SHELTON HIGH SCHOOL

COURSE OUTLINE
College Prep (CP) PHYSICS
YEAR INSTRUCTOR
2023 - 2024 MR. GODDARD

Dear Student & Parent/Guardian:

I will be your child's CP Physics Science teacher for the 2023-2024 school year, and thus, I would
like to introduce myself briefly. I am Mr. James Goddard, a 30+ year veteran Physics, Chemistry,
and Physical Science teacher. I spent most of my high school teaching career in Ohio and
Michigan, preparing students to enter college. I graduated from Michigan State University with a
Bachelor's Degree in Science Education, majoring in Biology, Physics, and Chemistry. 1999, I
completed my Master's Degree in Education from the University of Toledo. I am very active with
the school and its programs and encourage my students to become involved. I coached tennis and
wrestling and directed ski clubs for 15 years. I love teaching science to high school students, as
they are open to the exciting world of science. Junior / Senior years in high school are an
impressionable age for many students, and I feel a tremendous responsibility to help them become
successful with science, as science is a gateway to many fabulous careers and professions,
something we will discuss throughout the year.

Don't hesitate to contact me with any questions, comments, compliments, or concerns. The easiest
way to reach me is via e-mail: jgoddard@[Link]. I will do my best to update
you on class activities and your child's progress. I will communicate with you primarilly via e-
mail and I will "cc" your child on any communications I have with you, as I have learned that if
they are aware of our communication, they will become more open about their success regularly.

I look forward to a great year ahead.

Sincerely,

James Goddard
Mr. James Goddard
jgoddard@[Link]

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College Prep Physics syllabus
Vision
All SHS students will participate in rigorous, standards-based science inquiry and will be prepared for
college-level science coursework and competition in the global marketplace. Students will collaborate
through systematic investigations to foster scientific habits of the mind. Student learning will put
emphasis on group work to establish learning communities through rich, engaging, and relevant science
experiences.

Goals
Students will:

Achieve at or above “goal” as measured by the State of Connecticut science assessments.

• Learn through investigation, exploration, and questioning.

• Experience relevant and real-world science phenomena.
• Practice common scientific language.
• Become self-directed learners.
• Develop critical thinking skills.
• Utilize technology for learning.

Teachers will:

• Be knowledgeable about their science content standards and expectations.

• Use common scientific language.
• Understand and incorporate inquiry-based and student-centered instructional practices.
st
• Include research-based instructional practices that reflect a changing 21 century global
community.
• Identify and emphasize interdisciplinary connections.
• Continually assess student learning using a variety of strategies.
• Integrate technology to enhance instruction.

Parents will:

• Provide a supportive learning environment at home.

• Be actively involved with student learning and achievement.
• Establish early and open communication with teacher.
• Review student assignments for daily completion.
• Support and encourage extra help when necessary.
• Encourage good organizational skills and positive in-class behavior.

Grading

Formal Assessment(s)
-Tests (50%)
- Labs (25%)
- Quizzes (15%)
- Classwork and/or Homework (10%)

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Topic Outline

• Describing Motion: Kinematics in One Dimension

➢ Position and Frame of Reference

➢ Displacement
➢ Average Speed
➢ Average Velocity
➢ Instantaneous Speed
➢ Instantaneous Velocity
➢ Acceleration
➢ Kinematic Equations

• Motion and Force: Dynamics

➢ Vectors and Scalars

➢ Vectors Addition
➢ Vectors Subtraction
➢ Multiplying Vector by a Number
➢ Newton’s First Law
➢ Newton’s Second Law
➢ Newton’s Third Law
➢ Units and SI System
➢ Important Forces
➢ Friction

• Momentum and Impulse

➢ Momentum
➢ Impulse
➢ Elastic Collisions
➢ Inelastic Collisions
➢ Two Dimensional Collisions
➢ Center of Mass
• Work and Energy

➢ Work and Energy

➢ Kinetic Energy
➢ Potential Energy
➢ Mechanical and Other Forms of Energy
➢ Conservation of Energy
➢ Power

• Circular Motion; Gravitation

➢ Circular Motion
➢ Centripetal Acceleration
➢ Universal Gravity
➢ Satellites
➢ Weightlessness

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• Vibrations and Waves

➢ Simple Harmonic Motion

➢ Period and Frequency
➢ Waves Transverse and Longitudinal
➢ Principle of Superposition

• Electric Charge and Electric Field

➢ Electric Charge
➢ Static Electricity
➢ Conductors, Insulators, Semiconductors
➢ Electric Force (Coulomb Law)
➢ Electric Field Lines
➢ Electric Potential

