AP Physics 1
Expectations and Important Information
Teacher: Mr. MacFarlane/ “Mr. Mac”
Room: 237
E-Mail: john.macfarlane@asd20.org
Website: http://macfarlanephysics.weebly.com/
Office Hours: Daily until 3:15 pm, Thurs., 3pm-4:30pm (after Q1)
Textbook: Pearson Physics. Walker, Pearson US, 2014. ISBN-10: 0131371150
“Must-Haves”: Textbook, Scientific Calculator, GUESS Journal, Notebook
WHY IS PHYSICS OFTEN PERCEIVED AS “HARD”?
Have you ever had really sore muscles after working out a part of your
body you don’t normally use? Well, learning physics can often feel like that- AT FIRST!
The study of physics asks us to use our brains differently than our default,
similar to learning a second language. Physics is about looking at our world through patterns,
relationships, cause and effect- all communicated in a mathematical language. It truly is a
foreign language, especially to the way our brains might normally operate. A physics professor
once told me that physics is simple, not easy. She used the analogy of bowling. Bowling
is a simple game- roll a ball, knock over as many pins as you can. But I doubt many of us have
EVER come close to bowling a 300. There is a steep learning curve at first, but just like
anything else you’ve never done, it becomes EASIER over time.
Becoming a Better “Bowler”:
Whether it be physics, or bowling, there are ways coaching/teaching can help you learn
techniques and strategies to improve. You might even find it fun to perform at a much higher
level than you ever expected. To do that, we have to work TOGETHER while bringing a few
basic requirements to the table.
 Ideal Student Requirements:
A typical student who will be successful in this class must: a) Be an engaged, critical thinker,
b) Have performed well (A or B) in the 10th grade “POP” class and c) Be capable of learning
large amounts of complex material and apply multiple ideas to new situations. All students
in the class are juniors or seniors and should have SUCCESFULLY COMPLETED the semester
long “Principles of Physics/MYP POP” course during their sophomore year. It is an expectation
that students are familiar with the basics of physics taught in the previous course. You
CANNOT fake your way through this class. I simply ask you this- Do you really want to LEARN
something, or just play the game of school? If you truly love science, math, patterns, critical
thinking and truly learning an amazing way of looking at the world, then this class is for you.
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Ideal Teacher Requirements:
UNDER FAQs, click HERE!. Keep in mind- I
am here to help students learn!
AP Physics 1
Expectations and Important Information
What IS AP Physics 1 anyway?!:
The AP Physics 1 course is a radical departure from the previous AP Physics B course offered.
(AP Physics 1 & 2 replaced AP Physics B which had been offered for decades.) The emphasis
is no longer on covering many different topics to only a small degree. The current
emphasis is on students learning fewer topics in more depth. The new
“Curriculum Framework” is designed to provide a chance to very deeply explore basic physics
topics in the context of inquiry and problem solving. Connections between concepts, lab skills
and analysis, as well as practical application is emphasized.
“Do we get to BLOW STUFF UP?!”:
Well no. . . but, hey, at least 30% of class time will be dedicated to hands-on, minds-on
activities. YOU WON’T BE BORED! This change has been laid out by the College Board in
their “Curriculum Framework” (I encourage parents to scan through this document to get an idea
of the amount of information the students are expected to know by exam time in May.) This
document can be found by clicking this link.
http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/ap/2012advances/12b_6714_AP_Physics_W
EB_121001.pdf. The College Board has taken the recommendation of the NRC and many
veteran teachers of AP classes to develop a curriculum outline that teaches the fundamental
concepts of physics and “Science Practices”, preparing them for STEM career paths.
BUT . . . I’M BAD AT MATH!:
You’ve heard students say this right? I DON’T BUY IT. First, this is an algebra (9th grade level
math FYI.) based curriculum, so any specific math skills required to understand physics are
appropriate for most honors level juniors. When a student does poorly in the class, it most often
isn’t a math issue. It is a motivation and determination issue. Don’t confuse the math skills with
the physics skills being taught. What makes the class challenging, besides the physics
concepts themselves, is the AMOUNT of material that must be learned in one school year
and the critical thinking skills that need to be applied. Students must learn everything that
a college algebra-based physics class would (an exhausting amount by any measure) by the
exam dates in early May. This demands that students build on what was learned in the prior
sophomore class along with keeping up with the rigor of the current class. The demanding
nature of the class leaves little time for in class for multiple practice opportunities over each
subject. Students must put in the time and effort to learn ideas and concepts as we
go along without needing constant re-teaching. That makes in-class time incredibly
important. It is an AP level class and is entirely optional. This class is not for
students who shy away from hard work and dedication. The exam will challenge
even the most well-prepared students.
