GEOMETRY
Mr. Porcello
Rules and Procedures
1 - Please be on time. You will have two free tardies per quarter. After the second tardy,
a consequence will be given
2 – Be prepared when you come to class. This includes your book, notebook, pen or
pencil, and your calculator.
3 – Food and Drinks – I will allow drinks as long as it is a bottle. If there is an issue you
will lose your privilege. No food will be allowed in class.
4 – There will be no cell phones. If they are seen, they will be taken.
Homework
Homework will be graded by a spot-check. Homework will be worth 5 points. If you turn your homework in late, you will receive 2 points. If you miss school, it is your responsibility to find out what the missing work was and to complete it in a timely fashion.
Quizzes
There will be at least 2 quizzes during each unit. These quizzes will be worth anywhere from 30 to 80 points. They will cover 3 or 4 sections at a time. These will be a huge part of the grade you will receive in this class. It is imperative that you prepare adequately for these quizzes. If you miss school on a quiz day, you are responsible to set up a time with me to make the quiz up. I will not chase you down.
Notebooks
Taking notes in Geometry is an important part of the class. For the College Prep geometry classes, you will be allowed to use your notes on most of the quizzes. There are an abundance of definitions, theorems, axioms, and corollaries. You will need to know these on a quiz day and they are not very easy to memorize. If you are absent from class, you are advised to get the notes from a classmate.
Technology
You are required to have a calculator in Geometry. Without one you will struggle. I do not have calculators to hand out to you on a daily basis. You will be required to purchase one. I recommend a TI-30, which contains “sin”, “cos”, and “tan.” Please get this calculator as soon as possible. If you know that purchasing a calculator will be difficult, please see me privately to discuss.
Grading Scale
A: 90-100
B: 80-89
C: 70-79
D: 60-69
E: 59 and below
Student Expectations
Geometry might seem different than many of your previous math courses. It is imperative that you attempt to understand the concepts that each topic contains. Geometry uses many of the concepts that you learned in Algebra 1 so it is important that you understand those concepts. You will need to work hard if you want to do well and that includes in the classroom as well as outside the classroom. If you need additional help, I am always available and encourage you to get assistance from me. My door is always open and you should feel free to come in to get help. I am available for help 4th period and 11th period. If these periods do not work for you, please see me and we can set up time before or after school. If you work hard and complete the required work necessary, I am confident that you will be successful in Geometry and also enjoy the class.
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Wickliffe High School
AP CALCULUS
Mr. Porcello
Course Overview
This course teaches all topics associated with functions, graphs, limits, derivatives, and integrals. The objective of the class is to prepare all of you for future mathematics courses. You will be ready to take Calculus or a higher mathematics class upon completion of this class.
Student Expectations
The expectations in this course are considerably higher than they have been in prior math courses. The pace of this class will seem fast so it is imperative that you work hard in class and outside the classroom. This is an honors course so the expectations are high.
Assessment
There will be a combination of homework, class work, reading assignments, and quizzes. We will be using our textbook as well as other resources to aid in your success. Homework will be worth anywhere from 5 to 10 points depending on difficulty and length. Quizzes will be anywhere from one to four sections of material and worth between 30 and 100 points. We will use a standard scale for grades. A = 90%-100%, B = 80%-89%, C = 70-79%, D = 60%-69%, F = 59% and below.
Technology
You will be required to use a calculator on a daily basis. The school will provide a TI-82 Graphing Calculator if you need one. I would highly recommend that you purchase your own calculator. My recommendation would be a TI-83 or a TI-84.
I am looking forward to Calculus. This class will be demanding and at times frustrating. This class builds upon previous math classes, but is very much different than what you might be used to learning in math. Calculus is conceptually based and it is imperative that you strive to understand the “story” behind it.