Instructor: Dr. Eric Aurand

Office: Bin 320

Office Hours: 10-11MWF, 3-4:30 MW, 12-2 TR

or by appointment

(Note: I have an open door policy. Please feel free to come in and ask questions anytime I am in my office.)

Office Phone: 886-5435

Email: eric_aurand@tamu-commerce.edu

Web Page: http://www.tamu commerce.edu/coas/math/FACULTY/AURAND/aurand.html

Texts: Precalculus: A Study of Functions and Their Applications by Swanson, Anderson, Keeley

Calculus Concepts: An Informal Approach to the Mathematics of Change 2^nd Ed. by LaTorre, Kenelly, Fetta, Carpenter, and Harris

(Note: We will not be directly following the text because it was not written for a math modeling of science course. I will be taking problems from the text and it will serve as an excellent reference. We will be using a great deal of outside resources.)

Necessary Materials: You will need a notebook for your class notes and handouts. Colored pencils and rulers are always handy. You will need a graphing calculator. I will be using a TI-83 plus in class. If you cannot afford one please see me as there are a limited number of 83-plusses that the math department loans per semester for a small lending fee.

Course Description and Goals: This is really a three pronged course: mathematics / science / technology. Mathematics will serve as the basis of the course and we will cover the following topics: Trigonometric functions and relations, limits, sequences, series, rate of change, derivative concepts, extrema, points of inflection, accumulating change, and definite integrals.

Through hands-on activities, science topics will be woven in with and under the mathematics topics. Distance, velocity, and acceleration will be important foundational topics from science, but we will also use the tools of trigonometry and calculus to investigate other science topics.

Technology will be a vital part of the course. You will make heavy use of graphing calculators and will also learn how to use the calculator based ranger (CBR), calculator based laboratory (CBL)/ Vernier LabPro equipment and probes, Vernier LoggerPro software, World In Motion physics video analysis software, TI Graph Link, etc.

Course Atmosphere: We will be making use of inquiry based learning, group and cooperative learning, technology and hands-on activities. The knowledge you gain in regard to teaching strategies that incorporate these elements is just as important in today's mathematics and science teaching environments as the content knowledge you gain.

*** Study Help *** A terrific way to get help is to have a study group. Another great sources of help is your instructor. Please make use of my office! :)

Course Grading: Your grade will be based upon In Class Activities, Homework and Quizzes, 3 In-class Exams, a Group Project, and a Comprehensive Final Exam. The group project will focus on applying calculus to a science scenario and will be spread throughout the semester. The project will be broken down into smaller pieces that will be put together in one long semester project.

Course grades will be determined as follows:

Class Activities, Homework, Quizzes 25%

Exams 45%

Group Project 10%

Comprehensive Final Exam 20%

Class Participation: This is not the kind of course where you can just sit back and listen and take a few notes. It is important that you be engaged in discussions, ask questions and be actively involved in all activities in order to fully benefit from the course and indeed be successful in it. It is extremely important that you attend class and you will be held responsible for all class activity assignments.

Absences: I follow the university guidelines (see the Student Handbook) regarding absences, however I may consider absences which were truly unavoidable as excused. (A good general rule of thumb to follow is to ask yourself whether or not you would be absent from school if you were a first year teacher.) No make-ups will be given without a university authorized excuse.

“All students enrolled at the University shall follow the tenets of common decency and acceptable behavior conducive to a positive learning environment.” (See Student’s Guide Handbook, Policies and Procedures, Conduct)

Students requesting accommodations for disabilities must go through the Academic Support Committee. For more information, please contact the Director of Disability Resources & Services, Halladay Student Services Bldg., Room 303D, (903)886-5835