“Engaged Student?!”, How Much Work is that?!:
In all honesty, student feedback over 15 years says that my class is about in the middle of the
workload spectrum! For every day we have class, I expect 1-2 hours of work at home. This
is about 6 hours a week, but varies depending on so many factors! Webassign.com problem
sets will be consistent, taking about 3 hours per week. “Class-prepwork” will take about 15-30
minutes at home, BEFORE class each block day. And lab follow-up/write-ups will take roughly
1 hour per week. Many AP/IB review sessions, problem solving study groups, and AP/IB
practice exams will be held in the evenings in April at the school. Also, some lab data collection
will have to be finished up outside of class time throughout the year. I promise to do my best to
limit this time, but I also have to prepare students for a difficult exam in the first week of May.
AP Physics 1
Expectations and Important Information
Parents and Students I THANK YOU:
Thank you for taking a class that 1 in 5 students take in high school. Thank you for wanting to
know more about how the world works. Thank you for being passionate about learning and not
shying away from challenge and hard work. Thank you in advance for practicing determination
and “grit” during the times in which an aspect of the class may seem challenging. And thank
you for your trust in me that I will help you learn and grow as a person, a learner, and of course,
as a physics student.
There are plenty more specifics about the class in the following pages where I will address
“Frequently Asked Questions” about the class. I think you will find that they thoroughly cover
any questions you may have. As always, please contact me if you have any questions. I look
forward to helping your student learn physics and all the attributes of the AP Physics 1
framework by May. Your student should feel that this is a class where they are challenged to
truly think and demonstrate knowledge on a consistent basis. It is a unique and innovative
blend of the fundamentals of science and science practices that will prepare them for any STEM
career pathway.
Sincerely,
Mr. MacFarlane, M.A.T. Secondary Science, B.A. Physics, “Wal-Mart” Teacher of the Year 2006
FAQs: Click on a Question Below to Find an Answer
What will an AP Physics 1 student expect to learn this year?
What do I expect from students?
What can you expect from the teacher?
What would a typical class period look like?
What will homework consist of? (The burning question! :)
What do I do if I forget to do my homework?
What do I do if I simply miss one day of class and it’s excused?
What if I miss a bunch of class?
What resources do I have to help my struggling student?
How is my grade determined?
What is Mr. Mac looking forward to this year?
***First Assignment***
What will an AP Physics 1 student expect to learn this year?
(Keep in mind that these units are integrated, lengthy, and do not simply go in order of
the chapters of the book. The College Board Curriculum Framework emphasizes
science process skills, analysis, & conceptual understanding- not rote memorization.)
Semester 1
Unit 1- Measurement & Motion (Heavy emphasis on 2D motion)
Unit 2- Oscillations & Waves (Including Light and Sound Concepts)
Unit 3- Conservation Laws I (Newton’s Ideas Application, Momentum & Impulse)
AP Physics 1
Expectations and Important Information
Semester 2
Unit 4- “All About Energy” (Energy Basics, Conservation of Mech. Energy, Work non.con., Power & Production, Microscopic/Thermal Ideas, KMT)
Unit 5- Gravitation, Orbits & Rotational Dynamics (Gravity Fields, Orbits, & Rotation)
Unit 6- Electricity & Magnetism (Charge, E-Fields, Circuits and B-Fields)
**IB Physics SL**
Unit 7- Radiation (Atomic Theory, Light, & Nuclear Radiation)
Unit 8- Option B: Engineering Physics & Review for Exam
What do I expect from students?:
 Attitude is everything. Take learning seriously. While I do not expect every student
to be an expert at physics, I do expect students to engage in the learning processboth in and out of class.
 Be curious about the world around you!
 Desire to grow as a learner in the areas of Problem Solving and Analytical Thinking.
 Choose “GRIT”. Students must handle being challenged without giving up, but
also trust that I will guide them to grow from their failures. I expect “grit”, which is a
combination of persistence and passion for the learning process. Google “Angela
Duckworth” or click this link. https://youtu.be/H14bBuluwB8
 Physics is just a vehicle for learning. Don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. If you
decide that physics isn’t for you later in life, what can you still “take-away” from the
class that will make you better?
