Honors Pre-Calculus

Course Expectations

Welcome to Honors Pre-Calculus

This rigorous course is designed for students who intend to take Advanced Placement Calculus next year. The expectation is that students have mastered and retained the skills and concepts learned in Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry. We will use minimal class time to review these skills and concepts. I am looking forward to assisting you in learning and have high expectations of you for this year. If we work together, it will be a rewarding and successful year for all!

Objectives To make sense of problems and persevere in solving

them.

To reason abstractly and quantitatively.

To construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

To model real world situations with mathematics.

To use appropriate tools strategically.

To attend to precision.

To look for and make use of structure.

To look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

Topics of Study Transformations of Functions Periodic Functions and Their

Graphs Area Under a Curve as the

foundation for integration Inverses, Exponentials, and

Logarithmic Equations and Applications

Limits at infinity and at a point Properties of functions

including: continuity, increasing vs. decreasing, and concavity

Average rates of change and instantaneous rates of change

Polar graphical systems. Applications of vectors and

trigonometric functions Algebraic fluency and

simplification techniques Modeling using a variety of

functions Slope and Curve Analysis Rules of Derivatives

Required Materials

• Pre-Calculus Text with an acceptable cover.• A sharpened pencil, pen, highlighter and colored pencils.• A notebook with a supply of notebook & graph paper. • A graphing calculator – TI - nspire or TI-84+ recommended

(any graphing calculator is fine).• Two dry-erase markers or 1 dry erase eraser or 1 pack of

post-it notes or two boxes of tissues or 4 “AAA” batteries. (These items will be collected at the beginning of the year for the classroom.)

Grading Scale & Weights

Note: Current grades are accessible on the parent viewer.

Grading Scale

A 90.0 – 100%

B 80.0 – 89.99%

C 70.0 – 79.99%

D 60.0 – 69.99%

F 59.99% and below

Weighting of Grades %

Individual Assessments 80%

Team Assessments and Small Quizzes

15%

Coursework 5%

Examples of items in the grading categories

Individual Tests (80%) Team Assessments & Small Quizzes (15%)

Coursework (5%)

Individual Tests Team Tests Class Presentations

Larger Announced Individual Quizzes

Homework Quizzes Participation Quizzes

Formative Quizzes Technology Activities

Entrance/Exit Slips Projects

Math Notes Quizzes Homework Completion Checks (very rare)

Graded Assignments Participation/Blogs

Small Quizzes

Individual Tests & Quizzes• Individual tests will be administered after each chapter or unit on Math

Test Day (Tuesday or Friday). If you are absent for a test, you are expected to make up the test in the testing center between 7 AM and 4 PM the day you return to school unless previous arrangements have already been made. Failure to do so will result in a 10% reduction in score. If you are absent for a test, but are present in school anytime during the day, you will be expected to take the test before leaving the building that day or face a 10 percent reduction in score, unless previous arrangements have already been made. Individual quizzes will be given periodically; they may or may not be announced.

If you feel that I have made a grading error or you disagree with a grade; you must state your case in writing, attach your written case to the original graded assignment, and submit it to the “inbox” on my desk.

Team Tests & Quizzes

• Team tests will be given at the end of most chapters or units on Math Test Day (Tuesday or Friday). If you are absent for a team test, please understand that you may have to take the test individually if others are not absent. Team quizzes may be given periodically; they may or may not be announced.

Homework Quizzes, Entrance/Exit Slips, Graded

Assignments• Homework will be assigned almost every day. Homework is an essential part of this class. It provides additional instruction, practice and reinforcement of newly acquired concepts. Assignments will be posted in the classroom and online. It is your responsibility to write them down in class or find them online. Assignments are to be done in pencil only on a separate sheet of paper. Correct your homework in pen. This way, mistakes and weak areas will be easily identified. Homework quizzes may be given for points without prior notice. Be prepared to share your solutions with the class. Select homework assignments may be collected and graded.

Class Presentations, Projects, Participation,

Homework Checks• Class presentations, portfolio assignments, and projects will be given

periodically during the course. They will be discussed in more detail when assigned. Very rarely will I check your homework simply for completion, so it is a good idea to do your homework honestly and ask questions when you do not understand.

Assistance & Homework Help

• Assistance: I am here to help you so if at any time you are having a problem pertaining to this class please see me immediately so that we can remedy the problem as quickly as possible. I am available most days both before and after school. The Math Lab is also available during the school day.

• Homework & Homework Help: It is important that you complete EVERY homework problem. This course is designed to “spiral”, meaning that topics are visited more than once, so you need to do all problems to get a complete understanding of the material. Helpful hints and example problems to assist you with your homework are available online in the student section at www.cpm.org.

Assignments & Grading• Assignments will be posted in the classroom and online. It is your

responsibility to write them down in class or find them online. • Both a Team Test and an Individual Test will be given after each unit of study

and will always be announced in advance. Quizzes will be given periodically, and they may or may not be announced.

• Formative Assessments, Presentations, and Class Observations will also factor into your grade.

• Graded assignments and projects will be given periodically during the course. They will be discussed in more detail when assigned.

• I will not grade on a curve nor will grades be rounded. However, bonus questions will appear occasionally.

On my page, you will find daily lessons, homework, upcoming tests and quizzes as well as some of the class resources. To get to my page follow these steps:

1.   Go to the Solon Schools web page www.solonschools.org

2.    Choose Schools

3.    Choose SHS 9-12

4. Choose Staff Directory

4.    Scroll down to my name (Charlotte Holman)

5.    Choose “Calendar”

6.    Choose the appropriate class

Internet Information

Tonight’s Assignment• HW 1.1.1: Problems 1-5 to 1-12 (pg. 5)Use the Parent Graph Toolkit for problem 1-5. You will be using this throughout the

year; so complete it neatly.

• Pre-requisite Skills Packet due Tuesday 9/1 – please follow instructions in packet!

• Student Information Sheet – google form – link on FIS

We’re All in This Together!

Welcome to Honors Pre-Calculus! It is valuable to have fun while learning; but the fun must be shared by all; be within

the rules; and never be at the expense of others or their learning as well as match

the appropriateness of the situation.

10 Keys to A Good AttitudeIN

TEG

RI

TY

Trust is the basis of all good relationships and a cornerstone of good character. Your integrity is your gift to yourself and to people around you. Are you true to your very best self? Do you always do what is right, even when it is costly or difficult? Do you stay true to your values and resist temptation? Are you truthful, sincere, and straightforward? Do you keep your promises? Do you follow through on commitments? Are you honest? Are you loyal? Ask yourself, did I turn in my own work which reflects my ownunderstanding?

Honesty/Trustworthiness

A Boiled Seed Cannot Sprout

“To Thine Own Self Be True.” – William Shakespeare

What you are is as important as what

you do

“Who you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you’re saying.” – Ralph

Waldo Emerson