WELCOME AP Calculus AB Mr. Smith

Basic Information AP Calculus AB Mr. Smith Room S306, office is S315 Phone: Website: or

Who am I? Hobbies: Playing tennis, reading Love to watch most sports Family: wife, two sons and a guinea pig Graduated from UNC-Greensboro as a Mathematics major Have worked in computers for my entire career (25+ years) Programmed in several languages Fifth year as a teacher at Career Center

What will you be doing this year? Advanced Placement Calculus AB Comparable to a first-year college level Calculus 1 course Build on your Pre-Calculus knowledge Improve your problem-solving skills using Calculus Learn Calculus by doing You will become prepared for a successful outcome when you take the College Board Advanced Placement Calculus AB exam

Course Requirements What do you need to be successful? What are the rules in this classroom? What are the consequences for not following a rule? How will you be graded? What are the classroom procedures?

What do you need to be successful? FOCUS - Take careful notes during class. Be in attendance and on time for class every day. Listen and learn. BE INQUISITIVE –Don’t be afraid to experiment and make mistakes (you sometimes learn more from mistakes). Ask questions and learn from each other – share knowledge PREPARE - Read the textbook section relevant to the day’s work. Prepare for tests prior to the night before. FOLLOW THROUGH - Do your homework everyday. Use the supplemental web resources to complete homework and enhance your understanding of the material. DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO GET BEHIND ON YOUR HOMEWORK!! FOCUS – BE INQUISITIVE – PREPARE – FOLLOW THROUGH

Other helpful hints to be successful Seek extra help before school, after school, or during the day; and Always be a proactive learner. Keep your work organized – put your name, date, and class period on everything; Nothing can substitute for doing problems; Buy an AP Calculus AB Exam Review book (Barron’s, etc.)

What are the rules in this classroom? Career Center rules and discipline procedures need to be followed Everyone in the classroom deserves respect Cell phones need to remain hidden and not used during class Be respectful of the classroom No cheating

What are the consequences for not following a rule? If you choose to break a classroom rule, one or more of the following consequences will be used: I will ask you to correct the inappropriate behavior. I will conference with you (either in the hall during class time or at my convenience). Parents may be contacted at this point. Parents/administrators/guidance counselors are made aware of the problem that you are having trouble correcting. You are asked to serve a detention at my convenience either before or after school. I will give you 24 hours notice. You are removed from my classroom to the In School Suspension (ISS) room for the remainder of class period. You are referred to an administrator and they will discipline you.

Other Items You are encouraged to take notes. No writing in the textbooks Any test or quiz will require a pencil Any closure of school on the day of a test or quiz reschedules it for the first day back. Homework is critical – more on this later I will dismiss the class – don’t pack up or leave your seat early.

How will you be graded? GRADING POLICY (7 point scale) – Homework Checks and Classwork10% – Quizzes and Assignments10% – Participation10% – Tests70%

Classroom Procedures Come into classroom and have a seat before the bell rings When you are tardy, come in, fill out the tardy sheet and have a seat. Let me know after class why you were tardy. Give me a note if it is an excused tardy. Pay attention and take notes during class Bathroom breaks during class are discouraged but granted for emergencies (use the hall pass) Clean up your work area before you leave

When You Are Absent When you are absent, please provide me with a signed/dated note the day you return to class NEW THIS YEAR: If you do not have a note, you will be asked to fill out a “Violation of Attendance Policy Report”, and your parents will be called by Administration. You will be responsible for making up homework during your absence Look on my website to review lectures and to get your homework If you missed a quiz or test because of your absence, arrange a time with me to make up the test during non-class time.

Homework Checks and Classwork If you miss my class, please check the day’s lesson plan on my website for the day’s homework assignment. Effort will be based on the percentage of the assigned problems legitimately attempted: – All attempted = 100%, – At least one-half attempted = 50%, – Less than one-half attempted= 0%

Quizzes and Assignment Sheets Quizzes will be announced. include homework problems, previous class work or fundamental algebra and trigonometry concepts If you are absent the day of a quiz, you are expected to take the missed quiz the day you return to school Assignment sheets will involve concepts previously discussed You will generally have a week to complete the assignment sheets If you know you are going to be absent on the date an assignment sheet is due, turn it in early

Class Participation This grade is given subjectively and will be the result of participation in class, presenting problems on the board (a different predetermined number per quarter) and small group discussions. It also includes bringing necessary materials (such as calculators, pencils, etc.) to class each day. Grade will be awarded at the end of each quarter

Unit Tests Will be given three per quarter, for the first three quarters. If a student misses a unit test during the quarter, that test may not be made up. A cumulative quarter test will be administered at the end of each of the first three quarters that includes questions on topics from the entire quarter The quarter test grade will be used as a replacement for any missing test grade from that quarter If a student has not missed any tests during the quarter, the quarter test will replace the lowest test grade During the fourth quarter, the grade weights will be changed to reflect the emphasis placed on review material for the AP exam.

Seating Chart Initially the seating chart will be alphabetized by last name (to help me learn your names) Periodically, I will scramble the seating chart (using a Java program I created) If you have any special needs (i.e. hearing or seeing issues) that could affect where you need to sit, please let me know.

Textbook

AP Calculus AB Website or OR go to Career Center website ( and pick me from the Faculty/Staff webpageshttp://

Most Importantly Remember… I truly believe in your potential! Have an awesome year! -Mr. Smith