Physical Science 2020 Fall Syllabus
Physical Science with Lab
Basic Course Information
Course Name: Physical Science with Lab Semester: Fall 2020
Location: CECFC High School Room 222 and or online
Instructor Information
Instructor: Ms. Chun Pfahnl Email: Chun.pfahnl@coloradoearlycolleges.org
CECFC Web Site: https://fortcollins.coloradoearlycolleges.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1249407&type=u&pREC_ID=1989991
Office Hours: By appointment
Course Materials
1.Text book: Physical Science Concepts in Action by Wysession, Frank, Yancopoulos Publisher: Pearson, 2011. ISBN: 0-13-317211-2
2.Computer access to online resources posted in OneNote and CECFC website
3.Home lab materials
4.Spiral notebook or binder with loose leaf paper, graph paper, storage for completed work, tests, etc. (e.g., 3-ring binder). A notebook is required. Style/type are at the discretion of the student.
5.Pens, pencils (required)
6.Scientific calculator (for example: Texas Instruments TI-30Xa Calculator). Calculator
must be able to perform scientific notation. Required. Note: Cell phones are not allowed to be used as calculators.
Welcome Message
Welcome Physical Science Students! This class is to open your door to the world of science! As a teacher, my goal is to help you to observe scientific phenomenon and apply scientific principal in everyday life. The hybrid model of the class will be synchronous online and in person, with option of asynchronous through online resources and Teams class channel recording. I will expect you to join me online or in person during your class period everyday Monday through Thursday. Or if you need asynchronous e-learning, your actual time of watching the video will be analyzed and completion of homework will be needed for participation grade. Friday will be asynchronous study day. You will be expected to review textbook, replay assigned videos, work on lab reports, projects, and or take quizzes.
I obtained B.S. degree in Biochemistry and worked as an animal scientist in China before I received M.A. degree in Biology at Smith College. I worked as a Biomedical Scientist for over 10 years and have taught Chinese for over 16 years including one year at CEC. This will be my first year teaching Physical Science.
Course Description
Physical Science with Lab
Description: This course is designed to help students develop the skills and abilities necessary to be successful in science classes. The course will do so through the study of scientific measurement, data analysis focusing on chemistry and physics. Students will learn both general problem-solving and laboratory techniques, as well as specific concepts from each field, throughout several lectures
and laboratory assignments in each section. Students will leave the course with a set of tools for future science classes as well as an indication of which sciences most appeal to their interests.
Prerequisites: MAT 060
Designation: College Prep
Credits: 0.5
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the course, it is expected that students will have the ability to:
- Convert between and understand the importance of units
- Translate quantitative information into graphical or tabular form, and vice versa Communicate scientific and technical information through speech and writing
- Record measurements appropriately according to device accuracy
- Follow proper laboratory guidelines and protocols
- Use mathematical representations of physical laws to make analyses and predictions Solve word problems using simple mathematical equations and dimensional analysis Develop and use models to represent physical systems
- Use the periodic table to identify and predict properties and trends of elements Construct an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction
- Follow basic scientific procedures
Course Overview
Instructor’s Overview of the Course
Students will be expected to:
· Review lecture notes and the textbook.
· Learn the vocabulary and work practice problems in each chapter.
· Seek help through in-house tutors or the instructor by appointment.
Graded Instructional Activities
| Activities | Contribution to Overall Grade |
|---|---|
| Labs | 15 |
| Quizzes | 15 |
| Exams | 20 |
| Projects | 20 |
| Participation | 30 |
| TOTAL | 100% |
Grading Scales and Standards
Students are expected to regularly check grades on Infinite Campus and address any discrepancies or questions with the instructor within a week of the grade posting date.
Replace with information on course grading scales and standards.
| Letter Grade | Range |
|---|---|
| A | 90 – 100% |
| B | 80 – 89% |
| C | 70 – 79% |
| F | 69% and lower |
Absence and Tardy Policy
In CECFC’s fast-paced, semester based program, attendance is crucial for success. In the event of an absence, a guardian needs to communicate with the school attendance line. See the Student and Family Handbook for guidance on “excused absences”.
In addition, regardless of the nature of the absences, a student’s first priority should be to check the school website for information about course work for the day and then to contact the instructor to communicate the absence and to create a plan for completing any missed work.
