Chemistry

WELCOME TO Gen CHEM--2020 EDITION!

• Woo!  What a start!  Good thing we are a tough and resilient bunch! 

• This week we'll still be able to meet online through either Zoom or Google Meet.  I think Zoom is going to work for us...but if it doesn't then we'll make the switch to Google Meet.  If you can, log in to your CSD509j Student account in Google before trying these links.

  1. • Zoom: https://csd509j.zoom.us/j/99535744963?pwd=SkVPUXlza3R3UXZFRTZYOGNrVkNuUT09  

     • Google Meet: http://meet.google.com/phc-fmnv-dkz

I think most troubles logging in on Day 1 were from not being logged in on the student account.  If you are having any trouble getting into the Zoom Meeting, try to log in to Gmail in the browser using your school email...then try the zoom link again.  Also...be sure to open the zoom link above instead of trying to open the meeting through the zoom website or desktop app.  I don't know if that is actually fixing anything but I had a few students mention that as a fix.  

Friday, 9/11/20

• It is looking like we may be up and running on Canvas so we'll give that a shot today.

• We'll wrap up the Guided Learning: Isotopes 

• If we have time for it, we'll dig a bit more into the structure of the atom.  You probably know quite a bit of this already but we need to be careful and focus on fixing some errors that many of us have picked up over the years!

Thursday, 9/10/20

• Today we'll take a few minutes at the beginning of class to make sure everyone is able to get going on Zoom.  

• Now that you've told us a bit about you on the Google Form, I feel like it's only fair if we give you a chance to get to know us a bit.  

• That leaves us with one last thing to get to know: General Chemistry!  I want to introduce you to some of the things that you'll be doing in the class...especially the kinds of things that we'll be doing each week.

• I also want to start with some notes...these are not the most important notes in the world but they are a nice start for thinking about Chemistry and they'll give us a chance to test out how we'll be able to take notes over the web!

• We may or may not get to this today--Guided Learning: Isotopes 

Wednesday, 9/9/20

• Welcome to General Chemistry!  We have a lot of exciting things to try this year in class. 

• Today we will start with an introduction to what you might expect to see during the year in Chemistry. 

• Your homework tonight is to fill out a Google Form to show that you found the website and to give me some information about yourselves. 

Below this is my website from last year...but I'm still using it so I left it down here :)

Google Meet Office Hours (I'll leave this at the top!)

• • •  I will be doing some Google Meetings (http://meet.google.com/phc-fmnv-dkz) each week to answer questions.  You don't have to come to any particular one but you should pop in to any if you have a question.  This week I will be available:

      • • No Thursday this week...I've got the same meeting as last week at that time. 

        •  Monday and Wednesday between 11:00 and Noon.  These will be the last Google Meets of the year.

    • You can also email questions to me and I'll do my best to get back to you as soon as I can.  I imagine that the Google Meetings will be the nicer of the two options for getting help.  

June 8, 2020 - June 12, 2020

• • No new work this week!  If you have everything done, Congrats!  You are all wrapped up for Chem!  Enjoy your summer!  If you still have anything to turn in, you can still do that this week.  I will be finalizing my gradebook on Friday (6/12) morning this week.

  • If you need help wrapping anything up, pop into one of my Google Meets this week and I'll be happy to assist!

  • Have a happy and safe summer!  

June 1, 2020 - June 5, 2020

• • This is the last week that I'll be posting new material.  Once you are done with these last two assignments, you are done for the year!  I've had fun working with you all this year (even through the computer)!  I hope you have a wonderful summer!

  • Things to do for this week:

    1. This week's instructional video --there is some funky audio for the first 40 seconds or so but it clears up after that!  The video goes a bit more into detail about pH.  The pH scale is a way that we communicate acid/base information without requiring a lot of chemistry background.  If we can get a bit more info out of that pH number, we can do a lot more useful work around acids and bases.  

    2. Weekly Practice 7.3

       • Here is the Key to check your work!--There is more than one way to approach the math on these so if yours looks a bit different than mine but we got to the same place...wonderful! :)

         • Sorry about the formatting being a bit crummy. :(   I think it may look better/more complete if you open it in Google Docs.  

    3. Titration Simulation--Video Instructions

       • I found a decent simulation of a lab that we would have been doing if we were all together in the classroom.  I'd like you to run through the Titration Simulation Level 1.  Watch the video instructions that I posted just above this to help you get started.  I'd like you to take a selfie with the final screen that you get to for the lab and submit that as the lab assignment.  

  • If you are having lots of assignments due on Fridays each week, remember that we are all trying to build flexibility into the work that we assign.  Many of us are doing that by giving you the assignments for the week so that you can do them when you are able.  As much as you can, divide that work up through two or three sittings for each class.  A plan can help you avoid procrastination and then you won't be facing a bunch of stress on Thursday or Friday.  

  • If you are struggling with your course materials because of the craziness that COVID-19 and doing all of this at home, be sure to communicate that with your teachers...we can help you come up with a plan!

May 25, 2020 - May 29, 2020

• • Things to do for this week:

    1. This week's instructional video introduces you to the definitions of acids and bases.  These definitions have changed over time; much like we saw with redox definitions.  We cover two definitions that will get us through everything we need.  There is one more that we don't cover, called the Lewis definition, that is great but unnecessary for the work that we'll do. 

    2. Weekly Practice 7.2--Last week you did the first three questions, this week your assignment is to complete the rest (the back side) of the weekly practice!

       • Here is the Key to check your work!--There is more than one way to approach the math on these so if yours looks a bit different than mine but we got to the same place...wonderful! :)

         • Sorry about the formatting being a bit crummy. :(   I think it may look better/more complete if you open it in Google Docs.  

