Fall 2008/Spring = 2009

Ms. Erin Carter

ecartshs@u61.net<= o:p>

A.P. CALCULUS AB

Course Description=

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Welcome to Calculus AB. This full-year A.P. course is equi= valent to the first semester of college calculus.= In many ways, this course will be taught as a college course; it is intended for capable students who are motivated and self-disciplined. The content and the pace may be bo= th challenging and difficult at times, but we will do our best to make it bear= able and hopefully even enjoyable. The advantage that you have taking this course at Spaulding High Scho= ol is that you have a lot of in-class time (80 minutes five days a week), a sm= all class relative to a typical college class, and an accessible teacher. However, this does not make the ma= terial easier; it only gives you additional support as you are learning it. Be prepared to work hard this year= !!

The content of Calculus AB is defined by the Advanced Placement Program, and is reflected in the A.P. exam. The curriculum develops= and changes with time. Our main c= ontent topics will be Limits and Continuity, Concepts and Applications of Derivati= ves, and Concepts and Applications of Integrals. How these topics are addressed is = what has changed in the recent past. The recent focus has been on the understanding of these topics so that t= hey can be applied and extended to a variety of situations; and a de-emphasis on the dependence on graphing calculators.&nb= sp; For the May 2009 A.P. exam more than 50% of the test will not all= ow the use of a calculator. We must be prepared for this!

Our textbook this year will be CALCULUS, Concepts and Applications by Paul Foerster. We have had great success using this text . We will use his textbook but will supplement with other materials and texts which I have used in the past. We will cover most of the first 8 chapters in Foerster text as we prepare for the= A.P. exam on May 9.

I will be availab= le for extra help during morning block, x-block, and after school on some days. When I am not in meetin= gs or appointments I will plan to be in Room 100 in the morning and afternoon. During these times this classroom = will be available for you to use for studying and hanging out, as long as you are respectful of others who are there. I will try to inform you in advance if I will be unavailable due to meetings or appointments. I strongly advise you to make (informal) study groups immediately; the best w= ay to learn Calculus is to work together. I also expect that you will come to= me for help as soon as you feel the need to, even on the first day of class. I may not be able to answer all yo= ur questions or go over all homework problems in class, so you must take advan= tage of the times outside of class when I am available. PLEASE NOTE: my experience h= as shown that the worst thing you can do in this course is to fall behind and/= or get lost. I will do everythin= g in my power to help you avoid that, but ultimately this is your responsibility= .

CLASSROOM RULES <= /span>

I expect that you will be familiar with the school rules as they are detailed in the Spaulding High School Parent and Student Handbook for 2008-2009 and that you will fol= low these rules in my classroom. = I am particularly sensitive to absences and tardies.= Excused absences should be kept to= a minimum. Try not to schedule appointments, etc. during times that will make you miss class. Unexcused absences and tardies will not be tolerated under any circumstances= . This is an A.P. course and you nee= d to be here to learn. In addition= I need you in class to help me teach effectively and your fellow students need you also. Don’t let us = down. I expect that you will get to clas= s on time; you will quickly learn that I do not tolerate tardiness. I will work hard to be ready to st= art class when the bell rings and I expect you to do the same. If you are tardy you can expect to= stay after school on the day you are tardy, regardless if you have practice, a g= ame, work, a ride you do not want to miss, or any other reason for thinking you cannot stay. The solution is = to not be tardy.

In addition to th= is I have the following rules:.

No talking when I am talking or another student is addressing me or the class.=

&= nbsp; No talking outside your group during group work.

&= nbsp; No leaving your seat without a good reason.

No working on anything but what I am expecting you to be doing; whether this is paying attention and taking notes, working on Explorations, or working with your group.

No electronic devices including headphones and cell phones. These items will be confiscated an= d can be reclaimed by following handbook procedures.

&= nbsp; No food in Room 100.

The penalty for breaking these rules or for being tardy is a detention. I will determine when the detentio= n must be served and for how long depending on the situation.

GRADING FORMAT

10% &nb= sp; ASSIGNMENTS: Work will be assigned every day. It must be completed eve= ry day. It will be collected on = the following day. For your work = to be acceptable it must be completed by a method you learned in the course or by a method w= hich I approve of, with adequate work shown. Late homework will be accepted only under the following conditions:

a) You missed class due to an excused absence and have cleared the abse= nce.

b) You have the assignment that is currently due complete and you want to hand= in one late assignment from the same test period. (This is a privilege and will not be allowed on a regular basis.) The late assignment must be 100% comple= te.

