High School Chemistry

Room 210

Mr.

High School Chemistry

Overview:

Welcome to chemistry class. Throughout the year we will be working as a group to explore the world of chemistry. Chemistry will be one of the most vigorous courses you will take in high school. We will move quickly as we have a great deal of material to cover. If you are not diligent and dedicated it is easy to fall behind. To succeed in chemistry you need stay on top of your work, ask questions, and come in for extra help when you are having trouble. I have set high standards for each of my students and I expect that you rise up to meet these expectations through hard work.

N.B. This is a regent’s level course, and as such you are required to take the regents exam. It counts as your final and 25% of your overall grade.

The class will be conducted in a similar fashion as a college course. Therefore, class time will primarily be spent in lecture and note-taking. There will also be some projects and labs during class, as well as some time to work in groups, on classwork/homework.

Notes: Notes will be your primary source of information in this class. They are not based on the textbook. Therefore, if you miss the notes you must get them from me or a classmate. The notes will be given with extra room to write anything that I verbally add in class that may not be directly in the notes. I try to give as many examples as possible as well as any additional information that may better your understanding of the topic being discussed. What I dictate and the examples I give are just as important as the notes themselves and are expected to be remembered for the exams.

Lab: You are enrolled in a separate class for labs. A majority of your lab hours will be gained in there; we will do some labs during class. You must obtain 30 lab hours, just like in every science regents course.You will be given a lab manual the first day of lab. The manual contains ALL of the labs you will do this year. If it is lost you will be dropped from the course because it is impossible to make them all up. Some topics will only be covered during lab, so it is expected that what you learn in lab will be on the regents and is as important as class material.Lab manuals will be collected randomly so keep your labs up-to-date.

Topics Covered are as follows:

Grading:

The middle and high school have adopted a universal grading policy. Every class will have the same grading categories. However, the percentages may be slightly different for each class. No grades can be above 100 and therefore there is very little extra credit. There are also no longer circle 50’s grades.

• Previously if a student received lower than a 50 for a class grade in any of the first three quarters, that grade would be changed to a 50. In the new grading policy whatever grade you receive in any quarter is the grade you get.

-ClassworkGrade 15%: This will be based on your classroom interactions: answering and asking questions and how well you work in lab and class.This is also your participation grade. You will get 5 points per day for class behaviour.Bell ringers will be given at the beginning of each class and will count toward this grade as well. If you miss a day, write absent on your bell ringer when you return and try to catch up on missed notes during this time.

-Homework Grade5%: I will assign homework to check for your progress throughout the course. If homework is assigned then it is guaranteed that it will be graded. Homework is to be taken seriously as it lets me know what you do and do not understand thereby letting me know what I need to revisit. If I assign homework, it is due the next day, unless otherwise noted. The homework directly prepares you for the test, thus if you do not do the homework there is a high probability you will not do well on the exams.

-Quizzes 15%: Other than element quizzes during the first and second quarters there are relatively few quizzes. Therefore, quiz grades are very important as they can have a positive effect on your grade or mar it.

-Labs 25%: This category encompasses lab grades, lab reports and project grades.

-Labs: Each lab that you do has a set of questions with it and this is where your lab grade comes from. Just like in the other science courses you need a minimum of 30 lab hours to take the regents. These labs are very important to hand in. Labs are due every other class; this gives you four days to work on it. If for some reason you miss a lab class you need to make it up. As soon as you know are going to miss a lab, come see me so we can set up a time that you can make up the lab. All laboratory activities missed must be made up within a week. (Under specific circumstances extensions can be granted)

-Reports: You will have one lab report each quarter. The format of a lab report is covered in Lab and is the same for my classes and college biology.

-Projects: We will have a few projects throughout the semester both individual and group.

-Test Grade 40%: Your test grade will come from unit exams. Tests grades are weighted more heavily than the other ones. If you miss a test you need to come see me so we can schedule a time for you to make it up within one week. All exams are regents questions and therefore exactly like the exam you will take in June. Your grades on these will be your best measure of what your regents score will be.

-Take-Home-Tests: If you by any chance get a take home test it is to be understood that it is still a TEST you may use the resources that I state in class to help you, but under no circumstances can you work together on a take home test.

