We will read and discuss the contents of the chapters in the book and use the examples in the book to help us learn how to solve the problems. To make discussions more productive you will be assigned to read a chapter, or sections of a chapter, and post an outline as a Google Doc or PDF to a Google Classroom assignment. Your outline can be as detailed as you like but should show evidence of engagement with the text. Students may find it useful to make their outline using pen and paper and to add to it as notes are given in class. If you make your outline by hand please use a scanning app for a phone or equipment in the Learning Commons (Library) to create a PDF file to earn credit for the outline assignment when it is due.
In order to help your teacher best prepare for providing notes on the chapter contents and Google Form will be shared with you in which you can write the questions you have about the chapter contents. As you read the book you will find some things harder to understand than others. Make a note of this and ask a question about it in the form. You must fill out the form and post an outline in order to receive credit for the outline assignment. The outline must be posted to the Google Classroom assignment by 8 am of the due date so that your teacher can use the form results to plan the class discussion.
Your teacher will give you notes in class to help you to learn the knowledge and skills of the course. In addition, you will do group activities and other paper-and-pencil work in class. Some of this work will be completed in class and will not be graded: it is for helping you learn the material only. Your performance will be measured using quizzes and tests. Some of this work will not be completed in class and you will finish it at home or in your study hall. In that case you will be expected to complete the work to the best of your ability and you will earn credit toward your homework grade by showing your teacher the completed work. Full credit is given for complete work. Incomplete or missing work will receive partial or no credit.
There are problems at the end of each chapter in your textbook. Some of these problems will be assigned as practice for you to do at home. You will receive credit for completing these problems. On the due date you will show your teacher that they are complete. On that day your teacher will allow you to ask for any of the problems’ solutions to be demonstrated. The problems are meant to prepare you for the kinds of questions you will see on quizzes and tests.
Lab assignments will be given for every lab activity. Unless specifically given as group work all lab assignments must be done by each individual student. Students may not work together, may not share answers, and may not copy one another’s work. Some labs will require a formal lab report. Others will require that you answer a series of questions. Lab assignments are subject to the late policy. Please talk to your teacher if you anticipate difficulty in completing a lab assignment on time.
Quizzes will be clearly linked to learning goals shared for each lesson. The problems you do in class, for homework, and in the textbook are representative of the questions you will see on quizzes. A quiz is short (5 - 10 questions) and focused narrowly on one or two topics. There may be two or three quizzes given for a chapter in the textbook.
The test given at the end of the quarter will be comprehensive and cover everything asked of you on quizzes during that quarter. Questions may also be included which ask you about material you learned through participation in lab activities. Your graded quizzes are your study guide for the test. They give you the feedback you need to find out what you already know and what you need to study more in order to master.