Professors: Dr. John K. Elwood {First Half of course}
Dr. David Buckley {Second Half of course}
Text: Physics by Inquiry, Volumes I and II, Lillian C. McDermott, Ó1996,
John Wiley & Sons, ISBN 0-471-14440-1 and 0-471-14441-X [required]
Lecture Times: T, Th, F 12:00 - 12:50 PM in Gessner 117
Course Web Page: Access the course page from my home page at:
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http://www.esu.edu/~jelwood/ |
To Chat with John: email: John.Elwood@po-box.esu.edu
Office: Gessner 201
Office Phone: (570) 422 3408
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Office hours: M 10:00 AM-11:00 AM, 1:30 - 2:30 PM, and 5:00 - 6:00 PM |
F 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
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* and by appointment. I am usually here! * |
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Course Description: This course encourages scientific inquiry and discovery and is designed to raise the student's level of scientific literacy, particularly in the basic tenets of physics. This particular offering of the class is designed specifically for Elementary Education majors. Discovery will take place through a series of student activities, and not via the traditional lecture format. |
Course Prerequisites: None.
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Special Needs: Students who are eligible for accommodations are invited to make an appointment to deliver their letter from the Office of Disability Services and to discuss their accommodation requests. |
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Grading: The points that you earn on Homework, Quizzes, In-Class Activities, and the Final Exam will determine your grade for the course. They are worth, respectively: |
Homework 20%
Quizzes [4 @ 10% Each] 40%
In-Class Activities 20%
Final Exam 20%
100%
Your grade will be determined according to the prescription:
90%-100% A
80%-89.9% B
70%-79.9% C
60%-69.9% D
< 60% E
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Homework: Homework problems will be assigned during most lectures, and will be due at the beginning of the next lecture. You are allowed to collaborate on the homework, but the work that you turn in must be your own. Late homework will not be accepted, as I will be discussing solutions to the problems in lecture the day they are due. If you miss the homework assignment in class, check the website; it will be updated daily. If you forget to pick up solutions in class, extras will be kept in a folder in the tray on the wall (FITOW) by my door. Notice that failing to do homework will be quite injurious to your grade. |
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Quizzes and Final Exam: Four quizzes will be given throughout the course of the semester, with each one containing material from one of the four major units of the course. For the quizzes, you will be responsible for all of the material that we cover in class, homework, handouts, and in the assigned readings up to and including the lecture prior to the quiz date. Missed quizzes may be made up only in extreme circumstances, and, as a rule, only if you perform an incredibly intricate and painful ritual of atonement to my satisfaction. If you know in advance that you must miss a quiz, you can greatly enhance the possibility that I might let you make it up by telling me in advance of the quiz date. The quizzes will be given in class on the following dates: February 4, March 4, April 1, and April 26. The Final Exam will be comprehensive, and will be given during, yes, Finals Week. |
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In-Class Activities: Students will be asked to carry out investigations during class-time, and are expected to participate fully in these activities. As the semester progresses, many of these activities will become self-directed, and students will be asked to create activities designed to uncover basic scientific truths. Absence from class and/or failure to participate in classroom activities will adversely affect the In-Class Activity portion of a student's grade. |
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Obtaining Assignments: I will provide reading and homework assignments at the beginning of each lecture. If you miss these, you can get them from the course website. |
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Mid-Term Meeting: During the first two weeks of the term, all students must sign up to meet with me for a 10 minute block of time during my ninth week [March 14 - March 18] or tenth week [March 21 - March 25] office hours. These Mid-Term Meetings will be used to assess your progress and to make sure that you are getting all that you can out of the class. |
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Retention of Student Material/Garbage Reduction Act: Student exams, homework, and other contributions that are not picked up will be kept for one year after the close of the current term. That is, all contributed student material may be destroyed at any time following the first week of the Fall 2006 semester. |
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Good luck in the Class! May you learn something neat! |