Pre-AP Geometry Course Syllabus 2015-2016 Welcome to my Pre-AP Geometry class. I hope you find this course to be a positive experience and I am certain that you will learn a great deal during the next 36 weeks. This syllabus is an explanation to you about what I expect of you in terms of behavior, classroom procedures, and academic performance. You will find out quickly that this course is one of the more challenging ones that you will face in high school. Your willingness to take the course seriously will determine how successful you are in it. As your instructor, I will place a lot of emphasis on personal responsibility with all of my students. This means that I will expect you to strive towards making decisions that are more in line with what a responsible adult would make, being that are you edging closer to being young adults with each passing day. I will also go to great lengths to be very specific with what I expect you to learn each day and what I expect you to accomplish along the way in this journey that we are about to embark. SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR: Pre-AP Geometry Required: A 3 ring binder that is at least 1 ½ inches wide A significant amount of loose leaf notebook paper A graphing calculator (TI-83 or TI-84) A pack of at least 100 index cards (5 x 8 OR larger ) (smaller sized cards will not be large enough for our purposes.) A sizeable stash of pencils. General Classroom Procedures Student Behavior Policies and Expectations: 1. BE IN CLASS ON TIME EACH DAY. 2. NO FOOD OR DRINKS IN CLASSROOM, EXCEPT WATER. 3. NO DESK VANDALISM/GRAFFITI. 4. SHOW RESPECT TO OTHERS. 5. RESTRICTION OF CERTAIN ELECTRONIC DEVICES (Cell Phones) Classroom & Academic Policies & Expectations 1. COME TO CLASS PREPARED. 2. ALL WORK IS TO BE DONE IN PENCIL 3. KEEP COURSE ASSIGNMENTS ORGANIZED: I expect my students to keep the course assignments organized by properly labeling all assignments with the following minimum information: Name; Date; Class Period Assignment Title: (Chapter # & Day # or Test/Quiz Title) 4. HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY. (No Cheating) 5. DO YOUR HOMEWORK EACH AND EVERY NIGHT 6. TAKE OWNERSHIP OF YOUR OWN ACADEMIC FUTURE: Pre-AP Geometry Course Syllabus Page 1
Grading Policy for the NINE weeks grades: 90-----100 A 80-----90 B 70-----80 C 60-----70 D Below 60 F (In cases, where the letter grade is affected I will round up. Ex: 89.5% = A) Grading Breakdown: There are several components to what makes up each nine weeks grade in Geometry. Here is a breakdown of those components: 90% of final grade Tests 10% of final grade Notecards (Bellwork, HW checks, Exit Slips) Bonus Points will be assigned from time to time. Grading Components: TESTS: TESTS: These will be announced several days in advance, so that students are well aware of when a test will be given. A complete and comprehensive review sheet will be worked the day before the test to ensure preparedness. It is CRITICAL that students utilize this review time to the best of their ability. MAKE-UP WORK POLICY FOR TESTS/QUIZZES: When tests are missed in my classes, they must be made up before or after school in my classroom. Tests and quizzes that are missed are automatically recorded as a 'ZERO', until the student elects to make-up that activity in the stated time frame. NOTECARDS: Bellwork/ HW Checks/ Exit Slips: At the start of each class session, there will be varying number problems on the board for all students to complete. These problems should be completed promptly upon entering the classroom. These problems are usually collected from students on a daily basis. Typically, these are completed on the note card along with homework answers and are graded by the instructor. These problems, along with the home work account for the student s daily grade in Geometry. HOMEWORK & CLASSWORK ASSIGNMENTS: GRADING OF HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS: Homework is graded is through the note card method, which will be the most common way for me to handle it. MAKE-UP WORK POLICY FOR HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS: We move at a very fast pace in this course. If you must miss my class for any reason, it is solely YOUR responsibility to find out make-up work and obtain class notes from a fellow student Pre-AP Geometry Course Syllabus Page 2
Statement on the issue of class attendance: It is critical in this course that the student is in the class every day. It has been my experience that students, who are absent from school frequently, find it difficult to be successful in this course. Many times students are on school-related trips, but it still their responsibility to get the assignment and teach themselves from the class handouts/notes/ and examples. Statement on the issue of Math Anxiety: Often students tell teachers and parents that they do not test well in math. I believe that math is 98% mind over matter. A student must believe that he/she can do math in order to be successful. But I also believe that math can be studied and that math anxiety can be overcome. With completion of homework assignments, review sheets for quizzes and tests, listening in class, and perfect attendance a student can be successful in math! Recommendations on How To Study for Math : 1. Do homework by yourself each night. If a student chooses to copy from a fellow classmate, they are NOT going to learn the material. I encourage students to work together, but not so much that it affects how much they truly learn. 2. Do the study guide for quizzes and tests at least 2 times the night before the quiz or test. Statement on the Issue of Calculators The instructor will NOT be providing calculators for students. I may have a small supply of 3-4 calculators, which are distributed on a first come, first serve basis based on availability. It is expected that ALL students must have a calculator for the course and are expected to bring it to class each day. Due to the difficulties that students have in learning how to use a calculator, it is suggested that students use the same calculator for the entire school year. Different models and brands are used quite differently and the instructor may or may not have any knowledge on the type/brand of calculator your student is using. Students are NOT allowed to share calculators during tests. In summary: A few things parents and students should remember. 