ALTA LOMA HIGH SCHOOL

Course: A.P. Chemistry

Instructor: Mr. Green

 

Welcome to Advanced Placement Chemistry. This course is designed to be the equivalent of the general chemistry courses usually taken during the first college year. Since it is a college level class, it is significantly more time consuming than the regular high school chemistry class. Students should expect more homework than they would receive in the regular class. They should plan on spending an hour a day reading, doing homework, or reviewing. Even if there is nothing due the next day, students should be working on AP Chemistry every day.

College courses often include a separate laboratory class, so this class will include a significant amount of time spent in the lab. We run into some difficulties because of this. The labs run in college typically take two to three hours to complete, and our class period is only 54 minutes long. To do the appropriate labs we are going to require extra time. Students will be required to come before school or in the evenings for several labs. I will give at least three days prior notice of these days (usually a week). I will try to minimize scheduling conflicts, but the laboratory component makes this necessary.

On May 2 a three hour nationwide test will be given to determine the whether the student has mastered the material well enough to be granted college credit. This course will prepare the students for this test.

 

I. GRADING PROCEDURE

All work will be graded on a percentage basis, using the following scale.

 

Percent Correct

Letter Grade

 

Percent Correct

Letter Grade

94-100%

A

 

70-75%

C

90-94%

A-

 

65-70%

C-

87-90%

B+

 

62-65%

D+

84-87%

B

 

58-62%

D

80-84%

B-

 

55-58%

D-

75-80%

C+

 

0-55%

F

A. GRADED WORK will consist of:

1.       Tests - Each test will cover reading assignments, lecture notes, homework assignments, and any lab or group activity. The test questions will be multiple choice, and essay. There will be approximately 5 tests per quarter.

2.       Quizzes - may be announced or unannounced. Each quiz will be approximately 10 questions, and will be given approximately twice per chapter.

3.       Homework/ Classwork - Homework will be given regularly.

4.       Qwizdom- We will be using an student response system during class. It will be used to check for understanding during lectures. Students’ answers will be recorded and credit will be given. Half of the credit will be for participation and half for correct answers

5.       Lab reports/assignments – All labs are to be recorded in a laboratory notebook, used only for this purpose.

6.       Exams Final exams will be cumulative from the beginning of the year, both in December and May.

B. QUARTER GRADES - Quarter grades will be a weighted average of the scores on the assignments given. Different types of assignments will be given different emphasis. For example, the average test score will account for 50% of the quarter grade. The table below lists the weight given to each category.

 

 

 

Graded Work

% of quarter grade

Tests

50%

Homework/Classwork

20%

Qwizdom

5 %

Quizzes

10%

Lab Reports

15%

 

 

C. SEMESTER GRADES - The semester grade will be determined by averaging the percentage scores of the two quarters and the semester exam. Each quarter grade will make up 40% of the semester grade, and the exam will make up remaining 20%

D. EXTRA CREDIT - Extra Credit assignments will be provided approximately mid- quarter.

1.       They may be turned in any time until the due date,(during the last week of the quarter)

2.       Extra credit may be used to raise the quarter grade by up to one letter grade.

3.       Extra credit is meant to be extra, so it will not be accepted if more than 10% of the other assignments are not turned in.

 

E. SUGGESTIONS

1.       Everything you do in this class will be graded, so it is important to do every assignment and to turn them in. Partial credit will be given. Lack of effort will affect your grade.

2.       Cheating is forbidden. This includes blatant copying, and "borrowing" homework. Both parties involved will be given a zero on the assignment, parent contact will be made, and other disciplinary action may be taken. I will follow the guidelines given in the student handbook and the “Brave Code of Conduct. You should review these policies.

3.       DO NOT throw away your assignments. They will be handy for studying for the tests, semester exams, and the AP test.

4.       If there is something that is unclear, ask questions! I will be available before or after school most days to give extra help.

5.       You will be dropped on the fourth truancy.

II. CLASS PROCEDURES

A. MATERIALS - Materials needed daily -

1.       Materials needed daily -

                                                Paper                      Scientific Calculator           Pen (blue or black ink) or Pencil(#2)

2.       Materials needed when requested -

Textbook                                              Lab Notebook (bound)      Pencil (#2)

B. MAKE-UP WORK

1.       If you are absent, it is your responsibility to make up all the work you missed. You have the same number of days that you were absent to turn in the missing work. See me before class to get the missing assignments.

2.       Pick up any missing work, and notes before or after class.

3.       Hand in the make up work separately from other assignments.

4.       If you miss a test or quiz, it must be made up outside class before or after school. If you are absent the day before a test, you may make up the test on your time.

C. LATE WORK

1.       If you forget to bring in your homework, I will accept it ONE day late with a parent's signature, for full credit. This is limited to twice per quarter.

2.       I will accept it up to two days late if you bring it to me before or after school and pass a small "quiz" on the assignment to make sure you have mastered the material. There are no limits to the number of times you can do this.

3.       Homework is due at the beginning of the period. After class has started, it will be considered late.

E. ATTENDANCE

1.       Poor attendance can have an impact on you grade. If you are absent, you have to play catch-up.

2.       If you have excessive absences, your grade will be impacted.

a.       There is no grade penalty for the first 10 absences per semester.

b.       Each subsequent absence will result in a 10% penalty on your semester grade.

3.       You will be dropped on the fourth truancy.

F. TARDIES

1. If you are not in the room when the bell rings you will be marked tardy and sent to the “tardy machine” for a pass.

2. Repeated tardiness will result in parent contacts, and referrals, and MAY RESULT IN BEING DROPPED FROM THE CLASS.

G. PASSES Since every minute of class time is valuable, hall passes will be given only on an emergency basis, with a limit of one per semester, except under special circumstances.

III CLASSROOM RULES AND CONSEQUENCES

A. RULES:

1.       Be seated and ready to work before the bell rings.

2.       Bring required materials daily.

3.       Walk and talk with permission only.

4.       Respect others and their property.

5.       No food, drinks, or gum.

6.       Use class time wisely.

7.       Obey all school rules.

B. CONSEQUENCES

1st offense: Warning (Verbal &/or written).

2nd offense: Detention and parent contact.

3rd offense: Class suspension and parent contact.

4th offense: Referral and parent contact.

Severe or repeated offenses may result in skipping steps

C. LAB- Because of the importance of safety in the lab, violation of laboratory safety rules and procedures may result in loss of lab privileges.