Middlesex County Academy Edison – Course Requirements for Honors Integrated Physics
Dr. Ehrhardt – ehrhardtw@mail.mcvts.net
Course Description
This course is taught at an honors level (i.e., it is taught at a relatively rapid pace, mastery of basic algebra
and trigonometry is assumed, and a considerable amount of work is required of the student). At a
minimum, the proficiencies and objectives to be addressed are those of the applicable 2009 NJ Core
Curriculum Content Standards for Physical Science (see page 3). Much of the course material extends
beyond these standards, especially for those topics that fall outside of the area of mechanics. The
approximate coverage of the topics in the text is shown on page 4. The exact coverage will vary from year
to year.
Textbook: Holt Physics, R.A. Serway and J.S. Faughn, 2002 (Holt, Rinehart and Winston)
Students are responsible for learning both the assigned textbook material as well as any auxiliary material
(handouts, classroom presentations (PowerPoint), material in classroom discussions, website videos, etc.).
Evaluation and Grading Policy
1. Tests and quizzes count for 70% of the marking period grade. In general, a test score has a weight
double that of a quiz score. The weights are sometimes adjusted at the end of the marking period to
benefit the student (weighting the lowest score less than other scores).
2. Laboratory work counts for 20% of the marking period grade. Lab report requirements are attached.
3. Class participation counts for 5% of the marking period grade. The participation grade includes
readiness for class (being on time, having book & calculator, reading assignments completed, etc.),
ability to answer questions, ability to ask questions, board work, ability to follow written and oral
instructions, and general cooperation. Lack of attention and disruptive behavior of any kind will
detract from this grade. Disruptive students who are consistently unprepared will receive a zero for
class participation (see class participation rubric).
4. Homework counts for 5% of the marking period grade. Homework is graded on a percent completed
basis: all homework assignments completed = 100%, no homework assignments completed = 0%.
In order for an assignment to be considered complete, it must both be on time (ready at the
beginning of the class in which the homework is due) and all work must be done following the
standards specified by the instructor. Students who are absent from class the day the homework is
assigned are responsible for the homework if they are present in school the day before the
homework is due. “Minds on Physics” (MOP) homework is treated differently than other homework
in that it directly impacts the associated quiz grade. Details will be provided in class.
5. The marking period grade (MP) will be determined using
MP = 70% (weighted quiz and test grade) + 20%(Avg lab grade) +
5%(class participation) + 5%(homework)
6. There will be a midterm and a final examination that each count 10% of the final year grade.
7. Final Grade = 20% MP1 + 20% MP2 + 20% MP3 + 20% MP4 + 10% Midterm + 10% Final.
where MP1, MP2, etc. are the grades from marking period 1, marking period 2, etc. Note that Board
Policy states that the minimum passing grade is a 65.
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Conduct
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
All directions given to the class are to be followed.
All school rules are to be followed.
Teachers and fellow students are to be treated with respect. Profanity is not allowed at any time.
Food (including gum) and drinks are not permitted in the classroom.
Students are expected to pay attention during class time.
Students are expected to come to class on time and having completed all assigned work.
Assignments are considered due at the beginning of the class.
7. Rules against cheating and plagiarism will be strictly enforced. Generally, this means the student
will receive a zero for the test/assignment involved. The person from whom the assignment was
copied will also receive a zero. Also, as per faculty guidelines, cheating will impact the issuance of
letters of reference.
Safety
General safety
1. In the event of a fire drill or other building evacuation, immediately exit the building via the
appropriate route. Go immediately to the assigned meeting place. Attendance will be taken.
2. Keep isles clear of backpacks, books, etc. at all times.
Laboratory Safety and Policies
1. For some labs, safety glasses must be worn. When chemicals are used or when the instructor
deems it necessary, safety goggles (not safety glasses) and/or protective gloves must be worn.
2. Horseplay or inattentive behavior will not be tolerated. Such behavior will result in a zero for the
associated lab assignment.
3. Only experiments authorized by the teacher are to be performed.
4. Unless otherwise instructed, students are expected to fully complete any pre-lab assignments prior
to beginning laboratory work.
5. The teacher is to be notified immediately of broken or unsafe equipment or if any unsafe behavior is
observed.
6. Laboratory equipment and benchtops are to be left clean at the end of the lab period. Equipment
must be returned to the designated storage locations.
7. The teacher is to be notified immediately of any injuries that may occur in the laboratory.
A student who does not follow prescribed safety regulations and/or specific verbal or written safety
instructions by the teacher or who behave in a manner that in any way threatens the safety and wellbeing of themselves or others in the laboratory will be removed from the laboratory. The parent or
guardian will be notified. The student will not be allowed to participate in the laboratory until assurances
are obtained that all safety regulations will be observed by that student.