1. Personal responsibility is a major theme in any class that Mr. Spillman teaches. 2. Students who plan to cheat their way through this course will NOT be successful in the end. 3. One school supply that is required for this course that may be unique from other teachers is the pack of or 5 x 8 (or larger) note cards. (We will use these everyday) 4. Students are expected to use the same calculator each day for the entire school year. It is important to remain faithful to the same calculator. 5. Poor classroom attendance nearly always results in a failing grade in this course. 6. Only students who complete homework and class work assignments consistently ON THEIR OWN and who study the review guides on the night before tests and quizzes can expect to make A s or B s in this course. 7. Parents should feel free to contact me regarding any questions you may have. Pre-AP Geometry Course Syllabus Page 3
Pre-AP Math Courses: These courses are designed to help better prepare students who will someday take AP Statistics, AP Computer Science and/or AP Calculus. Testing in Pre-AP Math courses: Tests will consist of 20-25 Multiple Choice Questions AND 1-5 Free Response Questions Students will receive a bubble sheet to mark their answers to the Multiple Choice Questions and they are free to write on the test as much as they need in their efforts to correctly solve the problems. Free Response questions will be completed on the actual test paper. All tests are curved (this means that the highest grade will receive a 100%, sometimes higher ) Scoring of Free Response Questions: All Free Response Questions will be scored a 0-4 scoring system: The scores mean the following: o 4 Complete Response o 3 Substantial Response o 2 Developing Response o 1 Minimal Response o 0 Blank or No Response Categorical Grading System: In addition to a student s numeric grade on tests (0%-100% or possibly higher), students will receive a categorical grade that is non-binding and only shows the tests how their performance matched with the rest of the class. Remember, these categorical grades are not reflected in the calculation of the student s grade and only serve to let students see how they compared to the rest of the class. Categorical grades are as follows: 5 Extremely Well-Qualified 4 Well Qualified 3 Qualified 2 Possibly Qualified 1 Unqualified Pre-AP Geometry Course Syllabus Page 4
Pre-AP Geometry Course Sequence Geometry Power Standards 2015-2016 Chapter 1: I can use the distance and midpoint formulas to solve problems. I can identify and solve problems involving special angle pairs. I can solve problems involving points, lines, planes and segments. Chapter 2: I can identify and solve problems involving special angle pairs. I can use reasoning skills to make conjectures and decisions and arrive at conclusions in the form of proofs. I can identify and write logic statements. I can read and write proofs in different formats. I can read and write proofs about points, lines, segments, and angles. Chapter 3: I can read and write proofs about points, lines, segments, and angles. I can write equations for lines. I can identify and solve problems involving parallel and perpendicular lines. Chapter 4: I can apply properties of symmetry to a figure. I can identify and draw transformations and use their properties to solve problems. I can determine the effects of transformations on figures on the coordinate plane. Chapter 5: I can identify and solve problems about congruent figures (triangles). I can read and write proofs about triangles. Chapter 6: I can read and write proofs about triangles. Chapter 7: I can identify and solve problems about similar figures. I can identify and solve problems between perimeters of congruent & similar figures. I can read and write proofs about similarity. Chapter 8: I can use the Pythagorean theorem to solve problems. I can use the converse of the Pythagorean theorem to solve problems. I can use the geometric mean to solve a variety of problems. I can apply and use properties of special right triangles to find side lengths. Chapter 9: I can find and use trigonometric ratios to find side lengths and angle measures. Pre-AP Geometry Course Syllabus Page 5
Chapter 10: I can solve problems with special quadrilaterals. I can read and write coordinate proofs about quadrilaterals. I can classify polygons based on their number of sides. Chapter 11: I can write equations for circles. I can determine the measure of central and inscribed angles and their intercepted arcs. I can find segment lengths, angle measures and intercepted arc measures formed by chords, secants and tangents. I can solve problems using inscribed and circumscribed polygons. Chapter 12: I can identify and solve problems between areas of congruent & similar figures. I can find and use perimeter and the area of plane figures to solve problems. Chapter 13: I can identify and solve problems between volumes of congruent & similar figures. I can find the lateral area, surface area and volume of solids. RE-TESTING OPTIONS: Because tests account for at least 90% of a student s grade in a typical high school math course, the option of re-taking a test due to a poor performance is available in my classes. These options are determined from a test-by-test (case by case) basis. These re-takes MUST be taken in a timely basis. I strongly suggest within a two week window after the test is taken. TEACHER WEBSITE I maintain a very timely and useful website on our school systems website. To access this page, go to the SHS website, find my link on the Teacher Websites section on the school website. I put extra copies of Test Reviews, as well as solutions and answer keys that students who were absent on review days can access. I will refer to this website often. Pre-AP Geometry Course Syllabus Page 6