CONCEPTUAL PHYSICS
FALL 2015
COACH LEEZER
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
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Conceptual Physics is designed to explore how
the rules of physics govern the physical world
and form the foundation for the other sciences.
Topics will be explored through inquiry,
discussion, mathematical problem-solving,
laboratory activities, and research into real-world
applications.
GRADING POLICY:
Tests and Projects
 Labs
 Daily Work
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40%
25%
20%
Homework
 Quizzes
 Journals
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Final Exam
15%
**There is no EOCT in this course.
TESTS AND PROJECTS:
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Major tests will be given every 2-4 weeks. 20-40
multiple choice questions on each test.
Special projects will be assigned during the
semester. Some projects will be individual
assignments and some will be group work. Point
values and due dates will be discussed at the
time of the assignment.
LABS:
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Labs will be done in class and all safety rules
must be followed. Failure to do so will result in
lack of participation for the lab and a grade of
zero will be assigned.
All labs are graded as a group assignment. You
must learn to share the workload and pull your
own weight to be successful as a lab team.
DAILY WORK:
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This will incorporate homework, quizzes (announced
or unannounced), and study sheets.
Due dates for these assignments will be discussed at
the time of the assignment.
Homework must be handed in at the beginning of
class on days when it is graded in order to receive
credit. Homework will either be graded for
completion or checked for correctness. If checked for
correctness, it will be in the form of a 10-question
open-notebook quiz.
Journals will be checked without prior notice
approximately every 6 weeks and each group of 10
journals will count as a quiz grade (approximately 5
times during the semester). Journals must be
numbered and dated according to teacher preference.
FINAL EXAM:
This will be given at the end of the semester and
will be comprehensive per semester.
 The final exam is 100 multiple choice questions.
(although the # of questions may change)
 Many/most of the questions on your final will
have come from the tests you have taken
throughout the semester
 There are no bonus questions and there will be
no curve.
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Your test average throughout the semester is a
good indicator of how you will perform on the
final exam.
TEXT:
The textbook that will be used is Physics:
Principles and Problems (Glencoe 2009). If lost,
the cost of the textbook is $70.50. If checked out,
the supplementary CD will cost $88.50 to replace
if lost or damaged.
 There is an online version of the text book that
can be accessed from the blog.
 Please copy down the access code to the online
text onto your copy of the syllabus now:
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EBA0CD14D2 (The 0 is a zero)
 Demo of how to access the online book
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TOPICS OF STUDY:
The following topics (as per Cobb County’s science curriculum) will be covered during
fall semester. (The listed time periods are approximate and may vary as needed.)
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Intro to Physics/Mathematics (Ch. 1)……………………………………1 week
Motion/Frame of Reference/Vectors (Ch. 2)......……………………….2 weeks
Accelerated Motion (Ch. 3) ………………………………………………2 weeks
Forces in One and Two Dimensions (Ch. 4 & 5)...………………….…2 weeks
Projectile Motion (Ch. 6)…………………………….…………………….2 weeks
Gravitational Forces and Rotational Motion (Ch. 7 &8)..…………...2 weeks
Momentum/Collisions (Ch. 9)……………………………….…………....2 weeks
Work, Energy, Power, and Conservation (Ch. 10 & 11)....……………3 weeks
Science Inquiry…………………………………………………………Continuous
MATERIALS NEEDED BY MONDAY:
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Scientific Calculator ($10-$15 at most stores NOT a graphing calculator.)
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Preferred Model: TI-30XIIS
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Priced at Target for $9.99 in blue, green, and pink 
Composition Notebook (100 pages) to be used as a
Scientific Journal, unique design okay
 3-ring Binder with loose-leaf paper and pockets
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All assignments returned to you will have holes
punched so that you can add them to your binder.
Pencils with erasers (tests are done on scantron)
 Black or blue-black ink pen
 Multi-colored highlighters
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ATTENDANCE AND MAKE-UP POLICY:
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A student who is present and actively
participates is more likely to be successful;
however, if a student is absent, he/she has one
day for each day of excused absence to make up
the work. (For example, a student absent 2 days
would have 2 days to make-up the work.)
Students are responsible for asking their
teachers for the make-up work. A student with
an unexcused absence may ask for assignments
and may choose to complete them in order to
keep up with the class; however, the teacher is
under no obligation to grade the work.
LATE WORK POLICY:
NO late work will be accepted.
 All homework will be due at the beginning of the
period.
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TARDY POLICY:
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To avoid being counted tardy, students must be
seated and ready for class when the bell rings. You
will be required to obtain a tardy pass through the
late arrival system (LAS) to enter the room if you
arrive after the bell. School policy states that 3 or
more tardies will result in an administrative referral
and appropriate consequences which may include 2
hours of after school administrative detention and
Saturday school. Further tardies will result in further
administrative referrals and actions, including ISS
and loss of parking when appropriate. Realize that
every class you take is just as important as this one.
Therefore, I do not write late passes to other teachers’
classes.
EXTRA HELP:
Anyone needing extra help is encouraged to visit
me BEFORE school on Tuesday from 7:40 to
8:10 AM.
Please make an appointment with me prior to
coming as my schedule constantly changes!
If you are confused/worried, do not wait until the
morning of the test to get help!
 Parents/guardians that have any questions about
classroom performance, please contact me. You
are also free to seek help from other conceptual
physics teachers whose help times will be posted
in the classroom.
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ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
Cheating is considered a serious matter. The parents of a student who has
been involved in cheating will be notified and the student will receive a
grade of zero for the test or evaluation period, and a grade of U in conduct.
For this course, cheating is defined as, but is not limited to, the following
acts:
 Copying anyone’s answers to questions, lab activities, study guides,
classwork or homework assignments
 Taking any information verbatim from any source, including the Internet,
without giving proper credit to the author, or rearranging the order of
words and/or changing some words as written by the author and claiming
the work as his or her own, i.e., plagiarism.
 Looking onto another student’s paper during a test or quiz.
 Having available any study notes or other test aids during a test or quiz
without the teacher's permission.
 Collaborating on assignments when independent work is expected. Be
certain that individual lab reports, even when performed as a group, are
written in your own words.
 Students displaying or using cell phones, palm pilots, PDA’s, or other
digital communication devices during tests and/or quizzes will be referred
to administration, and will be given a zero for that test or quiz.
PARENTAL HOMEWORK!
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Your first assignment in is actually for your parents!
This will be a 10-point daily assignment for you.
Parents should email Coach Leezer that they have
read and understand the syllabus by August 14, 2015.
By emailing Coach Leezer, a record of a functional
email address will be maintained to be used as a
communication tool for updates, reminders, and other
uses pertaining to your child (NOT SPAM). Please
email Coach Leezer at the following email address:
brendan.leezer@cobbk12.org Be sure to subject
the email with “Parental Homework – Student’s
Name & Class Period”. In the email, please include
your name (parent/guardian).