• Electric Currents

➢ Electric Current
➢ Resistance
➢ Ohm’s Law
➢ Electric Circuits
➢ Resistors in Series and Parallel

• Magnetism

➢ Magnetic Force on a Current

➢ Magnetic Force on a Moving Charge
➢ Magnetic Field around a Current
➢ Ampere’s Law
➢ Faraday’s Law of Induction

• Electromagnetic Waves

➢ Changing Electric Fields Produce Magnetic Fields

➢ Maxwell’s Equations
➢ Electromagnetic Waves
➢ Electromagnetic Spectrum
➢ Radio Waves, Microwaves, Infrared Radiation, UV, X-rays, Gamma Rays
➢ Electromagnetic Waves Carry Energy

• Light: Geometric Optics

➢ Light Rays
➢ Mirrors
➢ Index of Refraction and Speed of Lights
➢ Snell’s Law

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Science Requirements and Grading

General:

Science is an important subject to master for any student. Students should expect to spend between 20-60
minutes daily outside of class to help master the concepts covered in class. A textbook has been sent
home with every student and they need to use this to help complete their homework. Many times I will
try to complete work in class to ensure they understand the concepts, but I will often require homework as
well. I will be supplying students with a syllabus to keep track of assignment due dates. I also will post
this information on my webpage [Link] . Please keep in mind
that this web page is currently being developed and will be updated all year as I continually add more
information.

Supplies:
The only supply not needed daily is the textbook.

1. Textbook: Issued and should remain at home

2. Notebook: Preferably a 3-ring binder so that papers can be easily stored and organized.
3. Calculator: Preferably a scientific calculator and/or graphing calculator.
4. Pens and pencils:

Grading:
I will be following the SHS outline for grading, listed on the subsequent pages. One of the items not
listed in the outline is my belief that students learn from their mistakes, therefore I will often times allow
students to redo a quiz, test and/or lab. The “catch” is that they must do this within 1 week of the
assessment and it must be done outside of class, i.e. before school, lunch and/or after school (by 3:15
p.m.). Because I allow students to "redo" most assessments, I will not round up grades. Therefore a
89.9% is not an 90% and therefore would be considered a B+, not an A-. Likewise is true for 79.9%
(C+), 69.9%(D+) and 64.9% (F).

Students who qualify under 504 or Special Education provisions (IEP) will be granted the
accommodations and/or modifications as outlined in their educational plan.

Absences:

Preplanned absences are those considered to be due to doctor appointments, extra-curricular activities or
co-curricular activities. All absences must be cleared through the office and must be entered into the
student data base as excused for the student to be allowed to make up the work missed. Please check with
the high school attendance office if you are uncertain what constitutes an unexcused vs. excused absence.

Students who miss class work and/or assessments due to an "excused" absence will be allowed equal time
to make up the work. The exception is if a student misses the day of the assessment, they should plan on
making up this assessment the day they return. The rationale is that they did not miss instructional time
and should be ready when they return.

Students who miss class work due to co-curricular activities and/or extra-curricular activities are
responsible for the work that they miss. They should arrange in advance of these absences to either meet
with me or have another student tutor them on what they missed.

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Late Work:

Homework that is collected, those students who turn this in late, (turned in after collected in class), may
still be turn it in, but will be reduced 10% per day up to 4 days. After this, the homework not turned in
will receive a zero (0).
I look forward to a wonderful, exciting year. Please keep this sheet, and return the other
signed acknowledging a parent/guardian has received this information. Parents should keep
one copy and students will return the other to receive their first homework grade. Students
will be returned their copy for their own records once I have recorded this in our gradebook.

Sincerely,

James Goddard
Mr. James Goddard
jgoddard@[Link]

Acknowledgement of receiving a copy of the Fall Semester course outline for the 2023-2024
SHS College Prep Physics.

Parent Name: _______________________________ Parent Signature: ___________________

(please print)

Student Name: ____________________________ Student Signature: ______________________

(please print)

(parent copy to keep)

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College Prep Physics Course Outline & Introduction Signature Page

I look forward to a wonderful, exciting year, as well as all students receiving college credit to
jumpstart their post-secondary education. Please return this sheet, and keeep the other signed
acknowledging a parent/guardian has received this information. Parents should keep one
copy and students will return the other to receive their first homework grade.

Sincerely,

James Goddard
Mr. James Goddard
jgoddard@[Link]

Acknowledgement of receiving a copy of the Fall Semester course outline for the 2023-2024
SHS College Prep Physics

Parent Name: ____________________________ Parent Signature:_________________________

(please print)

Student Name: ____________________________ Student Signature: ______________________

(please print)

(Student copy to return to Instructor)