Course Description:  The class provides a fun, interesting and challenging learning experience to understand the integral relationships of chemistry and the relevance of chemistry in our world.  Hands-on experiences using scientific equipment and procedures will be used to help students understand the basic principles and laws chemistry.  Concepts will be explored through laboratory experiments, demonstrations, readings, lectures and assignments.

Textbooks:

Materials Needed:  3-ring binder, notebook paper, graph paper, scientific calculator, pencils, pens, a periodic table (provided in the website)

3-Ring Binder:  The 3-ringed binder will be necessary for storing your notes, returned assignments, and experiment write-ups.  You should bring all of these materials to class every day, and will need easy access to these items when studying for quizzes and tests.  The teacher will conduct random notebook checks during each semester.  In addition, you will be allowed a short time during each test to use your notes, homework, labs, etc.

Grading Policy:  Grading will be based on homework, labs, quizzes, tests, class participation, and notebook checks.  Total Points will be used to calculate percentage and assign a grade based on the scale below.  The class participation grade will be assigned by the teacher based upon active participation in class and preparedness for class on a daily basis.

Note-Taking and Class Participation:   It is expected that during chemistry class every student is actively participating in the class, taking notes, and writing down example problems.  Active participation includes asking and answering questions during class discussions.  You may not work on assignments from other classes during chemistry, as I would not expect you to work on chemistry in any of your other classes.  During laboratory experiments, each student must contribute to the lab group's success.  A portion of each semester's grade will be assigned based upon class participation.

Late Work:  This chemistry class moves at a fast pace, and most topics must be learned in a sequential order.  In order to be successful in chemistry, students must keep up with, and fully understand, the daily work.  Often, if you do not do today's homework, you will not understand tomorrow's lesson.  Homework assignments will be collected at the beginning of each class.  They are due when called for, and considered late at any time after that (even if you turn it in 5 minutes later).  Late work will be accepted, but heavily penalized.  If an assignment is turned in late, it will receive a 20% deduction up to one week late, and a 40% deduction between one and two weeks late.  After two weeks, late work will not be accepted.  All assignments from a unit must be turned in before the unit test to receive any credit (even if it is fewer than two weeks late).  Students will be given one day of extension for each full day of an excused absence.  To aid you in keeping up to date, all assignments have been posted on the Chemistry Website Calendar.  If a student feels s/he has special circumstances that would warrant full credit for late work, have your parent / guardian write an explanation, sign it, and submit to the teacher for a possible extension.

Grading Scale:

Grade Reporting:   Parents / guardians are strongly encouraged to log on to ParentConnect often to keep up to date on student's performance.  ParentConnect is a powerful tool that allows parents / guardians to monitor student's progress in class and be aware of any missing assignments the student may have.

Honors Credit:  Honors credit may be earned in Chemistry by meeting each of the following requirements:

Extra Credit:  Extra credit is available only to those students who have turned in all their daily assignments in a timely manner.  Extra credit may not be used to replace missing assignments.  Those students who do not have the grades to receive honors but would like to earn extra credit may create an original science fair project according to the requirements above and submit it at the local science fair.  Other extra credit opportunities may be available at certain times during each semester.  Because the end of the semester is an extremely busy time for students and teachers alike, all extra credit must be submitted at least two weeks before the end of the semester.

Tardiness:  Tardiness disrupts the student learning process for the entire class and can negatively affect a students grade.  Homework assignments will be collected at the beginning of the class period, and any tardy student will receive late credit for that assignment (see below).  A warning will be given for the first tardy, but any additional tardies will result in time cleaning in the teacher's classroom.  Any student who is tardy more than four (4) times will be referred to the dean.

Make-Up Tests:  Make-up tests may be given for excused absences only. Make-up tests must be taken before or after school.  The student must make the arrangements for the make-up with the teacher as soon as they return.  If a student is absent for one day, s/he will have one extra day to take the test.

Non-academic items in class:  Music / video players, cell phones, calculator games, food, and beverages are all items that can cause distractions in class.  All cell phones, music players, and ear phones must be kept completely out of sight during class time.  For the first offense, the teacher will confiscate the offending item for the rest of the day.  The student may retrieve the item from teacher at the end of the day.  Future offenses will require that the student's parent / guardian come in to retrieve the item from the teacher.  Since this is a chemistry classroom, dangerous chemicals are often spilled on tabletops.  As a result, no food or beverages are allowed in the classroom, except water.

Hall Passes:  In case of an emergency, the teacher must know where each student is at all times.  To ensure this, no student may leave the classroom without letting the teacher know, signing out, and carrying the Hall Pass.  Only one student may be out of the classroom at any given time.  The Hall Pass is to be used for the restroom or to get a drink of water - not to visit the vending machines, go to the library, etc.  You should be gone from the classroom for only 3 to 5 minutes.  Be sure to sign back in as soon as you get back into the classroom, and replace the Hall Pass.  Excessive use of the Hall Pass will not be allowed.  Failure to adhere to the above rules will result in a loss of Hall Pass privileges.