Overland High School

2006 – 07 Physics Engineering Technology (PET) Cover Sheet

TLC & A (Think Learn Care & Achieve)

Instructor:                          Nathan Balasubramanian (Mr. Bala)

School Phone:                   720-747-3842

E-mail:                                 sbalasubramania@cherrycreekschools.org

Blackboard^®:                    http://online.ccsd.k12.co.us

Online support:               http://www.doers.us; http://www.scilinks.org;

http://nsdl.org/; http://learningphysics.iop.org/;

Course Outcomes:

Students will:

• Develop an appreciation of the excitement of physics engineering and technology
• Learn new procedures, concepts and principles of physics engineering and technology with understanding
• Reflect metacognitively on their own thinking and participate in scientific inquiry and creative problem solving
• Use technology tools to reflect on data and enhance learning for informed decision-making
• Collaborate in technology-rich project-based activities as they gain valuable hands-on experience in science, engineering and technology
• Acquire knowledge and skills for future college coursework in science and engineering
• Develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning

Primary Methods of Instruction:

Content is presented in four methods:

·         Innovative Technology-Mediated Direct Instruction using online crosswords, graphic organizers, PowerPoint^® classroom notes, audio-visuals, demonstrations and whiteboard sketches.  Students will have a record of what is presented as they take notes

·         Actively improve students’ reading strategies* and note taking abilities as they “look, listen, learn and do” during the Innovative Direct Instruction. Students are responsible for reading their notes, text, online resources and follow up on their class work

(*Important Reading Strategies include: finding main idea, recalling facts and details, understanding sequence, recognizing cause and effect, comparing and contrasting, making predictions, finding word meaning in context, drawing conclusions and making inferences, distinguishing between fact and opinion, identify author’s purpose, interpreting figurative language and summarizing)

·         Systemic Thinking, Problem Solving and Mathematical Model-making strategies are explicitly taught to students through technology-rich project-based activities

·         Guided Inquiry Projects are designed to build students’ communication, collaboration and critical thinking abilities as they work in teams of 3 or 4 on problems using a wide variety of tools – simple through sophisticated.  Students are then required to synthesize the information using the concepts learned in class and demonstrate this learning in their reflections and writing

Attendance:

Overland and Cherry Creek School District policies are strictly enforced. Exemplary attendance is expected.  Students missing class are responsible for the material. If possible plan ahead and turn in your assignments prior to your absence.  Physics is a challenging course and missing class seriously affects the learning in the class.  Since much of the class relies on team work, missing a class also affects other students’ learning.  If a student knows they are going to miss a class, they should plan ahead with team members and the teacher.  Unexcused absences are truancies and no make up work is allowed.  Truancies are reported to the Dean’s Office and parents will be contacted.  Make up work is allowed for excused absences only.  Students have 2 days to turn in late work due to an absence. Projects are very difficult to make up.  Every attempt will be made to schedule a time to make up a project with other students that have missed the project; however, some projects may not be able to be made up because of the nature of the project, the congestion in the classroom or lack of project partners.  Tests must be made up within 1 week.  Students are encouraged to complete all missed assignments.  All assigned work is important and any missed work will seriously affect your grade.

Tardies:

Students are expected to be in their seats and ready to work when the bell rings. A student is considered tardy within the first 5 minutes after the bell.  After 5 minutes a student is considered truant and marked unexcused present.  Truancies are reported to the Dean’s Office and parents are contacted.  Students will receive a Tardy Referral for each tardy for a half-hour after school detention up to 5 tardies. On the 6^th tardy the student will be referred to the Dean’s Office and parents will be contacted.

Grading:

Grading Scale                                                 Weighting Scale

·         Pre- and Post-tests are administered in most classes.

·         Guided Inquiry Activities are performed weekly and the write-ups are due the first class meeting of the following week. Keep all activity write-ups and project reports in a bound portfolio and submit at the end of each semester.  This activity portfolio will be useful in the future for demonstrating students’ rich hands-on experience with science, engineering and technology.

·         I use “fake monopoly-like” money in all my classes as an incentive to mirror choices and constraints in the real world. This token "microeconomy or monetary monitoring" in the classroom not only provides students both, individually and collectively, constant and immediate feedback on their performance each class, but it also challenges them to become creative problem solvers who are trying to maximize their limited resources.

There are two opportunities for extra credit. 

·         Students may construct one of the engineering physics projects published by Science Olympiad.  The point total for each project varies by difficulty.  The most difficult project is worth 100 hands-on activity points. 

·         Students may participate in the free seminars offered at the University of Denver High School Engineering Institute, the University of Colorado, Colorado School of Mines or Colorado State University and submit an abstract for each seminar attended.  Well written abstracts are worth 25 classwork points.

There is no opportunity for extra credit on tests or test retakes.  Tests are very important; and, learning good test taking skills are essential for college preparation. This class will help students hone their test taking strategies. With numerous tests per semester, students have plenty of opportunities to improve their test grades.

Office Hours:

Mr. Balasubramanian: Period 3 on Blue (A) and Green (B) days

Appointments can be made for lunch-hour and after-school meetings on Tuesday and Friday.

General Classroom Policies and Classroom Safety:

Students are expected have a graphing calculator and pencils.  Other useful tools are a protractor, a centimeter ruler and a compass. Graphing calculators can be checked out from the media center or the science department in the event a student’s calculator fails during class.   Playing games on graphing calculators is prohibited. 

This class is a serious college preparatory endeavor and students are expected to behave accordingly.  Project-based activities require team work and the use of apparatus and laptop computers.  These computers are provided by the school.  Each activity is chosen because of its academic value as well as ensuring a safe classroom.  Horseplay or inappropriate use of any apparatus will be dealt with through the Dean’s Office.  In the event of an accident please report it to the instructor immediately and any injuries are referred to the Nurse’s Office.

Personal MP3/CD players, cell phones, pagers and other electronic devices are prohibited in class.  These items will be confiscated and may be picked up after school.  Personal Electronic Data devices (Palm Pilots/ Blackberry) are allowed.

Cheating is not tolerated.  This includes copying another student’s homework, project report or another team’s data as well as copying test answers.  The severity of the infraction will determine the consequence.  In general, a student caught cheating will lose credit for the assignment and will be referred to the Dean’s office.

Essential Supporting Documents

• Expected Work Ethic,
• Science and Technology Are Moving at the Speed of Light – Is the Workforce Ready article,
• Science Safety Contract,
• Media Waiver/Internet Publishing and
• Completed Where I Will Learn Worksheet.  

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(Please cut along the dotted line and return by August 25, 2006)

I __________________________________, have read the cover sheet,

    (PRINT Student’s Full Name & Parent Phone #)

science safety contract, science and technology article, completed where I will learn worksheet, expected work ethic from my “Physics Engineering Technology (PET)” Class and agree to abide by them. I have attached the completed Media Waiver/Internet Publishing document with this “PET Permission Slip.”

Student Signature:_________________________________Date:____________

Parent Signature:_________________________________Date:____________