Grades

I have been looking at exam grades this morning. There are about 30 people on the roster with one exam score missing, either exam 1 or exam 2 -- due to absence, scantron messup or some other reason. That leaves more than 400 others with both exams on the books, and their scores are up in Webcourses.

For this large group, here are some specs:

1. Exam 1 avg. was 72%.
2. Exam 2 avg. was 71%.
3. Both averages are in the normal range I look for. I never give letter grades on individual exams, but if I did, 71% and 72% would be C grades, or C+ if you count + and - letter grades.
4. Looks like maybe eight people have qualified for SSG leader invitations, exam avg. 90% or more... though I have to check a few section 0003 scantrons manually, so it might be that one or two more students qualify in section 0003.
5. About 9 students who took both exams have not gotten up to a passing average (50%). Usually this number is about the same as students at 90% or higher, so this is normal for exam grades.
6. Don't forget, though, that in addition to exams, your CPS and homework scores will combine for a nice chunk of points, 40 points possible, by the end of the semester, which will balance out some low score effects from exams.
7. So stay with it and keep doing your HW and CPS faithfully, and keep that at a high level so that you can get 38 or 39 or 40 of that CPS/HW chunk of points. Those points will come in like the cavalry at the end of the semester. Nice.

Exam 2 grades UP

I just uploaded the exam 2 grades, both sections. Go have a look.

NOTE:

1. Since Exam 2 was all scantron and no SMA, the "..Exam 2 scantron" row will be the same as the main "Exam 2" row.
2. Exam 3 and 4 plus the final exam will have SMA, so we will be back to normal.
3. I will be looking at exam 1 and 2 grades this weekend, with an eye toward SSG activity. More on Monday.

Today's podcast is up, and so is its doc cam.

The short lecture we had this morning before the SMA review is now on iTunes U. It is basically a few minutes narration of the doc cam session concerning HW 12. The doc cam PDF of this morning's lecture is now up, too, in Webcourses.

GO FOR IT.

More decode

The answers from the geometric/dynamic code question from Tuesday's lecture is up:

Describe the relationship between
1. the speed at point B and
2. the shape and size of the trajectory.

Look for it in the Sir Isaac Newton folder.

Think of all the true/false questions I could write for the midterm, based on these two questions. Excellent.

Code and decode

The dynamic code question from Tuesday and Wednesday CPS sessions looks very interesting. I made up a page with all of Section 0004's answers for the first pendulum question, "Describe the motion of the pendulum from point A to point C." There are some interesting patterns. All answers are sorted into groups.

Have a look at the dynamic codes blurb page in Webcourses, with the Sir Isaac Newton icon. I will be asking some code type questions on the midterm.

Thursday lecture lost in space!

The podcast I recorded on Thursday went off into the ozone layer somewhere. I cannot recover any of it. I prefer to blame it on Agent Smith, in his unending quest for Mr. Anderson.

However, you can get the drop on Agent Smith. He will be surprised to see you locking in on the Wednesday and Friday lecture podcasts for Section 0004. Do that with the PDF of the Thursday doc cam work, and you are ready to go.

But to throw off Agent Smith, I also made two mini-podcasts for iTunes U titled February 18, and they appear normal. Good. That is what we want him to think.

Homework 12 is ready.

You have a bunch of table type exercises for Homework 12. It is ready now, due at the usual times on Monday for section 0004 and on Tuesday for section 0003.

EXTRA READING NOTE: Read the blurb on p.127 about the concept of power, the rate at which energy is used, dissipated etc.

Doc cam files are UP.

The doc cam work for this week is all in PDF and slotted into the doc cam folder in Webcourses.

Lots of calculating, lots of diagramming, and behind it all: lots of thinking about dynamical states. Excellent.

Over half of Section 0004 on iTunes U.

Students in section 0004 MWF, iTunes U is now tracking over half of you. Good.

We need ALL of you on there, though. GO GET ON THERE!!!!!!!

Gloria's S.I. Review #2

Gloria Scott has a special review session arranged for next Monday evening, February 22. Here are the specs.

Monday, February 22

6:00 - 8:00 PM

Location: HPA119

Try to make it even for 30 minutes. Gloria's review sessions really help. She says that HPA119 is a bigger room, plenty of seats. :)

She will also hold the regular S.I. sessions on the regular schedule Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Good.

Splitting CPS data

I am in the process of splitting CPS data. Be patient if you see more rows in your My Grades page without any data. It takes time.

More iTunes U updates

I just updated a bunch of your "Is on iTunes U" specs on the My Grades page in Webcourses. You all who were accessing iTunes U for the first time on Friday last week through Monday this week, you are now on the scoreboard.

Everybody who is still not showing up as subscribed, bring in your laptop tomorrow or Friday and we can double check.

Homework is ready

Section 0003 students in T/Th lecture, your next homework assignment is up. Very basic, HW 11 has a simple calculationa nd a few conceptual questions. GO FOR IT!