  • If you are having lots of assignments due on Fridays each week, remember that we are all trying to build flexibility into the work that we assign.  Many of us are doing that by giving you the assignments for the week so that you can do them when you are able.  As much as you can, divide that work up through two or three sittings for each class.  A plan can help you avoid procrastination and then you won't be facing a bunch of stress on Thursday or Friday.  

  • If you are struggling with your course materials because of the craziness that COVID-19 and doing all of this at home, be sure to communicate that with your teachers...we can help you come up with a plan!

May 18, 2020 - May 22, 2020

• • We are going to skip a weekly practice (7.1) that was just proficiency review and start digging into the last unit!

  • Things to do for this week:

    1. This week's instructional video is introducing you to something you've seen a lot in labs and in life: something dissolved in water...a.k.a. A SOLUTION!  We show you this week how to make a solution (make sure you pay attention to that part...it is probably different than you might think!) and how to know how much to mix together to make the concentration that you want.  We also cover an important vocab term "Strength" that will play a big role in Acid/Base Chemistry.

    2. Weekly Practice 7.2--I just want you to do the front side of this Weekly Practice.  That is questions 1-3.  The backside covers material that we will be digging into next week!

       • Here is the Key to check your work!--There is more than one way to approach the math on these so if yours looks a bit different than mine but we got to the same place...wonderful! :)

         • Sorry about the formatting being a bit crummy. :(   I think it may look better/more complete if you open it in Google Docs.  

  • If you are having lots of assignments due on Fridays each week, remember that we are all trying to build flexibility into the work that we assign.  Many of us are doing that by giving you the assignments for the week so that you can do them when you are able.  As much as you can, divide that work up through two or three sittings for each class.  A plan can help you avoid procrastination and then you won't be facing a bunch of stress on Thursday or Friday.  

  • If you are struggling with your course materials because of the craziness that COVID-19 and doing all of this at home, be sure to communicate that with your teachers...we can help you come up with a plan!

May 11, 2020 - May 15, 2020

• • Since we switched things up last week and did 6.4 a bit early...this week we will swing back around and do Weekly Practice 6.3!

  • Things to do for this week:

    1. This week's instructional video is about a new lab technique called Titration.  It is a very common way to analyze reactions!  Titrations can take many forms and everyone does some sort of titrating in day to day life even if it doesn't look like it does with the fancy lab equipment. :)  Watch Part 1 and then Part 2 this week.  We separated them so that it will be easier to refer back to the one you need if you want to later on.

       • Part 1--Titration--Lab Data Collection

       • Part 2--Titration--Analysis/Calculation

    2. Weekly Practice 6.3--This weekly practice is a lot of review of things that we have been doing all year long!

       • Here is the Key to check your work!--Sorry about the formatting being a bit crummy. :(   I think it may look better/more complete if you open it in Google Docs.

  • If you are having lots of assignments due on Fridays each week, remember that we are all trying to build flexibility into the work that we assign.  Many of us are doing that by giving you the assignments for the week so that you can do them when you are able.  As much as you can, divide that work up through two or three sittings for each class.  A plan can help you avoid procrastination and then you won't be facing a bunch of stress on Thursday or Friday.  

  • If you are struggling with your course materials because of the craziness that COVID-19 and doing all of this at home, be sure to communicate that with your teachers...we can help you come up with a plan!

May 4, 2020 - May 8, 2020

• • It is, perhaps, not a huge surprise that distance learning has changed a few things about how we do things.  One has been that it made sense to do this redox unit in a different order than normal.  So this week we will be doing WP 6.4 and then we'll do 6.3 next week.  

  • Things to do for this week:

    1. No new video for this week!  You've learned everything you need to do for this week already in the guided learning and the voltaic cell applet assignment!

    2. Weekly Practice 6.4 --There is a table of Standard Reduction Potentials at the bottom of the assignment that you'll need throughout.  The usual SRP Table that we use in class is linked at the top of this page (right under the PT) and will also be useful!.

       • I checked question #11 on the Demonstrating a Voltaic Cell WS because you'll need the formula that you made in that question in order to calculate cell potential this week.

       • Here is the Key to check your work!--Sorry about the formatting being a bit crummy. :( 

  • If you are having lots of assignments due on Fridays each week, remember that we are all trying to build flexibility into the work that we assign.  Many of us are doing that by giving you the assignments for the week so that you can do them when you are able.  As much as you can, divide that work up through two or three sittings for each class.  A plan can help you avoid procrastination and then you won't be facing a bunch of stress on Thursday or Friday.  

  • If you are struggling with your course materials because of the craziness that COVID-19 and doing all of this at home, be sure to communicate that with your teachers...we can help you come up with a plan!

April 27, 2020 - May 1, 2020

• • Not a lot to add this week.  I want to give you a bit of a breather and some time to catch up if you need it.  

  • Things to do for this week:

    1. The video for the week goes over problem number eight from last week's weekly practice and talks a bit about "net ionic equations."  

       • Add net ionic equations to Weekly Practice 6.2 --Everyone needs to do net ionic equation for #2 and 4 other problems of your choosing.

       • Write your way of remembering oxidation/reduction and anode/cathode.  That is an important landmark for us!  (Not sure what I mean here???  Check out question #5 and the info above it on the Demonstrating a Voltaic Cell assignment.

    2. If you need it, use this small-ish assignment to give you a bit of time to get caught up on missing work from the first weeks of distance learning.  

  • If you are having lots of assignments due on Fridays each week, remember that we are all trying to build flexibility into the work that we assign.  Many of us are doing that by giving you the assignments for the week so that you can do them when you are able.  As much as you can, divide that work up through two or three sittings for each class.  A plan can help you avoid procrastination and then you won't be facing a bunch of stress on Thursday or Friday.  

  • If you are struggling with your course materials because of the craziness that COVID-19 and doing all of this at home, be sure to communicate that with your teachers...we can help you come up with a plan!

