|
|
This page is designed to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the Applied Chemistry and Chemistry I & II courses. Please browse the questions below and click on any you wish to receive an answer to that question. If you have a question that doesn't appear below, see me in school or feel free to contact me.
| Arriving to and Departing from Class | During Class |
| Homework | Tests/Quizzes |
| Labs/Experiments/Projects | Extra Help |
| Grades | Miscellaneous |
Arriving to and departing from class:
Arriving to and Departing from Class
If you do not have a signed pass from the teacher you are coming from or from the office, yes, you will be marked tardy. It is possible to make it to the room from all of these locations in the time allotted between classes. It may require some planning on your part to have your necessary materials, if you find you don't have adequate time to stop at your locker.
What materials should I bring with me to class?
You should have your textbook, your notebook, writing utensils (blue and/or black pen, pencil, eraser), and any assignment(s) that may be due. Look to the screen to determine if you need to get out your assigned laptop, calculator, and/or TurningPoint response "clicker". Occasionally, you may find it useful to also have a pack of colored pencils.
Yes. The objectives give you a guide for what we hope to accomplish during the class period, and can help you quickly find information when studying. The bellringer helps you recall information from previous classes and gets you ready for new information to be presented. Also, it is important to copy these items down because each nine-weeks there is the possibility for an objectives quiz.
No. Often times, we will be working up until the bell rings or just before. You need to be listening, so that you don't miss important information, such as homework assignments, due date reminders, or reminders about upcoming quizzes/tests/labs. I will let you know when you can pack up your materials and get your bags from the back of the room.
No. You need to be listening in case you are called somewhere, information about school activities, or other important information.
You are allowed to leave when I dismiss you. The bell (or tones) do not dismiss the class. The bell/tones are a signal to the teacher that classes are changing. If I am in the middle of giving an assignment or last minute instructions/reminders, stay in your seat until I am finished. Rest assured, I will get you on your way as quickly as possible.
Yes. I would use a 3-ring binder, so that you can keep all of your class materials (notes, handouts, homework, etc.) in one place. It will prove valuable when it comes time to study. Not to mention the potential for notebook checks or tests...
As a general rule of thumb...YES. Anytime something is written/drawn on the board, displayed on a PowerPoint presentation, or repeated a number of times during lecture or class discussions, it is usually important enough to be put down in your notes. For further information about taking notes in class, click here.
If it is during class, please raise your hand with your pencil in it, to signal to me that you wish to sharpen your pencil. When I have acknowledged that you may, please wait for a quiet moment before grinding away on the pencil. Other times that you may sharpen your pencil(s) without asking before hand are before the bell rings, and during independent or group work times.
Note: The current sharpener is pretty dull...if I were you, I'd use a mechanical pencil.
Not necessary...TI-30XS scientific calculators are provided for in-class use. You will have an assigned number, and this is the calculator that you should use for the entire year. If, when you pick it up, you notice damage, let me know immediately so that we can keep track of things. Please note that on quizzes and tests, these provided calculators will be the only ones permitted.
If it is before the bell, you must have all of your materials out on your desk ready to go (homework assignment inside the cover of your textbook or notebook, ready to be checked), and your pass filled out. Once class has begun, you may not use the rest room (emergencies are obviously an exception) until the last 5 minutes of class, if time permits (i.e.-new material is over, class announcements have been made). One student out to the lav at a time.
This one is really up to you; my suggestion: keep them. Put them in your notebook. You never know when they might come in handy (like studying for the final exam, maybe?)
Get any notes you may have missed from a trustworthy classmate. It wouldn't be a bad idea, especially if you are in a sport or other activity that will be repeatedly taking you out of class, to partner up with someone to share notes with, pick up handouts for one another, share announcements with. If you take this responsibility seriously, you can help ease the difficulty you may face when missing class. The class notes may also be posted as pdf files on each individual class's home page; however, you should still check with a classmate for any "extra" information that may have been given.
Extra copies of all handouts that are distributed in class (informational and homework) will be placed in file folders in the blue plastic crate at the side of the room. Find your course, make sure you are looking in the correct week (there is a "This Week" folder and a "Last Week" folder), and find the manila folder corresponding to the day you were absent. Be sure to check the cover sheet, in case there is more than one paper you need to retrieve. You can also check the class web pages...most of the homework assignments are posted as pdf files.
Homework
I left my homework in my locker (or cafeteria, or last class)...is it marked late?
Yes. Part of being a student is taking the responsibility to have your materials with you and turn in your assignments on time. Daily homework assignments will not receive credit if they are not turned in on time.
Yes, but the "notebook fuzzies" must be removed first; otherwise, I will not accept the homework.
