So surf along with me and explore Chemistry 51!

The syllabus will give you additional information about our course objectives and the SLO. Be sure to review the Orientation Module for important information about student resources which will help you navigate and succeed in the course.

Most importantly you want to note that due dates for lab reports and discussion posts are all on Fridays. Quizzes will be due on either Wednesdays or Fridays. The dates can be reviewed below. I think it might help everybody if the due dates are always consistent. I do not reopen the various assignments so you must keep aware of what is due and when. You will see reminders on your home page when something is due. In general your quizzes for both online lab and lecture are due on Friday evenings. I urge you not to wait until Friday to work on all of the assignments. You should be working all week on the work so Friday night does not become a moment of crisis for you. You will be given three attempts on each lecture and online lab quiz report. Your reported grade will be the average of these three attempts. For your lecture quizzes you will be shown which questions you did not answer correctly but the correct answer is not provided. You must also be aware that many questions change the variables with each attempt so be sure to redo all of your calculations on each attempt.

Exams have different opening and closing dates and you will see announcements about exams and topics covered. Exams open on Monday morning at midnight and close Wednesday evenings at 11:59 pm. Be sure to allow enough time to complete exams (and quizzes) before 11:59 pm because the system shuts down at exactly that time..

So take a look at my welcome video (1 minute, 18 seconds long) to learn a little about me.

Tips for Success

My biggest piece of advice for success in this class (and really for any class) is to work systematically every week on the module for that week. Chemistry builds upon itself and so if you fail to learn the material in week 1, week 2 becomes almost impossible. And time flies! So do your very best to keep up with the material and the activities presented in each module. If you find yourself falling behind, let me know and I will do my best to help.

Secondly, do not be afraid to ask questions. If you do not know the answer to a problem or how to solve a problem, many other students do not also. If you ask me directly, I can answer your specific question. But also make use of the open Discussion (Q & A in the Discussion section) to ask general questions and start a discussion among other students on that particular topic.

Something that is very specific to this class has to do with how your report numerical answers on quizzes, lab report quizzes and exams. As you will see in our first module (Measurement), there are specific rules for reporting a measurement made by an instrument and performing arithmetic with these measurements. Be sure you understand these rules and learn to apply them because the computer will mark any answers not reported according to these rules as 'incorrect'.

Course Goals

Every class at Valley College has set of 'Learning Objectives'. The specific goals for this class include

Illustrate an understanding of basic chemical principles of inorganic, organic, and biological chemistry.
Apply chemical principles of elements, gases, solutions, pH, and organic reactions to health and environmental issues.

Use dimensional analysis methods to solve problems of stoichiometry, solution concentration, and gas laws.
Write the correct names and formulas of chemical substances.
Write and correctly balance chemical equations
Use atomic and electronic structure to determine bonding patterns in compounds
Describe chemical trends exhibited on the periodic table

Use solution concentrations to determine the amounts of solute present.
Employ an understanding of pH to calculate pH and determine the acidity or basicity of a solution.
Understand the reactivity of functional groups in organic chemistry
Apply organic principles to the biochemical substances of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins
Use observation skills to determine the results of an experiment.

Use deductive skills in forming conclusions from experimental data and results.
Work successfully in a team to accomplish a group project.

I make the following promises to you, my students

I will always be available to answer your questions
I will answer any of your questions respectfully and enthusiastically to the very best of my ability
I will provide timely feedback to your work
I will maintain expectations from you so that this course will have been useful to you when you complete it
I will respect each of you for who you are

In return, I ask you, my students, to promise me, your instructor

You will complete your assignments promptly and enthusiastically
You will do your best to learn the material I present
You will help each other whenever the opportunity arises
You will be as respectful of my and your fellow students' errors, as I will be of your
You will do your best to convey your enthusiasm for the class and its goals

Contact Information

I'm glad you've enrolled for Chemistry 51. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. I am always happy to hear from you by email or, if you wish, video. I also have individual Zoom sessions available to you through Student Connect. I also have a Discussion page devoted to questions you can address to me or your fellow students. You can address me as 'Professor Fickel', 'Dr. Fickel', 'Ted', or even 'Theodore'. Just please don't call me 'dude'.

The best way to contact me is via the Canvas Inbox. Your message will be also sent to my LAVC email address automatically. I'll respond to emails within 6 hours, except weekends and holidays. Here is a list of important contact information for you:

Ted Fickel

fickelte@lavc.edu or message me on Canvas

Canvas 24/7 Support

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Click the Help icon located in the blue global navigation on the left of your Dashboard. Then....

Select "Student Support." Locate the LAVC "Canvas Support," which will take you to the student support chat.

Select "Contact Support" to chat with someone.

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LAVC Virtual Help Desk

Phone: (818) 538-9050, M-F 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

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