 Dedicate time and effort to seriously prepare for the AP exam in May. Why else are
you here?
 In terms of behaviors or “rules” (yuck), I simply expect 2 things: 1) That students give
their best effort at all times to engage in the class and 2) that students are
respectful of the learning environment and treat everyone with humanity
and dignity as a basic human right.
What can you expect from the teacher?:
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First and foremost, anything I expect of the students I expect from myself.
You can expect that I hold myself to very high standards and that I am not satisfied
with “good enough”.
You can expect me to hold your student accountable for their actions (usually this is
a positive thing!)
You can expect me to be prepared for class consistently in a professional manner.
You can expect me to treat each student as an important person who can achieve
with my guidance.
You can expect me to have an extensive content knowledge of both physics, and the
AP curriculum.
AP Physics 1
Expectations and Important Information
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You can expect me to do everything in my power to help a student achieve the AP
Score mark (from 1 to 5) they wish to get on the exam in May, but ALSO embody the
attributes of simply a critical thinking science student.
You can expect me to reward effort and excellence.
You can also expect that I will do my best to make learning fun, engaging, and
relevant.
You can expect me to NOT be perfect. I am also an imperfect HUMAN, just like you.
What would a typical class period look like?:
After having taught for 15 years, I have come to a point where me standing in front of a
class of students and yammering on and on for 90 minutes is not fulfilling. Research
shows this doesn’t actually help students take ownership of their learning. My goal this
year is to have students work more on the tough physics problems and critical thinking
skills demanded of lab analyses IN CLASS (rather than having the 1 a.m. nuclear
meltdown!) and leave the basic definitions and concept introductions outside of class to
the student (this will be called “class prep-work” which will look a lot like homework). I
also have always done my honest best to use as many resources as I can to help
students whether that be demos, labs, online video tutorials, animations, interactive
lessons, peer coaching, etc. Some people would call this a “blended” or even “flipped”
classroom. Click this link for a 60 second explanation:
http://blog.peerinstruction.net/2013/04/22/what-is-a-flipped-classroom-in-60-seconds/
On any given day, you could see students collecting data in an investigation using
computer aided data collection technology, solving problems and discussing ideas in
groups, questioning from the teacher and the students, demonstrations, worked
examples and occasionally lectures on the more tricky parts of required content.
Anything we do in class must be driven by student questions. Lab activities will
be a major focus in the class and a lot of time will be provided in class to “wrestle
with” the information gathered in the labs/activities done in class. I teach physics
because I love the subject and enjoy seeing students’ minds come alive. I am here to
help students learn- they’ll take much more from the class if they are engaged.
What will homework consist of? (The burning question!):
Let me start by being real honest. Homework for homework’s sake is not necessary. I
don’t enjoy homework any more than students. For every hour they have, I have 3.
BUT . . . in a class of this pace, there simply isn’t enough class time to do it all.
1) So, first, the most consistent form of homework will be working on application
problems in their GUESS journals from a website called
www.webassign.com. Often, many of these problems will be discussed in
class, but never the majority. These problems are from their textbook, but
randomized. There will be a few shorter “basics” assignments in a unit and a few
“ongoing mastery” assignments due at the end of the unit. This online service is
used at many colleges around the nation, including Cornell.
AP Physics 1
Expectations and Important Information
2) In addition, you will see “class prep-work” which is anything students must do at
home to prepare for the next class. It is imperative that students follow through on this
to provide enough class time to properly explore the major ideas. These assignments
may include: Lab Follow up sheets, Lab Write-Up activities, vocabulary basics
assignments, and small activities which could include watching a short video on my
website and answering follow up questions.
Here’s how http://www.webassign.com works:
Students will login for the 1st time with this information:
username: lastname.firstname (Example: smith.robert, as they are given on the
Rampart attendance roster, no caps, hyphens yes)
institution: rampart.co
password: same as username. Students should change this ASAP in the settings.
