
F - 60% and below
8. The points for the semester will be broken into certain percentages. Those are listed below.
50% Unit Exams (Pre-Test, Mid-Test, Post-Test – Best of the three scores counts)
30% Class Work (Quizzes, Homework, & Labs)
20% Final
Need to contact me or find me during the day?
Email me at: kelley.severance@cusd200.org
Phone: 630-784-7300 ex: 8525