Welcome to Chemistry!
Mr. Kheriaty’s Syllabus
Required Supplies: Bring these items on a daily basis:
o Graphing Calculator (Recommended TI-83 or TI-84)
o The Disappearing Spoon (Reading will be integrated throughout the semester)
o Lab towel (You will keep this in your lab drawer)
o Writing Utensils and Paper
Teacher Web-page: You will find a Google calendar with assignments and test dates.
http://www.vianney.com/kheriaty-chemistry-i.html (follow the links from Vianney’s homepage)
Blog: You will find notes, assignments, answer keys, and video lectures.
http://mrkheriatychemistry.blogspot.com/
Video Lectures: Some of my lessons are posted as videos on my blog. Sometimes we will “flip” the classroom and do lectures at home and homework problems in class. You are encouraged to use these videos to review.
On-line Grades: Parents and students can check grades online. My habit is to enter homework assignments the same day that they are due. Most test grades are posted the day of the test. Some tests may take longer. Lab grades may take up to a week to grade.
I urge both students and parents to check grades frequently. It allows you to monitor your progress, and to make sure that you and I are on the same page. It is a wonderful resource. This is the primary method that I use to communicate to parents.
Schoology:
The Vianney faculty has adopted Schoology.com as a common online educational platform for the sake of uniformity for the students. To join this class, go to Schoology.com, and enter the access code: 4CFJM-8W7DP
Chemistry Course Outline: The pace of the course will be adjusted to meet the needs of the class. We will typically study 8 of these units during this course.
Unit 1: Chemistry: The Study of Change
What is this stuff? What happens when I mix it together?
How do science and faith fit together?
Designing experiments and making careful observations
Classifying changes as chemical changes or physical changes
Unit 2: The Atom
Is matter infinitely divisible?
Models of the atom
Learning to read the periodic table
Periodic trends and electron configurations
Unit 3: Bonding
Ionic and covalent bonding
Drawing Lewis Dot Diagrams and writing chemical formulas
Unit 3.5: Molecular Geometry
Determine the 3-d shape of a molecule.
Using intermolecular forces to rank evaporation rates
What makes a good fuel?
Alternative sources of energy (nuclear, coal, geothermal, wind, solar, hydroelectric, biofuel)
Unit 4: Naming Chemicals
Reading and writing names of ionic compounds, covalent molecules, and acids
Unit 5: Moles
Significant figures; Unit conversions
Moles: Counting by weighing, mole conversions, empirical formulas
Unit 6: Reactions
Patterns of reactions; Predicting products; Balancing reactions
Unit 7: Stoichiometry
How much stuff goes in and comes out or a reaction
Limiting reactant; Percent yields
If time permits, we will continue on with: Unit 8: GASES Unit 9: SOLUTIONS
Note: I reserve the right to modify the contents of this document as I see fit during the year.
Grades
Homework ------35%
Tests/quizzes------35%
Labs ------15%
Final ------15%
Homework: Plan on two things each night: completing a written chemistry assignment, then taking 15 minutes to actively study the notes from that day’s class. Homework is graded based on completion. To earn full credit on homework, you need to write out all of the steps for every homework problem.
“What do I do if I don’t understand a homework problem?”
If you encounter a problem on your homework that you do not understand:
1. Read the problem carefully several times.
2. Write down all the given information and any formula that relates to the problem.
3. Write down what you are asked to find.
4. Look through your notes to see if we did a similar problem in class.
5. Make an honest attempt at the problem. Don’t be afraid to try something, start over and try again. If you still need help, ask another student or Mr. Kheriaty.
To give you points for a homework assignment, I need to see written evidence that you performed these steps. A blank problem is not acceptable!
Encore: Encore can be a great time for you if you use it correctly!
It is really good for:
· Working on homework that is due tomorrow.
· Asking me a question about a problem that you tried last night.
It is really bad for:
· Working on homework that is due today.
· Making up a test.
Tests draw heavily on class notes. Your note packets are your primary study source. Labs, homework assignments, practice tests are all intended to illuminate and compliment the content found in the notes.
Reading Quiz: The day after each test, you will have a reading quiz on the Disappearing Spoon. You may opt out of the quiz by turning in notes on the chapter. The notes do not need to be long, but must show clear evidence that you read the whole chapter. (A bullet point about each of the main stories or characters in each chapter will suffice). Each quiz is 5 or 6 multiple choice questions. The quiz will be graded all or nothing. If you get 50% or better, you get a 10/10. If not, you get a zero.
Note to parents: These questions are designed to be fairly easy –such that if he reads, he will get 10/10. If you see a zero on a Spoon Quiz, that often indicates a lack of effort.
Disappearing Spoon Quiz Schedule:
Unit 1 ------Intro and Ch. 1
Unit 2 ------Ch. 2
Unit 3 ------Ch. 3
Unit 3.5------Ch. 4
Unit 4 ------Ch. 5
Unit 5 ------Ch. 6
Unit 6 ------Ch. 9
Unit 7 ------Ch. 10
Unit 8 ------Ch. 16
Unit 9 ------Ch. 18
Unit 10------Ch. 11
Unit 11------Ch. 13
Rules and Expectations
1. Late Work: You start with two Mulligans. Mulligans can be used for:
o Forgetting your calculator, your periodic table etc.
o Forgetting to lock your lab drawer or locking it and forgetting the combo.
o Turning in an assignment one day late, with no penalty.
(Write “Mulligan” on the assignment and put it in your period’s box.)
· All other late work will not earn credit.
2. Absences: Find out what you missed and get caught up within a day or two. If you know you will be gone, talk to me before you are absent.
3. Tardiness: You are allowed one free tardy per semester. The next will have a consequence.
4. Academic Honesty: Cheating will not be tolerated in this class. You will lose credit for any assignment, project, or exam in which cheating took place. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Copying homework, lab reports, or test answers.
- Giving someone your work to copy.
- Plagiarizing from any source.
- “Helping” another student answer test questions.
- Using “cheat sheets” on assessments, quizzes or tests.
- Having a phone out during a test or quiz.
- Allowing your eyes to wander to another student’s test or quiz.
Note: I encourage you to work together on assignments. However, I expect that you do your own work. A good rule to follow is this: never write down a number from someone else’s paper. If a classmate explains to you how to solve a problem, you must generate the numbers on your own from your own calculator. Turning in an identical assignment as a classmate is cheating I feel that cheating is a serious offense. Instances of cheating will be reported to the Dean’s office and recorded in your file. I may also contact your parents. Cheating may result in a drop of one full letter grade. Second offenses will automatically drop your grade one full letter grade, and may disqualify you from passing the class.
You are not alone here!
I encourage you to ask for help as soon as you need it. The course will continue to build on itself so do not let yourself fall behind. If you are struggling with a concept, that is OK. But you must work extra hard to gain control of that concept before the class moves on. Procrastination will snowball into disaster. I am available and eager to help you learn. Please be proactive in your education and ask for help. I look forward to a great semester together!
Student:
I have read and understood this document. ______(signature)
______(print name)
Parent:
I have read and understood this document. ______(signature)
______(print name)
Please email Mr. Kheriaty at with any questions about this document.