Chemistry 112 Dual Credit
Syllabus – Spring 2018
Instructor: Mr. Les McSparrin
Meeting Times: MWF 3:00 P.M. – 4:50 P.M. (BU 210)
Office: B009G Elliott
Office Hours: MWF 10:00 A.M. – 10:50 A.M.
R 1:00 P.M. – 1:50 P.M.
MWF 5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M.
Please arrange all others by appointment only.
Phone: 765-285-7456
E-mail:
Course Texts and Materials:
Kotz, J. C., Treichel, P. M., & Townsend, J. R. (2012). Chemistry and Chemical
Reactivity, 8th ed. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole: Cengage.
Zumdahl, S. S. & Zumdahl, S. A. (2014). Chemistry, 9th ed. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole:
Cengage.
Brown, T. L., LeMay, H. E., Bursten, B. E., & Murphy, C. J. (2014). AP Test Prep
Series: Chemistry. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson: Prentice-Hall.
Hague, G.R. & Smith, J.D. (2011). The Ultimate Chemical Equations Handbook.
Batavia, IL: Flinn Scientific.
Kean, S. (2012). The Disappearing Spoon. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
Scientific calculator, dedicated binder, lab notebook (handed out in class)
Course Description:
This course is the equivalent to the second semester chemistry course taken by first year college science majors. This course enables students to take sophomore level chemistry courses as college freshmen. For other students, this course fulfills the laboratory science requirement and frees time for other courses.
Content:
Students in this course will have the opportunity to attain a more in-depth understanding of chemistry concepts and competence in dealing with chemical problems. This course will differ from the first year of high school chemistry with respect to the kind of textbook used, emphasis on chemical calculations and understanding chemical concepts, and the complex nature of experiments done in the laboratory. The topics in this course will include: advanced bonding concepts, coordination chemistry, states of matter, solutions, chemical equilibria, chemical kinetics, acid-base chemistry, thermodynamics, and electrochemistry. Problem solving; higher-order thinking; the scientific method; the use of scientific literature; qualitative analysis; quantitative techniques; data collection, manipulation, and analysis; and exposure to instrumentation will be the focus of the laboratory experience.
Guidelines for Success
1. Attendance is vital to your understanding of the subject material in this class. Often times, just reading the book is not enough. I feel that each of you needs to be present during each class meeting to take part in the classroom discussions and activities. Make certain that you are clearly aware of the attendance policy here at the Indiana Academy.
2. Read your book. Be certain to read the text and any other resources provided before you come to class. Although I will be discussing many of the highlights found in the text in some detail, reading the material in advance will aid you in learning. Use the textbook as a tool for understanding.
Read with purpose. Be an active reader. Note carefully all bold-faced or italicized words.
Sometimes it helps to read a portion of a chapter once for general understanding, view the online lecture and hear my explanation of the material, and then read it a second time for details and writing notes. It may help to read out loud. Hearing something reinforces the information in a very positive way and helps you remember.
3. Be prompt in completing assignments. There is a penalty of 20% per day on all late assignments and laboratories. No assignments will be accepted after 1 day late. NO EXCEPTIONS! Never slide assignments under my office door; deliver all late assignments to me personally.
4. I expect each and every one of you to participate in the classroom. This will allow you to gain points. Keep in mind….I need some justification to “bump up” a borderline grade. If you participate in class in a meaningful way on a regular basis, this will influence my decision. Participation in laboratory is mandatory.
5. Throughout the semester, I will make written assignments from material which you will find in the library, in journals, or on the Internet. Take these literature review assignments seriously since they count as 5% of your semester grade (1/2 a letter grade).
6. In class, take careful notes with purpose. Do not attempt to write down everything that is said or to write information in complete sentences. Your notes should be short, concise, with only key words and phrases recorded. More detailed definitions and explanations are in your textbook. Copy down all sample problems we complete during class. The most important thing you can do in class is to listen and ask meaningful questions.
7. Review your notes each day after school. Add brief comments to your notes from class discussions. Review your notes again, reading them out loud if possible. Do not choose one night before an examination and study for long hours. This is only counterproductive, as you will remember the first five minutes and the last five minutes, but little or nothing in between. Instead, study often. Take breaks every 15-20 minutes to allow you to return to the material with more attention.
8. Use a highlighter while you study. Highlight the information or practice problems in your notes that you don’t understand. Ask questions about these points of confusion during class and/or during my office hours. Your questions and the discussions that follow during class time will help other students.
9. Learning should not be a competitive exercise. You can best help yourself by helping others. Form study groups or try to tutor a student who seems to be having difficulty. While attempting to explain concepts to others, you will become aware of your own depth of understanding and those areas you need to study further.
10. Remember these words of wisdom …
“The best teachers tell you where to look, but don’t tell you what to see.” - Alexandra K. Trenfor
“I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think.” – Socrates
“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell
“The value of a college education is not the learning of many facts, but the training of the mind to think.” – Albert Einstein
Grading Policy
Your semester grade will be calculated using the following weighted average. I have designed this method of grade calculation to give you credit for all the work you do for class and not just base your grade on examinations and quizzes.