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= Late assignments will count for partial credit.

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Assignments due on days you w= ere absent will not be accepted until you have shown me your excuse slip, and m= ust be turned in within two days of your return.

(Please sees me if you have extenuating circumstances such as an extended illness)<= /span>

5% PARTICIPATION; GROUP WORK; NOTES:

Participation involves following the rules stated above and contribut= ing to the class.

&= nbsp; Group Work includes working with your group on calculus in a constructive &= nbsp; manner.

&= nbsp; Notes should be taken whenever I am lecturing (which will not be TOO often). &n= bsp; They will not be checked unless I feel YOU personally need to take better notes.=

I reserve the right to determine on an individual basis how much each of the three parts listed above figure into this 5% of your grade.

85% ASSESSMENT: This includes tests, quizzes and Wednesday Sheets:

a)<= /b>Tests will be given roughly every two to three weeks. For your work to be acceptable it = must be completed by a method you learned in the course or by a method which I approve of, with adequate work shown. After each test is returned you must:

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;   1) Have it signed by a parent or guardian and return it to me.

2) Make all test corrections. Th= is does not mean copying someone else’s test!! It means understanding each item y= ou got wrong the first time.

1) and 2) above count for at least 5 out of 100 points on each test. I consider forging an adult’s signature or copying someone else’s work on test corrections the same= as cheating on a test, which may result in a grade of zero for that test.=

b) Quizzes will be announced or unannounced. Announced quizzes may count as one= -half of a test and will be treated similar to tests, as described above. Unannounced quizzes may be given a= t any time and will generally count less than announced quizzes.

c) Wednesday Sheets are handed out and collected ev= ery other Wednesday and count as one half of a test. For each Wednesday Sheet you mu= st:

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;   1) Work together in formally (and mutually) assigned groups.=

2) Each hand in your Wednesday Sheet and understand how to do every problem.

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I reserve the right to modify= my grading policies if I consider the circumstances to be extenuating. Excessive abse= nces is an example of extenuating circumstances.

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TEST AND QUIZ MAKE-UPS: If you are absent on the day of a test or quiz, and your absence is excused, you will = be expected to take the test the day you return. If your absence was unexcused, you= will receive a zero. If your absence is predictable, su= ch as a field trip or appointment, you must make the arrangement with me befor= ehand or receive a zero. I reserve the right to make the make-u= p test more difficult than the original test.

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OTHER “MAKE-UPS”: You will have an assignment sheet showing your assignme= nts for the two to three week test period we are in, so if you miss class you should know what assignment you missed.&nb= sp; This schedule will also be posted on my web page at the Spaulding Hi= gh web site. You should do every= thing within your power to complete the assignment and keep up. Contact a friend (or myself) if yo= u have questions about what to do or how to do it. Long term assignments, like Wednes= day Sheets and Test Corrections, are due whether you are in school and in class= or not. If I do not get it at the start of class on the day it is due, it is late!

CHEATING: Cheating will not be tolerated in this course. Spaulding High School has an academic honesty policy, which I expect everyone in this course to follow. In this course, cheating includes copying of assignments and Wednesday Sheets as well as cheating on quizzes = and tests. If you cannot, when wo= rk is returned, do by yourself problems that seem copied, then I will assume you cheated. This does not mean t= hat you cannot work with others, but in the process you must learn how to do the work.

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EXTRA CREDIT: In general, there will not be “extra” credit in this course.= We will have our hands full keeping up with the “regular” credit. If small extra credit= situations become available they will be announced.

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Please read, complete and sign the following page to indicate that you have read and understood the rules of t= he class. Take this home and have at least one parent or guardian read, comple= te, and sign it to indicate that she or he has read these rules. Both signatures mu= st be obtained before you receive credit for any work in the course.

Please sign your name below to indicate that you have read and understood the rule= s of the class. Take this home and= have at least one parent or guardian sign it to indicate that she or he has read these rules. Both signatures = must be obtained before you receive credit for any work in the course.

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Signature of Student

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Signature of Parent or Guardian

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Note to Students = and Parents:

If you would like to receive weekly progress reports issued through email (usu= ally on Fridays), please write your email address on the line below.

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Email:= ________________________________________

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