Dr. Matt Quigley

Contact

mquigley@madisonprep.org
480-345-2306 ext 217

Office Hours

Tuesday 7:30am-8:00am
Thursday 7:30am-8:00am
Friday 7:30am-8:00am

Classes/Duties

Earth Science
​Chemistry

Extracurriculars

Assistant Coach Academic Decathlon Team
Academic Decathlon Announcements:
Watch for announcements of the coming 2018-2019 season!

Class Information and Assignments

Required classroom materials:
Textbook, notebook for lecture notes, composition book for use as a lab journal, pen (blue or black ink), red grading pen, pencil, and planner

Homework Assignments by class:
Week of 08/19/2019

Earth Science​
Chapter 1 Test on Tuesday 8/27/19

M:  Begin Topographic map lab.
T: Finish Topographic map lab.
W:  Read section 1.4 and do the section 1.4 review worksheet
Th: Read section 1.5 and do the section 1.5 review worksheet.
F: Scientific Method review worksheet.

ChemiSTRy
Chapter 1 Test on wedensday 8/28/19

M:  Read section 1.5 and do problems 1.4 - 1.6, 1.35, 1.37 - 1.39, 1.41, and 1.42.
T: Skills Development worksheet packet.
W: Complete worksheet packet and grade homework. 
Th:  Lecture over dimensional analysis.  Read section 1.6 and do problems 1.7, 1.8, 1.43, 1.44, and 1.46.
F:  Do problems 1.45, 1.47, 1.49, 1.52, 1.59, 1.63, and 1.64.

Biography

Hi, I am Dr. Quigley and I teach the Earth Science and Chemistry classes at James Madison Preparatory School.  I live in Tempe and have one daughter, Allyson.  While my title is “Doctor” I am not a medical doctor.  I have a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University (Gig ‘em Aggies!) in Chemical Oceanography (2000) with an undergraduate degree in Marine Science (1991).  Before coming to James Madison, I taught full time for Northland Pioneer College in Snowflake and Show Low, Arizona and at Roxbury Community College in Roxbury, Massachusetts.  While teaching at the college level I had the opportunity to teach several different science courses from basic Chemistry and Biology to Human Anatomy and Physiology and Environmental Chemistry.    

It is strange how life takes you in directions that are different from what you had originally intended.  I started graduate school with the intention of becoming a research scientist but I made some interesting discoveries about myself in the course of my education.  First, I found that I become intensely seasick on small research ships (hence the oceanographer now living in a land-locked state).  Second, I had a debilitating fear of public speaking while in college, and one of the reasons I decided to get my Ph.D. was that I knew it would force me to confront my fears in the classroom.  I was given several opportunities to do some teaching during graduate school and, to my great surprise, I discovered that it was something I truly enjoyed. Once I completed my degree I had to decide if I would pursue a career in teaching or research.  I decided to go with what I loved and that has made all the difference.  

Teaching Philosophy:  it is my goal to give my students an understanding of how the physical world around them functions, from the mundane, like gravity, to the more exotic, like subatomic structure.  In order to be able to interpret advances in medicine and technology I want my students to have a good understanding of the scientific method and of how science is done.
​
Senior Elective Science Classes:

Advanced Chemistry:

Anatomy and Physiology: