Mrs. WatsonE-220AND

OnRamps Discovering Precalculus

A little about me:•I am the Math Department Chair.•I have a Master’s in Mathematics from the University of Texas.•I have two sons who both graduated from Bowie.

Our UT coordinators: Dr. Mark Daniels and Jeremiah Lucas

•Mrs. Watson’s e-mail address: lisa.watson@austinisd.org•OnRamps Info website: http://onrampsprecal.weebly.com•University of Texas website: https://onramps.instructure.com/login (you will have a personal login username and password for this)•Textbook: http://opentextbookstore.com/precal

What is OnRamps Precal?

• OnRamps Precalculus is a new opportunity at Bowie to earn dual credit for Precalculus. It is designed and offered in conjunction with the University of Texas as a yearlong high school course taught by Mrs. Watson. If you complete the first semester to a college-ready standard (average 75% or better on the first three unit exams and successfully complete the assigned explorations), you are eligible to enroll in the 3-credit undergraduate course for the spring semester through UT Austin’s University Extension (UEx). If you do not meet the college-ready standard, you will continue to be enrolled in the course at Bowie for the opportunity to earn weighted Precalculus credit.

• A UT Austin instructor will be coordinating with Mrs. Watson to make sure required assignments and assessments are mastered by students. The college instructor will also monitor the grading of these required assignments to ensure college-level rigor is met.

• Based on performance you are awarded a grade by Mrs. Watson for Bowie Precalculus at the end of the spring semester. If you are enrolled in the college course, you will be awarded a college grade by your UT instructor. Your Bowie grade WILL be different from your college grade. If you are enrolled in the college course and complete it successfully you will have a UT Austin transcript.

Things you really need for this class:

• 3-ring binder• Paper• Dividers• TI84 Graphing Calculator• Access to the internet• Ream of paper (to be donated to the class)• 4 AAA batteries OR a box of Kleenex (to be donated to the class)

•Most importantly, you need : a good attitude, an adventurous spirit , a willingness to learn and to not be afraid of making mistakes!

How do I get outside help?

• Mrs. Watson is available for tutoring most mornings from 8:15-8:45 and also offers a weekly FIT session.• JBHS has subscribed to a video tutoring service:

https://www.itutoring.com/ The username is bowiehs and the password is bulldogs.• The online textbook http://opentextbookstore.com/precal is a

valuable resource.• Learning sites such as Wolfram.com and Kahn Academy are also

excellent resources. • We will be working in collaborative teams, so get to know your

classmates and form study groups.• Feel free to brainstorm with your parents and other teachers who

may be interested in helping you work on a problem.

What are the primary learning objectives and expectations for this course?• This is a course about getting students to think deeply and logically

about fundamental ideas related to precalculus mathematics. The hope is that students in this course will realize that mathematics is a creative endeavor that involves exploration, justification, and discovery.• Units that will be covered include:

• Functions, Rates and Patterns• Algebra meets Geometry• Exponential and Logarithmic Functions• Trigonometry• Limits and Rate of Change Functions• Exploring Other Coordinate Systems• Sequence and Series

Academic Integrity

This course is built upon the idea that hands-on learning is an important and powerful way to learn. However, there are times when you need to demonstrate your own independent ability to work and solve problems. Any student found to be engaging in a form of academic dishonesty on behalf of yourself or another student will receive a 0 on the assignment. A second infringement will be reported to the Dean of Students office at the University of Texas at Austin.

Course Expectations/GradesYou are responsible for ensuring that you are prepared for

class.This means completing all course assessments by the

deadlines.

The high school grade will be determined as follows:

• Homework/Explorations: 10%• Quizzes/Presentations: 20%• Tests: 70%

There will be an optional six weeks exam that can replace any non-UT graded test. Students will be required to sign up and come in on their own time if they want to take this exam.

The university grade will be determined as follows:• 7 Unit Exams: 95%• Explorations: 5%

Students must have a university average of at least 75% for the fall semester to be eligible to enroll in the 3-credit undergraduate course for the spring semester through UT Austin’s University Extension (UEx). If you do not meet the college-ready standard, you will continue to be enrolled in the course at Bowie for the opportunity to earn weighted Precalculus credit.

Remember:

This is a pilot year and will be new for all of us; including the UT coordinator, Jeremiah Lucas, and myself! It will be an adventure as we are breaking new ground and all learning together! Let’s make this year together memorable and fun and hopefully set the stage for all the students who will follow in your footsteps!