General Discipline
Board of Education Policies will be followed regarding absences, tardiness, and behavioral issues
(Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools 2013-2014 Policy Edition News bulletin).
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Applicable 2009 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards: Science
ASW = All students will
5.1 Science Practices ASW understand that science is both a body of knowledge and an evidence-based, modelbuilding enterprise that continually extends, refines, and revises knowledge.
A. Understand Scientific Explanations: Students understand core concepts and principles of science and
use measurement and observation tools to assist in categorizing, representing, and interpreting the natural
and designed world.
B. Generate Scientific Evidence Through Active Investigations: Students master the conceptual,
mathematical, physical, and computational tools that need to be applied when constructing and evaluating
claims.
C. Reflect on Scientific Knowledge: Scientific knowledge builds on itself over time.
D. Participate Productively in Science: The growth of scientific knowledge involves critique and
communication, which are social practices that are governed by a core set of values and norms.
5.2 Physical Science: ASW understand that physical science principles, including fundamental ideas about matter,
energy, and motion, are powerful conceptual tools for making sense of phenomena in physical, living, and Earth
systems science.
C. Forms of Energy: Knowing the characteristics of familiar forms of energy, including potential and kinetic
energy, is useful in coming to the understanding that, for the most part, the natural world can be explained and
is predictable.
D. Energy Transfer and Conservation: The conservation of energy can be demonstrated by keeping track of
familiar forms of energy as they are transferred from one object to another.
E. Forces and Motion : It takes energy to change the motion of objects. The energy change is understood in
terms of forces.
Further details about these standards can be found at:
http://www.state.nj.us/e ducation/cccs/standards/5/index.html
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PHYSICS – Approximate Textbook Coverage
Textbook
Holt Physics, R.A. Serway and J.S. Faughn, 2002, Published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston
Numbers are chapter numbers; exact coverage will vary from year to year
1. The Science of Physics
A. The Nature of Physics
B. Measurements in experiments
C. The language of physics
2. Motion in One Dimension
A. Displacement and velocity
B. Acceleration
C. Falling objects
3. Two-Dimensional Motion and Vectors
A. Introduction to vectors
B. Vector operations
C. Projectile Motion
D. Relative motion
4. Forces and the Laws of Motion
A. Changes in motion
B. Newton’s first law
C. Newton’s second and third laws
D. Everyday forces
5. Work and Energy
A. Work
B. Energy
C. Conservation of energy
D. Power
6. Momentum and Collisions
A. Momentum and impulse
B. Conservation of momentum
C. Elastic and inelastic collisions
7. Rotational Motion and the Law of Gravity
A. Measuring rotational motion
B. Tangential and centripetal acceleration
C. Causes of circular motion
8. Rotational Equilibrium and Dynamics
A. Torque
B. Rotation and inertia
C. Rotational dynamics
D. Simple machines
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12. Vibrations and Waves
A. Simple harmonic motion
B. Measuring simple harmonic motion
C. Properties of waves
D. Wave interactions
13. Sound
A. Sound waves
B. Sound intensity and resonance
C. Harmonics
14. Light and Reflection
A. Characteristics of light
B. Flat mirrors
C. Curved mirrors
D. Color and polarization
17. Electric Forces and Fields
A. Electric charge
B. Electric force
C. The electric field
18. Electrical Energy and Capacitance
A. Electrical potential energy
B. Potential difference
C. Capacitance
19. Current and Resistance
A. Electric current
B. Resistance
C. Electric power
21. Magnetism
A. Magnets and magnetic fields
B. Electromagnetism and magnetic domains
C. Magnetic force
22. Induction and Alternating Current
A. Induced current
B. Alternating current, generators, and motors
C. Inductance
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Rubric for Scoring Class Participation
Points
4 to 5
3
Characteristics
A student in this category takes a voluntary, thoughtful, and active role in their own learning, challenging themselves on
a daily basis. This student demonstrates a genuine desire to learn and share ideas with the instructor and his or her
classmates. Consequently, this is a student who:
Frequently asks significant and thoughtful questions
Is always eager to volunteer to answer questions, do board work, or participate in other class activities that require
individual initiative and effort
Initiate discussions and act as leaders within group activities.
When called upon, is consistently able to answer questions on assignments or material presented in class, and are often
able to bring an additional original insight or perspective into their answer. Does especially well on questions involving
careful analysis, tying new concepts into previous knowledge, and other higher-order thought processes.
Listens attentively and respectfully when others talk, both in group activities and in class.
Follows written and verbal instructions and asks questions about them when they are not clear.
Always comes to class with required materials (textbook, calculator, notebook, writing implement, etc).
Is always well prepared to contribute to the class as a result of having thoughtfully and thoroughly completed
assignments.
