1. Mr. Bill Keller Advanced Placement Physics I Voice Mail Box 2407
address:
Office hours for tutoring and “make –ups”
--Monday - Thursday: 2:00-2:40 pm

2. Where can students and parents get more information
About Grades: Skyward (get login information from counseling office).
About Assignments, Due Dates, Upcoming assessments, etc: My staff page at the CHS website.
About the AP Exam:
About college AP Policies: Individual college websites.

3. AP Physics One of four AP Physics courses (II, CM, and CEM)
The course is designed to be the equivalent of a first semester algebra based physics class at a research university.
The course is taught as a first year high school course.
A College textbook is used.
The topics covered are chosen by The College Board.
The “Final Exam” is written by the college board.
Pacing and workload is more strenuous than a regular high school course.

4. Pre-enrollment Recommendations
B or better in geometry
B or better in Algebra 3-4

5. Course Requirements
Students are expected to take the national exam given by The College Board on the first Tuesday in May. This has approximately a $93.00 cost
A scientific, graphing, or engineering calculator.
A bound lab composition books.

6. The Exam
The exam is a 3 hour long multiple choice and free response exam.
Scheduled for 12:00 am on Tuesday, May 2nd (same day as comp. sci., and Spanish, same time as Art History).
$93.00 exam registration fee
Copies of past exams can be found at

7. What do the kids get out of taking the exam?
See how they measure up against the brightest kids in the country in chemistry.
If they earn a 3,4,or 5 their course grade will be raised for both semesters 1, 2, or 3 grade increments respectively
If they score well and choose to have their scores reported to colleges they MIGHT receive college credit and/or earn higher course placement.

8. How is the course graded
15% on homework and class work.
Assigned daily from on-line, past AP exams, or study guide.
Webassign: Usually due on Tuesday and Friday…a week after they have been assigned
--Study Guide and AP Problems usually due the day before or the day of a unit exam.
15% on lab work and lab write ups.
16 during the course of the year
70% on tests
4 per semester, plus a final exam that counts as two exams.

9. How can adults help their student to succeed?
Check my staff page to stay up to date on what they should be doing
Encourage them to ask questions and work in class.
Encourage them to do their own work, WHEN IT IS ASSIGNED.
Encourage them to get extra help AS SOON AS TROUBLE STARTS. Don’t let them wait until it is too late.
Encourage them to review and correct assignments before they take the associated test. They need to learn from their mistakes.
ENCOURAGE, ENCOURAGE, ENCOURAGE
Help them prioritize commitments and find time for a balance of activities.

10. Course and Lab Topics
A detailed listing can be viewed at
Big Topics:
Kinematics
Dynamics
Momentum and Conservation
Energy/work/power
Waves especially sound waves
Simple electrical circuits

11. Where do they go from here?
The Curtis High School science department offers six additional upper level elective choices for underclassman that wish to continue in science to consider:
Oceanography
Anatomy/Physiology
Physics
AP Environmental Science
AP Biology
AP Chemistry

12. If you have any individual questions, please feel free to contact me at bkeller@upsd.wednet.edu
Thank you for coming and thank you for sharing your students with me.