AP Calculus AB Course Description

AP Calculus AB

2012 – 2013

Teacher: Mrs. Lasnier                                                           Tutorial: Tues, Wed,  Fri  from  8:00 – 8:25         

Room: D9                                                                                Conference Period: Period 4

Book:  Finney, Demana, Waits, Kennedy: Calculus, Graphical, Numerical, Algebraic

Contact Info:            llasnier@hbuhsd.edu

                        (714) 536-2514  x4139

Course Description:  This course is designed with 3 main purposes. 1) Prepare you for the AP Calculus exam  2) Approach calculus from 4 angles; those of graphical, numerical, algebraic, and verbal. 3) Prepare you for future calculus courses in college.

The main topics you will learn are limits and continuity, derivatives and their applications, integration and its applications, differential equations and slope fields.

AP Exam: The exam will be given on Wednesday May 8^th, 2013 at 8:00 am.  It is my goal and expectation that each one of you will take the exam.  In a few weeks, I would like you to purchase the Barron’s AP test preparation booklet and I will use it along with our textbook for practice and other activities.  If this presents a problem for you, please come see me so we can work out a solution.

Flipped Classroom:  This year, I am “flipping” my classroom.  This means that most of the instruction and note-taking will be done at home via instructional videos.  In class, we will then practice the material via practice problems from the book and other various activities.  Outlines for class notes, the instructional videos and other class resources will be posted on the Sophia.org website.  Simply go to the site, search for my name and “follow” my course. 

Necessary Items:

1) Textbook (you are required to bring your book every day)

2) Graphing calculator (preferably TI – 83 or TI – 84*)

3) Lined and Graph paper

4) Pencils and pens

5) Barron’s AP Calculus test preparation booklet

  * If you have a different calculator, you will be responsible for learning how it works.

Classroom rules:

• Be on time.
• Bring all required course materials to class (this includes your textbook!).
• Respect the rights and property of others.
• Cooperate with your teacher and classmates.
• No cell phones of any kind, iPods, mp3 players in class (unless needed for a class assignment)

Basic Student Responsibilities:

• Keep track of your own progress, missed assignments, test and quiz dates.
• Follow instructions precisely.
• Keep yourself up to date on all course content, including the material covered during an absence.
• Accept responsibility for grades and other consequences.

Make-Up/Late Work:

• There will NOT be excused late homework.  If it is not completed by the deadline, it will be marked down based on how late it is.  (This is because the homework will be the note taking, and students do not need to have been in class to be able to take notes on the new content)
• Class work that is missed due to an excused absent will not be marked down.  If the absence is unexcused, then it will be marked down based on how late it is.
• No late work, make-up work, make-up tests, or make-up quizzes will EVER be accepted the last week of either semester.

Test Retakes:

• Test retakes will be allowed for any test (except those given during the last 2 weeks of the semester)
• Students will be given their retake score, up to a maximum of 70%
• Students must retake their test within 2 weeks of when the graded tests are returned in class (even if they are absent on that day)
• If a student was absent on the original test day, they must complete their make-up test within 1 week of the original test day.  (Certain exceptions may apply; however, if you miss the 1 week deadline, you will not be eligible for a retake)

First Five Quizzes:

• A short quiz of 5 questions will be given at the beginning of each block period (unless it is a test day).
• The content of the quizzes will be prerequisite skills that I am confident you know.  The purpose is to keep important skills fresh as well as help your overall test average.
• The quizzes will not be on new material.  They are not unit quizzes.
• These quizzes do not need to be made up if you are absent.
• Scores will be added up at the end of the semester.  Your “score” will be your percentage of how many points you earned out of the total number of points.  That percentage (not your total points) will be your “first five test” score out of 100.

Semester Grades will be based on the following percentages (rounded to the nearest whole percent):

          A       =        90 or greater

          B        =        80 – 89

          C        =        70 – 79

          D       =        60 – 69

          F        =        59 or lower

These overall class percentages will be based on the weighted average of the following categories.

Miscellaneous info:

1) All class notes, videos, and most class handouts can be found by checking my tutorials on Sophia.org

2) You can check your grades on the parent portal.  Grades will hopefully be updated every two weeks.

3)  All school policies will be followed including the tardy policy and cell phone policy. Please see parent/student handbook for information on school policies.

I have read and agree to the aforementioned class policies:

Student name (print)_______________________________________   Date ____________

Student signature ________________________________________     Date ____________

Parent/Gaurdian name (print)________________________________      Date ___________

Parent/Gaurdian signature__________________________________       Date___________

Parents, this year I would like to compile an address book with your email addresses so I can send out announcements and make efforts toward more frequent communication.  I would greatly appreciate if you could include your email address on this sheet with your signature.  Thanks!  I look forward to working with your child this year.

Parent email: __________________________________________________________________