April 20, 2020 - April 24, 2020

• • This week we'll have some more practice with the work that we have been doing regarding redox reactions...and we'll start to see where they play a role in our daily lives.

  • Two things for this week:

    1. Our instructional video this week goes over the way that we use the oxidation number rules and guides you though one of the problems on the weekly practice.  

       • Weekly Practice 6.2 may look a little gnarly at first but it is actually much less work than it seems!  The video will show you why!  

       • Weekly Practice 6.2--KEY for when you want to check your work.

    2. Demonstrating a Voltaic Cell will introduce you to one way that we use redox reactions: batteries!  

       • • Voltaic Cell Applet--this applet does not work on a phone...but it works great on the school chromebooks or a computer!

  • If you are having lots of assignments due on Fridays each week, remember that we are all trying to build flexibility into the work that we assign.  Many of us are doing that by giving you the assignments for the week so that you can do them when you are able.  As much as you can, divide that work up through two or three sittings for each class.  A plan can help you avoid procrastination and then you won't be facing a bunch of stress on Thursday or Friday.  

  • If you are struggling with your course materials because of the craziness that COVID-19 and doing all of this at home, be sure to communicate that with your teachers...we can help you come up with a plan!

April 13, 2020 - April 17, 2020

I know that a lot changed this past week and that this is easier said than done: Focus on the opportunities for thinking and learning that your classes are giving you.  That's the real value we have to offer as your teachers.  Much more so than the grades we give out.  As you work on the assignments this week remember that you are a critical thinker who can use evidence to make decisions and then check to see how those decisions work out.  That's the process we are trying to create when we are in our classrooms.  Remember that...because it is what you really need to be doing as a distance learner!  You've got this!  :)

This week we will be continuing with Redox Reactions.  We have three main things to accomplish this week:

• 1. Finish the Redox--Guided Learning Activity--You really should do this first.  It doesn't have to be perfect but it will make you think about useful things to have thought about before watching the new info video.

  2. Watch the video on Redox Definitions.  I'd recommend that you take notes along with us as the video plays.

  3. Weekly Practice 6.1 

     • This is just like our weekly practices all year...mainly older material and you'll start to see a lot more redox stuff next week.   

     • Weekly Practice 6.1--KEY

• • TO SUBMIT AN ASSIGNMENT: I have been told by teachers with Google Classroom experience that we should do things this way: Click Here  Submitting an assignment on classroom instead of emailing me will make it so that I don’t lose assignments in my email inbox that has been flooded, as I am sure yours has been too.   

April 3, 2020 - April 10, 2020

Welcome back to Chemistry!  I'm going to keep setting up the course as a set of things to do over the week...just like we have all year. :)    All assignments are due by Friday.

I'm going to have this set up so that you'll be able to get going at any time and work within whatever schedule the week throws at you.  That way you don't have to worry about being at your computer for your specific class time.  I would still recommend that you try to get things started on Mondays and aim to be done by Fridays to help you keep from falling behind.

This week we will be starting in on the next unit in Chemistry that looks at a category of chemical reactions called Oxidation and Reduction (or Redox) Reactions.  We have two main things to accomplish this week:

• 1. Learn to Assign Oxidation Numbers (I'll have a video here with some info for you!...check back soon)

     • Oxidation Numbers Instructional Video

     • Oxidation Numbers WS 

     • You'll want to treat this at first like it is just a numbers game (like Sudoku)!  Once we are good at assigning these numbers, we'll be able to use them to do some chemistry!

  2.   Start to use Oxidation Numbers!

     • Redox--Guided Learning Activity--This week, I want you to do the first two pages (Questions 1-6).  

       • A few things to make your life easier while working on this:

         • • Make sure you read the intro and start with question #1.  You aren't asked to do anything more than look at the reactions until you are working on question #3.

           • If you feel stuck on the first question, look at the way the Model 1 reactions are divided into groups.

           • Don't fret over question #2...it is ok if the answer to that question is "No."  Just let me know what you looked at that didn't end up working for you.

       • If you want to keep going on this you are more than welcome if you are wanting a bit more to do.

• • TO GET HELP (GOOGLE MEETINGS): 

    •  I will be doing some Google Meetings (http://meet.google.com/phc-fmnv-dkz) each week to answer questions.  You don't have to come to any particular one but you should pop in to any if you have a question.  This week I will be available:

      • • Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday between 11:00 and Noon.

    • You can also email questions to me and I'll do my best to get back to you as soon as I can.  I imagine that the Google Meetings will be the nicer of the two options for getting help.  

  • TO SUBMIT AN ASSIGNMENT: I have been told by teachers with Google Classroom experience that we should do things this way: Click Here  Submitting an assignment on classroom instead of emailing me will make it so that I don’t lose assignments in my email inbox that has been flooded, as I am sure yours has been too.  

  • If you haven't already joined the google classroom, go to classroom.google.com and join using class code x6wkaar or use the invite that I sent to your school email. 

CHecking in!

• Use the following links to get to the General Chemistry google meeting:

• You may need to use a non-school account to get in for now :)

  • Tuesday, March 31 @ 10:00-10:30am

  • Wednesday, April 1 @ 10:00-10:30am

• Things to do between now and next Monday

  • Get caught up on any missing work (check Gradebook for Z's) 

    • Are you missing any Weekly Practices 5.1-5.5?

    • Do you have any missing labs?  Many folks still need to turn in the Heat of Reaction Lab.

    • Take a photo of your work and email it to me! 

  • Join the Google Classroom for Chemistry (Class Code: x6wkaar)

    • This will give us a way to turn in work as we keep going.  I'm not sure if we'll switch entirely to Google Classroom and not worry about this website or if we'll end up using both...we'll figure out what works best. 

