Chemistry Syllabus

Chemistry Syllabus

Grading Procedure and Rules

Mr. Trent Carrier

Classroom: CN-2

Textbook: Chemistry: Matter and Change (Original Cost - $103.98)

Purpose: This is an introductory course on the topics of chemistry. There are two main reasons students should take this course. First, the course will allow students to develop their skills in applied mathematics and the scientific method. Both skills are important beyond the boundaries of this classroom and will be useful in adult life no matter what job you seek. Second, this class will allow students to explore the wonderful topics of chemistry to determine if you would like to seek a career in this science or a related field. I wish all of my students’ success in both of these endeavors.

Procedures:

Be prepared for class with all proper materials every day when bell rings (paper, pens, pencils, binder, textbook, assignments). I have paper and pens available if you run out or forget. Pens and pencils will be returned at the end of class.

Stay on task the whole time during the school bell. Do not pack up while class is still in session. No cell phone use is permitted in the classroom. This is a county policy.

Keep all materials, tables, equipment and the room in neat order and work safely. All lab stations and desks will be cleaned before you leave for your next class.

Respect all fellow classmates, the teacher and yourself by being a positive participant in class. Additionally, use appropriate language. If I cannot use certain language, neither can you.

Be an active participant in the classroom, no sleeping, head down, or horse playing. Your participation matters!

All other school rules must be observed. Dress code included (hats, hoods, etc.).

Supplies:

2”, 3-ring binder
Tab notebook dividers
Loose leaf paper
Pencils
Highlighters
Small scientific calculator
Goggles

Copying and Cheating: In order to access learning, it is necessary to implement a grading procedure to evaluate students. In this course, students will be evaluated based upon their level of understanding and upon

their ability to apply learning to new situations. Students are encouraged to work together and help each other on all homework and laboratory assignments. HOWEVER, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE

STUDENTS TO COPY OTHER STUDENTS' WORK OR OTHER WRITTEN MATERIALS. Lab partners are

to submit separate and different reports even though they are using the same data set. When paraphrasing, please give proper credit to the author’s work. If copied work is turned in, BOTH students will receive a zero for the assignment, and parents will be contacted. Students may not work together on quizzes, tests or exams.

Any student caught cheating will receive a zero on the assignment. A cheated assignment/test will receive a zero and may be resubmitted for up to 80% following a contact home and a dean referral.

Grades: Students will earn points on various assignments in various categories. There are three categories:

homework, laboratory/ group work, and quizzes/ tests. Your overall grade is a weighted average of the following categories.

Homework	35%
Performance (Lab/Group work)	25%
Summative (Quiz/Test)	40%

A letter grade will then be assigned at the end of the quarter based upon the percentage of points earned according to the following district scale:

A 100% to 90%

B 89% to 80%

C 79% to 70%

D 69% to 60%

F 59% >

Organization: The course will follow Rutherford County Schools chemistry curriculum, however, I will purposely expect student achievement to be higher than district and state expectations. To achieve this, student work will be very challenging and require creative solutions to new situations.

Class Participation: I expect everyone in our class to participate for the entire class period. I expect you to have your materials for class, do your bell work, take notes, work on daily assignments and participate in the activities and labs. I will be giving points based on how much effort you put in and what you do, not on if you always have the correct answer. All work must be shown to receive full credit!

Notebook: Students are expected to keep a three-ring binder of all class materials: lecture notes, reading notes, homework problems, review problems, vocabulary words, etc. The notebook is required and may be checked for completeness. I would suggest including the following sections: lecture notes, problem of the day, homework, and laboratory work.

Project: There may be up to one group, or individual, project per marking period. The guidelines for the project will be loose so you may be creative.

Labs: We will be doing some exploratory, inquiry-based activities. There are special rules for the times and these rules are meant to be taken very seriously. Points will be given based on how well directions were followed as well as completeness and correctness. Before students are eligible to participate in labs, they must return a safety contract and pass a safety test with a 93 or above. This is to assist the teacher and students in operating in a safe and orderly lab environment.

Test/Quizzes: There will be several tests and quizzes given throughout the semester. All of them will be graded on completeness and correctness. Many of the test will involve mathematical analysis. Work must be shown for all math problems in order to receive credit (and for partial credit, even if your answer is incorrect).

Exams: All semester exams are comprehensive. All students will be required to take the mid-term exam. There is no longer a TNReady test for chemistry. So, there will be a final given at the end of the year. Exemptions for the final are possible if the criteria set forth by administration are met (absences and minimum grade).

Extra Help: I will be here until at least 4:00 every day, or you can make an appointment to meet with me before or after school. Additionally, you will be able to use Remind to ask homework and study questions. If you are having difficulties in the class, please let me know as soon as possible so that we may be able to get you the help you need, don’t wait until the last minute. We will be moving quickly, and you must be held accountable for your own education.

Make-up Policy: It is the responsibility of each student to make up all work missed in accordance to the current Rutherford County/Riverdale High School policy. Missing work can be found on Schoology or hard copies will be available in the “missing work” drawer.

***********STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO THE TEXTBOOKS AND

LAB EQUIPMENT. A PRICE LIST IS POSTED ON THE BULLETIN BOARD FOR ALL LAB EQUIPMENT PRICES.

Late Assignments:

Excused: If a student has an excused absence, they will have 5 school days after the student returns to school to turn in the assignment without a late penalty. All late work must be turned in before the graded assignment is returned to the other students unless the student has worked out a work schedule with the teacher due to an extended absence.

Unexcused: If a student has an unexcused absence, student work will be deducted 10% if turned in within the first week. All work turned in over a week late will be deducted 20% up until the end of the quarter. Worked turned in after the deadline for quarter grades will not be accepted.

Bathroom Pass: Student may be handed a bathroom pass and must have that pass with them to present to administration if questioned in the halls. Students are expected to take care of personal needs before school, after school, during passing bells and at lunch. No passes will ever be issued in the first or last ten minutes of class.

Tardy to Class: Students are expected to be on time to class every day. If they are late, they must submit a note from the teacher that they were with. Unexcused tardiness to class will result in a warning. Additional tardies will result in a phone call home, leading to detention for anymore tardies after that. The tardy number will reset at the beginning of each semester. There will be a red binder/log to fill out for each tardy at the front of the classroom. Refer to student handbook for tardy policy.