Chemistry
Course Description:
Welcome to your first course in Chemistry. I intend for this to be an interesting, challenging, & even an exciting experience for you. If you have ever wondered about what the substances around you are made from, you are wondering about chemicals. Yes! Everything you tangibly experience is made of mixtures of elements & compounds. Through the study of chemistry, you will develop a greater understanding of many processes, which affect all of us regardless of our future career choice. Building construction, electronic circuitry, diamond mining, & cake baking are all the result of chemical processes. Not only has the study of chemistry provided us with many technological advances from nylon to aspirin, but it also provides us with a much greater understanding & appreciation of nature. After studying this course, you should be able to explain or predict many common experiences as well as many events that you may not have even noticed happening before. We will only scratch the surface of a fascinating subject this year, but this brief introduction to Chemistry will give you a degree of chemical literacy that may stay with you the rest of your life. I hope that you will find this exploration into the atomic & molecular nature of the universe intriguing & captivating. This class is also intended to help prepare you for college.
Materials Needed:
¨ Scientific or Graphing Calculator (needs log and EE or EXP)
¨ Large 3-Ring Binder
¨ Pens, Pencils & paper
¨ 1 pack of index cards for flash cards
¨ Tissues (optional)
Grading Policies:
¨ 65 % Unit Tests and Quizzes
¨ 20% Labs & Activities
¨ 15% Classwork, Homework, & Warm-ups
Makeup/Missed/Late Work Policy:
Unit Agenda: The agenda is listed on the board & on my website. It is also available through Google Classroom. This agenda lists the objectives, daily activities, daily assignments (including classwork, & homework). It will also lists important information like interim & test dates.
Assignments & Homework: A student may be assigned homework each day (found on the daily assignment section of the unit agenda). Assignments not completed during class become additional homework and are due the next day. All work must be shown on assignments, labs, quizzes & tests. No calculation work, no credit. You will be expected to do your homework on your own. Keep up with assignments. Make sure that you are capable of doing all types of problems and know what questions to ask. Most of your work will be graded, some for completion, and some for correctness. I will grade some work on a daily basis and collect some work on the day of the test.
Late Work: Very few assignments can be turned in late. Late work will not be accepted once I review the answers in class or on work that I check at the beginning of class. Late work will not be accepted unless complete. 10% of the possible score will be deducted from work that is due at a particular time during class, but that is not turned in until later in class or later in the day. An additional 20% of the possible score will be deducted for each day after the due date.
Excused Absence: Students will use the unit agenda, which lists classwork and homework, to identify any work they need to complete. Students are responsible for getting any notes they missed from another student or from my website. Students will complete make-up tests during the IE period or after school. Make-up tests will generally be 20 minute short answer & essay tests (not multiple choice). All missed labs will be made up during IE, after school, or with an alternative assignments. Work must be made up within a week of the absence.
Tutoring
Tutoring is available every day during the IE period. I will also stay after school, when needed.
King George High School HONOR CODE:
Anyone cheating will receive a zero for that assignment/test, a referral to the office, and parents will be notified. Copying another student’s work is considered cheating!
All students are expected to adhere to the KGHS Honor Code:
“As a member of the student body of King George High School, I pledge that I will strive to be morally honest with myself and with others in thought, word, and deed. I will not participate in, encourage, or condone cheating in any form.”
Electronic Device Policy:
Absolutely no electronic devices without my permission.
This Classroom will primarily be a RED LIGHT ZONE. This means that cell phones and other electronic devices will be silent and stowed away. Chemistry is a difficult subject. Multitasking is not an effective way to learn.
· If your phone is out, it will be collected and turned into administration and a referral will be written.
There are times when this classroom is a YELLOW LIGHT ZONE. I will let you know when this is the case. This means that you can use your phone for an educational activity that we are doing as a class, or that you can listen to music while doing individual work.
This classroom is only a GREEN LIGHT ZONE in between class times and during IE.
Classroom Rules:
Student Commitments and Responsibilities
I WILL:
…do my own work.
…be in class, on time and in my seat when the bell rings.
…do my best at all times and follow the teacher’s directions promptly.
… FOLLOW SAFE LABORATORY PRACTICES AT ALL TIMES.
… be respectful to everyone in the room, including the teacher and myself.
….keep up with assignments and arrange for help during IE if I need it.
…study for tests and quizzes.
… not abuse the textbooks or other equipment in the classroom.
… abide by the honor code, dress code, and other regulations as listed in the student handbook.