  • What not to worry about:

    • Let's call the Dynamics Unit "finished."  You don't need to worry about taking a test for this unit.  We'll just jump into the next unit next week.  It's a great one!

    • As much as I love the Hot Can assignment, let's can it.  It was great practice but we don't need to worry about figuring out how to do group presentations over the internet.  You won't need to turn anything in for Hot Can.

    • For many of you, Weekly Practices 5.6 and 5.7 and Rubber Band Lab are still in your hands.  Instead of making all of you dig through your work and take a photo of those to email to me, I have just removed those three assignments from Gradebook so you don't need to turn either of them in.

• Thanks in advance for your patience!  We are still figuring a lot of this stuff out and things keep changing and then changing again.   We are still trying to make decisions about how to deal with many things, like tests, quizzes, and proficiencies.  More info of those kinds of things will be coming in the next couple of weeks!  Hang in there! :)

Coronavirus closure Week-ish

• While we are not going to have any official assignments while we are off of school, I would recommend that you:

  • Work through Weekly Practice 5.7--Unit Review -- you'll be that much more ahead of the game when we get back if you have this done!

    • Here is the KEY to WP 5.7 to help you if you get a bit stuck. 

  • Wrap up your Hot Can Calculations if they aren't already done.  That work is good practice for the work that we have been doing in class! 

• If none of the above can happen, that's alright!  We'll get things figured out when we get back!

• Stay safe!  Wash your hands!  See you in a few weeks! 

Thursday, 3/19/20     Friday, 3/20/20

• Weekly Practice 5.7--Unit Review--DUE Today!

• The Dynamics Unit Test will be today!

Tuesday, 3/17/20     Wednesday, 3/18/20

• Proficiency Opportunity--Naming 2 

• Hot Can Presentations will given today!

• Hot Can Project

• Hot Can Grading Guide

• Make sure you have: (You can use the Hot Can Sample Calculation Slides slides too if you need a bit of help!)

  • Heat (q) for your food and all the info that goes into calculating that!

  • Heat of Reaction--using the CRC books in the classroom or the table linked on the Useful Chemistry Links Page

  • Amounts of reactants needed

THURSDAY, 3/12/20     MONDAY, 3/16/20

• Weekly Practice 5.7--Unit Review--This is the review weekly practice for this unit. 

• Weekly Practice 5.6 --DUE Today 

• Proficiency Opportunity--BCE 2

• The Rubber Band Lab will give you a good chance to practice what we have just been talking about as well as tie it all back to the ideas we talked about at the beginning of this unit! This lab will be due individually on Wed/Thu 3/20-21...you will likely finish the entire thing in class today if you are efficient!

• Today is a Hot Can work day for the second half. You should aim to have a reaction picked out, heat of reaction calculated, and masses of reactants determined.

• Hot Can Presentations will be DUE the day you get back from break! You should aim to have all chemistry work done before the break so that you can get help on it if you need!

TUESDAY, 3/10/20     WEDNESDAY, 3/11/20

• Weekly Practice 5.6 

• Proficiency Opportunity--Molecular Geometry 2 and IMAF 2 

• Today we will be introducing the last bit of new content for this unit. Entropy and Free Energy will combine with our knowledge of Enthalpy and we will be able to definitively determine if a chemical reaction will or will not occur.

• Entropy and Free Energy Notes

Friday, 3/6/20     Monday, 3/9/20

• Weekly Practice 5.5--DUE TODAY!!!

• Come prepared for the weekly review and quiz. 

• Second half of class today will be a bit more work time on Hot Can.

Wednesday, 3/4/20     Thursday, 3/5/20

• Proficiency Opportunity--Bohr and Electron Config 2

• Today is a Hot Can Project work day. Below is a list of things to accomplish during those days as well as some resources for you to use:

  • Know some things about the food:

    • What kind of food?

    • Specific Heat--cited or justified and cited

    • desired temperature change--with justification

    • mass of food--with justification

    • energy (q) needed to achieve the desired warming--with calculations!

  • Know your BCE

    • Balance the chemical equation

    • Determine heat of reaction from heats of formation (use the table on the "Useful Chemistry Links" page...or check with Mr. Kanter to OK alternative sources of data)--show your calculations!

    • Determine the mass of reactants required for your Hot Can--show your calculations

• If you have all of that done, you should be easily able to finish up the Hot Can Project on your own. Make sure you are ready to present (or show your video) in class on Wed/Thu of next week. Late presentations will have a 30% deduction.

• Some other Hot Can Resources

  • You can use the Hot Can Grading Guide to check your final project to see if you have all the necessary parts.

  • Hot Can Sample Calculation Slides

MonDAY, 3/2/20     TueSDAY, 3/3/20

• Weekly Practice 5.5

• Proficiency Opportunity--PT Trends 1

• Today's class will be time to work on the Determining Heats of Reaction Lab. You will want to use your time today to make sure that you have quality data and observations for each of the two parts of the lab. 

• This lab write-up should be done individually and is due next week on Wed/Thu. 

• During the last 20-30 minutes of class, we'll take a look at a project that will be a large focus of the next week or so of class. Hot Can Project.

THURSDAY, 2/27/20     FRIDAY, 2/28/20

• Weekly Practice 5.4--DUE TODAY!

• Proficiency Opportunity--IMAF 1 and Geometry 1

• Today we will be going over the solution to a problem that Average Bond Energy brings into our calculations of energy changes. 

• Enthalpy Calculation Notes

• Monday/Tuesday of next week we'll be doing Determining Heats of Reaction Lab. Come to class Mon/Tue with the pre-lab work completed.

TUESDAY, 2/25/20     WEDNESDAY, 2/26/20

• Weekly Practice 5.4 

• Proficiency Opportunity-- Bohr and Electron Config 1

• Today we will start class by looking a bit at what you learned from the guided learning activity. We'll be using the idea of Average Bond Energy to play the Enthalpy Costs Card Game. Your structures and scores will be turned in at the end of the game to be graded as a lab score.

