Course Syllabus

“Physics Concepts and Activities”

Science 210, 210L, Winter 2005

Dr. H C Mireles, Cal Poly Pomona - Physics Department

LECTURE:    Section 1: Monday, Wednesdays: 4:30 - 5:45 pm, Room 8-241 (CRN 11763)

LAB:       Section 11: Mondays 6:00 - 8:50 pm, Room 3-213 (CRN 11764)

                                    OR

Section 12: Wednesdays 6:00 - 8:50 pm, Room 3-213 (CRN 11765)

Instructor:

Dr. Hector Córdova Mireles - Assistant Professor - Physics Department

hcmireles@csupomona.edu

http://www.csupomona.edu/~hcmireles

Office: Building 8, Room 229

Phone: (909)869-6730            FAX (909)869-5090

Office Hours:

            Monday          13:00 - 14:00 (office)

            Tuesday          16:00 - 17:00  (office)

            Wednesday     13:00 - 14:00  (office)

            Thursday         -----none-----

            Friday             13:00 - 14:00 (Tutoring Center 3 - 213), 14:00 - 15:00 (office)

Course Description:

Introduction to physics concepts, covering mechanics, heat, sound, light, electricity, magnetism, properties of matter, and modern physics. Inquiry-based laboratory work and student-led activities prepare students to teach science. Subject matter is related to the California Science Content Standards and teaching resources are developed. Includes field work in an elementary school. 3 lectures, 1 three-hour lab.

Prerequisite: MAT 191 (“Survey of Mathematics”) or equivalent.

Corequisite: Concurrent enrollment in SCI 210 and SCI 210L is required.

Textbook:      Paul Hewitt: Conceptual Physics 9^th Ed. + accompanying handbook.

California Science Content Standards: The state of California has very specific guidelines for evaluating teachers in our state; the “Science Content Standards”. Please print out a copy of these standards, (from grades 1-6) and keep them with you at all times. We will work with these items in detail. If you go down the list and find that you “already know” these items at the level of a student, you will probably receive a C- in this course if you do nothing more. When you master this material, you will be a science teacher.

Assignments: You will complete both in-class and homework assignments. In-class assignments will not be accepted after the class in which they are performed. Late homework assignments can be accepted only with a penalty.

Field Observations: You will make a classroom observations at the K-8 school of your choice. A two-page report describing the observation will be graded on the basis of content and clarity. Poorly or vaguely written reports will be graded down.

Student-lead Activities: A wealth of in-class science activities is now available on the web. Using existing materials as a starting point, you will design two 15-minute science activities of your choosing, and present it to the class during the lab period. Your presentation will be evaluated by your instructor and your peers. You will then create a web-page, which will be graded and posted along with the activities of your colleagues, for you to download and collect.

Experiments: During the first three lab meetings, you will conduct three important experimental procedures designed by the physics department.

Participation: A small but non-negligible portion of your grade will be based on your participation. This includes your physical and mental attendance. Help your colleagues by being a good lab-partner with effective feedback and contributing to the group assignments. Feedback which has the effect of mocking or belittling a colleagues efforts will lower your participation grade.

Attendance: The instructor will take roll-call in the lab sessions. Missing more than one laboratory session will result in an F for the laboratory component of your grade. Missing too many lecture sessions will effect your final grade, since the in-class worksheets cannot be turned in late. More than two absences will also effect your participation grade.

Grading: You will get the same grade for both lecture and lab sections. This will be calculated as follows.

Lecture

Midterm                                               15%

Lecture Final Exam                             15%

Individual Assignments                     15%

Group Assignments                             15%

Field Observation                                10%

Participation                                        5%

Total                                                   75%

Lab

Student-Lead Activities (2)                15%

Experiments (3)                                   5%

Attendance/Participation                     5%

Total                                                  25%