Welcome Back and General Information

The 2008-2009 school year has started. Welcome to Foundations of Physics and Chemistry.

Foundations of Chemistry and Physics is a two semester class at Grant for those that are not going directly into chemistry. Many students take chemistry the next year and this is recommended for college bound students. Others complete their science requirements by taking Forensics, Oceanography, or Astronomy.

We will spend the first semester on chemistry topics. This semester is a challenging and thorough preparation for further chemistry. We will focus on chemical and physical properties of matter, the atomic model, the periodic table and chemical reactions. The second semester will address major topics in physics, such as velocity, acceleration, energy, gravity, and waves. In second semester there will also be a short unit on Earth and space science. Throughout the year, students will participate in weekly lab experiences to keep the curriculum real and hands-on.

Grades:
Approximately 50% daily work in and out of class, 50% quizzes and tests
Extra credit is available.

Please see the link to class routines at the right or here to see how the class operates and how you can help your child be successful in class.

Week 10- Energy, 4/13-4/17

Goals:
1. Define Energy, Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy and Work.
2. Solve problems using the equations for Energy, Potential Eenrgy, Work and Kinetic Energy.
3. State and apply the concept of conservation of Energy.

Activities:
Mon. Go over test. Start Homework: Work and Energy Reading Guide
Tuesday: Go over homework. Practice with Energy calculations. Introduce conservation of energy.
Thursday: Energy Transformations Lab
Friday: Review, Quiz.

Notebook:
1. Work and Eenrgy Reading Guide.
2. Conservation of Eenrgy Notes.
3. Conservation of Energy Worksheet.
4. Energy Transformation Lab Handout.

Week 7 March 19-20

Goals:
Calculate Velocity
Make velocity graphs from split time data
Describe how speed changes based on distance graphs.
Match velocity and Distance graphs.

Activities:
Monday: Go over returned quizzes.
Tuesday: Practice MAtching Graphs
Thursday: Run on track and analyze speed data.
Friday: Finish work, review and quiz

Notebook:
1. Returned Quiz
2. Experimental Science Graphs
3. Grant Runners
4 Graphs

Goals:
1. Be able to calculate average velocity from its definition, vel = change in distance/change in time.
2. Be able to calculate average velocity from time vs. distance graphs.
3. On a distance vs. time graph, be able to describe how speeds change, based on the slopes of the graph.

Activities:
Monday: Work on gliders
Tuesday: Race Gliders and calculate their average speeds
Block day: Work on making and understanding graphs of motion. Homework: Graph and answer questions about motion data. (Sorry this isn't currently available online.)
Friday:Continue graphing activity. Review and quiz

Notebook:
1. Glicer Results Data Table
3. Flo Jo reading, questions and data table
4. Distance Graph
5. Velocity Graph

Week 4 Feb. 23-27

Goals:
1. Explain how Newton's 1st and 3rd Laws apply to the flight of a glider.
2. Analyze real world situations in terms of Newton's Third LAw
3. Describe what causes terminal velocity and show how it is related to the mass of the dropped object.

Activities:

Monday: Go over Test. Start Poster Project.
Tuesday: Finish Posters. Present to class.
Thursday: Coffee Filter Lab with Terminal Velocity
Friday: Go over results, review and quiz


Notebook:
1. Warm up 2/24
2. CoffeeFilter Lab.

Weeks 2 and 3 Feb 9 - Feb 20

Goals:
1. State Newton's First and Third Laws
2. Define inertia and relate it to mass.
3. Use the first law to explain motion.
4. Apply the third law to everyday situations including how a glider gets lift.
5. Describe the general effects of a net "unbalanced" force.

Activities
Mon9 - Friday 13 I had a sub.
Students watched October Sky and did problems from the textbook

Tues. 17: Lecture and work on practice problems
Blockday: Magnet Lab and Notes
Friday: Poster Project and Quiz. Turn in Notebooks.

Notebook Contents:
1. Questions from Textbook: p 362 1-4, 6; p. 369 1,3,4; p377 1, 5-7; p. 384 11-19, 28
2. October Sky worksheet.
3. Concept development worksheets (2)
4. Notes on First and Third Laws.

Sem 2 week 1 Feb 2 - 6

Goals:
1. Know how a spring's stretch is related to the applied force.
2. Draw Force Diagrams correctly: Vectors(arrows) start on object feeling the force, direction is in the direction of the force, length is proportional to the force.
3. Know that forces are pushes or pulls
4. Know that no movement means the forces are balanced.
5. Know that weight is different than mass - it is the force due to gravity.
6. Know that 1 Newton is the weight of about 100 grams (two hexnuts).

Activities:
Mon: Explore how forces work together to affect the flight of a glider.
Tuesday: Lecture, notes and worksheet on Forces basics.
Thursday: Spring lab Finish graph and questions as homework.
Friday: Finish up lab. Review and Quiz.

Notebook:
1. Forces Exploration
2. Notes-Forces
3. Forces - Practice Worksheet
4. Spring Lab
5 Graph