Introductory Information
MAS:
Monday classes at MAS begin on August 14.
Wednesday classes at MAS begin on August 17.
Eastside:
Monday classes at Eastside begin on August 14.
Tuesday classes at Eastside begin on August 15.
Thursday classes at Eastside begin on August 17.
Students will need a laptop computer that they can bring to class.
Course materials will be provided in print and online.
Students should have a three ring binder or folder to keep their papers organized, a pen or pencil for
taking notes, and a calculator. Students should also bring their copy of the Student Workbook.
See below for more info on the calculators and Student Workbooks.
For Algebra 1, any calculator will do.
For Geometry, any calculator that can perform trig operations (sine, cosine, tangent) will be fine,
but the TI-83 Plus, or TI-84 Plus is recommended because it will be suitable through all of the high
school math classes. Any version of the TI-84 or TI-84 will be fine.
For Algebra 2 and Precalculus, the TI-83 or TI-84 is recommended. Instruction will be given on
how to use these calculators which will include the graphing capabilities and other advanced features.
These calculators will be used quite a bit in Physics, Algebra 2, and Precalculus,
and extensively in Calculus.
For Calculus, a graphing calculator is required. Students intending to take the AP Calculus Exam
are expected to be familiar with use of a graphing calculator to solve certain problems.
For the Geometry class we still use a hardback textbook. For students
attending one of the live classes, I will provide the textbooks as needed for the students to borrow.
The textbook should be returned at the end of the year.
Students in the online Geometry classes should purchase a copy of the textbook on their own.
They are typically availabe used, at Amazon.com and half.com, or one can be borrowed from Mr. Owens
Geometry at Amazon.com
The Geometry textbook is fairly expensive, but I typically
have some extra copies to lend to online students. Feel free to inquire.
The other classes no longer require a textbook - all of the course content is in the Student Workbook
and the lecture videos.
Course materials will be made available through the website at www.derekowens.com.
Homework assignments, tests, and a
syllabus
will be found there, along with lecture notes and videos of all of the lectures as well as
any other materials developed during the course of the school year.
You should purchase or print a copy of the Student Workbook, which contains all of the student lecture notes
for the entire year. This material is
available in a bound format from Lulu.com
(a self-publishing and printing service). Students need to bring their copy to class each week.
If you do not want to purchase the Student Notes and Workbook,
you can alternately download and print out each chapter yourself at no additional charge;
all of the same material is available in PDF format on the website.
A copy from Lulu, however, will be about the same price as ink and paper, more or less depending on your printer,
and will be more convenient.
Videos of all of the lectures are available on the web site. Students will each be given a
username and password to access the videos, HW pages, and the other materials. The student lecture notes
and videos go together. Students bring their printed copy of the lecture notes to class. As they watch
and listen to the lecture, they fill in the lecture notes by working example problems, writing down key
points, etc. If a student misses class or needs to review, the students can get all of the lecture
content from the videos.
Students will download and print the homework assignments from the web. They can turn
in the assignments in class, but to speed up the feedback process, they can also scan and
email their work to grading@derekowens.com
or they can send pages via a smartphone scanner app such as CamScanner. Graded
homework will then be scanned and returned by email. With this system, students do not have to wait a week
or more to receive feedback on their work. If you email your homework, attached JPG files are preferred
but PDF or any other standard file format is acceptable. Scanner apps on smartphones also
work well for turning in papers. Students may also send in their work
through the regular mail.
See this video for more info on turning in
homework electronically.
In these classes, there is a distinction between practice problems and homework problems.
Practice problems in the textbook or Student Workbook will be assigned throughout the year.
Students should check their answers with the
solutions provided, and parents may also want to check the work. I will not be grading
the practice problems. Homework assignments will be downloaded from the web site.
The homework assignments and tests should all be turned in and will all be graded.
Tests will be given at home. This allows us to make maximum use of instructional time in the classroom.
Students will find a test for each chapter on the web site. A final exam will be given at the end of
each semester, and will be given in class if the schedule permits.
Parents should proctor the tests. Specifically, parents should make sure that the test is taken
closed book, in one sitting, without access to a phone or computer or other connected device.
Calculator use is fine unless specific directions indicate otherwise, but students should not
be accessing the internet while taking a test.
Parents are asked to return each test in a sealed envelope with their signature on it, or sign each
page and send the page images to grading@derekowens.com.
Students will receive a numerical grade, which will be computed from their homework grades,
tests grades, and exam grades. Progress reports for each student will be available on the web.
The tuition for the various classes can be found here.
Payments can be made online: Click the Make a Payment link on the menu on the website. Payments are accepted via PayPal, debit card, or credit card.
Caryn Becker is doing all of my bookkeeping. She also works with other teachers. If paying by check, checks can made out to Lucid Education but sent directly to Caryn at
Caryn Becker
710 Harbor Bay Drive
Lawrenceville, GA 30045
If you forget any payments, Caryn will gently remind you.
Students may pay online or in class or send the payments by mail.
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