Course Description:  

In this course, students will expand their understanding of the properties, structure, and behavior of matter. This class will cover chemistry grade-level expectations to prepare students for the WCAS. Important topics include: atomic structure, chemical bonding, chemical reactions, behavior of solids, liquids, and gases, and energy. Students will complete many laboratory observations to observe and experience scientific concepts and processes.

Course Resources:

Living by Chemistry  by   Angelica M. Stacy (online)

Required Course Materials: 

Organization is an important part of your success in Chemistry I.  All lab investigations, notes, class work and homework will be recorded in a digital or hard copy lab notebook. Finally, some kind of writing utensil will be needed daily, preferably a pencil or a blue or black pen

Recommended Course Materials:  A scientific calculator will also be needed for the many computations studied in Chemistry (youtube video demonstration how to get online/digital TI 84).   A digital timer for data collection is also useful.

Course Learning Targets:

HS-PS1-1

Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level of atoms.

HS-PS1-2

Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.

HS-PS1-7

Use mathematical representations to support the claim that atoms, and therefore mass, are conserved during a chemical reaction.

SEP-3

Planning and carrying out investigations

SEP-4

Analyzing and interpreting data

SEP-8

Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Grading System:

Real-life grades are available to view from family access. Family access is the district wide grading program where students and parents can access many important aspects of student life in the Sumner School District. All homework and in class assignments will always be current, if your student turned it in during class, it is in the grade book and initialed on their table of contents. All assignments not turned in by the end of each week will be marked as missing in family access. Summative Assessments, however, often take 1-2 weeks to grade

Grading Scale:

Formative Assessments:
Daily class work will be reviewed at the beginning of the class period following the day they were assigned and a score of 1-4 depending on the size of the assignment will be entered in the grade book if they are accurately completed. A score of zero will be entered if they are not until they are completed correctly and need to be checked off on the student's own time such as before or after school. It is your responsibility to get these assignments checked off during work time and before or after class with in a particular unit.  Once a unit is completed, assignments for that unit will no longer be accepted for credit. All notes, review questions, lab reports and any other assignments for class will be recorded in a science notebook.

Formative Quizzes will be given throughout a unit. These quizzes will be graded in class using scoring guides so students understand how they are graded with scores entered into grade book but will not count toward the students grade for the class.

Labs will be a very important part of your learning Chemistry concepts. Students will receive a score in the grade book depending on the level of accurately completed portions of each lab. All students can improve their lab score up until the day we take a test on the unit the lab took place in by showing me the improvements.

Summative Assessments:
Unit Tests will be given after more than one chapter is completed and will include information from the multiple chapters. All students wanting to improve their score on a test can come in and do test corrections with the teacher if they have completed the test review prior to taking the test. A quarter credit will then be given for missed questions that are corrected if you write out the question missed, what the actual answer should be and explain why that is the answer. These corrections must be done before the next unit test. Students who would like to retake a test can complete test corrections and then schedule a time to retake the test, but only if they completed the review before taking the test.  No test corrections or retakes can be made on the end of the year final.

Projects will be assigned during most units. Projects require students to work individually or with a partner to apply concepts from the unit to real world examples through research. 

Make-Up/Missing Work Policy and Procedure when absent:
To help students avoid getting behind, all make up work will be posted online on the class website and students need to take the responsibility for getting their own make up work from this website. Any work that can be done at home should be completed before returning to class. Work that was due on the day of an absence is due on the day you return. Appointments need to be made within one week to make up a missed lab investigation or test. Make ups can only be completed for excused absences. The student must make the arrangements for the make-up with the teacher as soon as they return. If a student feels they have special circumstances, write them down and have parents sign and turn them in for review to receive a due date extension.

Behavior Expectations to Protect Instructional Time & Ensure Safety:

Use POWER values daily in class
-Understand that learning is a process that requires patience and PERSEVERANCE with yourself and peers.
-Advocate for yourself by taking OWNERSHIP over your learning through questions and using feedback given.
-Put best effort into each assignment to show WORK ETHIC so that learning can effectively build on each assignment.
-Be active with your learning by ENGAGING in activities to expand your understanding and learn how to apply ideas to your life.
-Create a safe space to learn by RESPECTING your peers and teacher.

We will be discussing how we each want to be treated, so that we agree on classroom expectations.

The Student Handbook rules will also be enforced in our class as well as throughout the school so make sure you understand them fully.

• Phones must be silenced and stored in backpack/bag during class time. Students will be reminded at the beginning of class to put away phones. If a phone comes out, the student will be asked one more time to put them away. If they come out again, security will be called to escort the student to the office to turn in the phone for the remainder of the day. Students can request to pull out phones to take pictures of example notebooks during designated times to support learning at home. On test days all phones will be placed in the hanging phone display.

•  If you need to use the bathroom or get a drink of water, one person may go at a time as long as you ask to go, I will fill out the smart pass, and let you know when you are able to go. If this process is not followed or being taken advantage of, bathroom privileges may be revoked.

•  Students are not to leave class during the first or last 10 minutes of class, unless there is a documented plan indicating otherwise.

•  If I see or hear food or drink, you will be asked to put them away.

•  If any science items are broken or damaged by students, a fine will be assessed to that student to replace the items.

How to Receive Extra Support:
I will be available many days before and after school for help and make up. Before school I will be available from 6:55 to 7:20am and after school I will be available until 3:30pm on Monday through Thursday unless I have a scheduled meeting. Please use these times efficiently!

Course Curriculum:
 

Discipline Procedures:

--Warning
--Removal to the hallway until an appropriate time for teacher to leave to discuss behavior, if an understanding is made; student can return to class but will have to get makeup work from classmates. Prohibited items will be placed in brown bag for the rest of class.
--Removal from class, a phone call home to discuss situation, and letter to take responsibility for return. Prohibited items will be confiscated and turned into front office to be picked up by parents.
-- Removal from class, a phone call home to discuss situation again, and a meeting with parents, Mrs. Berwick and a counselor.
--Referral to administrator

* * * Depending on severity of violation, actions may not occur in order

Incident Report Form Link

I am looking forward to a great year with you and hope that we don't have to use the discipline procedures because you all we be so well behaved now that you are in high school.