Section 0004, you only live twice, so look for HW11 tomorrow after lecture!

Today's CPS scores are up.

You MWF students in section 0004, your CPS data are up in Webcourses. 6 questions.

The T/Th students will have to wait until tomorrow for fresh CPS data. Good.

Exam 1 blurb sheets are up for MWF section 0004.

If you have your exam printout, which we have been handing back after class, then you can look up the basic concept for each question you answered incorrectly on Exam 1. This is very nice when preparing for the final exam.

Look for your blurb sheet in the William Hung folder on the home page in Webcourses.

You guys in the T/Th section 0003, we will be getting your blurb sheets together in the next day or so. Good.

Average and max

Students on iTunes U had higher exam average on Exam 1, and the top scores on Exam 1 were from students on iTunes U.

Nice.

Go

CPS data up to date

CPS scores, study guides and log from Wednesday through Friday are now up to date in Webcourses. YAY.

Podcasts up

This weeks lectures are all up on iTunes U.

Get yourself subscribed this week so that we can execute the special strategy.

Splits

Wednesday and part of Thursday CPS points are up now.

You guys in T/Th section 0003, I have to split your CPS data into two parts, so you will have another three points coming in on the "C10-L14" row of your My Grades page, tomorrow (Friday) about lunchtime.

These staggered sections are SO lovely and easy to handle! Excellent.

CPS soon

I am in the process of sorting out the CPS scores for both sections, so the L13-C10 rows are in your My Grades page now, but it will be later tonight. Do not fret.

Homework 10 ready, with a reprieve for the MWF students.

I told you guys in section 0004 that HW 10 would be ready by lunchtime. But it is now closer to supper time, and with schedules like you guys have, I decided to give you a reprieve and make the HW due on Monday. So give it a shot tonight, see if you can grapple it, and then report for lecture tomorrow and get the rest of the momentum story. Then over the weekend, you go back in on your next attempt and crush it.

Section 0003, you guys have until Tuesday, like usual. GO FOR IT!

Homework 9 is running now for MWF students.

Section 0004 students, your new homework on today's chapter 6 lecture is now UP. It is due at the normal time on Wednesday.

It also includes some challenge questions for those of you who read ahead into the chapter.

Also, your visual podcasts of Friday's and today's lectures are now available in iTunes U. Good.

Scantron scores are UP for MWF section 0004.

You guys in MWF section 0004 now have your exam 1 scantron scores up in Webcourses. Look in the "..Exam 1 scantron" row for your score. It indicates one point per question, out of 35.

I will now set up everybody's "Exam 1" data -- adding the SMA and scantron numbers.

Homework 8 is running.

You guys in section 0003 now have Homework 8 to get into. The due date is as usual, next Tuesday. It includes some questions that require you to read the textbook's section about tides and THINK.

Excellent.

Scantron scores are UP for Tuesday/Thursday

Section 0003 T/Th, your scantron scores are now up.

Comments:
1. The "..Exam 1 scantron" score is just the number of points from your scantron, one point pre question. So if that row reads a 27, that is 27/35.
2. Some of you were present but have no score -- probably because of a scantron problem. You will have to wait until Thursday, when I actually get the scantrons back. They have to be graded by hand.
3. You can figure out your total Exam 1 score now by adding up two rows: "..Exam 1 SMA" and "..Exam 1 scanton"
4. I will update the total, in the "Exam 1" row, when I have the scantron scores for the MWF students, too. That might be Thursday or Friday.
5. I do not give letter grades on exams.

This exam came back relatively quickly. Nice.

Average for all those who got a score: 24.6/35, about 70%. Decent.

Section 0004 SMA scores are now up, too.

Section 0004, five points from your midterm exam 1 are now up in Webcourses. It is in the row labeled "..Exam 1 SMA" in your My Grades page.

The other 35 points will come out of today's scantron, which takes longer to grade. Maybe by late on Friday that we will have the scantron scores.

But your first look at part of your Exam 1 performance is now up.

Exam 1 is on the record now.

Good work on Exam 1, everybody. See you

→ Thursday at 10:30 AM, section 0003, and

→ Friday morning, 9:30 AM, for section 0004

for lecture and a weekend homework assignment. Topic: Universal Gravitation!

Your SMA scores are UP, section 0003.

Five points from your midterm exam 1 are now up in Webcourses. It is in the row labeled "..Exam 1 SMA" in your My Grades page.

The other 35 points will come out of the scantron, which takes longer to grade. Maybe by late Thursday we will have that data.

But your first look at part of your Exam 1 performance is now up.

Today's lecture: universal gravitation

Today we will tackle universal gravitation in the section 0004 Monday lecture. Wednesday, you section 0004 students will have exam 1.

Tuesday, section 0003 will go straight to midterm exam 1, and then on Thursday you will launch into chapter 5 on universal gravitation.