Course syllabus for the standard Physics class at the Waterford School.

1. Course Description
Physics is a year long course designed to introduce students
to the concepts of classical and rotational mechanics,
gravitation, and electricity and magnetism.
This fall, we will focus on classical mechanics, including linear and projectile
motion, Newton’s Laws, momentum, and energy. You will be asked to
employ algebra skills, although emphasis will be placed on conceptual
understanding of these topics. Concepts will be illuminated through various
demonstrations and individual projects.
Location
Modular Classroom
Room #350
Meeting Times
E Block: M, T, W, Th
B Block: M, T, W, F
Extra Help:
by appointment
Contact Info
justinjoslin@
waterfordschool.org
Office Room #531
MOTION
We will learn how to
describe and measure
the motion of linear
and projectile objects.
1
NEWTON'S LAWS
We will learn how
forces change an
object's motion and the
laws that govern this.
2
MOMENTUM&ENERGY
We will learn how
objects affect each
other’s motion and how
energy is transformed.
3
MR JOSLIN FALL TERM 2019
Course Syllabus
Information and expectations for Physics

2. PHYSICS LOGIN TO CANVAS FOR MORE INFORMATION
My Learning Philosophy
The world is a fascinating place full of
curiosities, both natural and engineered.
If we take time to appreciate these curiosities,
then we will naturally begin to ask questions.
Learning happens when we seek answers, both by finding and
evaluating new sources of information and by synthesizing this
information through a broad range of experiences.
We will all get out of this class what we put into it.
A great recipe for success is to make sure that we all live up to
the school’s Core Values each and every day. We can all hold
each other accountable, including you and me.
In an effort to help you have the best experience in this class, you can expect that I
will do the following:
2
EXCELLENCE
Demonstrated by arriving
on time and prepared, by
participating fully in class,
and by striving to master
all course concepts.
CURIOSITY
Demonstrated by taking
academic risks, by trying
new approaches and
techniques, and by being
willing to fail often.
RESPONSIBILITY
Demonstrated by being an
active group partner, by
seeking help when
needed, & by completing
all assignments on time.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
My role as a teacher is to
provide opportunities that will
“stimulate intellect, ignite
passion, and shape character”
in each of my students. I hope
to help you develop a passion
for life-long learning. As this is
an individual pursuit, I would
rather have you try and fail on
your own than rely on someone
else’s work. Please refer to the
Academic Honesty section of the
Student & Parent Handbook for
more details.
We ALL should
aspire to live
lives of
meaning and
purpose.
I WILL SHARE MY PASSION
FOR UNDERSTANDING
NATURAL AND ENGINEERED
PHENOMENA
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I WILL ENCOURAGE ALL
STUDENTS TO CONFIDENTLY
ASK QUESTIONS AND TO TAKE
ACADEMIC RISKS
1
I WILL SHARE A VARIETY OF
RESOURCES FROM WHICH
STUDENTS CAN SEEK
ANSWERS
2
INTEGRITY & CARING
Demonstrated by
completing our own work,
by always being respectful
and kind, and by following
instructions.

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Policies
The following polices will be enforced.
Grading
Your overall grade will be weighted
using the following categories.
Warm Ups: short assessments to start class (5 pt)
Problems Sets: Weekly sets will include concept,
calculation, or discussion questions. (~20 pt)
Quizzes: Weekly quizzes will review material
from the previous problem set. (~15 pt)
Projects & Labs: Inquiry based activities to make
observations, collect data, & apply physics (50 pt)
Midterm & Final Exams: Comprehensive exams
for the first half and entire term. (100 pt)
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Quizzes
20%
Warm Ups
10%
Problem
Sets
25%
Midterm
Exam
10%
Final Exam
20%
Projects
& Labs
15%
SKILLS WE WILL PRACTICE
PROBLEM
SOLVING
CREATIVITY
SCIENTIFIC
INQUIRY
TECHNOLOGY
ORGANIZATION
CALCULATION
You can expect to
spend ~30 minutes
per class for HW.
Weekly problem sets
are generally due on
Wednesday.
HOMEWORK
There will be reading
assignments from the
textbook, but we will
not need the book in
class. The textbook
may be left at home.
TEXTBOOK
Late work will receive
a 10% penalty per
class day. If your HW
is 2 class days late,
the max score you can
earn is 80%.
LATE WORK
Laptops and tablets
may only be used in
class when you are
instructed to do so.
Phones will be left in
your backpacks.
TECHNOLOGY
Please refer to my
schedule to schedule
extra help. I am often
available in Rm 312
during lunch or before
school.
EXTRA HELP
Your final grade will
be weighted according
to the listed categories
and rounded to the
nearest whole
number.
FINAL GRADE

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Scope and Sequence
Following is a proposed schedule of the topics we will discuss and the major
assignments to be completed in the Fall Term. This is subject to change!
4
Week 1 - Introduction and Kinematics
CHAPTERS 1 & 2: The scientific method is one of civilization’s greatest inventions. Displacement,
velocity, and acceleration help us quantify the motion of an object in a single dimension.
Week 2 - Projectile Motion
CHAPTER 3: Gravity has a big impact on the motion of a projectile (anything we kick, throw, or launch!).
How well can you shoot a basketball without gravity?
Week 3 - Newton’s First Law of Motion
CHAPTER 4: All objects in the universe are lazy! They want to keep doing what they’re doing. Your
phone wants to keep resting in your backpack. The earth wants to keep going around the sun.
Week 4 - Newton’s Second Law of Motion
CHAPTER 5: F=ma. This law defines how force affects acceleration and is perhaps the most famous and
important law in all of physics. This law led to several major “turning points” in world history.
Week 5 - Newton’s Third Law of Motion
CHAPTER 6: A single force cannot exist on its own. It must be part of an action/reaction pair, which
means that forces must always be exerted between two objects. What happens when you punch a wall?
Week 6 - Momentum
CHAPTER 7: Momentum is directly proportional to an object’s mass and velocity. In a closed system
momentum is always conserved. Seems boring, but we couldn’t have landed on the moon without it.
Week 7 - Energy
CHAPTER 8: All forms of energy are either kinetic or potential, but energy can be transferred between
the two. That’s why rollercoasters are so much fun! Like momentum, energy is conserved.
Week 8 - Circular Motion
CHAPTER 9: What is the difference between centripetal and centrifugal force? Does centrifugal force
even exist? By manipulating these forces, we could actually create “gravity” in space ships.
Week 9 - Independent Project
Complete an independent creative project on a topic from a list of given options. Topics will be directly
related to what we have studied this term, but there will be latitude for individual interpretation.
Week 10 - Review
Reinforce previously learned concepts, practice problem solving, and general review for the final exam.