FRIDAY, 2/21/20     MONDAY, 2/24/20

• Weekly Practice 5.3--DUE TODAY!

• Come prepared for the weekly review and quiz. 

• Today we will also work on the Bond Energy Guided Learning.

WEDNESDAY, 2/19/20     THURSDAY, 2/20/20

• Proficiency Opportunity--Stoichiometry 1 and Dimensional Analysis 1

• We'll spend the rest of this unit focusing on heat and energy and how they play a role in a chemical reaction. Today in class we are going to look at how we measure heat in the laboratory using a process called Calorimetry. 

• Calorimetry Notes

• Many of you have already turned it in but...the Equilibrium and Le Chatelier's Principle Lab is due Wed (Odd) or Thu (Even). 

TUESDAY, 2/18/20 (ALL)

• Weekly Practice 5.3 

• Weekly Practice 5.2--DUE TODAY!

• Come prepared for the weekly review and quiz!

THURSDAY, 2/13/20     FRIDAY, 2/14/20

• Proficiency Opportunity: Lewis Structure 1

• We will start class today by wrapping up any notes that we didn't finish on Monday/Tuesday.

• Equilibrium and Le Chatelier's Principle Lab

• We would usually wrap up the week with a review and quiz! Tues of next week is an ALL day so we'll do that then! 

TUESDAY, 2/11/20     WEDNESDAY, 2/12/20

• Weekly Practice 5.2

• Proficiency Opportunity: Naming 1

• We will be talking about a fellow named Le Chatelier and his principle that explains how we can change a system in equilibrium. Le Chatelier's Principle will be a frequent reference for us during the remainder of the year.

• Le Chatelier's Principle Notes

• Next class, we will be doing the Equilibrium and Le Chatelier's Principle Lab. Pre-lab questions are due at the beginning of class on Thu/Fri.

FRIDAY, 2/7/20     MONDAY, 2/10/20

• Weekly Practice 5.1--DUE TODAY!

• Come to class prepared for the weekly review and quiz!

• During the second half of class today we will take a look at the equilibrium constant and what that means relative to the M&M lab and Guided Learning. If we don't get to it we'll take care of it next week. Equilibrium Constant Notes 

WEDNESDAY, 2/5/20 THURSDAY, 2/6/20

• Proficiency Opportunity: BCE 1 

• Today we will really start getting into a unit that will last pretty much all of the way to spring break. We will spend our time in this unit looking into what it means to be a chemical reaction--bonds break and are remade in a different way. We will look at how this happens, how we can alter the way it happens, and how energy plays a role in the process. Today our focus is going to be on an idea called Collision Theory which is the basic premise that we use to describe how reactions occur. 

• Collision Theory Notes

MONDAY, 2/3/20 TUESDAY, 2/4/20

• Welcome to Second Semester!

• Weekly Practice 5.1--This is a review of our proficiency topics for second semester.  If you need a refresher on some of the proficiency topics, I have posted all of the notes from their introductions on the Useful Chemistry Links page.  Come in and work with me if you need any more help than a refresh from the notes!

• Proficiency Opportunity: Sig Fig 1

• Today we will start looking at equilibrium. We'll do this with candies before we start looking at chemical reactions. The M&M Equilibrium Lab will help you get a visual model of what it means for a system to be in "equilibrium."

• After the M&M Lab (it's a quick one) we'll start looking at what equilibrium looks like on paper related to a chemical reaction and balanced chemical equations through the Equilibrium Guided Learning WS. You should be able to be completely finished with the lab questions in class. The Guided Learning WS is due Wed/Thu if not finished in class. I don't often collect Guided Learning work but I will collect and grade this one.

MONDAY, 1/27/20     TUESDAY, 1/28/20

• Stoichiometry Unit Test!

THURSDAY, 1/23/20     FRIDAY, 1/24/20

• Weekly Practice 4.5--DUE TODAY

• Proficiency Make-up tests must all be done by the end of this week!  No make-up proficiencies will be given next week!!!

• Today we will be using our time for review. Come to class with questions!

• The unit test will be next week on Mon/Tue.

TUESDAY, 1/21/20     WEDNESDAY, 1/22/20

• Weekly Practice 4.5--We are done with new content so these last few weeks of the term will be lab, practice, and review!

• Proficiency Opportunity--All in-class proficiency tests have been done! Come in before/after school, during lunch, or AO to take care of any make-up tests that you need!

• We will continue working on the MicroMole Rockets Lab

• Reaction Stoichiometry and Percent Yield Lab is due Wed/Thu this week!

THURSDAY, 1/16/20     FRIDAY, 1/17/20

• Weekly Practice 4.4--DUE TODAY (YES, even though this is a Thursday!!!)

• Come to class prepared for the weekly review and quiz!

• This class and next week we will be doing a lab that is pretty fun!  The MicroMole Rockets Lab will give you a chance to test and see if all of that stoichiometry stuff really works.  We'll spend some time today introducing the lab and getting your rockets ready!

TUESDAY, 1/14/20     WEDNESDAY, 1/15/20

• Weekly Practice 4.4

• Proficiency Opportunity--All in-class proficiency tests have been done!  Come in before/after school, during lunch, or AO to take care of any make-up tests that you need!

• Today we will pick up the last bit of notes that we didn't get to during our discussion of limiting reagents.  We will look at theoretical and percent yield today. 

• Limiting Reagents and Yield Notes

• After those initial notes, we will work on the Reaction Stoichiometry and Percent Yield Lab. 

FRIDAY, 1/10/120      MONDAY, 1/13/20

• Weekly Practice 4.3--DUE Weekly Practice 4.4

• Come to class prepared for the weekly review and quiz!

