APChemistry

InstructionalPolicy2015/2016
ColinQuinton

CourseOverview
MeetingPeriod:E/Homer226
Availability:OfficeHoursandbyappointment
eTextbookTitle(forAmazonKindle):ChemistryTheCentralScience,12thEdition,Brownetal
(ISBN:9780321696724)

CourseContent
CourseDescription:Theworldofchemistrywillbeintroduced,includingitsprinciples,
applicationsandcalculations.Specifically,studentscanexpecttoidentifychemicalandphysical
properties,utilizethelanguageofchemistrythroughsymbolsandequations,unilaterallyapplythe
moleconcept,predictquantitiesofreactantsandproducts,andanalyzemodernatomictheory.
Throughoutthecoursestudentswillbeapplyingmathtothesechemicalprinciples.Othertopics
willincludereactionrates,chemicalbonding,nuclearchemistry,behaviorofgases,acidsand
bases,dynamicequilibria,electrochemistry,andintroductiontothermodynamics.Regularlabswill
allowforinvestigationofconceptsandprovidehandsonexperiencesforthematerialbeing
studied.Studentswillbeexpectedtosustainaveryfastpaceandtocompletelabs,assignments,
andexamsthatdemandahighlevelofindependentthought.
MajorContentAreas
MeasurementandCalculation
Matter
ChemicalFoundations
Nomenclature
ChemicalReactions
ReactionsinAqueousSolutions
ChemicalComposition
Energy
ModernAtomicTheory
ChemicalBonding
Gases
LiquidsandSolids
Solutions
AcidsandBases
Equilibrium
Electrochemistry

CourseObjectives:Uponcompletionofthiscoursethestudentswillbeabletoexplainthe
following
Thechemicalelementsarefundamentalbuildingmaterialsofmatter,andallmattercanbe
understoodintermsofarrangementsofatoms.Theseatomsretaintheiridentityinchemical
reactions.
Chemicalandphysicalpropertiesofmaterialscanbeexplainedbythestructureandthe
arrangementofatoms,ions,ormoleculesandtheforcesbetweenthem.
Changesinmatterinvolvetherearrangementand/orreorganizationofatomsand/orthe
transferofelectrons.
Ratesofchemicalreactionsaredeterminedbydetailsofthemolecularcollisions.
Thelawsofthermodynamicsdescribetheessentialroleofenergyandexplainandpredict
thedirectionofchangesinmatter.
Anybondorintermolecularattractionthatcanbeformedcanbebroken.Thesetwo
processesareinadynamiccompetition,sensitivetoinitialconditionsandexternal
perturbations.
LabObjectives
Thestudentcanuserepresentationsandmodelstocommunicatescientificphenomenaand
solvescientificproblems.
Thestudentcanusemathematicsappropriately.
Thestudentcanengageinscientificquestioningtoextendthinkingortoguide
investigationswithinthecontextofthecourse.
Thestudentcanplanandimplementdatacollectionstrategiesinrelationtoaparticular
scientificquestion.
Thestudentcanperformdataanalysisandevaluationofevidence.
Thestudentcanworkwithscientificexplanationsandtheories.

TeachingApproach
ClassInformation:Themajorsourceforcourseinformationisthewebsitecreatedforthisclass
(http://soxteacher.com).Isuggestthateachstudentbecomefamiliarwithitsresources,asIwill
updatethisinformationbeforeanyotherlocation.Inaddition,allhomeworkassignments,grades
andtestingdateswillbepostedontheSchoologywebsite.
ClassroomActivities:Regularclassmeetingswillconsistofarangeofactivities.Theseinclude
groupwork,lecture,classdiscussions,andconceptpracticetime.Youareexpectedtoparticipatein
theseactivities,behavinginanhonestandrespectfulmanneratalltimes.Idonotcountstudent
participationinthedeterminingthecoursegradebutincentiveswillbeprovidedtoencourage
activeengagement.
LabActivities:Labactivitiesarecentraltolearningscience,astheactoflearningchemistrymeans
toactivelyengageinexperimentation.Studentsshouldexpectweeklylabs.
GradingPolicies
HomeworkandLabWork:Homeworkisanopportunityforeachstudenttopracticethecourse
concepts.Homeworkwill(generally)notbegradedoncorrectness.Itisencouragedthateach
studentcollaboratewithothersasthiswillinvitevaluableconversationabouteachtopic.Iwill
generallyacceptlatehomeworkonacasebycasebasis,andstudentsdonotneedaninvitationto
submitworkafteritisdue.Studentsshouldnotethatlabworkandlabreportsarenotconsidered
homeworkandwillbeevaluatedforcorrectnessandtimeliness.
QuizzesandExams:Thecoursewillhaveregularquizzesandexams.Iwillnotcurveoradjusttest
gradesbutIencouragestudentswhowishtoimprovetheirperformancetoworkwithmeregarding
retakeandandotherlearningopportunities.
LongTermAssignments:Thiscoursedoesnothaveanylongtermassignments.
DistinctionBetweenMajorandMinorAssignments:Allassignmentsinthiscourseareconsidered
tobeminorwiththeexceptionofexamsandformallabreports.Quizzesaredesignedtotakeno
longerthan20minutesofclasstime.
DeterminingtheGrade:ThiscoursewillusethestandardSHPGradeScaleforallassignments.
Thegradewillbedeterminedbycalculatingthepercentageoftotalpointsearned.Category
weightswillnotusedinthiscourse.Theplanned(approximate)compositionofthegradeisas
followsandissubjecttochangeasthecoursedictates.

