Physical Science in
Everyday Life
Spring 2005 Syllabus
Northern
Class
Meeting Time and Place: Tu/Th 12:45
pm – 2:00 pm,
Instructor: Dr. Mark James (mark.james@nau.edu)
Office: Physical Sciences - 214, office phone 523-8710
Office Hours: Mon-Thur 11-12:00 (Other times happily by appointment)
Texts: Conceptual Physics by Hewitt, Any Edition (preferably 4th – 9th)
PHS 101 Spring 04 Lab Manual by NAU Physics Dept (AVAILABLE ONLY IN PHYSICS OFFICE – $10 cash or check)
e-Instruction
Student Response Pad (Class Key: L8382G988)
see instructor web site for help in
registering remotes
Prereq: Must be taken concurrently with PHS 101 Lab. Failure to do so will result in an administrative drop from the course.
Important Web Sites: Instructor Web Site: http://www.physics.nau.edu/~james/
WebCT Web Site: http://webct.nau.edu/ (for homework and class calendar)
Course
Description
The goal of this course is to provide a well-grounded understanding of selected fundamental concepts in physical science while at the same time developing thinking skills that enable and encourage independent thinking. In other words, you will not just learn “what” scientists know, you will learn “how” they know. You will practice using the logic of scientific inquiry to make sense of your own observations of everyday physical events using the same. You will make observations during classroom experiments, activities and demonstrations. You will also make careful observations outside of class of the motions of the sun, moon, and stars throughout the course of the semester.
Since many PHS101 students are future teachers, this course features content addressing the Arizona Science Teaching Standards #1- science as inquiry, #2- history and nature of science, #3- personal and social perspectives in science and technology, #5- physical science, and #6-earth and space science. The major topics covered in the course are: Force and Motion, The Nature of Matter, Sound, Light, Electricity, Magnetism, and Celestial Motions. The mathematics that is incorporated in the course is at a VERY basic level and is only included when it is needed to enhance conceptual reasoning.
Course
Particulars
This is a 3/1 credit-hour course, (3 hours for PHS 101 and 1 hour for PHS 101 Lab), which MUST be taken simultaneously. The four-hour lecture and laboratory combination fulfills the University Liberal Studies requirement in Laboratory Science. You will automatically receive the same course letter grade for both components of this course even though you register for the lecture and lab sections separately.
Course
Structure
This course is not structured as a traditional lecture. Since research on learning has demonstrated that the construction of individual knowledge is greatly enhanced during verbal exchanges of ideas, peer discussions are incorporated as a central component of every class. Both "lecture" and "lab" class will involve small group discussions, interactive class discussions, group experiments, and interactive demonstrations.
Materials
to Bring to Every Class
#2 pencil
eInstruction class response pad
basic calculator
current class notes downloaded from WebCT class calendar
Class Notes
CLASS
NOTES with
questions and diagrams to be considered during each lecture class will
be
available on the class WebCT
site prior to each class. Each student will be expected to
download and
print out a copy of the class notes to take notes on prior to each
lecture
class. The notes will not be covered in numerical order, so be
sure to
check the class calendar on WebCT before
downloading.
Class
Participation and the
e-Instruction Student Response System
Active
participation in class discussions and experiments is expected from all
students. During each lecture class, a number of learner response
questions will be posed to the class relating to demonstrations,
experiments,
or common experiences. All questions will be included in the
CLASS NOTES
you will download from the WEBCT site. After contemplating and
discussing
each question with seat neighbors, students will use their
e-Instruction
“remote control device” to register their response. Class
participation
points will be accumulated during each class on the basis of each
student’s
electronic responses to the learner response questions.
The prime reason for the student response
system is to encourage the active participation of each student in class, therefore correct answers are only
assessed
slightly higher than incorrect answers.
All points earned during the first class period will be credited
as
BONUS POINTS which can be used to substitute for points which may have
been
earned during any potential absences. NOTE:
Each student MUST have their registered
e-Instruction Response Pad in order to earn class participation points!
Help with registering the e-Instruction
response pads can be found on the instructor web site.
Presentations: Class Demo OR Movie-Physics (NEW THIS SEMESTER!)
All students will be expected to EITHER perform a physical demonstration in class at some point in the semester OR make a Movie-Physics presentation. Students will sign up for their topics during the second week of class. (Students may work on demos individually or in pairs to prepare and present their demonstrations while Movie-Physics presentations will be done individually.) The Movie-Physics assignment will call for individual students to identify some excerpt from a movie, cartoon, or any other popular video source, and explain the physics behind how the excerpt depicts some physical event incorrectly. Specific requirements for each assignment will be posted on WebCT. Students will have the option of doing additional presentations for extra credit. DON’T PANIC! Your kind instructor views this assignment as wonderful opportunity to work with students individually – so you can count on getting as much help as you need as you work on this assignment.
Tests
There will be two midterms and a comprehensive final. The tests are designed to probe for conceptual understanding using multiple choice questions similar to those used as learner response questions in class. Formulas will be provided for all questions which require a calculation. If you have to miss a test for any reason, that score will be automatically dropped and your course grade will be automatically computed using grading option 3 outlined below. If for some reason you have to miss more than one test, contact your instructor by the end of the testing day to schedule a special make-up test. The course grade for any student who misses the final exam and does not schedule an alternate exam time will automatically be computed using grading option 4.
Quizzes
Quizzes
will be
administered at the beginning of class every Tuesday starting in week 3. Each
student MUST have their registered e-Instruction Response Pad in order
to earn
points on the quizzes! The
lowest two quiz scores during the semester will be dropped from the
overall
quiz average to accommodate potential absences.
Homework
Homework assignments will be assigned after each Thursday class period to reinforce learning using WebCT. Homework assignments will not be available for credit after this the due date for each assignment. No late homework assignments will be accepted! The lowest two homework scores will be dropped to accommodate any potential missed homework assignments. Since all homework assignments will be completed using WebCT, students must have routine access to a computer. Public computers are available for use by all NAU students in the Cline library and on the second floor of the Physical Sciences building.
Lab
Attendance and Scoring
Since every lab is based on group interaction, it is absolutely essential that you attend every lab meeting. Please be aware that the lab equipment will change each week, and there will NOT be opportunities to make-up missed labs during the semester. If you have to miss a lab, simply show up to one of the other sections that same week. Your lowest lab score will be dropped from the overall average to accommodate one missed lab. Your lab instructor will explain how your lab work will be scored. A small number of “homework labs” will be assigned using WebCT. Each of these homework labs will be equivalent to an ordinary lab in the lab average. Scheduled labs for each week will be posted on the WebCT class calendar.
Course
Grading
Four different grading options which emphasize different components of the course will be used to compute grade. Your course grade will be computed at the end of the semester based on the grading option that yields the highest overall score.
Important Dates:
Test 1 – Tues, Mar 1
Last
Day to Drop Course – Mar 18
Test 2 – Tues, Apr 19
Final
Exam – Tuesday, May 10, 12:30 – 2:30
Statement
on plagiarism and cheating
Instances of plagiarism or cheating will be reported to the Dean for disciplinary action and may result in a failing grade for the course. (IMPORTANT NOTE: The only times students are not allowed to work together is on tests and quizzes. Working with other learners on homework and lab activities is a fundamental aspect of this course and is heartily encouraged! When working with other learners to complete an assignment, just make sure you submit your answers in your own words when turning in individual work.)