WEDNESDAY, 1/8/20     THURSDAY, 1/9/20

• Proficiency Opportunity: Electron Configuration 5

  • We are done with official proficiency opportunities for the semester. You should check on Pinnacle and see if you need to make-up any proficiency tests. Remember that each proficiency changed from "Z" to "1" will raise your grade 2%!!! 

  • If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed by the end of the semester, come talk to me and we can come up with a plan :) 

• Today we will look at Limiting Reagents. This will allow us to look at the reactants that are present in a reaction and determine how much of the product(s) would actually be produced. 

• Limiting Reagents and Yield Notes

• Some of you have already turned in the Hydrated Salt Lab...but if you haven't, it is due today. Everybody should turn in their own pre-lab work. If you would like to...the rest of the lab may be done as a group write-up.

MONDAY, 1/6/20      TUESDAY, 1/7/20

• Weekly Practice 4.3 

• Weekly Practice 4.2--DUE TODAY!

• Proficiency Opportunity--Bohr 5 and Electron Configuration 4

• Today we will be talking about Error Analysis--How did your error affect data, calculations, and the final result? This is an important skill to take away from Chemistry so we'll be working with it often in labs. Today we will focus on what you should and should not do in analyzing errors during a lab.

• Error Analysis Notes

• Today, we will talk about Stoichiometry and the Mol:Mol ratio. We will also use our time today to go over some important things to consider whenever you are measuring or rounding your answers.

• Stoichiometry and Sig Fig Notes

Wednesday, 12/18/19     Thursday, 12/19/19

• Today we will be working on the Hydrated Salt Lab. I'll start class by giving some introduction to lab materials that we have not used yet in Chemistry. I will also give some information that can help guide you with your procedure and data collection. Make sure you have read the Error Analysis part of the checklist before you come to class...it will be helpful to think about as you work on the lab!

• You will need the calculation done for this lab by next class or you will have a hard time following error analysis through our work. The final lab write-up will be due as a group on the Wed/Thu of the week after break (Jan 8-9).

Monday, 12/16/19     Tuesday, 12/17/19

• Weekly Practice 4.2--This will be due Mon/Tue after the break! 

• Guided Learning: Significant Figures and Measurement

• On Tuesday/Wednesday of next week we will be doing the Hydrated Salt Lab to use mole conversions in the lab. Make sure you notice that this lab has the checklist...you will need to come to class on Monday/Tuesday with the pre-lab portions of checklist completed. If you are wanting to improve your lab score this is a good opportunity to do that if this lab is completed on time and done well! :)

Thursday, 12/12/19     Friday, 12/13/19

• Weekly Practice 4.1--DUE Today!

• Proficiency Opportunity-- BCE 6 and Naming 5

• Today we will be looking at some other conversion factors involving The Mole! Mole conversions will be very useful to us for the rest of the year. 

• Notes on Mole Conversions

Tuesday, 12/10/19     Wednesday, 12/11/19

• Weekly Practice 4.1

• Proficiency Opportunity--Scientific Notation 5

• We spent today looking at the method we will be using to do conversions in chemistry. Remember that when you are working on assignments for the next couple of weeks the focus should be on developing your ability to set up and work through the problems and not just trying to get the right answer. Use the keys on the Weekly Practice worksheets to help check your work. 

• Conversions and Dimensional Analysis Notes

Friday, 12/6/19     Monday, 12/9/19

• Weekly Practice 3.5--Covalent Unit Review Part Deux --DUE TODAY!!!

• We will have twenty minutes or so at the beginning of class to go over any last minute questions you may have.

• Ionic and Covalent Compounds Unit Quiz

Wednesday, 12/4/19     Thursday, 12/5/19

• Today we'll spend a bit of time reviewing. Come with questions! We will also have a bit of time to work on the weekly practice.

MOnday, 12/2/19     Tuesday, 12/3/19

• Weekly Practice 3.5--Covalent Unit Review Part Deux 

• Today we'll spend a bit of time reviewing. Come with questions! We will also have a bit of time to work on the weekly practice.

• We'll use some of that review time to look at a few interesting things that pop up with Lewis Structures. Drawing polyatomic ions requires us to think about how charge affects electron counting and there is an interesting phenomena called resonance that we'll take a look at.

• Weekly Practice 3.4--Covalent Unit Review and Exploring Intermolecular Forces Lab are both due today.

MONDAY, 11/25/19     TUESDAY, 11/26/19

• Weekly Practice 3.4--Covalent Unit Review --DUE Mon/Tue after Thanksgiving along with your IMAF lab!

• Weekly Practice 3.3--DUE TODAY!

• Come to class prepared for the weekly review and quiz!

Thursday, 11/21/19     Friday, 11/22/19

• Proficiency Opportunity--Naming 4 and BCE 5

• Weekly Practice 3.3--Will be due on Mon/Tue next week---be prepared for the usual review and quiz that day!

• Today we will be working on the Exploring Intermolecular Forces Lab. The lab questions will be due Mon/Tue after Thanksgiving. 

Tuesday, 11/19/19     Wednesday, 11/20/19

• Proficiency Opportunity--Electron Configuration 3 and Bohr Models 4

• A quick note on proficiencies: If you have noticed that your Chemistry Grade has dropped...check to see if you have a proficiency listed as missing. As we get further into the proficiencies, I am starting to mark more and more as missing which means you can come make them up. 

• Today we will be looking at the difference between polar bonds and polar molecules. Polarity causes some interesting interactions between separate molecules. We call those interactions Intermolecular Attractive Forces (IMAF). We will look into those IMAF's and some of their consequences today as well.

• Notes on Molecular Polarity and Intermolecular Attractive Forces

• Next class we will be working on the Exploring Intermolecular Forces Lab. The pre-lab questions are due at the beginning of class. You would also benefit from looking at the six properties that we are examining in the lab and determining how low or high IMAF would change the property. 