AssignmentCategory
ApproximatePercentofGrade
Homework/LabWork
20
Quizzes/Exams
40
LabReports
20
FinalExam
20
Total

100

ClassroomPolicies
Attendance:Itisexpectedthatstudentsmakeupallmissedworkinatimelymannerafter
returning.Astudentmissinganexamoraquizshouldexpecttotakethemisseditemthedayof
returnduringthecoursesclassperiod.Thesameistrueforassignedhomeworkandlabwork.Any
modificationsshouldbedirectedtotheinstructor.
StudentClassMaterials:Studentsareexpectedtobepreparedeachdayinclass,withappropriate
writingmaterialsandaniPadforuseduringtheclass.EachstudentmusthavetheKindleand
SparkvueHDappsinstalledontheiriPadsforclassuse.Completeinstructionscanbefoundon
thecoursewebsite.
ElectronicTextbook:Studentsarerequiredtopurchasetheelectronicversionofthecourse
textbooksothatitisavailableontheschoolissuediPadeverydayinclass.Thestudentmay
purchaseahardcoverversionofthetextbookinadditiontotheelectronicversion.Theelectronic
versionissoldasaKindlebook,throughAmazon.com.Eachstudentwillneedtodownloadthe
KindleappfortheiPadinordertoviewthepurchasedtextbook.
ElectronicDevices:StudentsareexpectedtobringtheiriPads(charged)toclasseveryday.
Studentsthatwishtousethemfortakingnotesareencouragedtodoso.Asallcoursedocuments
willbedistributedelectronically,studentswillbeexpectedtoaccessthecoursedocumentsduring
class,inadditiontootherInternetinformationsources.Attimesthestudentswillbeaskedtoput
awaytheiriPadsforclassactivitiesandtesting.Nostudentispermittedtofilmorphotographany
classlectureorcontentontheclassroomboard.InappropriatebehaviorusingtheiPadwillresultin
appropriatedisciplinaryactions.
StudentHelpPeriods:IamalwaysavailableduringOfficeHoursandbyappointment.Icanbe
foundintheHomer226classroom.Ifyouwishtomeetwithmeduringlunchorafterschoolplease
contactmetomakesureIamavailable.Iencouragestudentstocometoworkwithmeforany
questionstheyhaveaboutthecourse.
AccommodationsforStudentswithDisabilities:Ifyouhavebeenverifiedaseligibleforan
accommodationbytheDirectoroftheCenterforStudentSuccess,youneedtomeetmeoutsideof
classtimetodiscusshowtheaccommodation(s)willbeputintoplaceinthisclass.Studentswith
accommodationsthatdictatetakingtestsorwritingessaysintheCSSmust:
Confirm/setatestingdateandtimewithteacherviatestingemail
Takethetestattheagreeddateandtime
HavethetesttimestampedbytheCSSproctor
Test/essayscompletedoutsideoftheagreedupontimeornottimestampedwillnotbe
accepted
Note:ifyouwishtodoso,Iwillproctoranyquizorexaminthecourseclassroom.Please
seemeabouthowthiscanbeaccomplished.
OnlinePostingofAssignments:Thecourseinstructionalpolicyandsyllabuswillbepostedin
Schoologybytheendofthefirstweekofclass.Allassignmentsanddailyentriesforthisclasswill
bepostedonlineinSchoologyinatimelymanner.

AcademicHonesty
Statement:AsadepartmentofSacredHeartPreparatory,wevaluelearningasacollaborativeprocess,one
thatischaracterizedbystudentsandteachersworkingtogethertowardcommongoals.Wealsounderstand
thepressuresthatdrivestudentstobetemptedtoturninworkthatisnottheirownandtotakeshortcuts
thatprovideunfairadvantages.Tohelpdefinewhatisacceptableweofferthefollowingguidelines:

Anypassingofinformation(byoral,writtenorelectronicmeans)aboutexams,quizzesorother
testsbetweenstudents,eitherinsideoroutsideoftheclassroom,willberegardedascheating.
Individuallaborprojectworkthatincludesinformationfromanyoutsidesourcethatisnot
properlydocumentedisnotallowed.Remember,eitherparaphraseorcitethesource!
Weencouragecollaborationanddiscussionofregularhomework,asdescribedbytheinstructor.
Whiledirectcopyingofanothershomeworkisneverallowed,workingtogethertosolveproblems
wherethefinalanswersrepresentthethinkingofmorethanonestudentisagreatwaytolearn
(althoughitisagoodpolicytocitethecolleaguesinyourstudygroupintheworkthatyousubmit
foragrade).
Weconsidercheatingaseriousviolationandwillenforcetheconsequencesofviolatingthispolicy
asexplainedinthestudenthandbook.Pleasemakesurethatyouhavereadandunderstoodthe
conceptsandproceduresoutlinedinthatdocument.