Students will find selected problems online after logging in. These should be completed
in their GUESS journals using the GUESS method (discussed in class). Then, the
answers will be input online AFTER they work on them by hand. They get 3
opportunities to get the problem wrong before a 25% deduction occurs. It will tell them
immediately if the question is right or wrong. Students and parents have had very
positive feedback about this service since 2006. They can complete homework
anywhere there is internet service and there is no paper shuffling on both ends. Count
on there being a “webassign” at least every week of school. The first 10 minutes of
every second class of the week will be dedicated to students presenting their solution to
particularly hard problems. I also encourage students to use each other for help and
form study groups. Even chatting online can sometimes help. Be resourceful and
tenacious. If you see your student working on problems at home in front of a
computer with no notebook/journal being written in, you should stop them
immediately. The online nature is for immediate feedback only. It is not to
exempt them from working the problem by hand first.
Also, as discussed above, homework will be reading the book, taking notes from a study
guide, or finishing an important lab write-up. Most big assignments (lab write-up,
project) will have about a week long due date to provide flexibility.
What do I do if I forget to do my homework?:
Given that I post a unit outline and calendar of the goings on each day, I will not tolerate
many excuses for missed assignments. But hey, it happens to all of us once in a while.
So what do you do?
First, sometimes you just have to chalk it up to water under the bridge. If you miss an 8
point assignment once, it will not change your grade at the end of the semester. If you
miss webassign.com assignments, the good news is that each assignment is worth 25
points, but only 20 points go in the gradebook out of 20. So there are 5 built in points of
AP Physics 1
Expectations and Important Information
extra credit in each assignment. There will also be opportunities to earn extra points
here and there throughout the class.
What I don’t tolerate is excuses after the fact. For instance, “Mr. Mac, I was in Hawaii
for 2 weeks and never talked to you before I left. Not even once via email. Now I am
missing all these assignments. When can I make them up at my leisure?”
My answer: “The department policy is that NO late work is accepted at this level. And I
think that is BEYOND generous. I am interested in making students take responsibility
for their actions. There’s no excuse to not communicate to your teacher
PROACTIVELY.”
What do I do if I simply miss one day of class and it’s excused?:
No problem. Turn it in the very next time I see you in class. But, for webassign.com,
the due dates are simply what they are. I am generous with my due dates to
accommodate busy lives. (like mine ;)
BUT . . .I am not going to remind you to turn it in because it just won’t be on my mind.
When in doubt, put the work in the inbox and go from there. Sometimes I grade things
for feedback and grading things that are not in the main stack is a whole other chore.
Often, students take a picture or scan it and email it. I really appreciate that.
What if I miss a bunch of class?:
Well, then we’ll figure out something together. If it is because of an emergency (bad
illness, family emergency, kidney fell out, . . . ) just have someone contact me from the
home front. I am a compassionate person. If you miss a bunch of class because you
went on a band trip to Canada and you didn’t do a Pre-Arranged Absence form, then
that was your poor choice. See “0% Department policy” above. Be PROACTIVE!
SUPER IMPORTANT! *What resources exist to help a struggling student?:*
1) Try to encourage your student to do homework with a “study-buddy” or group. Peers
are probably the best line of defense against getting stuck. Chances are, if
“everyone” is stuck, we WILL address it in class at some point.
2) Use the important links on my webpage that will link you to only the best online
resources to help a student out. There are lots of step by step
walkthroughs/podcasts online that can illustrate how to get past a tough point. Be
resourceful.
3) Encourage your student to use their book-ESPECIALLY FOR WORKED
EXAMPLES. I know it is tough, but there are examples identical to many problems I
assign. I find that students who struggle have often times NEVER opened the book.
AP Physics 1
Expectations and Important Information
4) Encourage your student to be engaged in class by asking questions, talking with
peers, and engaging in activities. Also, not staying up all night playing video games,
or chatting on Facebook helps. The amount of chronic sleep deprivation I observe is
at almost epidemic levels.
5) Verify that your student is working on webassign.com problems for an hour a few
times per week. If they are spending more than 2 hours on webassign on any given
night, make them stop. Often too, when students say they’ve spent 5 hours on
webassign it is because they waited until the last night to finish. Students tend to
obsess about what they don’t know. Remember, a 15/25 is actually 15/20 in the
gradebook. Sometimes assignments are just challenging. So is life.
6) Expect your student to communicate with the teacher. Email is the best and quickest
way for me to respond. Talk to me in class, after class, etc. and let me know if you
are struggling. Come in on Thursdays after school for extra help to clarify things. But
I’ll only help you if you have actually tried first. Don’t let things slide.
7) Demand to see their work in their journal. Where are the notes they took? Where
are the worked examples from class? Where is the GUESS method work from the
problem they are “stuck” on? If you can’t find any of these things, they aren’t stuck,
they never started. Encourage problem solving.
