11th Grade Chemistry 2018-2019 Syllabus

Instructor: Steve Smith

Email: steve.smith@animashighschool.com
Website: https://sites.google.com/site/chemistryorigahsstevesmith/home
Office Hours: By appointment before school, at lunch, or after school on Tuesday.

Course Description
Chemistry is often referred to as the “central science” because it serves as a bridge between the
realm of atoms, which make up everything but are invisible to the unaided eye, and the macroscopic
world we live in. It is essential to all aspects of modern life. There is NOTHING one can eat, drink,
wear or use in our modern society that has not been modified by a chemical process and ABSOLUTELY
everything is made of atoms!

This course will equip students with the foundational understandings, lab experiences, and skills
necessary for them to be successful in an introductory college chemistry course. Students will be
expected to actively engage during class, use evidence-based reasoning throughout the course and
complete a substantial amount of work outside of class including: watching online lectures,
practicing skills through online quizzes, preparing for labs, completing post-lab assignments, working
on projects, and studying for tests. The course will be thematically structured around the following
questions and each semester will culminate in a project.

Fall Semester: Materials We Use, Reuse, Recycle, and Our Refuse

➢How does the structure of matter on the atomic, molecular, microscopic and macroscopic levels determine
its chemical, physical and biological properties with emphasis on their use, capacity for reuse, and capacity
for recycling?
➢How do the choices we make pertaining to the purchasing, use, reuse, recycling, and discarding of materials
impact our local community and environment and the global community and environment?
Spring Semester: Food, Cooking, and Society
➢How can food’s energy content, nutrition, texture, taste etc. be explained in terms of the atomic,
molecular and macromolecular structure of the food?
➢How does cooking transform food and how can these transformations be understood as chemical processes?
➢How can one design an experiment to measure the effects of changes to a recipe on the qualities and
desirability of a finished product both quantitatively and qualitatively?
➢Locally and globally, how is our modern food system impacting agriculture, human health, food safety, food
availability, the environment and society?

Big Ideas
Throughout the course I will be referring to seven Big Ideas that are foundational to an understanding
of chemistry. By the end of the course students should be able to explain and provide evidence to
illustrate each of these Big Ideas.
• The structure of matter on the atomic, molecular, micro, and macro levels determines its chemical,
physical, and biological properties.
• Energy and matter may change forms, but are conserved in all physical, chemical, and biological
processes.
• Matter is made of atoms and every atom is one specific element as determined by the numbers of the
sub-atomic particles which make it up.
• Atoms bond with other atoms because of electrostatic forces. The electron configuration of an atom can
be used to predict how will bond with another atom.
• Atoms, ions, and molecules can all be thought of as particles which are tiny, in constant motion and
interacting (attracting or repelling) with each other.
• Physical changes, chemical bonding, and chemical reactions are driven by changes to minimize potential
energy and maximize entropy and are affected by initial conditions.
• Types of matter, elements, compounds, chemical bonding, and chemical reactions can be classified
based on similar properties, behavior or underlying mechanisms.

Musings
 • No one is born a brilliant scientist. What we achieve and how intelligent we become in
science or any endeavor is determined by the effort we apply to our quest.
• Science is a human endeavor, filled with all of the beauty, wonder, and faults of being
human.
• Scientists and engineers are actively working to understand our world, satisfy curiosity, solve
problems, and make the world a better place.

Class Materials
Students are expected to bring the following every day:
*Writing tool(s) & Notebook/Binder *Computer
*Calculator (graphing calculators are recommended) *Dry Erase Marker
*Daily Planner (This can also be your phone or computer, whatever system works for you)

On lab days, either at FLC or AHS, you are expected to bring the following:
*Lab Notebook (Bound composition book with graph paper) & Pen
*Safety Splash Goggles (Indirectly vented and ANSI Z87.1 or better)

Optional: Chemistry textbook or digital textbook (The “Animas High School Chemistry Flexbook” can
be found at www.ck12.org, selecting “View As A Teacher”, searching for “Animas” and clicking on
“Community Contributed”)

Universal School Rules

The following guidelines are in place to ensure a respectful and safe learning environment. Violation
of these guidelines will result in students helping in various school and classroom improvement
activities.
1. Use professional language which includes, but is not limited to, not swearing.
2. Dress in accordance with the dress code.
3. Use technology (computers, cell phones, the internet etc.) appropriately. Technology use that is
unrelated to coursework is prohibited without explicit permission and may result in confiscation
of the device for the period or day.
4. Using, possessing, or being under the influence of controlled substances, is prohibited on school
campus and impairs students ability to engage meaningfully to the detriment of the individual
and the class.

