Program Description

Whether you are completely new to the subject or just in need of a refresher, this program will help you understand the material presented in your high school courses. In addition, class sizes are capped at 15 students in order to create a better learning environment.

We offer courses in Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and, new in 2013, Computer Science! Feel free to sign up for as many courses as you wish! During each session, classes will take place in the morning, afternoon or evening. Check the schedule to see when your class takes place.

Introductory and advanced courses in each subject will be offered in each session. The courses will meet three times a week for about 2 hours a day. Courses are taught by Indiana Unversity graduate students. The courses will meet in the Physics Department in Swain West Hall (727 E. Third St.) or in the nearby computer science building on the IU campus. IU parking permits are available for purchase upon request.

The cost of this program is $25 per course. Considering the fact that 12 hours of tutoring would normally cost around $300, this program represents a very cost effective means of receiving extra instruction in science and mathematics.

The value doesn't stop there, though, because this year you can take computer science in addition to your other courses for free! When you sign up for an FSM course, you can automatically enroll in computer science for no additional charge! You certainly don't have to take computer science if you prefer to take just your other courses, but we strongly encourage all students to consider enrolling in computer science! You can also take computer science as a stand alone course for the normal registration fee.

Course Descriptions

Physics The introductory physics course is intended for students who have never previously taken a physics course. We will discuss common topics in first year physics including one-dimensional motion, forces, and two-dimensional motion. Students should have some experience with algebra and geometry. In addition to introductory physics material, we will stress logical problem solving methods. By the end of the course, students should have a foundational understanding of how to approach problems in physics.

AP Physics This course is designed for students who will be taking advanced or AP high school physics in the fall. Students will be expected to have taken introductory physics or be somewhat familiar with basic kinematics, Newton's laws, and energy and momentum. In addition, students should be familiar with trigonometry. We will review kinematics in 1D and 2D, Newton's laws, and energy and momentum, and go more into depth on these topics. In addition, we will discuss vectors, rotational and angular kinematics, torque, and possibly introduce calculus in a physics setting. By the end of the course, students should have the problem solving tools to approach advanced problems in high school physics.

Pre-Calculus This course is designed for students who will be taking a high school pre-calculus course in the fall. We will examine several different types of functions, their properties, their behaviors, and their uses. In this context we will also introduce trigonometric functions and other basic topics in trigonometry. The course is separated into two sections: regular and advanced. Both courses cover the same topics and assume the same background material. However, the advanced course will cover the material to a deeper degree and at a faster pace.

AP Calculus This course is designed for students who will be taking a high school calculus course in the fall. Students will be expected to have some understanding of pre-calculus ideas and methods, such as trigonometry. We will minimally cover some of these prerequisites, but will spend much of our time studying limits, continuity and derivatives (the material covered in the first semester of high school Calculus courses). By the end of the course, students should understand the fundamental ideas behind differentiation and why it is useful.

Mathematical Problem Solving The aim of this course is to improve students' critical thinking skills and help them acquire self-confidence in independent thinking. The format of the course will be solving a variety of problems/puzzles/riddles. The problems will come in different flavors. Some will require nothing but a clever argument, some a little bit of math. We may briefly touch on some basic concepts in combinatorics, elementary number theory, logic or calculus depending on the context of the problems. However, no prior knowledge of these is required to take the course. The only requirement is the willingness to commit to intensive thinking for two weeks. Before each class, a set of problems will be assigned. You will be asked to come to the class with ideas. The course/lab time will consist of explanation of the solutions, generalizations and the bigger mathematical picture behind the problems. One other aim of the class time is to interact and share your ideas with others.

Computer Science The Computer Science course will teach modern fundamental building blocks of computer science using relevant projects from Chemistry, Biology, Math, Physics and other subjects. Students will work together to build systems and learn basic computer science skills that they can use in their other courses. These skills are designed to prepare the students for entry into any computing field, and especially for introductory computer science courses like those taught at Indiana University. Students will gain a small taste of the wide variety of possibilities available to computing experts.

Biology This is an introductory course designed for students taking their first high school biology class in the fall. The goal of this course is to introduce students to the basic themes in biology and will cover topics such as: molecules and cells, genetics, evolution, and ecology. The course will combine discussions and lab excercises that are meant to provide a hands-on approach to understanding concepts in biology. There are no prerequistes for this course.

AP Biology This course is designed for students who will be taking Advanced Placement biology in the fall. The goal of the course is to give students a conceptual framework for topics that will be covered in their AP biology course. We will use the AP curriculum as a guideline, and primary emphasis will be on developing an understanding of concepts rather than on the memorization of specific terms. We will divide our time between 1) Molecules and Cells, 2) Heredity and Evolution, and 3) Organisms and Populations. Class time will be a combination of discussion and lab exercises. The labs will be a mixture of outside activities, computer simulations, and hands-on exercises. Prerequisite: students will be expected to have taken a high school biology course.

Chemistry Students will review relevant math and science concepts that they will need in their upcoming chemistry class. Students will be introduced to a variety of new chemistry concepts, focusing on subject areas that students will encounter during their first semester of chemistry, such as dimensional analysis and chemical structure. No background chemistry knowledge is needed to participate in this course. Students will have the opportunity to work in a lab learning how to use new techniques and equipment during the hands-on experiment portion of each class session. We hope to teach students a general approach to chemistry problem-solving that will help them throughout their entire chemistry education.

AP Chemistry Students will review topics they learned near the end of their chemistry course, such as acid/base chemistry, and will be introduced to more advanced topics like redox chemistry and predicting chemical equations. A basic knowledge of introductory chemistry will be assumed for this course. The focus of the course will be on concepts that students will cover during the first semester of an AP Chemistry course to help build their confidence and strengthen chemistry problem-solving skills. Each day, students will perform an experiment, introducing new concepts and lab techniques to prepare them for the fall.