Extra Credit Policy:

Part of the universal grading policy also applies to extra credit, and is as follows:

• Extra Credit Assignments must be academic based with direct correlation to course content.
• Primary assignment(s) cannot be replaced by extra credit assignment(s).
• Course GPA is capped at 100%. Extra Credit is not available to students with 100% average.

Late Policy:

-Please Note: All assignments are due at the beginning of class. Therefore, any assignment not handed in at the beginning of class is considered late. I do not announce to hand in your homework, you are expected to hand the homework in when you come to class.

-Late homework assignments and labs can be turned in for a deduction of points. The first day late on a lab or homework I will deduct 10% and 10% each day after. If it is more than 5 days late it is a zero.

-All tests and quizzes need to be made up within a week. Failure to do so will result in a zero.

Expectations:

-Be on time: We will start as soon as the bell rings. Being late will detract from your participation grade and you will miss the bell ringer as well. If you are late and do not have a pass you will receive activity detention for the following day.

-Be prepared: You should bring your reference table everyday. Bring your homework as it will be collected at the beginning of class. Always have something to write with and your notebook. If we are working on projects be sure to bring everything you need to work on it to class with you. Finally, on a test day make sure you have two writing utensils, incase one ceases to function, and your calculator.

-Be Honest: Academic dishonesty occurs when a student uses, or attempts to use, the work of someone else while they are writing a paper/report, taking a test or preparing any other material and submitting it as their own. A student can also be guilty of academic dishonesty because they knowingly assist another student in an act of academic dishonesty. The penalty for such acts of dishonesty will result in a zero on that assignment, possible detention, and referral to the principal. For more information on academic dishonesty see: Basically, there is no cheating; homework, tests, bell ringers, and projects are to be done individually unless otherwise stated by me.

-Be Respectful:Raise your hand in class if you have a question or need help with something. If someone is speaking, teacher or student, everyone else needs to be listening quietly. Disruptive behavior, especially fooling around, will not be tolerated. We are in a chemistry classroom. There is a great deal of expensive apparatuses and hazardous chemicals in a chemistry classroom. I will give you one warning if I find that you are acting inappropriately. After the first warning, if you continue to act inappropriately, you will be sent straight to the office for the rest of the class. The Laboratory setting has a very specific set of rules which will be covered in our first lab class. These rules need to be followed if you want to participate in lab.Fooling around during any laboratory activity will result in a zero on that assignment, removal from the class, and possible detention.

-Be Inquisitive: Science is about questioning the world we live in and thereby gaining greater understanding. Always ask questions if you are unsure of anything. Good questions are always a help when it comes to your participation grade.

Bathroom/Leaving the Room Policy:

You have a chance to go to the bathroom and your locker between classes. Make sure you remember to do everything you need to do and get everything you need to get before class. If you must leave the room throughout the course of the year you will have to sign out and take a pass. You will hand the pass in the basket upon your return. If you sign out more than once a week, participation points will be deducted.

Supplies:

You should havea three ring binder to hold your notes, homework, etc. You will also needa scientific calculator.Graphingcalculators are not permitted because they cannot be used on the regents. You must supply your own scientific calculator.You will also need one package of 3x5 index cards and a single binder ring to hold them. Always bring a pen or a pencil to class; I would strongly suggest a pencil for lab. I will provide you with a reference table for chemistry, which you are expected to hold on to for the entire year.

-Textbook: Prentice Hall Chemistry.

-Review Book: Prentice Hall Chemistry: The Physical Setting

Parent Notification:

To ensure that parents know my expectations, I ask that students and parents read and discuss my syllabus. If there are any questions, comments, or concerns please feel free to call or send an e-mail. Please note: I only contact parents through email or face-to-face conferences. I do not do phone calls because they are not recorded. All contact with parents must be on record. Therefore, if you have any questions or concerns please email me or set up a conference with the high school guidance office. As proof that the students and parents have discussed the syllabus, please sign and return the bottom of this page by

______.

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I, ______, have read and discussed the information in this syllabus with a parent or guardian. We are fully aware of the grading policy, classroom rules and consequences, how to earn credit for lab hours, and that a minimum of 30 Lab Hours are needed to take the regents.

Parent Email:______

ParentSignature______Date______

Student Signature______Date______