CHEMISTRY I COURSE SYLLABUS



AP CHEMISTRY COURSE SYLLABUS (Mr. Chuba & Mrs. Runge)

2012 – 2013

CHEMISTRY IS NOT A SPECTATOR SPORT – YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE IT TO LEARN IT!

Dear Parents/Guardians and Students:

Welcome to AP Chemistry. We want to inform you of our classroom procedures and grading policy. Please read this information with your son/daughter and then sign the acknowledgement sheet and return it.

AP Chemistry is a second-level, laboratory-centered course that provides an opportunity for students to undertake a more comprehensive investigation of some aspects of chemistry than is normally possible in a first-year chemistry course. It is designed for students who have completed a core science curriculum and are now ready to pursue more advanced and specialized studies. The AP chemistry course is designed to be the equivalent of a general chemistry course taken during the first year of college.

Expectations

Prompt – be in the room when the bell rings

Polite – if you wish to receive courtesy and respect, you must learn to give them

Prepared – have your notes, pen/pencil, calculator, homework, ready when the bell rings – no cell phones

Productive – actively participate in the learning process

Chemistry Homework Club – Extra Help

Mr. Chuba: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8:00 AM – 8:45 AM in room 602

I normally stay after school most days until around 5:00 PM.

You are also welcome to contact me via telephone at home: 703-648-2579

My e-mail addresses are: tchuba@ tom.chuba@

Mrs. Runge: Thursdays from 8:00 AM – 8:45 AM in either Room 600 or Room 602.

Mondays, Tuesday, and Fridays from 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM. Additional times available by appointment.

My e-mail address is: Janice.runge@

Recommended Materials:

• 3-ring binder to organize notes, homework, quizzes, tests, etc. This is not collected or graded.

• Pencils/pens and erasers for taking notes and completing assignments. These will not be provided.

• Agenda for recording assignments and due dates.

• Notes handouts are provided in skeleton form. These must be brought to class for completion.

• Scientific calculator

• 2 lined composition book for labs

Schedule

An assignment calendar will be passed out each month.

Grading

The LCPS grading scale is:

A+ 98-100 C+ 77-79

A 93-97 C 73-76

A- 90-92 C- 70-72

B+ 87-89 D+ 67-69

B 83-86 D 63-66

B- 80-82 D- 60-62

F 0-59

Grades:

Grades are determined on a straight point system. Simply add the points earned and divide by the total points possible. Extra credit projects are not offered. The range of points each graded activity can be worth is:

Tests: 100 points

Labs: 20 – 30 points

Bell ringers: 1- 5 points

Quizzes: 10 points

Mid-Term & Final Exam:

A comprehensive midterm and final exam will be given to all students.

Textbook: CHEMISTRY, 5th edition by Zumdahl and Zumdahl

Homework

Homework will be assigned at the beginning of a chapter. The homework assignment will not be graded, but it will be collected on the day of the test and checked for completion. Solutions to the homework assignment will be posted on Mr. Chuba’s web page and kept in a binder in Room 602. The assignment must be done as completely as possible. Do not use one-word answers when an explanation is needed. Do not simply write down a numerical answer; solve the problems using a format that includes all units and shows all work done to arrive at the answers. Do not copy another’s work in order to have something to turn in on the due date – THIS IS CHEATING. Homework must be submitted ON TIME. Late work WILL NOT be accepted.

Use the web page and the solutions binder for hints and to check your work. Ask us questions outside of class so you can better understand the problem-solving process used to arrive at an answer.

Labs

Lab work is an integral part of the course. We will try to incorporate as many as possible to supplement the class work. Because students come from a variety of math and science backgrounds, lab report writing will be accomplished using the method that best fits the lab and the class’ level of expertise at the time of the lab. Labs that are missed must be made up. Failure to do so will result in a grade of zero for that lab.

The Laboratory Safety Policy Agreement must be signed and returned to school.

Bell ringers

These are graded, or non-graded, in-class activities done individually during class or when the tardy bell rings. They can also be used as an exercise during the class to help reinforce concepts covered during a lesson. Questions/problems on the bell ringers will come from the homework, sometimes verbatim, so doing your own homework will help you be successful on the bell ringers.

Quizzes

Quizzes will be announced and most likely given once a week. They will be shorter versions of the test so each quiz will consist of approximately 5 multiple choice questions and either an entire or a partial free response question. The multiple choice questions will be timed and you will NOT be permitted to use a calculator.