FRIDAY, 11/15/18     MONDAY, 11/18/19

• Weekly Practice 3.2--DUE TODAY! 

• Weekly Practice 3.3

• Proficiency Opportunity--Scientific Notation 4

• Today we'll spend some more time with the models from last class and will look at the three-dimensional shapes that they make. We will discuss how the Lewis structure can be used to predict this shape!

• Electron and Molecular Geometry Notes

• We'll work some on the Molecular Models Lab today. The lab is due Wed/THu of next week.

WEDNESDAY, 11/13/19    THURSDAY, 11/14/19

• Proficiency Opportunities: Naming 3 and BCE 4 

• We'll also spend some more time on Lewis Structures with the Molecular Models Lab. The lab should be as complete as possible when you come to class on Thu/Fri this week. You should have all of the table filled out except electron geometry and molecular geometry. Answer as many of the questions on the bottom as you can. We will talk about the two geometries that day and you might be able to be completely done with the lab by the end of class. Otherwise...the lab is due MON/TUE of next week which is earlier than normal because of the long Thanksgiving weekend. 

• We will likely finish today by looking at why molecules take the shapes that they do. 

FRIDAY, 11/8/19     TUESDAY, 11/12/19

• Weekly Practice 3.2 

• Weekly Practice 3.1 is DUE today 

• Come to class prepared for the weekly review and quiz. 

• After the quiz today we will be taking a quick look at the difference in the bonds of ionic and covalent compounds. We'll use the Linus Pauling scale of electronegativity to distinguish between the bond types. This will also allow us to start thinking about polarity of bonds. 

• Notes on Electronegativity and Bond Polarity

WEDNESDAY, 11/6/19     THURSDAY, 11/7/19

• Proficiency Opportunities: Naming 2 and BCE 3

• Today we'll spend a bit of time talking about two things:

• Nomenclature--Ionic vs. Covalent Compounds

• Lewis Structures--you've seen a bunch of these over the years. These are the drawings that you see of chemical compounds. We will learn how to draw Lewis Structures from the formula of a covalent compound.

• Notes on Ionic vs. Covalent and Lewis Structures

MONDAY, 11/4/19     TUESDAY, 11/5/19

• Ionic Compounds and Chemical Reactions Unit Test will be during the first half of class today!

• Weekly Practice 3.1

• The Covalent Nomenclature Guided Learning Activity was started in class. As you work on this, add the Covalent Nomenclature rules and a few examples to the back page of your Naming Booklet. You will be turning in the booklet next class.

  • If you need a refresher...here are the notes on Ionic Nomenclature.

Monday, 10/28/19     TUESDAY, 10/29/19     WEDNESDAY, 10/30/19

• Weekly Practice 2.3 

• Developing an Activity Series of Metals Lab--Single Replacement Reactions is DUE today--everyone should turn in their own lab write up. Be sure to use the checklist to ensure that you have all of the parts needed. You will need to have all sections of the checklist completed except the Error Analysis. 

• Proficiency Opportunity: We'll do two today--Naming 1 AND Balancing Chemical Equations 2

• Today will be focused on practicing the steps of writing a balanced chemical equation that we have been working on for the past few weeks. 

• The unit test will be Monday/Tuesday after this long weekend :)

Thursday 10/24/19      FriDAY, 10/25/19

• Weekly Practice 2.2--DUE Today

• Proficiency Opportunity: Electron Configuration 2 / Bohr Model 3--Bohr is the latest proficiency topic that now has fewer than three chances left in class to complete and will be the first Z to go into Pinnacle if you need to come in and do a make-up. If you notice your grade drop...do not stress out! Just review your notes, come in for some help, and take a make-up proficiency test and your grade will jump right back up! :)

• We'll use today as a wrap-up day and do some practice.

TUESDAY, 10/22/19   Wednesday, 10/23/19

• I'll swap the plans from last Fri/Mon set of classes and this set so that you'll have all of this info for a review/quiz/work-day with a sub while I am out at a meeting.  

• Weekly Practice 2.2

• Today we will discuss Single Replacement Reactions in detail.

• Single Replacement Reactions Notes

• You now know everything you need to compeltely finish up the Developing an Activity Series of Metals Lab--Single Replacement Reactions. The lab is due Tue/Wed, Oct 29/30. You will need to have all sections of the checklist completed except the Error Analysis. 

• When in ionic compounds you should use copper (II) and iron (III). The charges for silver and zinc are in the notes!

FRIDAY, 10/18/19     MONDAY, 10/21/19

• Weekly Practice 2.1--DUE TODAY

• Come to class prepared for the weekly review and quiz. 

• We will spend a bit of time at the end of class doing some practice with naming ionic compounds. 

WEDNESDAY, 10/16/19     THURSDAY, 10/17/19

• Today we will start working on the Developing an Activity Series of Metals Lab--Single Replacement Reactions. The lab write-up is probably best completed in stages as we continue to refine our knowledge of Single Replacement reactions over the course of the week. It would be best to have all products written out and charge balanced before you come to class on Wed/Thu. 

• In class I gave you a few charges that you can't just get from the PT or the notes:

• When in ionic compounds you should use copper (II) and iron (III). The charges for silver and zinc are in the notes!

• The lab is due Tue/Wed, Oct 29/30. You will need to have all sections of the checklist completed except the Error Analysis. 

• We will spend a bit of time at the end of class going over what you learned in the Guided Learning Activity on Ionic Nomenclature. Use the Naming Ionic Compounds GL worksheet as well as the three extra naming slides on last week's notes to help you with the lab. Ionic Nomenclature notes were posted last week...but just in case you didn't notice them: Notes on Balancing Chemical Equations and Ionic Nomenclature

MONDAY, 10/14/19     TUESDAY, 10/15/19

• Weekly Practice 2.1 

• Proficiency Opportunity: Balancing Chemical Equations 1

• Today we'll spend some time wrapping up and practicing the material covered on Thu/Fri. 

