Course Syllabus

Chemistry Honors

Central Academy for Technology and Arts

Mrs. Calandro, Room 619

miranda.calandro@ucps.k12.nc.us 

Welcome to honors chemistry!  

Course Information:

Chemistry honors is an honors level course.  This course is also available in the Program of Studies at the College Preparatory level.  Students earning credit for an Honors level course receive an elevated number of Quality Points for their Grade Point Average.  Students choosing the Honors level course should be aware that this Honors level course will include:

• Required extension opportunities that are directly related to the Standard Course of Study. This includes additional content beyond that covered in the College Preparatory level.
• More challenging coursework and assessments.  Students will be expected to demonstrate higher levels of understanding for grades.
• Projects and presentations will be more in depth.  
• Students will have to focus and study regularly to master the content. 

 

Because this is an honors course, please expect that it will be more challenging and rigorous than a college preparatory chemistry course.  In addition to modifying objectives and assignments to aim towards higher level cognition, we will include extension topics and projects that will prepare students for advanced placement science courses.

For example, Chm. 2.1.2 states that [college preparatory] students will be able to, “Explain heating and cooling curves (heat of fusion, heat of vaporization, specific heat, melting point and boiling point).”  An honors level objective would be to, “Analyze and interpret heating and cooling curves (heat of fusion, heat of vaporization, specific heat, melting point and boiling point).”

This course is designed to provide an introduction into the major topics of chemistry, including atomic theory and structure, the Periodic table and trends, chemical bonding and nomenclature, molecular geometry, the mole, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, kinetic molecular theory, gas laws, solutions, acids and bases, radioactivity, kinetics and thermochemistry.  

 

For the complete North Carolina essential standards for chemistry, please visit: http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/docs/acre/standards/new-standards/science/chemistry.pdf (Links to an external site.)

The course prerequisite for this class is honors math III (however, if you are currently in honors math III, you are fine – it can be taken as a co-requisite).  There will be an NC Final exam at the end of the course which will account for 25% of your semester grade.  

Rules and Expectations:

• Be RESPECTFUL.
• Be PREPARED.
• Be PRESENT and PUNCTUAL.
• Be POSITIVE.
• ALWAYS TRY YOUR BEST!
• Our goal in this course is for youto be successful. I am here to help you along the way, but you are ultimately responsible for your actions and your success.

Things that absolutely will not be permitted in our classroom include use of cell phones (unless specically permitted during instruction), electronic devices, foul language, disrespectful, violent or bullying behavior, cheating, plagiarism and horseplay.

Grading percentages and overview

Tests/Lab Notebooks/Projects:             50%

Quizzes:                                                25%

Classwork/Homework:                          25%

Additional Course Information

• Tests will be given at the end of every unit.
• Quizzes will be given often – at the end of a chapter, after labs, and as needed to address content needs.
• We do not have a textbook for you to take home. There is a flexbook link on our Canvas page that will serve as an additional resource for you AND your chemistry NOTEbook will be your other major resource.
• We do many laboratory experiments in this course. All laboratory assignments will be recorded formally in a specific format in the laboratory (composition) book.
• Projects for honors chemistry include the Periodic table project (1st grading period), the mole project (2nd grading period) and global science (3rd grading period).
• Homework is given daily and classwork will be assigned as needed. Some assignments will be paper-based and others will be digital or using online learning labs as appropriate.

 

 

Required Materials

EACH day, you will need to bring:

1. your composition LAB notebook (NOT SPIRAL-BOUND)
2. your chemistry NOTEbook (may be spiral bound or composition)
3. chromebook and charger
4. binder (may be shared with another class)
5. writing utensils and paper

 

*Chemistry notebooks will be needed by Tuesday, 8/28 and composition books will be needed by Tuesday, September 4.

**f you have a calculator that you would like to use on a regular basis, please bring it to class daily.  Otherwise, scientific calculators will be provided for use in daily instruction.

***These are OPTIONAL items that we use consistently in our classroom:  paper towels, hand soap, tissues and whiteboard markers.  If you can make a donation of one of these items, it would be greatly appreciated!  

