Circled laboratory reports get written up using spread sheet (tables, xy scattergraph charts) and word processing software (text with tables and charts pasted in), handed in, and marked using a rubric. Software such as Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, or OpenOffice.org can be used for these reports.
Lab
Date
Due date
L02
3 June
11 June
L05
10 June
17 June
L06
15 June
25 June
L10
24 June
02 July
L12
30 June
09 July
L14
06 July
13 July
Lecture and laboratory topic titles with cross-references to the text section number. The numeric prefixes correspond to the textbook section.
Key
Topic
Lecture
Laboratory
L00
Measures
Metrics
sticks & stones
L01
Measures
011 What are your measurements?
012 Density
L02
Motion
021 How slow are you?
022 Linear motion
L03
Motion
031 Arc of a sphere
032 Acceleration of gravity
L04
Motion
041 Banana leaf marble ramp
042 Conservation of momentum
L05
Forces
051 Newton's laws
056 Hooke's law
L06
Heat
061 Temperature
062 Conduction of heat
L07
Earth
071 Hide and seek
072 Latitude
L08
Weather
081 Humidity and precipitation
082 Clouds
L09
Sound
091 Waves
092 Speed of sound
L10
Optics
101 Lenses
102 Ref[le|ra]ction
L11
Spectra
111 Electomagnetic waves
112 CD spectroscope
L12
Magnetism and electricity
121 Magnetism
122 Circuits
L13
Chemistry
131 Introduction to the elements
132 Acids & Bases
L14
Astronomy
Planetary presentations
Final practical
L15
Cosmology
MITC
152 Site swap notation
SC 130 Physical Science syllabus
Textbook: Physical Science by Dana Lee Ling
Required materials: Scientific calculator, 30 cm ruler, graph paper.
Recommended materials: Sunglasses, digital watch with chronograph.
Office hours: After lecture Monday & Friday. See also alternate contact information below.
Instructor: Dana Lee Ling
Email: dleeling@comfsm.fm
Web site: http://www.comfsm.fm/~dleeling/physci/
Social media: http://www.facebook.com/danaleeling | http://danaleeling.blogspot.com
Attendance: Students who are absent for more than four lecture classes can be dropped from the course. A late is one third of an absence. Thus any combination of MWF absences and lates that exceeds four can result in withdrawal. Students who are absent for more than two laboratories can also be dropped from the course. All absences are initially considered unexcused. Absences can be excused from the four absence limit for medical or official education-related travel. Appropriate documentation is required such as a note from the physician (doctor) or, in the case of education-related travel, some form of written or electronic communication from official sponsors of the travel.
Drug policy: No betel nut in class nor on campus except in the cultural huts. No chewing of betel nut during class. Chewing betel nut during class can result in dismissal from class for that day.
Evaluation and assessment:Tests are given every Friday.
Grading policy: Attendance, homework, quizzes, tests, laboratory reports, and the final are marked and generate points. Both laboratories and tests are important in this demanding and difficult course. This course places more value on work done over the term than on a cumulative final examination. This course is about researching a system and writing a report on the findings. The course focuses on science as a process, not a memorized collection of facts. Success in this course depends on consistent completion of work throughout the term. There is no way to bring a grade up late in the term. Your grade is a reflection of a body of work during the term. The final letter grade is based on the standard College policy: Obtain 90% of the points or more to obtain an A, 80% to 89% for a B, and so forth.
Laboratories: Laboratories are central to the course. To the extent possible, each day focuses on the laboratory with lecture in support of the laboratory exploration. Circled laboratories are written up, submitted, and marked using a rubric. Each written lab has its own rubric, all are based to a lesser or greater extent on the generic rubric. Laboratory write-ups are composed of a single word processing document created with Microsoft Word or OpenOffice.org Writer. Tables, graphs, and analysis done in a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice.org Calc should be copied and pasted into the word document in the appropriate order. Laboratories are due as per the schedule above. Laboratories can be sent by email, this does not change the due date/time or submission guidelines. Summer is very short and brief. Late laboratories will not be accepted. As noted, this is a difficult course.
Academic Honesty Policy: Cheating on an assignment, quiz, test, midterm, or final will result in a score of zero for that assignment, quiz, or examination. Due to our cramped quarters, the course operates by necessity on a system of personal integrity and honor.