• The new material for the day is balancing the overall chemical equation (in addition to the charge balancing we have already covered) and we will also look at ionic nomenclature--chemistry's way of saying "naming ionic compounds."

• Now that we have covered rxn types, charge balancing, and balancing equations you are able to write a complete BCE for double replacement reactions. The BCEs for six of the reactions from the Chemical Reactions Lab will be due this week on Friday along with your weekly practice. 

• Ionic Nomenclature Guided Learning Activity-- This is due on Fri/Mon. As you work through the questions, use the booklet we made in class (directions below if you still need to make one) to start writing down your rules for naming the different types of ionic compounds(Representative Ions--Grps 1-2, 13-18; Polyatomic Ions; and Transition Metal Ions). Polyatomic ions are not covered in the worksheet, but once you get the other two...you can probably figure out what you need for polyatomic nomenclature. Booklet and GL WS are due on Fri/Mon.

• Notes on Balancing Chemical Equations and Ionic Nomenclature

THURSDAY, 10/10/19     FRIDAY, 10/11/19

• We will spend these next few classes working toward writing complete and correct balanced chemical equations. We will start today with what you have to do when you predict products. Many of the reactions we are working with involve ionic compounds and those compounds must be charge balanced. With some reaction types, you can also predict whether the reaction will occur or not. Today we will look at how that can be done with double replacement reactions. 

• Charge Balance and Solubility Rules Notes

TUESDAY, 10/8/19     WEDNESDAY, 10/9/19

• No Weekly Practice this week...the lab will take it's place this week since we only meet twice.

• Proficiency Opportunity: Scientific Notation 3

• Today in class we'll go over the ideas that you came up with during the lab on Monday and Tuesday. Chemists have Five Reaction Types that describe the chemistry that happens in a wide range of reactions. We'll take a look at these five reaction types today and will practice using those reaction types to predict what the products of a chemical reaction will be. Over the next week or so, we will develop skills necessary to write out accurate and complete balanced chemical equations. 

• Chemical Reactions and Reaction Types Notes

FRIDAY, 10/4/19     MONDAY, 10/7/19

• Proficiency Opportunity: Scientific Notation 2

• Today we will be starting to look at chemical reactions. We will start with the Chemical Reactions Lab. This is a lab that encourages you to put yourself in the shoes of the first scientists to approach a new problem. We'll use this lab to practice coming up with possible options and then will spend some time on Wednesday and Thursday deciding which of our possibilities is the most reasonable and why. 

  • LAB QUESTIONS ARE DUE THIS COMING TUE/WED--That is unusual but we will be doing some stuff with them in class!

WEDNESDAY, 10/2/19      THURSDAY, 10/3/19

• Weekly Practice 1.4--DUE TODAY

• Atomic Spectra Lab is DUE TODAY

• Today we will spend some time reviewing during the first half of class. Come to class with your self evaluation sheet and any questions you have come up with. That will help make our review time more helpful for you!

• We'll be taking the test for the unit during the second half of class.

MONDAY, 9/30/19      TUESDAY, 10/1/19

• Weekly Practice 1.4--you will want to get a jump on this weekly practice as it is due on Wed/Thu when you come for the test. 

  • There are a few questions on the Weekly Practice this week that are listed as "Challenge" problems. That does not indicate that they are optional but just is to let you know that they won't be an immediate piece of cake. Everyone needs to give them a try and have an idea down for all questions in order to get full credit. :)

• This is the last week of the Atomic Structure Unit. That means this coming Wed/Thu is the Unit Test. Remember that while you can use notes, homework, and other resources on the weekly quizzes...it is just you, the yellow PT, and your calculator on the end of unit tests. We need to take a few minutes and reflect on where we stand. Preparing for chemistry tests starts with thinking about what you have down pat and what you need work on. Use the Chemistry Test Review--Self Evaluation to help guide this process. Your Self Evaluation is DUE with your test on Wed/Thu. 

• Class time today will be partially used to work a bit on Weekly Practice and partially time to ask questions that you have and start our review of Atomic Structure

Friday, 9/6/19    Monday, 9/9/19

• We definitely didn't get through all of the things we started on the first day...we'll wrap that up today: 

  1. Orient everyone to the classroom with the Mr. Kanter's Room Science Scavenger Hunt.  We will use what we find to make sure that everyone is safe in the lab.

  2. Go over the way the class will work this year and how things like homework, quizzes/tests and labs will be run. 

  3. Finish with a "really tough" quiz.

• As homework for this first week, students are to do the following things for the next scheduled class period: 

  1. If you haven't already, please fill out my Google Form to show that you found the website and to give me some information about yourselves. 

  2. Read the Class Syllabus posted here.  Bring back the signed copy on Tue/Wed.

  3. Print, read, and then sign the Safety Contract.  Have your parents sign this as well.  Signed contracts are to be returned to class prior to participating in lab activities.

Wednesday, 9/4/19     Thursday, 9/5/19

• Welcome to General Chemistry!  We have a lot of exciting things to try this year in class. 

• Today we will start with an introduction to what you might expect to see during the year in Chemistry. 

• After the course intro, we will jump right in with a LAB on the first day.

• With the rest of the period we will aim to accomplish a few things:

  1. Discuss observations from the lab and any interpretations that we could make from them. 

  2. Orient everyone to the classroom with the Mr. Kanter's Room Science Scavenger Hunt.  We will use what we find to make sure that everyone is safe in the lab.

  3. Go over the way the class will work this year and how things like homework, quizzes/tests and labs will be run. 

• Your homework tonight is to fill out a Google Form to show that you found the website and to give me some information about yourselves.