Examinations and Quizzes ………………………………………………………… 60 %
Laboratory Performance, Reports, and Notebook …….…………………………... 25 %
Assignments and Class Notebook ..……………………………………………….. 10 %
Written Projects, Internet Assignments, Literature Reviews …………………….. 5 %
a.) Participation – Participation points will be assigned to those students who write out their answers to problems on the board.
b.) Safety – I will be looking for safe laboratory procedures. Students who have been safe and careful in the laboratory will be rewarded. Unsafe behavior will result in loss of privileges.
Grading Scale
Percentage Grade
93.00 – 100 A
90.00 – 92.99 A-
87.00 – 89.99 B+
83.00 – 86.99 B
80.00 – 82.99 B-
77.00 – 79.99 C+
70.00 – 76.99 C
65.00 – 69.00 C-
≤64.99 D*
Note: I reserve the right to make positive adjustments to borderline grades at the end of each semester for those students who show motivation and interest in the subject. This is at my discretion and is non-negotiable. Don’t assume you are entitled to this privilege.
Examinations and Quizzes
You will receive an in-class examination and a take-home examination for each unit covered in the course. There will be weekly quizzes on Fridays. In addition, there will be a cumulative final that will be composed of Advanced Placement review assignments.
Materials
1. It will be necessary for you to have a scientific calculator now if you don’t have one. It will be difficult for you to do the calculations required in this course without one. We will be doing a great deal of graphing in this class. Therefore, it would be an asset to have a graphing calculator. My suggestion would be the TI-84-Plus Silver edition if you are taking AP Calculus concurrently. It has a Periodic Table application that would be very beneficial.
2. You will be required to maintain a notebook for this course. You will need a large 3-ring binder. It should be divided into 4 sections:
1.) class notes
2.) assignments and handouts
3.) laboratories
4.) written projects and literature reviews
3. Ball State University Laboratory Safety and Security Committee and the Chemistry Department require a laboratory coat for protection of your skin and clothing. We work with many toxic/corrosive agents. So, prudent practices are a must. If you have financial concerns in obtaining a lab coat, please see me regarding how we can fix you up with one.
5. An NCR lab notebook is required and will be handed out the first lab period. No student will be permitted into the laboratory without a completed lab notebook. You will be expected to write all of your lab reports in the notebook, and you will be turning in the NCR page to me for scoring purposes. The lab notebook is the key to getting AP credit at universities. Chemistry departments will expect to see evidence that you had performed a variety of laboratories surveying general chemistry topics.
General Classroom Guidelines and Procedures
1. Be in your seat and have the necessary items for class before class begins. Necessary items would include: pencils/pens, notebook, textbook, paper, calculator, and laptop. I do not lend writing utensils, calculators, or paper.
2. Talking while others have the floor is rude and disrespectful. I will afford you 100 % of my respect, unless you provide me with an instance to feel otherwise.
3. No food, gum, and/or drinks are to be brought into a science classroom.
4. Laptops are to be in use when necessary. Otherwise, they should be shut down and in your backpack.
5. No cell phones are to be “on” or used during class time. Cell phones will be confiscated from anyone texting during class after being warned. If I confiscate a cell phone, you will be required to have a meeting with me and your SLC in order to have it returned. Subsequent confiscations will result in a meeting with me and Dr. Kavars. Note: Your privacy will be respected. You will be asked to power down your cell phone before turning it in.
6. Purses and backpacks are to be left under your desk to reduce clutter in the laboratory.
7. Tardy to class is unacceptable, especially on an habitual basis. After 5 minutes, you will be considered absent and will be marked as such. You will receive a warning for the first tardy to class. Subsequent instances of being tardy will be marked as class absences.
8. Laying your head down and/or sleeping in class will result in a class absence being recorded, regardless of your reason or excuse.
Makeup Work
1. Here at Indiana Academy, much higher expectations are placed upon you than you may be accustomed. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to consult Blackboard and other classmates to find out what information you have missed. I will make every attempt to keep Blackboard current with handouts given in class.
2. You may have the length of time equal to the length of your absence to make up any missed work. For example, if you miss class one day, you may have one day to make up any missed work.
3. Being absent from class does not excuse you from assignments which were due. If you are ill and cannot attend class, it is your responsibility to either send your assignment with a classmate or to send it via an e-mail attachment before the beginning of class. E-mail attachments sent after the beginning of class will be considered to be late and will receive late credit.
4. In the event you miss laboratory for an excused reason, you must arrange a meeting with me as soon as possible to make up the laboratory within one week of the missed laboratory session. If the lab cannot be made up, then students with an academy approved excuse may be allowed to miss one lab without penalty at the discretion of the instructor.
5. Unexcused absences: Students with unexcused absences may not be allowed to make up any missed work, and the grade will be recorded as “0”. If it is a first offense, a student might be able to make up the work with a late penalty assessed, but this is at the discretion of the instructor. Subsequent missed labs will result in a course grade reduction of 10% per each missing Lab report/assignment. Therefore, three or more missed labs (whether it be unexcused absences or not turning in lab assignments) may result in failing the course – if this happens early in the semester, then the student will be asked to drop the course. If you miss an exam due to an unexcused absence, then the make-up exam will be assessed a 20% penalty before it is graded. Those with an academy approved excuse will have no penalty unless the exam is not made up within a reasonable time period (please see #2 under Make-up Work).