My Expectations
1. RESPECT ALL PERSONS, IDEAS AND PROPERTY.
2. Actively engage in classroom activities through listening to instructor and peers, thinking,
sharing ideas, challenging the ideas of others, asking questions, and attempting daily tasks.
3. Students may eat and drink in the classroom if the classroom is kept tidy and clean.
4. While in a lab setting the Safety Contract must be adhered to at all times to ensure the safety
of all students. Violations of the Safety Contract will result in consequences that range from a
warning to immediate removal from the lab depending on the severity of the violation. If a
student is removed from a lab they will forfeit all credit for that experiment. Students must
have appropriate safety goggles and dress to participate in labs and failure to participate in a
lab may result in a partial or complete loss of credit for the lab.

Absences & Tardiness

When students are absent it is their responsibility to determine what is missed and make
arrangements to make it up in a timely manner. Students are strongly encouraged to contact me
ahead of time through a professionally written email. When the absence is excused students will
have up to twice as many days as they were absent to make up the work. If the absence is unexcused
the missed work, including tests, may not be made up for credit.

Students are considered tardy if they are not in the classroom when class is scheduled to start. If a
student is tardy I will mark it on my attendance roster and consequences outlined in the Student
Handbook will apply.
Laboratory Expectations
In the chemistry labs throughout the year students may interact with potentially hazardous
substances and pieces of equipment. Your safety and well-being in the chemistry lab is my number
one priority, therefore prior to participating in any lab students are required to complete a safety
tutorial and pass a safety quiz. Additionally both students and their guardians will be required to
read and agree to a Safety Contract. This contract outlines safe lab practices and expectations for
conduct within the chemistry lab. Violations of the Safety Contract will result in consequences that
range from a warning to immediate removal from the lab, depending on the severity of the violation.
If a student is removed from a lab they will forfeit all credit for that experiment. Students must have
appropriate safety goggles and be dressed appropriately to participate in labs and failure to
participate in a lab may result in a partial or complete loss of credit for the lab.

Animas High School students have the unique opportunity to conduct many of their chemistry labs at
Fort Lewis College in their General Chemistry Labs. While at Fort Lewis College and in transit to Fort
Lewis College students are ambassadors for Animas High School and must conduct themselves with
the utmost respect for all persons and property in order to maintain our relationship with Fort Lewis
College and our transportation provider, for themselves and for future classes. These relationships
are essential because we are unable to conduct many experiments, investigations, and
demonstrations at Animas High School due to a lack of infrastructure and safety equipment.

While in the labs at Fort Lewis College there will be two teaching assistants working with us. They
are there to support students academically as well as to ensure safety. They are entitled to the same
respect given to any AHS staff member and they have authority to enforce all aspects of the Safety
Contract.

Schedule for Lab Days at Fort Lewis College

Labs will be conducted at FLC approximately once per month on a Friday. It is very difficult to
“make-up” these experiences so please make every possible effort to be present on these days. The
scheduled dates for the labs are below.

Semester 1: 9/21, 10/12, 11/2, 11/30 Semester 2: 1/25, 2/22, 3/8

On lab days there will be a modified schedule to allow for an extended lab period of two hours and
transportation to and from FLC. You will not have core academic classes on lab days, but you will
attend most of your elective classes. You will also receive college preparatory instruction on lab
days.

FRIDAY LAB DAY SCHEDULE

Typical
Schedule Group A   Schedule Group B Schedule
8:25-9:17 1st Period   8:25-9:17 1st Period 1st 8:25-9:17

9:20-9:30 2nd Period   9:20-9:55 2nd Period 2nd 9:20-10:12

9:30-9:55 Attendance @ Office 9:55-10:55 College Prep or LINK in 3rd
 
TRAVEL Sara’s Room 10:15-11:07

9:55-11:55 10:55-11:30 4th

CHEM LAB   Lunch 11:10-12:02
11:55-12:15 11:30-11:55 Attendance @ Office Lunch
TRAVEL TRAVEL 12:05-12:40

12:15-12:50 LUNCH   11:55-1:55 CHEM LAB 5th 12:43-1:35

12:50-1:50 College Prep or LINK in 1:55-2:15 6th 1:38-2:30
  TRAVEL
Sara’s Room
 1:55-2:30 Study Hall in Sara’s 2:15-2:30 Study Hall in Lauren’s
Room Room
2:33-3:25 7th Period 2:33-3:25 7th Period 7th 2:33-3:25

Grading Procedures & Policies

Grades in this course will be determined by a weighted average of performance in the following
categories. Final grades (A, A- etc.) are determined according to AHS grading scale.

