This course is designed to help students realize the important role that chemistry plays in their lives. Topics of study include the safety and the nature of science, measurements and calculations, classification and separation of matter, atomic theory, the periodic table, the mole, ionic and covalent compounds and bonding, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, and gases. Students will learn to see the world from a molecular perspective. Students will be engaged in a variety of inquiry activities and will learn an array of laboratory techniques. Students will complete an “I Wonder….” research project each marking report period.
UNITS OF STUDY:
Chapter 1: Safety and Science Chapter 8: Atomic Theory
Chapter 2: Measurement and Calculations Chapter 9: Quantum Theory
Chapter 3: Classification of Matter Chapter 10: Periodic Table
Chapter 4: Ionic Bonding Chapter 11: Covalent Bonding
Chapter 5: The Mole Chapter 12: Gases
Chapter 6: Chemical Reactions Chapter 13: Acids & Bases (potential mini-unit)
Chapter 7: Stoichiometry
Be in your assigned seat and ready to work when the bell rings.
Bring required materials to class.
Raise your hand to speak, and listen when others are speaking.
Follow directions the first time they are given.
Treat everyone and their property respectfully.
Consequences if not met:
Warning
20 minute teacher detention and parent/guardian contact
Office referral
Getting help early on is much less stressful than finding yourself unprepared for a test or unclear on how to complete an assignment. Chemistry can be a challenging class. It’s a great idea to get some extra help if you need it! See Miss G. before or after school or during flex for extra help. You can also utilize the Learning Lab in the Learning Commons for free tutoring. It's open 3-days per week after school.
Miss G's Tutoring Hours
Before School: Daily 7:30 - 7:49 am
After School: Mon: 3:15 - 4:00 pm
Tues: 3:15 - 4:00 pm
Wed (not available)
Thurs: 3:15 - 4:00 pm
Fri: 3:15 - 4:00 pm
3-ring binder (or a folder system to organize your papers)
Scientific calculator (it doesn’t have to be a graphing calculator, but you’ll need to be able to type numbers in scientific notation like 6.02x1023 and calculate logarithms)
Computer, earbuds, pen and pencil
Curiosity!
In our class, we follow the "Be here" philosophy. Remember, phones don't make good moments...people do! We follow the Warwick Student Handbook Cell Phone Policy and keep cell phones stored out of sight, unless given permission to use them for an assignment.
Each marking report period (MRP) is weighted as 20% towards the course grade; the midterm and final exam are weighted as 10% each. Within the MRP there are four types of grades, each carries a different weight:
Academic Responsibility (0%)
I Wonder Project (10%)
Intra-Unit Assessment (40%)
End-of Unit Assessments (50%)
Test Grades (End-of Unit Assessment): Most unit tests will be weighted equally as if they were out of 100 points. However, it won’t look like this in your online grades because you can’t see the weight factor. If, for example, you take three tests in a marking report period and they are out of a different number of points (eg. 50 pts, 58 pts, 47 pts) these are the point values that will appear online. But they will be weighted so that each test will actually contribute an equal amount to your grade.
Vocabulary Quizzes (End-of Unit Assessment): These are matching-type quizzes that are weighted as 50 pt. unit ending assessments. We will all take the vocabulary quizzes for the first two chapters and the quizzes for additional chapters will be optional. Vocabulary quizzes must be taken prior to the chapter test.
Rounding: MRP grades will not be rounded; course grades will be rounded to the nearest whole number.
Extra Credit: You may earn 1% extra credit in each overall marking report period grade if you have earned at least an 90% for your academic responsibility. You must have no missing intra-unit or “I Wonder..?” project assessments.
If you miss class:
Plan on coming in outside of class to make up the lab work and classwork. Much of this course is hands-on and we do not have a textbook. I am rarely able to catch people up in class, but will be glad to meet with you before or after school
Be sure to check Google Classroom for your assignments.
Work Make-Up Policy (from WHS handbook):
Short term absence (one or two days). Work made up at the convenience of the teacher within 5 school days.
Prolonged illness (three or more days). Work made up within a period of time not to exceed twice the number of days absent.
Arrangements should be made to make up work missed due to an excused absence or an excused trip before the absence occurs.
Assignments will not be accepted late unless they are accompanied by a Late Pass. You may use up to 4 late passes throughout the course. When turning in an assignment late, you do not need to provide a reason why it is late. You may turn in the assignment anytime before the end of the MRP. Late passes can be found near Miss G's desk. Late passes may not be used for quizzes or tests.
Note: If you use a late pass for an "I Wonder Project" Assignment, you are no longer eligible to do revisions on that assignment.
Purpose:
To give students the opportunity to relearn material from a unit.
The student will show their learning by attempting incorrect questions again and also supplying written explanations.
If new answers are sufficient, the student will be awarded ½ credit for each question.
Criteria: Test corrections are allowed once per marking period and not allowed on the midterm or final exam.
All of your Academic Responsibility for the unit (with at least 80% completion per assignment) had to have been completed prior to the test for you to be eligible for test corrections.
You may complete either test corrections or a one-pager (grade boost option) but not both.
Test corrections must be completed within one week of the test.
If you are concerned about using test corrections on additional tests, please schedule a conference with Miss G. to discuss ideas to improve test scores. Together, we will develop a proactive plan for test review with additional test corrections a possibility if needed.
Miss G. reserves the right to add qualifications/procedures to test corrections.
Procedure
Schedule to come to Miss G's classroom during flex or before or after school.
Bring your chemistry notebook--you may use this (but not your computer) during the test corrections.
Miss G. will return your test to you and will provide the test correction forms.
Here is the Test Correction Form for Multiple Choice/Matching/True False
Here is the Test Correction Form for Short Answer/Problem Solving
You may use your notes, but must work alone. You may ask Miss G. for help - be sure to ask a specific question, show her where you are getting stuck and have your notes open to the relevant lesson.
You may complete additional assignments to earn back or earn extra points for both intra-unit and unit-ending assessments:
One-Pager Review - Summarize the chapter on an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper following specific criteria. This will be weighted as 50% of a unit-ending assessment (ex. if the unit ending assessment for a chapter is weighted as 100 pts, the one pager will be weighted as 50 pts). Eligibility: All assignments in the chapter have been completed including the test review.
STEAMing Out The Lab Coat Wrinkles: Creatively portray concepts from the lab to earn back ½ credit on lab quizzes or to add an additional intra-unit assessment.
Optional Unit Vocab Quizzes: These are matching-type quizzes that are weighted as 50 pt. unit ending assessments. We will all take the vocabulary quizzes for the first two chapters and the quizzes for additional chapters will be optional. Vocabulary quizzes must be taken prior to the chapter test.
Chemical Cartoon Analysis: Use the 4 C’s to discuss a chemical cartoon. This will count as an additional 10pt unit-ending assessment.
Collaborative Children’s Storybook: Use the 4 C’s to write a children’s storybook in a group of 2-4. This will count as an additional unit-ending assessment. (LIMIT: 1 per MRP).
Mini Enrichment Activities - depending on the activity these can act as additional intra-unit assignments (~10 pts). Have a conference with Miss Griffiths about the specifics of the extension activity you choose before you complete it.
We follow the Warwick Student Handbook Cheating/Plagiarism policy in our classroom.