Canvas Platform and Google Drive

The majority of assignments may be submitted on our new "learning platform," Canvas.  Assignments can be submitted a variety of ways including, uploading files, typing into text boxes, and sharing Google documents/presentations.  Students not having used Canvas before should alert the teacher and they will be shown how to submit assignments on Canvas.  Individual assignments will indicate which method of submission on Canvas is expected.  If students need a refresher or have questions, they can access the Canvas Student Guide for specific instructions. It is the student's responsibility to ensure assignments are submitted on time and to contact the instructor if there is a problem.  The Canvas Learning Platform logs every student log-in on Canvas which provides teachers with a list of when students log-in to Canvas using their user id. 

Canvas is sometimes used to grade assignments as well, however, the grades in Canvas, while accurate to that assignment, are NOT the teacher’s gradebook.  The teacher’s gradebook includes categories of assignments that may be weighted differently and may include grades for assignments that did not use the Canvas Learning Platform. Therefore, students and parents should always check their child’s true average on the Parent Portal on Powerschool.   

Late Work/Absence Policies - please READ carefully!

1. Late assignments will NOT be accepted!From homework to projects, if it’s late, it’s late.
2. In the event you are absent, it is your responsibilityto get the missed (regular class) assignments and complete and return them to me within two days of your absence OR within two days per day of your absence (for multiple-day absences).
3. Please note that assignments that were due on the date of your absence will be due upon your return (homework, etc.); it is YOUR responsibility to turn these items in to me upon your return.
4. Tests and quizzes will be made up upon your return to class (unless multiple days were missed). This can be done during the class period in the hallway OR you may choose to
5. Labs MUST be made up within three daysof your absence.  Due to our lab availability, alternate labs that address the same topic may be assigned.

PLEASE NOTE that the CATA policy for grades is as follows: 

• Any late work that cannot be made up at all is recorded as a 0
• If a student has the opportunity to make up work then, the grade is recorded as a 1 

There is absolutely no food allowed in the classrooms.  Students may not bring in food. 

TARDY POLICY (new this year): 

At CATA, instruction is very important. All students are expected to be in their classrooms and ready to receive instruction before the tardy bell rings for each class. Following the tardy bell, students who are not in class must report to the front office for a tardy pass if they tardy to first period.  During the rest of the day teachers will mark student tardy in the PowerSchool Attendance System.   Only students with a Tardy Pass will be admitted after the tardy bell rings for first period. 

Tardies will be recorded as unexcused unless an excuse can be verified by staff. Tardies will be handled according to the CATA handbook.

Tutoring:

If you find yourself struggling, please sign up to come to tutoring!  There are three whiteboards posted in my classroom – one for morning tutoring and one for each available day of Cougar Time. Tutoring is offered on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8:15 – 8:40 and during cougar time. You must sign up on the boards if you plan to come for tutoring.

Laboratory Expectations

While conducting laboratory experiments and all other class activities, I expect nothing but your best effort and behavior at ALL times.

Labs are an integral part of a science class.  They are meant to be interesting and fun, but they must be handled seriously.  Horseplay, not complying with directions, mishandling or misuse of equipment and/or facilities and other unbecoming and irresponsible behavior will result in an automatic zero for the laboratory grade, office referral and parent contact.

Our classroom is connected to a large laboratory area which we will use often and will share with other classes. All areas must be cleared away, cleaned and materials disposed of properly before your group may leave the lab area. Also, the drawers are NOT to be used as trash cans or lockers, the equipment (even if sitting on counter tops) are NOT toys and are NOT to be used or handled unless instructed.  Storage and laboratory areas are off limits unless instructed otherwise.  This is for your safety and the safety of others in our classroom. The available outlets are for laboratory use only and are NOT to be used for plugging in chromebooks or cellular phones.

CATA’s laboratory safety sheet is found on the CATA website.  Please read and sign off that you have read and understand CATA’s lab safety rules and the details of the course as listed in this syllabus.

I look forward to working with each of you this semester! :)