AP Calculus AB
Course Description/Overview/Welcome Statement
Course Title: AP Calculus AB
Teacher: Miss Nelson
Email: melanien@provo.edu
Classroom: A2-5
Course Detail
- 1.0 Credit
- Grades 11-12
- Fees: $15 text book fee (optional but highly recommended $94 for AP test)
- Prerequisites: Pre-Calculus or Math 1050/1060 or SM3H or SM3 with teacher recommendation
- Homework: 5-6 Hours per Week
- Degree of Difficulty: 5
- Credit Type: M, ME, NCAA
Can potentially earn 3 college credits depending on university requirements and score on AP exam.
Topics covered in this course are approximately equivalent to those discussed in the first semester of University Calculus. Topics of study include: Limits, and continuity, differentiation, applications of differentiation, integration, applications of integration, derivatives of the exponential functions, logarithmic functions, inverse trigonometric functions and related integrals.
Learning Expectations
Final term grades will be on a weighted scale
75% assessment of standards
25% individual practice and participation during in class learning activities.
In order to earn credit, students will need to master each standard in the course. Each terms standards can be found on PowerSchool, and in class will be broken down into even smaller learning targets. The standards will be graded on a 5 point scale.
5 – High, Excellent Level of competence
4 – Moderately High, Above average level of competence
3 – Average level of competence
2 – Emerging Low, Below average level of competence
1 – Beginning Low, Low or partial level of competence
Incomplete – No demonstrated competence, or insufficient evidence of competence
When a student does not achieve competence, it is expected that they will work with the teacher during intervention time (this will be designated class time used to reteach material) and if necessary to come in before or after school to relearn material and work towards retesting.
Assessment of Progress
Students, teachers, and parents can monitor student progress on PowerSchool. Student understanding of each standard in the course will be assessed multiple times during each unit, and the student’s level of mastery will be determined by combining those assessments with priority on the most recent quiz or test. Summative assessment scores will be reported on PowerSchool. Accommodations for students with an IEP, 504, or ELL classification will be made on an individual basis. Alternative assessments may be used on a case by case basis, please contact me if you feel a differentiated form of assessment may be necessary.
Assessments
To provide a more accurate representation of what the student has mastered, a quiz will be assigned each week (either on a Thursday or Friday). The quizzes may include content we have covered earlier in the year, to see if students have maintain mastery of specific concepts. Students will be allowed to retake similar questions that they answered incorrectly, rather than the entire quiz again. However, they must do the following before a retake is granted: (1) Look over and fix their 1st quiz (2) Discuss with the teacher about their process and thinking on the questions answer incorrectly and (3) complete a set of practice problems recommended by the teacher. Individual practice assignments also serve to inform the students about their progress. As a teacher I will use this information to decide if I need to reteach topics, but in many cases it will be the student’s responsibility to get help if they struggle on these types of assignments.
Success Criteria
Students will need to achieve a level of mastery (1 or higher) of all of the standards (approximately 12 per term) in order to pass each term. Assessments can be attempted multiple times until the student shows mastery of these standards. To be successful students will need to demonstrate problem-solving skills while paying attention to real-life meaning, using appropriate units, and precision. More specific details of success criteria will depend on the specific task and will be posted in the classroom, and be available to parents if requested throughout the school year.
Course Materials
Course Materials
- A textbook will be checked out from the library.
- Purchase of a graphing calculator is recommended but not required. We have a class set of Casio fx-9750gii calculators that every student is allowed to use in class. The Casio calculator is cheaper and the interface is simpler than the TI calculators. If you’d like to purchase a graphing calculator then I’d recommend the TI-83 plus, TI-84, TI-89 or Casio fx-9750gii.
- The only required material is a notebook and pencils.
Students will be using chromebooks frequently. They will be using their district gmail account, and other online materials as directed by their instructor. Please see the “Technology” section below for more detailed information.
Classroom Procedures
Behavior
Students have the right to learn in a safe and productive environment. No student has the right to take this right away from others. The following expectations are established to ensure these rights:
- Respect others.
- Be prepared for class.
- Be on task.
- Follow classroom procedures.
- Be a contributing member of your group.
- Follow technology expectations.
Students who choose not to follow classroom expectations will be reminded once. If the student continues behaving inappropriately, they will be referred to administration for a lunch detention. If the student continues behaving inappropriately after receiving a lunch detention, parents will be contacted, and he or she may be referred to administration for further discipline.
Snacks are permitted in my classroom, but any drinks must have a sealable lid. This is a privilege that will be taken away if they become a distraction, or if any trash is not properly disposed.
Technology
The students will use chromebooks during class on a regular basis, accessing the internet through their school assigned email account. We expect students to adhere to the district Acceptable Use Policy (http://provo.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/ti-acceptusepol.pdf). Students who abuse technology will be reported and lose schoolwide access to the devices according to policy.
Electronic devices (iPods, MP3 players, cell phones, etc.) are not allowed in class, except when used for instructional purposes at the teacher’s discretion. If students use these items inappropriately during class, they may be confiscated and given to school administration as per school policy. Parents must come to the school to retrieve confiscated electronics.
Assignments & Late Work
Individual Practice (Classwork or Homework): The purpose of individual assignments is to help students learn the concepts needed to prepare them to achieve mastery on the assessments. Often the work can be completed during class time, but some homework will also be required. Students should plan on between 1 and 3 hours of homework per week, but that figure will vary depending on the individual and the topic. These assignments will be graded by the students, and while they are only a small portion of their final grade they are designed to provide enough individual practice in order to be prepared for the assessments. Late work will be accepted, but will only be worth half credit. (Reasonable exceptions regarding partial credit for late work will be made especially when honest effort is consistently demonstrated, please contact me if you feel an exception is warranted).
Assessments: Retest are allowed without penalty, but additional work will be required to help improve their understanding of the standards before being retested.
Attendance
Students are expected to be on time and in class every day. Unexcused absences will mean that the students are not able to participate in the learning activity for that day and points for that portion of their grade will be lost.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, students needing special accommodations may contact me for alternative arrangements.
Calendar of Due Dates for Major Assignments
During a term, both formative and summative assessments can be attempted multiple times, until students are able to show mastery of that standard. In order to earn credit for a term, all assessments for that term must be completed by the last day of the term.
(Term 1: October 18th, Term 2: January 12th, Term 3: March 16th, Term 4: May 25th
Progress Reports and Report Cards
Students, teachers, and parents can monitor student progress on PowerSchool (https://grades.provo.edu).
Connecting Home to School
Please contact me via email: melanien@provo.edu
Personal Statement and other items (optional)
Calculus is an amazing class. I love working with the students to make sure they understand! Can’t wait to see what this year brings!