Course Syllabus

Honors Pre-Calculus 1 Syllabus:

At the beginning of class, I would ask that you please be in the classroom before the classroom door is closed.  If you are tardy, please refer to your handbook for the W.H.S. tardy policy.

Each day to class, you should bring the following:

• Textbook
• Three-ring binder or folder for notes
• Paper / Pencil with a good eraser/Highlighters 
• Calculator*
  *You should have your own scientific calculator.  A Texas Instruments TI-30X is sufficient.  A graphing calculator is optional--if you want to go ahead a get one, you'll use it for calculus as well.  If you decide to purchase one, get a Texas Instruments TI-84 ("+" or "C").  If you don't want to purchase a graphing calculator yet, we have a class set that you can use during the class period.

Food and drink are not permitted in-class with the exception of water. 

Cell phones and other (non-calculator) electronic devices:  Cell phone use of any kind will not be allowed during class because it is a huge distraction from learning.  No electronic devices of any kind are permitted during any form of in-class assessment. If out during an assessment you will receive a '0' on the assessment.   

And now, to the grade-related material:

Homework will be assigned daily and graded through several methods:

• Collection and evaluation for accuracy,
• Credit check for completion in-class, and
• Homework quizzes where you will be allowed you use your homework as a reference.

A couple of notes on the homework category:

• I expect all of your work to be shown neatly and in pencil!!!
• You should show your work for all homework problems. The goal of homework is to practice the methods we have learned so that you improve, not to just write a bunch of numbers down on a piece of paper!  Having only answers for any assignment will result in a grade of zero for that assignment.

Make-up work is your responsibility, and must be made up in a timely fashion and in accordance with the school’s make-up policy.  If you are absent, check the make-up folder on the bookshelf to get the class notes and assignment. You have two weeks AT THE MOST to make up tests, quizzes, and homework of any kind; after that, I reserve the right to give you a zero.  This is partly for my benefit (record-keeping is difficult!), but mostly for yours—if you wait too long, you will not remember the material and will not receive a good grade on whatever you missed.  Furthermore, a short illness or absence should not affect your ability to return to school and pick up where you left off. All assignments are posted on Canvas.

Cheating:  If you are caught cheating OR allowing another student to cheat off of your work, you will receive a zero for that grade and a phone call home.  The second time you are caught cheating, there will be more severe penalties according to school policy.  Therefore, cover your work at all times during tests and quizzes, and do not talk! 

Plagiarism: If you copy down the homework problems from the answer key or from Slader, then you have copied down someone else's work and that is plagiarism. You will receive a zero for the assignment.

Extra Credit:  I will offer very little extra credit in this course.  This is a guarantee, as I feel that I offer you more than enough legitimate opportunities to earn your credit.  I am a fair person, and this will be a fair course; with enough effort put forth by you, you will be successful in here without the extra credit.

Trimester Grades will be calculated using the following weights:

• 60% Tests and Quests, 30% Quizzes and 10% Homework
• Final Trimester Grades: 80% Trimester Grade and 20% Final Exam
• All grades will follow the standard W.H.S. grading scale.

We will cover the following chapters during this trimester:
Functions and their Characteristics
Modeling with Functions
Trigonometric Functions of Real Numbers
Trigonometric Functions of Angles
Analytic Trigonometry
Polar Coordinates

What I expect of Honors Students:  Honors courses are designed for students who consistently exceed the objectives and expectations of the basic curriculum, both in terms of content knowledge and application.  The coursework of an honors class includes an emphasis on abstract materials, higher-level thinking, and problem solving.  While you should have at least an interest in advanced mathematics and science, a love for independent work, strong self-discipline, and the ability to focus in order to meet rigorous expectations and timelines is a must.  Successful completion of honors courses not only prepares you to achieve at the highest levels within the walls of WHS, but prepares you for success at the post-secondary level as well.  By signing up for this class, you understand my expectations—and are looking forward to the challenge! 

*This syllabus is subject to change; throughout the trimester, changes may be made as the learning needs of our class dictate.  Be sure to pay close attention in class for any changes!