Tests

Tests will be given either at the end of each chapter or two chapters if it makes sense to do so. Questions and problems will be similar to those encountered on an AP exam. Therefore, a part of each test will include a timed, non-calculator section consisting of approximately 20 multiple choice questions. The free response problems will be similar to those found on the AP exam.

The test will be designed and graded to assess the learning objectives of each chapter. The learning objectives will be recorded in Clarity along with each score so students (and parents) can track those objectives over which you have exhibited mastery and those needing further study and re-testing.

Re-tests

Re-taking a test will consist of students only re-testing those free response questions for which they do not exhibit mastery of the objective. Students will have one week after the test has been returned to re-take the non-mastered free response questions. These questions will be similar to those on the original test and be worth the same amount of points as on the original test. The new score will replace the score for the non-mastered objectives. Students will be provided only one opportunity to re-take non-mastered material per test.

Late Work

Homework – late work will not be accepted and a grade of zero will be assigned. Homework is due by the end of the school day on the day of the Chapter test.

Lab Reports – the grade will be reduced 5% per day late past the due date for up to one week. After one week, the grade for the lab report will be a zero (0%).

Make-up Work

Absences, planned and unplanned, occur. When this happens, the missed schoolwork must be made up as soon as possible. If you know in advance that you will be absent, see one of us to obtain the work in advance. When an illness keeps you out of school for an extended period of time, call the school and request that your assignments are sent home. In other instances where the absence is unplanned and short term, you must see one of us the FIRST DAY YOU RETURN TO SCHOOL to establish a make up schedule. Do not delay until the next class session.

Lab work must be made up. Students must see one of us on the day you return to class to arrange to make up the lab. Failure to make such arrangements will result in a grade of zero for the lab.

Attendance

Refer to the student handbook. You are expected to be in class and seated by the ringing of the tardy bell. Being late for class is disruptive and it results in poor learning opportunities.

Honor Code

Refer to the student handbook. Honor code violations in any form are serious and unacceptable. Lying, cheating, stealing and plagiarism have no place in the learning environment and should not be tolerated by parents, teachers and students. Violations related to class work will result in the grade of zero (0%) for that assignment, lab, quiz, bell ringer, or test. This work cannot be made up. Examples of honor violations include actions such as: copying homework, submitting someone else’s work as your own, copying lab reports, copying during quizzes, tests, etc., and discussing quiz or test questions with other classes. Both the student’s administrator and parents will be notified.

Testing Procedures

Bell ringers, quizzes and tests are individual assessments of your knowledge and skills. Students are not permitted to communicate with one another by any means regardless of their testing status. Any form of communication between students, topic related or not, during an individual assessment can result in penalization of the grade for that exercise. Once awarded, this grade cannot be replaced.

Lab Safety

You will receive a safety rules agreement form to read and sign and return to class. Unless otherwise instructed, these rules must be followed for each laboratory exercise. Failure to do so may result in dismissal from the lab and a grade of zero.

Vapor/splash proof goggles are required to perform lab work.

School Web Site

Mr. Chuba will maintain an AP Chemistry web site that you can access through the DHS site. After going to the DHS site, select STAFF, and then select CHUBA, THOMAS. A page will appear that contains class information.

The main page will have announcements, reminders of due dates, and other information pertaining to the class. On the left is a menu from which you can select the CALENDAR or the actual UNIT.

If you missed a class, or don’t remember what we did in class, click on the CALENDAR. When it opens, you can select your class period. There you will see a diary summary of what was done in class and he will post any handouts and homework assignments that you can download. Due dates are also stated in the diary entry. If you have lost a handout, then go to the UNIT selection and open it. Once it opens, you will see a list of all the handouts for that unit that you can download.

General Notes

Plan to spend at least 5 hours per week on homework. This is a college-level course and we have a limited amount of class time to cover a very comprehensive syllabus, including 22 time consuming labs. It is very important that you stay up to speed with your assignments.

If you are having difficulty (or think that you might) get help quickly. Don’t wait for the next class, the next week, or the day before a test.

If you miss a class, get the notes/materials you’ve missed BEFORE the next class. We expect you to be prepared and up to speed when you return. E-mail or call one of us if needed.

The proposed course schedule is not set in stone, but it does give you an idea of the pace at which we must move in order to be prepared for the AP exam in May.

If we miss school due to weather, be prepared to work at home. We will be available via telephone and e-mail to help you.

After reading the syllabus, please sign this form and return it. Thank you.

My parents/guardians and I have read this copy of the syllabus, grading policy and classroom procedures.

Student’s name (printed):

Student’s signature:

Parent/Guardian signature:

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