Arriving in class prepared and ready to learn is also crucial. Students who are arrive after the start of class will be considered tardy. Please be conscientious of arriving on time as to not disrupt your classmates and to ensure you are prepared to learn for the entire period. Three tardies in a course will be viewed the equivalent of an absence.
EXPLAIN HOW PARTICIPATION GRADES SPECIFIC TO YOUR CLASS AND HOW STUDENTS CAN MAKE THOSE UP IN THE EVENT OF AN EXCUSED ABSENCE. Participation grades will be negatively impacted in the case of an unexcused absence.
CECFC takes a team approach to ensuring students can access their courses. After a student’s second absence in a course, the instructor and other support staff will begin to monitor and work with a student and potentially his/her family to ensure attendance and appropriate access to the course.
General Course Information
Culture of Responsibility and Workforce Readiness
Students should read and be familiar with these school policies found on the CECFC website. Behavior contrary to these expectations will be dealt with through my classroom conduct plan outlined below.
This class is the pre-requisite for college courses. Students are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that shows this college readiness in the following ways:
- The student communicates questions or concerns with the teacher directly (in person or via email) and not through a third party such as a parent.
- The student notifies the teacher of absences and communicates needs or confusion over make-up work
- The student consistently engages respectfully and professionally in the classroom with all individuals.
Remote Learning Expectations
When interacting online with the instructor and classmates, students are expected to uphold expectations of professionalism and respect. This includes emails, discussion boards, and live class meetings. Students are expected to uphold the following expectations in all school related platforms and interactions online:
- Share your ideas and differing opinions but do not attack others
- Keep an open mind to what others have to say
- Do not dominate the conversation. Focus on interacting and inviting others into the conversation.
- Avoid slang and use complete, edited sentences to communicate your ideas clearly.
- Use emojis, underlining, or bold words when appropriate to convey tone, but avoid using these excessively or negatively.
- Appropriate humor can be acceptable, but remember it can often be hard to interrupt online. Consider what you are posting before you post it.
- Stay on topic and only post what is appropriate for the class and particular learning activity
- Use the “Community” channel in Teams for other questions or to connect with classmates.
The instructor reserves the right to delete inappropriate or off-topic comments or posts. If a student does not meet these remote learning expectations, he or she may also be referred to the Campus Culture team and/or Dean of Academics.
Video Recording and Sharing
Live classes via Teams and D2L will be recorded and provided for all students to access at a later time in order to accommodate students who are unable to attend class and for students to material if needed. All of these course materials provided online are the property of the instructor. This includes videos, voice recordings, pictures, handouts, slides, etc. The following are appropriate uses of all materials provided by your instructor via Teams, D2L, or email.
- Downloading videos/voice recordings for yourself to review in connection to the course
- Saving or printing files to assist yourself in completing course work
Students cannot download, print, post, or use the course materials in any other way without written consent from the instructor. Ensure that you ask for permission prior to using or sharing the intellectual property of the instructor for any other purposes other than completing and understanding coursework.
CECFC General Writing Expectations
All students are expected to demonstrate an understanding of written communication in writing composed in and for all classes/courses at CECFC. Failure to apply these standards may lead to a class consequence at the discretion of the instructor. This may include a grade deduction for the assignment or an ungraded assignment until the student revises his/her writing to meet CECFC’s composition expectations.
At a minimum, writing that a student submits to an instructor to be graded should demonstrate the following characteristics after completing the writing process (brainstorming, organizing, drafting, revising, and editing):
- Complete sentences (Avoid run on sentences and fragments)
- Correct Capitalization
- Correct Spelling
- Logical paragraph structure (Avoid long blocks of text lacking one controlling idea.)
- Clarity (An instructor should not have to re-read a sentence in order to understand the meaning the student is attempting to convey.)
- Formatting (Use a style guide to ensure correctly formatted text size, spacing, headings, etc. in the style the instructor has requested.)
- Sources should be correctly cited using all norms of the style assigned by the instructor in order to avoid plagiarism
- Professional and academic word choice appropriate to the audience and purpose
- Legible handwriting (if applicable)
If a student is not confident in demonstrating each of the above characteristics, tutors are available to assist in revising and editing any assignment, big or small, prior to submission.
