PrecalculusSyllabus

Teacher:Mr.Schievenin
Room:419
Email:brandon@laschina.orgPleaseemailmethroughgradelinkifpossible.Ouremailsystemwillrejectemailsifour
inboxisfull,however,theadministrationwillreceivecopiesofanyemailssentthroughgradelink.
Websites:lasmath.com
OfficeHours:MondayFriday8:008:30,3:454:15

I.CourseOverview:
In this course students will develop a working understanding of functions and graphs, exponential and logarithmic
functions,trigonometricequationsandvectors,matrices,seriesandprobability,asurveyofthreedimensionalgeometry,
andabriefintroductiontolimits,differentials,andintegrals.ThisisapreAPcourse,andistaughtatanacceleratedpace.
Thecourseisdividedintothreedistinctsectionstomeettheneedsofstudents,asexpressedbyformerstudentswho
havetakenPreCalculuspreviously:
1) SAT Preparation and the conclusion of algebraic common core standards (first 8 weeks). During this section,
lessons will either target advanced algebraic common core standards AND/OR focus on the consistently most
missedtopicsassessedbytheSAT,toensurethatstudentshavesomepreparationforthatassessment.
2) Trigonometry and related common core standards (through February or early April). During this section, the
Unit Circle and radians are introduced, and students will begin to use sinusoidal modeling to approximate
periodic functions in the real world. Emphasis is placed on graphing trigonometric functions, which will help
preparestudentsforcollegelevelmathematicscourses(includingAPCalculus)
3) Calculus Preparation based on collegeboard standards (from early April until the end of the year). Students
surveythebasicconceptsofcurvesketching,limits,differentials,andintegrals.Theythenusetheseelementsto
optimize values in the real world (such as determine the size of a box that will hold the most stuff within
dimensionalconstraints,orthetimeitwilltakeaballthrownupwardatagivenvelocitytohittheground.)

II.Textbook:
Larson,Hostetler,andEdwards,PrecalculuswithLimits,Fifthedition
OurtextbooksareveryexpensiveanddifficulttopurchaseinChina.Ifatextbookislostordestroyedbythestudent,the
schoolwillchargethestudentthecostofbuyingandshippingareplacement.

Duetothethreefoldnatureofourcourseobjectives,ourtextbookisnotcomprehensive.Thetextwillbeextensively
supplemented by handouts provided by the teacher, and not used at all for our end of the year survey of limits,
differentials,andintegrals.Studentsareencouragedtovisitkhanacademyand/orschedulemeetingswiththeteacherif
furtherassistanceisrequired.

III.CoreValuesintheClassroom

Compassion
Students are expected to value their fellow students and assist one another in developing n understanding of the
material, while also ensuring that they are tested on their own abilities so that every student knows how much they
knowandreceivesthesupportfromeachotherthattheyneed.Ourcourseisnotarace,andIwillnotreleaseindividual
rankingswithintheclass.Thegoalisforourentireclasstoexcel,asproveninourAPexam,whencomparedtotherest
oftheworld.

Communication
Studentsareexpectedtoaskquestionsiftheyneedhelp,andtakeresponsibilityfortheirunderstandingofthematerial.
Whenrequested,studentsareexpectedtopresentthestepstheyusedtogettotheirconclusions.

Creativity:
Studentsareexpectedtoanalyzeaproblemandselecttherighttoolsneededtosolveit.Studentsareexpectedtobe
able to explain how to solve problems in their own words, and break down difficult concepts in a way that people
withoutexperienceintheirfieldofexpertisecanunderstand.

Confidence:
Students will be called on a lot, and expected to speak often. Risks will be encouraged, with the understanding that
presentingamistakeisanopportunityforcorrectionandultimatelylearning.

IV.GeneralPolicies:Attendance,LateAssignments,andClassroomDisruptions
My general philosophy: I expect that my students will come to class on time and begin working on their do now
activity, so that no class time is wasted. Attendance will be taken every class, and students that arrive late will be
marked tardy on gradelink. Any student that is marked tardy four times will be marked absent. Assignments are
expectedontime.Ifanassignmentneedstobeturnedinlatethisshouldbearrangedwiththeteacheraheadoftime.

Disruptivebehaviorisanybehaviorthatpreventsotherstudentsfromlearningorparticipatinginthelesson.Iwillnot
tolerate disruptive behavior. I will ask a student with disruptive behavior to stop once. If the student continues to
disturbtheclass,Iwillsentthemoutoftheclassandassignthemanabsenceforthatday.

V.RequiredMaterials
Note: All teachers at LAS are encouraging students to reuse materials from one year to the next, due to the large
amountofusablematerialsthrownoutlastyear.Thisyear,ourschoolwillnotprovideclassroommaterialsforstudents
totakehome.Pleasesaveyournotebooksfromthisyearsothatyoucanusethemnextyear.

Students are expected to purchase a graphing calculator for the second semester. I recommend a TI83 Plus (the
calculatorIusepersonally),however,alistofcalculatorsapprovedforuseontheAPCalculusABandBCexaminations
maybefoundonourcoursewebsite.

Studentswillneedpencils,anotebookfornotetaking,notebookpaperandafolderorthreeringbinderforhomework.

VI.Recommendedmaterials

Khanacademy.orghasmathhelpvideoscoveringbasicalgebrathroughthemostadvancedtopicstaughtinCalculusII.

