Chemistry is an exciting subject that helps us better understand what's happening "behind the scenes" in the world around us. This course willchallenge you. You need to be organized, work hard, and use your brain. Always remember, CHEMISTRY IS FUN!
Classroom Guidelines :
Adherence to the following guidelines will insure a safe and enjoyable year for everyone:
§ Be courteous and respectful to your teacher and classmates
§ Come to class on time and prepared to work - all personal needs such as restroom breaks are to be taken care of before or after class.
§ Follow ALL safety rules and procedures
§ Uphold high standards of effort and achievement
Website:
The class website is located at www.pantherchem.weebly.com. Daily assignments are posted at the start of each week. From here you can do a multitude of things. Find out what you missed during an absence. See when assignments are due. Download notes and worksheets. Send me an E-mail. Use it to your advantage! For those students without access to a computer at home, the school library provides computers for student use. The library maintains after school hours on Monday through Thursday until 3:00pm. It is also open to students during their lunch break. Students can print for $.10 a page. The public libraries also have computers, internet, and printers for public use as well.
Necessary Supplies:
§ Pearson Chemistry Textbook - issued by school, must be covered*
§ Box of Black pens - required for lab write ups.
§ Box of Red pens - required for grading work.
§ 1 inch 3 ring binder for dedicated use in this class as a lab notebook or folder.
§ Note book paper for binder.
§ Graph paper.
Students will need closed toed shoes on lab days.
In addition, the following classroom supplies are needed: 1st period - Kleenex 2nd period - Sanitizing Wipes 3rd period -Hand Sanitizer. 4th period - Paper towels 5th period - Sanitizing Wipes 6th period - Kleenex
*Cloth book covers are not allowed. They can pull too tightly on the cover causing the spine to break. Students will be charged for the replacement cost of the book for any textbook with a newly broken spine, (approx. $84.00)
Recommended Supplies:
Printer paper and ink cartridges - class notes, materials, and review sheets are all available on my website. Students may want to print copies of these pages.
Grading:
Tests/Projects 40%
Quizzes 20%
Labs/Activities 20%
Class work/Homework 20%
Semester exams and averages will be as stated in the RHS handbook.
The attached Rubric will be used for grading homework and labs. Grading Rubric
Grade Recovery Quiz Corrections:
Quiz grades below 75% are eligible for correction to improve original grade. Quizzes cannot leave the classroom. Therefore, students may have to come in after school to complete corrections in the given time frame, (usually one week from the return of the quiz. Corrections are to be made in red ink on a separate sheet of paper and stapled to the original quiz. Math problems are to be reworked. For all other questions, a brief explanation of the correct answer is to be written. Successfully completing these steps may allow you to regain up to half of the points lost with a maximum score of 75%.
Retesting Policy:
Test grades below 75% are eligible for retesting. You will need to complete the following steps within the given time frame, (usually one week from the return of the test). First, you need to correct your original test using your notes and textbook. If this is not completed in the allotted class time, or if you need help, you will need to come in after school. Finally you will need to come in on another occasion to retake the test. This is to be completed within a week of receiving your original test grade. You will receive the higher of the two scores with a maximum score of 75%.
Homework:
Homework is assigned daily, due at the tardy bell, and graded on completion and correction. Students are expected to attempt all problems using class notes and sample problems from the textbook as a guide. We will go over the homework in class. Students are expected to correct their work showing all work in red ink. I cannot overemphasize the importance of putting effort into completing your homework. Chemistry involves many skills that must be practiced. Lack of effort on homework WILL have a negative effect on your grade in this class!
Papers may be initially stamped to indicate whether they were turned in on time and complete. A stamp is not a grade. A green stamp indicates the paper was turned in and an honest effort was made to complete all problems. A blue stamp indicates that the paper was incomplete.
If answers to the homework are provided such as practice problems in the text book or Review worksheets, then the student is expected to correct their own work in red ink, before turning the assignment in. All other assignments will be corrected in class in red ink and then resubmitted for a grade. When stamped and graded papers are returned, the student will need to place the papers in their notebooks for future reference when studying for tests and quizzes. Students missing work should check the "No-name" file. Each assignment will be graded based on the initial stamp and whether the student has corrected all mistakes.