Semester 1 Semester 2
Homework & Classwork 15% Homework & Classwork
15%
Project Work 15% Project Work 15%
Lab Work 35% Lab Work 35%
Quizzes & Tests 25% Quizzes & Tests
35%
Cumulative Final Exam 10%

At the end of each semester, the lowest scoring homework grade will be dropped. This is equivalent
to rounding up all grades by at least 0.5% thus no additional rounding will be made to final
percentages.

Major assignments (lab reports and projects) that are not submitted will be marked as a 50% in the
gradebook.

Late Work Policy

All assignments are expected to be completed and ready to turn in at the beginning of class on the
day they are due unless specified otherwise.
• Homework which is not turned in by the beginning of class is late and will NOT be accepted
for ANY credit. This also applies to assignments such as drafts of labs and projects that are
expected in class for critiques.
• Final versions of lab work and project work which are not turned in on time will lose 5% per
school day they are late. Final versions of lab work and project work which are more than six
days late may be turned in for a maximum of 70% credit.
• Extensions will ONLY be granted for excused absences or extenuating circumstances and they
must be approved prior to the due date.

Remember, advocacy is not simply asking for extensions. Advocacy is seeking assistance in accessing
curriculum and finding ways to demonstrate your learning which are relevant and personalized.

Communication
Dear Students,

You are strongly encouraged to communicate with me about planned absences, unexpected
absences, celebrations from the class, neat science you find online, challenges presented by the
class, extension requests and requests for additional support. However, before communicating with
me, if possible, use available resources like DP posts. Email is the easiest way to contact me outside
of the class period. Please ensure emails are professional and polite, include a greeting (see above),
have a relevant subject heading, include an appropriate closing (see below), provide necessary
information, and provide a proposed plan of action where appropriate. By crafting you
communication in this manner you are more likely to receive the desired response from me and from
others in future communications.

Kind Regards,
Steve
 Student & Parent Agreement
Please Sign, Detach & Return to Class

STUDENTS, please read, initial and sign after you have read through and discussed the syllabus with your
parents.

Student
Initials
______ I understand how I can get extra help by using the DP, attending office hours or emailing Steve.
______ I know what the themes for the class will be during first and second semester.
______ I know what materials I should bring to class on a daily basis and what materials I must bring to
labs.
______ I understand and agree to follow the school and classroom rules.
______ I understand that attendance and engagement are important and I will make my best effort to be
fully present in class and I will communicate with Steve if I must be absent.

______ I understand that showing up on time is important and will make my best efforts to do so.
______ I understand that I will be held to high expectations of conduct in the lab at Fort Lewis College and
in transit to the lab at Fort Lewis College for my safety, the safety of others in the lab and to
maintain this opportunity for myself, my peers, and future students.
______ I understand how my grade will be determined in this class each semester.
______ I understand the circumstances under which late work will and will not be accepted for credit and I
understand the deduction in credit that late work will receive.

STUDENT

I, _____________________________________, have read Steve Smith’s 11th Grade Chemistry Syllabus. I

understand my responsibilities and agree to the expectations set forth. I have also discussed them with my
parent(s)/guardian(s).

Student Signature: _____________________________________ Date: ____________________

PARENT(S)/GUARDIAN(S),

I, _____________________________________, have read Steve Smith’s 11th grade Chemistry Syllabus with my
son/daughter. I understand their responsibilities and the expectations set forth and will support my student in
their endeavors.

Parent/Guardian Signature: __________________________________ Date: _______________

Primary Phone: ________________________ Cell\ Work\ Home

Email: _______________________________________

In the space below, please share anything you would like me to know about your son or daughter so that I can
better meet his/her needs. If you have interests or expertise that could enhance what we do in the classroom
and are interested in helping out please share those as well.