VII.GradingPolicy
Gradeswillbegivenasapercentageoutof100.ThefollowingcriteriawillbeusedtodetermineeachQuartersGrade:

Tests

30%

Projects

20%
Quizzes

25%

Homework

10%

ClassworkandParticipation
15%

Homework:
Students are expected to take some responsibility for their learning process by checking the odd problems in the
homeworkagainsttheanswersinthe backof thebook,andmaking correctionsifpossible.Questions that cannot be
reconciledbythestudentcanberaisedatthenextclass.Homeworknotebookswillbecollectedattheendofevery
weekandgradeswillbeassignedbasedoncompletionoftheassignments.Allhomeworkshouldbecompletedinpencil
or black ink. Students are encouraged to not erase mistake but rather place a single line through the mistake and
correctthework,asthisispartofthelearningprocess.

RetestPolicy:
Ifastudentscoreslessthan65%onatestorquiz,theymayelecttoretakethequiz.Iftheydoso,theirnew
gradewillbecappedateitherthelowestscoreofthestudentthatpassedORtheaverageoftheiroriginal
scoreandretestgrade(whicheverislower).Thisensuresthatitisalwaysbeneficialforastudentthatfailedto
retest,whilealsoensuringthataretestneverdisadvantagesstudentsthatdonotqualifyforretesting.
Studentsthatscorebelow65%onasectionofaquizmayrequestaretestonthatsectiononly,whichwillbe
opentoallstudentsonacasebycasebasis.
VIII.PlagiarismandCheating:
The goal of education is for each student to demonstrate mastery of the content. Cheating deludes the
teachersunderstandingofastudentsabilities.Whilestudentsareencouragedtohelpeachotherunderstand
how to do the homework and classwork, copying answers directly without working on the problem OR
providing any help on tests or quizzes is unacceptable. Any student caught cheating will receive a score of
ZEROontheassignmentinquestion.Ameetingwithadministrationandparentswillbescheduled,andthe
studentsotherassignmentgradeswillnotbeentereduntiltheassignmentthatthestudentwascheatingon
isresubmitted.Nocreditwillbeawardedfortheresubmission.
Wheneverpossible,Iwillcreatemultipleformsofeachtesttoensurethatstudentsdemonstratetheirown
masteryofthecontent.
IX.Dictionaries
MostofourstudentsdonotspeakEnglishastheirfirstlanguage.Forthisreason,electronicdictionarieswillbe
permitted in the classroom for use as dictionaries. If any student is caught using their device for anything
otherthanadictionarywithoutexpresspermissionfromtheteacher,theirdevicewillbeconfiscatedandsent
totheviceprincipal. Asanewschoolwidepolicythisyear,cellulardevicesmaynotbevisibleforanypurpose
within the classrooms. All cell phones will be confiscated and sent to the Vice Principal for pickup. This
includesiphones,soifnecessarypleasebringapaperdictionarytoclass.

Studentswillbecharged25100RMBbytheVicePrincipalforthereturnofanyconfiscateddevice,depending
onhowmanytimesthestudentsdevicehasbeenconfiscated.
Ifanystudenthastheirdeviceconfiscatedtwice,theywillnotbeallowedtousetheirdeviceinclass.

X.Progressreports:
You will receive a progress report after 4 1/2 weeks in each quarter. Additional progress reports may be sent if the
teacherfeelsitisnecessaryforbehaviorproblemsorsignificantchangesinperformance.

Studentsareencouragedtobringquestionstoclass,butiftheystillfeeltheydontunderstand,thentheycanmeetwith
Mr.Brandonafterschoolforadditionalsupport.PreCalculusisnotdifficultifyoustayontopofthematerials.

XI.Parentsaspartners:Donthesitatetocontactmeatbrandon@laschina.org
Parents are encouraged to contact the teacher whenever they have questions or concerns. Please do not wait the
progressreportsorparentteacherconferencesifyouneedtotalktotheteacher.ContactMr.Brandontoarrangea
time to meet. PreCalculus is an advanced math course. You can help If you think your child is struggling, please,
contactmesowecanarrangeforextrasupport.

Curriculum Map
Teacher: Schievenin

Room: 419

Subject: Pre-Calculus (Pre-AP)

Grade: 9-12

The following plan is provided as a guideline. Whenever possible, this plan will be accelerated.

First Quarter Probability and Common Core

Dates: August-October

Topics include:
Random Variables
Probability of singular events, dependent/independent events, mutually exclusive events, and conditional
events
Permutations/Combinations
Binomials/Geometrics
Function notation
Piecewise Functions
Inverse Functions
Domain/Range
Introductory Curve Sketching
Logarithms
Exponents
Factoring Quadratics and Completing a Square
Factoring higher-order polynomials
Long/Synthetic Division

Second Quarter Trigonometry

Dates: October-December

Topics include:
Complex number system
Rational Exponents
Vectors
Right Triangle Trigonometry
Oblique Triangle Trigonometry
Unit Circle Trigonometry
Trigonometric Identities
Sinusoidal Modeling

Third Quarter Advanced Algebra, Geometry

and Limits

Dates: January-April

Partial Fraction Decomposition

Polar Equations
Parametric Equations
Continuity
General Limits
One-sided Limits
Infinite Limits
Difference Quotients and slopes at a point (definition of derivatives)

Fourth Quarter Introductory Calculus

Dates: April-June

Students will:
Be introduced to calculus, the tangent line problem and the definition of a derivative
Power/Quotient/Product/Chain rule of derivation
Derivation of basic trig functions (just sin/cos)
Optimization through derivation
Rates of Change
Introduction to integration and integration by u-substitution
Study area under a curve and understand the derivation of an integral