Progress Reports:
Students and parents have access to grades as they are posted in Focus. Focus is accessed through the school website at www.oneclay.net/rhs. Click on the Focus tab. A word of caution – although it is important to keep up with how well you or your student is doing, it is not healthy to micromanage grades. One bad grade or one great grade does not a quarter/semester grade make. I recommend checking no more than once every one or two weeks. Also, please be aware that I have as many as 125 students. Some assignments may take several days or even weeks to finish grading. Additionally, tests and projects will affect a grade more than a portfolio will. Because of this, you may see your student’s grade make a significant change in one direction or another.
Late Work:
You should be prepared to turn in all assignments at the BEGINNING of class.
Homework: Late homework will be accepted one day late for 90% of the grade. Anything received after one day will be accepted up to the date of the unit test for 50% of the grade earned. Late work will not be accepted after the unit test. Labs, Portfolios, and Projects: These assignments will be penalized 10 percent for each school day they are late. Pre-lab assignments are to assure that students are adequately prepared for lab day. For this reason, they cannot be turned in late for credit. Completed lab write-ups will not be accepted after 1 week. Projects will not be accepted after 2 weeks.
Absent on the due date? If you are here for an assignment but absent on the day it is due, you are expected to turn it in the next school day. If you are at school but miss this class on the day an assignment is due, you are expected to turn it in to me or to my box in the front office that day.
Make-Up Work:
If you are absent, you must turn in an excuse note to the front office within three days in order to receive full credit for your work. Make-up work turned in without an excuse note will be considered late. Generally, you will be allowed one make-up day for each day you were absent. All work is to be completed within 1 week. (If additional time is needed, please come and talk to me before the end of the week). Most notes and handouts can be obtained by clicking on the links on the web page.
Schedule time to make-up quizzes and tests ASAP – within one or two days if possible. If a test or quiz is given on the day you are absent and if that test/quiz covers material that was discussed while you were present, you need to be prepared to take the test/quiz on the day you return to class.
View You-tube videos such as Khan Academy, or Chemistry Crash Course, or Bozemanscience.com if you need assistance understanding material. (See link at the bottom of this page).
• If a lab is missed, see me ASAP to determine the best course of action to make up the lab.
• School related absence – students are expected to return to school the day after the event unless they have a medical excuse, a death in the family, or a pre-excused absence, or permission from the principal, regardless of how late the return, or how tired the student may be. Failing to do so will result in an unexcused absence unless a note is sent in by the parent. Makeup work will be accepted as late.
Lab Work:
Students will be assigned to a lab group each semester. Students will work together to plan, prepare, conduct, analyze, and make conclusions regarding the lab. Students will turn in an individual report. Each member of a group will be given a task to perform. It is the responsibility of each member of the group to evaluate and contribute to each other's work to assure the lab report reflects the work of the group and not any one individual. Strict adherence to safety procedures is required. Horseplay will not be tolerated. Each student is responsible for reading and following safety requirements given for each lab. Failure to do so will result in the student losing lab privileges. The student will be given a written assignment to be completed outside the classroom during the lab sessions. He/she will then be expected to complete the lab using the data obtained by the lab group.
Science Fair:
Although participation in Science Fair is not mandatory, it is highly recommended. Substantial extra credit will be given to any student participating at a science fair, (school, county, state, or international). Receiving an award, especially at the state or international level is very helpful on college applications and has resulted in substantial scholarships and research opportunities for RHS students.
Honesty and Integrity:
Students are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the RHS Honor Code. Students are encouraged to help one another as a teacher would help a student - without giving the answer. Study groups are also encouraged. Students will be collaborating with each other on several projects and labs. However, at no time can one student copy another student's work. Nor can a student copy answers or information from any other source and claim it as their own work. Students turning in identical or suspiciously similar work will be suspect of having violated the code and will be investigated. Consequences for violations will be handled in accordance with school policies.