Academic Honesty
Students are expected to conduct themselves with ethically in all courses and assume full responsibility for the content and integrity of the academic work they submit. The guiding principle of academic integrity will be that a student’s submitted work, examinations, reports, discussions, and projects must be that of the student’s own work and unique to the course. Consequences will follow any of the following actions:
- Represent the work of others as their own (this includes copying material from the Internet for discussion postings or other assignments without proper citation)
- Use or obtain unauthorized assistance in any academic work.
- Give unauthorized assistance to other students.
- Modify, without instructor approval, an examination, paper, record, or report for the purpose of obtaining additional credit.
- Misrepresent the content of submitted work.
Collaboration. Unless otherwise instructed, all work submitted is to be done individually by the student. This means you should not be working in pairs or in a group to write discussion posts, complete assignments or take quizzes and other assessments unless specifically asked to do so by your instructor.
Plagiarism / Dual Submission. Plagiarism, whether intentional or accidental, is academic dishonesty and may incur disciplinary action ranging from receiving a zero on an assignment or failing a course to more severe consequences. Plagiarism means
- Using someone else’s ideas and not correctly citing that use. This means that if you put someone else’s work into your own words, put it in your work, and do not correctly document it, the idea is plagiarized.
- Using someone else’s words without quotation marks and not correctly citing that use.
- Using someone else’s images or other works (such as from the Internet) without correctly citing that use.
- Submitting work that has been turned in for credit in another class or at another institution unless specifically permitted by your instructor.
Tutoring
Tutoring is available through the Wolf Den and highly encouraged for students at all levels needing or wanting support in their courses. Visit the Wolf Den in person or on the CEC website to make an appointment.
Course Schedule
Important Dates
First Day of Class: 8/10/2020
Deadline for Schedule Changes: Add 8/17/2020; Drop 8/27/2020; Withdraw 11/13/2020
Last Day of Class: 12/15/2020
Course Plan
| Week | Date | Topic | To Do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 8/10-15 | Online learning Apps |
|
| Week 2 | 8/17-21 | Chapter 11 Motion
Chapter 12 Forces and Motion |
|
| Week 3 | 8/24-28 | Chapter 12 Forces and Motion |
|
| Week 4 | 8/31-9/4 | Chapter 13 Forces in Fluids |
|
| Week 5 | 9/8-11
9/7 no class |
Chapter 14 Work, Power, and Machines |
|
| Week 6 | 9/14-18 | Chapter 15 Energy |
|
| Week 7 | 9/21-25
Note: 9/23 SAT test day. No in person class |
Chapter 16 Thermal Energy and Heat |
|
| Week 8 | 9/28-10/2 | Chapter 17 Mechanical Waves and Sound |
|
| Week 9 | 10/5-9 | Chapter 2 Properties of Matter
Chapter 3 States of Matter |
|
| Week 10 | 10/12-14
10/15-16 fall break |
Chapter 3 States of Matter
Chapter 4 Atomic Structure |
|
| Week 11 | 10/19-23 | Chapter 4 Atomic Structure
Chapter 5 The Periodic Table |
|
| Week 12 | 10/26-30 | Chapter 6 Chemical Bonds |
|
| Week 13 | 11/2-6 | Chapter 7 Chemical Reactions |
|
| Week 14 | 11/9-13 | Chapter 8
Solutions, Acids, and Bases |
|
| Week 15 | 11/16-20 | Chapter 9
Carbon Chemistry |
|
| Week 16 | 11/23-27 Thanksgiving Break |
|
|
| Week 17 | 11/30-12/4 | Chapter 10
Nuclear Chemistry |
|
| Week 18 | 12/7-9
12/10-15 finals |
|
This page exists as a resource but may be adapted for your own needs.
Insert Course Name Class Contract for___________________________
Once you are confident you understand the contents of this syllabus, read and sign each section below. Detach this portion and return to your Instructor by _________ (Due Date)
Syllabus Agreement
A parent or guardian and I have both read the syllabus it’s entirety, have asked any questions about parts that we were unsure about, and realize that changes may potentially be made as the semester progresses.
As a student or parent of a student enrolled in Course Name, I agree to:
-Check Infinite Campus weekly for grade and assignment updates, class messages, and attendance.
-Use my CECFC Office 365 account for school related emails and to save work
-Attend Group Tutoring sessions during the first 30 minutes of my lunch period as needed and as referred by my instructor
Student Signature: ______________________________________________________ Date: _________
Guardian Signature: _____________________________________________________ Date: _________