Syllabus
Chemistry
C Module : Quarter 1
Teacher: Alvin Fridie
email:
Course Description
Chemistry is called a central science. It touches our everyday lives in many ways, from the plastic chair you are using, to the preservatives in your breakfast, to the gasoline you use in your car, to the live processes that take place in your body. This course will introduce concepts and thems that you will encounter in future chemistry, biology, and physics classes.
Focus Skills
Solves Problems
Communicates Effectively
Grading System
Course Requirements/Grading System Possible Points
Homework 35
Tests/Quizzes 20
Labs 20
Participation 25
Total Points 100
Homework (35% of final grade)
Homework are generally short general chemistry problems which focus on important theories developed by chemists to explain different atomic behavior. Chemistry, like many activities, requires continual practice in order to comprehend. Cramming before a test might allow one to store a lot of definitions, but it will not give you the ability to see connections between the course material. The homework will give you practice understanding the vocabulary and concepts of chemistry.
- Homework should be completed in the class journal or online. All written assignments should be brought to school everyday.
- While individual homework will be evaluated once a week during the review of the journal , homework will be a resource for class discussions and will have a completion date. I reserve the right to inspect completed homework at any time.
Tests/Quizzes (20% of final grade)
Tests and quizzes are in-class exams for students. Quizzes will be questions based upon homework assignments and recent class discussions. Tests will have similar questions as the quizzes and also some longer essay questions.
- Quizzes will occur at the beginning of class. Late students will not be given additional time to finish. Arrive on time!.
- Excused absences from tests and quizzes must be obtained three days in advance.
- Missed quizzes will not be made up. Missed tests will be made up on the first day the student returns.
Labs/Notebook (20% of final grade)
The class notebooks are a place for illustrations, asking questions, and a record of research for the class. Of course, the ability to describe one's ideas through writing is a useful skill in most academic fields. This includes not only your summary of covered material but also questions with the information presented. Years from now, you should be able to read your notebook as a reference for information. It will contain the results of chemistry demonstrations and laboratory exercises
Participation (25% of final grade)
One of the goals of the class is to provide a conducive environment for learning chemistry and working on projects. Student participation is essential to maintain a healthy workspace to discuss and to evaluate ideas. While I do present many topics, students are expected to present their ideas in class to other students. During class discussions, students are expected to come prepared both to ask and to answer questions Students earn a daily grade, 5 pts for excellent behavior, 3 pts for excused absences, 0 pts when repeatedly asked to work.
Text
Excerpts from
The Extraordinary Chemistry of Ordinary Things – 3 ed. Carl H. Snyder
Web sites
http://neon.chem.ox.ac.uk/vrchemistry/ Virtual chemistry lab- University of Oxford
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~chemlab/ Virtual Chemistry lab- Dartmouth College
http://ir.chem.cmu.edu/irproject/applets/virtuallab/ Irydium project
Class Schedule ( Major Assignments)
Week 1
HW packet #1 Nomenclature
Lectures 1-3 (oxford)
Week 2
Measurement labs
Writing Assignment 1a
Week 3
Notebook check
Lectures 4-6 (oxford)
Week 4
HW packet #2
Computer Assignment 1
Week 5
H.W. Writing Assignment #2
Notebook check
Week 6
HW packet #3
Lab practical
Week 7
Computer Assignment 2
Final Thoughts
- If you are having any trouble with the course, come and talk with me. I am available both before and after school most days. I have a free period, C module and a study hall E module.
- I encourage students to work with each other. Students can help each other complete homework and study for the exams.
- If you are interested extra credit, you must write a proposal of the work to be completed. An additional teacher may be asked to review the work. The work must be completed one week prior to the end of the quarter in order to be credited to your evaluation grade.
- The science of chemistry has been debated for millennia. This class will allow students to investigate a fundamental structure of matter, the atom. This requires that everyone has respect for the work involved in developing ideas. The discussions will require active participation. There are very few complete theories in science which explain all observations. An informed discussion should investigate the limitations of the atomic theory.