8) Ask how your student is studying. Did they go back to the learning targets and
assess their knowledge? Did they complete the review sheet and ask
questions/check work in class? Are they preparing for class regularly or just showing
up? Did they spend a few hours preparing their “sweet sheet” for the test? Often,
students are “studying” by reading over the things they ALREADY KNOW. You
cannot earn a good grade in the class by turning in busy work. Tests and labs are
majorly important assignments.
How is my semester grade determined?:
Semester In-Progress (Weighted as 70% of overall, end of semester grade)
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Summative Assessments (What do you know at this point?):
 Unit Tests (3 Total per semester; Science Content, Science Practice and
Problem Solving Skills tested on each test.)
Formative Assessments (Assignments that help you master the content & skills.):
 Practicing & Applying
-Webassign Problem Sets
-GUESS Work
-Class “Prep-Work”(Homework)
45%
15%
AP Physics 1
Expectations and Important Information
 Quizzes
-“Easy” Style (Vocabulary and Basics)
-“Lab Based” (Current Lab Skills, Analysis, & Knowledge)
-“Problem Solving” (Word Problems, Analytical/Graphing Skills, Applying)
 Experimental Investigation
-Communication & Thinking (Lab Follow-up Sheets)
-Data Collection & Design (In-class lab prep & engagement)
-Lab Report (Writing and Analysis skills/”Synthesis”, Following Guidelines)
15%
25%
Semester Exam (Weighted as 30% of overall, end of semester grade )
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Final Exam (Cumulative, AP Problems, Aligns to Essential Knowledge/Learning Targets)
This is a One Shot exam, but is based on previously tested concepts. It is a fair chance to
show what was learned at the end of the semester. It should be seen as a chance to
improve the semester grade, not a terrifying chance to “choke”.)
A raw score of 80% or above on the final exam will allow for the 1 lowest Unit Test Grade
to be dropped from the gradebook. This “bonus” could raise a grade about 5% overall!
100%
Grades will be updated frequently. Students and parents can check progress through the
MyCampus portal which can be found on the RHS website. Grade Graphs will be recorded in
their journals about every 4 weeks. It is 2015, grades aren’t a mystery anymore.
What is Mr. Mac looking forward to this year?:
1) Focusing on student growth via class discussions and engaged learning.
2) Seeing how a shift in philosophy may encourage, rather than discourage,
students.
3) Less content, but more in depth understanding and application.
4) Excursions out of the classroom to apply our knowledge.
5) Calling lines at the volleyball games.
6) Our Knowledge Bowl team and XC team continuing its success.
7) Being much more optimistic.
8) Riding my motorcycle more.
9) Teaching shooting classes a lot more.
10) Camping, hiking, golfing, shooting, biking, and anything else I love to do.
11) Getting home before 4pm once or twice this year.
12) Working with motivated students who want to really learn physics.
***First Assignment***:
The first assignment for students is for their parents to verify that they have read and
understood this document. An email needs to be sent to me by a parent or guardian at
john.macfarlane@asd20.org saying:
Parents and students should read the entire document and discuss it. (Students will be asked to
initial a roster to confirm they have read the document as well.) THEN:
AP Physics 1
Expectations and Important Information
1. Parents, please email me at john.macfarlane@asd20.org. TO RECEIVE CREDIT FOR
COMPLETION OF THE ASSIGNMENT include “Expectations Email”, the Class (Blue/Gold,
Period #), and the student’s name in the subject line. For example, if your student,
John Smith, is in my Blue 1 class, write B1 on the subject line like this “Expectations
Email, B1, John Smith”.
2. Please mention your student’s full name somewhere in the email.
3. Copy and Paste this statement into the body of the email:
“I have read and understood the information discussed in the “Expectations and
Important Information” document. I understand that this level of physics is entirely
optional for my student and that a high level of expectation will be placed on my
student to be engaged in class and perform on a difficult exam in May. I also
understand that my student may be challenged academically and will be encouraged
to persevere with a positive, learning attitude.”
4. Also include a quick note of something that will help your student learn. Example:
“Pat can be quite shy and doesn’t always offer answers in class unless called on.”
Have your student lead the way on this one.
5. For full credit (8/8 Homework Points), the email must arrive in my inbox by 11AM
Friday, August 21st , regardless of the class period the student is in.