Exhibits none of the characteristics of the category 0 student.
Students in this category have a mix of category 2 and category 4/5 characteristics.
A student in this category more or less does what is required but no more; they are only marginally engaged in their own
learning. Generally this is a student that is passive and likes to keep a low profile. Consequently, this is a student who:
2
1
0
Asks no questions or asks trivial ones that indicate some lack of attention or preparation.
Rarely if ever volunteers.
When called upon, is able to answer relatively easy questions but typically cannot answer questions that involve careful
analysis, tying new concepts into previous knowledge, and other higher-order thought processes. Often their answers
indicate lack of adequate preparation for class.
Is generally willing to put up the appearance of paying attention, although, when asked a question, reveal by the type of
answer they give that they were not paying attention.
Stays on task part of the time with the need for occasional reminders.
Most of the time comes to class with required materials.
Will participate in group work but rarely if ever take a leadership role.
Exhibits none of the disruptive characteristics of the category 0 student.
Students in this category have a mix of category 2 and category 0 characteristics.
A student in this category places no value on either his or her own learning or the learning of his or her classmates.
Consequently, this is a student who:
Never asks questions or makes comments except for distracting ones (nonsense, clowning, or off-topic).
Never volunteers to answer questions, do board work, or participate in other class activities that require individual
initiative and effort.
When called upon, is rarely able to answer questions on homework assignments or material presented in class.
Often or always interrupts the instructor or other students with inappropriate questions or comments, especially
comments expressing their negative opinion of the course and/or the instructor.
Consistently disrupts the class and the instructor with private conversations, clowning, and other distractive behaviors
Frequently or always fails to pay attention in class (sleeps, reads other materials, plays games on his or her calculator or
computer, works on material for other classes)
Frequently or always fails to come to class with required materials (textbook, calculator, notebook, writing implement,
etc.).
Consistently fails to pay attention to written or verbal directions.
Frequently or always uses group or “work on your own” class assignments to do nothing, work on other non-related
tasks, and/or engage in disruptive behavior.
Is frequently either late for or absent from class because other activities have been allowed to take precedence over
class attendance and participation.
Responds to corrective action and/or coaching intended to help the student grasp a concept or correct behavior with
hostility, indifference, or other inappropriate behavior.
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Laboratory Report Requirements – Honors Chemistry and Honors Physics
1. Lab reports are to be the result of work of the individual student. The lab group is responsible for
obtaining data, but the individual is responsible for reporting the data, interpreting the results, and
answering any questions associated with the lab. Lab reports may have copy/paste data tables but
the remainder must represent individual effort. It’s OK to decide as a group what the answer to
certain questions should be, but the specific wording of the answer should be done by the individual.
Copy/paste versions of entire lab reports will not be accepted and will be considered a violation of
academic honesty regulations. If there is any doubt, ask the instructor.
2. Always include the names of your lab partners on the front page of the report.
3. The same rules for showing work on any calculations, labels, units, and significant figures that apply
to quizzes and tests also apply for lab reports. Significant figures for measured values should reflect
the precision of the instrument used to make the measurement.
4. Graphs and tables must be clearly labeled with a title and units for any quantities reported. In
addition, graphs must have axis labels (including units), labeled tic marks, tics that are evenly
spaced, and axes that are at right angles to each other. I should be able to actually read values of
plotted points or lines from the graph.
5. Error analysis should include some thought as to the actual processes, procedures, and equipment
used during the lab and the potential impact on the results. Generic “better instruments”, “more
careful measurements” and “human error” type of responses apply to any lab and should not be
included. Extra credit on error analysis will be given if a numerical value of the size of the impact on
the results from a suggested change is given.
6. Lab reports are automatically due at the beginning of the next class meeting unless other instructions
are issued. No reminders about either due dates or on missing labs will be issued – it is the student’s
responsibility to insure that work is submitted on time. Late penalties will be assessed: 10 points for
labs submitted within 2 days of the due date and 20 points thereafter. Reports submitted after the
instructor has graded and returned the labs will receive a grade of zero.
7. Failure to obey safety instructions (including use of safety goggles), horseplay, or failure to
completely clean the work area, equipment, and put equipment away will result in point deductions.
Severe cases will earn a grade of zero for the lab.
8. Handwritten reports, tables, graphs etc. are generally not accepted. One of the goals of the course is
to have you gain proficiency in using Excel and Word to produce high-quality reports. However,
there are exceptions:
a) Pre-printed lab forms (mostly associated with the Vernier Labs) These are filled in by hand.
However, they should be done neatly.
b) Mathematical and Chemical Equations/calculations It is difficult for many to do equations and
factor/label (dimensional analysis) type work on the computer. It is acceptable to (neatly) fill in these
portions of the report by hand.
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