No. I would prefer that you use blue or black ink, and regular gray/black pencil lead. The reason for this is that it makes it easier for you to see comments that I might make on your paper, and it makes it easier for me to read your responses. Remember, if I can't read it, I can't grade it!
Extra copies of all homework worksheets that are distributed in class will be placed in file folders in the blue plastic crate at the side of the room. Find your course, make sure you are looking in the correct week (there is a "This Week" folder and a "Last Week" folder), and find the manila folder corresponding to the day you were absent. Also, many of the homework assignments are posted on each class's individual web page as a pdf file.
Your name (first and last), your class period, and the assignment information (page number and problem numbers, if assignment is from the textbook).
Have your assignment(s) ready to show me when I come around to check the current homework assignment. Otherwise, show me at the end of class when we are finished with material for the day, or before/after school.
As per school policy, as many days as you were legally absent.
Tests/Quizzes
Do we have to put our name/date/period number in the upper right hand corner on quizzes?
Yes. The point is for you to listen and follow specific directions. This information helps me to get your grades into the grade book faster, by being able to put them in order more efficiently. Most times you will be instructed to put your name in the upper right hand corner of the quiz paper (unless it is a handout-quiz; then fill in your information in the spaces provided). If you do not follow the directions, you will lose points.
For tests and quizzes, especially ones with calculations, I would highly recommend it. If you make a mistake, please make sure that you cleanly and completely erase the answer that you wish to change. Some quizzes and tests will have a machine-scored answer sheet, and a #2 pencil is required.
Yes, as long as it is blue or black ink. Points will be taken off for non-blue or black ink colors (don't risk using a purple pen and claiming that it is blue...if it looks purple to me, then you should find another pen to use).
Yes. On days where we have in-class reviews, no new material is presented. Therefore, you have all of the information that you need to study for the exam. If you are sick, have a friend/sibling/parent come in to the school to get your notebook and/or textbook so that you may study. Check the class website for any online study guides / practice tests that might be posted. If you are out for a school activity, you are still responsible for being ready for the test.
You will have as many days as you were legally absent to make up a missed quiz or test. Make-ups will generally be given during class time. Please be sure to notify me at least 1 day in advance of when you're coming in or taking your make-up.
Check with a trustworthy classmate to get any notes you may have missed. Notes and most assignments are posted on the class website as pdf files. Handouts/assignments can be obtained from the blue plastic bin, if I don't hand them to you directly.
No. I may give you a reminder upon your return, but it is your responsibility as a student to make up any and all work that you missed during an absence. If you do not make up the quiz/test in the allotted time, according to school policy, you will receive a zero for that assignment.
Labs/Experiments/Projects
Do I have to wear my safety goggles during the entire experiment?
Yes. As a general rule, anytime chemicals, glassware, or heat is being used, safety glasses are required. When you are at the lab stations, or in close proximity to any of these items, you must have your safety goggles on. Failure to do so will significantly affect your grade and may result in your removal from the laboratory.
No. Only use the equipment that is specified or set out for you. Other equipment or materials may be set out for another purpose. If it doesn't apply to your experiment, then don't touch it!
If your goggles keep fogging up, you may walk out of the laboratory area (by the phone is a good place, assuming that chemicals are not being transported past this location), take your goggles off to let them de-fog, replace them over your eyes, and return to your lab station.
Absolutely not. The same goes for copying passages directly from web sites or print sources into laboratory reports or other assignments. This is called plagiarism. Plagiarizing is illegal. People have failed entire courses because of plagiarism. Don't risk it.
If you work on an experiment together, yes, you should have the same data and results. And yes, you may in certain instances discuss lab questions with your lab partner. But as for your final write-up and interpretations, these should not be identical (or just a few minor words changed) to another student's work.
Projects, lab reports, and other assignments that have due dates that are announced well in advance are due on that due date. If you are absent, planned or unplanned, your assignment is due the first day you come back. If you miss class, but are in school that same day (i.e. - come in to school late or leaver early for a doctor's appointment, early dismissal for sports/band/chorus, etc.), your project/lab report is still due that day!
No. These are for emergency use only. The operation of these safety items will be demonstrated to you, but they should not be used otherwise unless there is an emergency in the laboratory. Disciplinary action will result from tampering or unauthorized use of this equipment.
No. Footwear must have closed toes and full backs on the footwear. In lab, we often work with glassware, and chemicals that may be irritating or caustic (corrosive) to the skin. If you wear sandals/open-toed shoes, you increase the risk of injury to your feet in an accident or emergency. Shoes must have full backs on them, because if the need to exit the laboratory quickly arises, clogs or other backless shoes may come off easily, exposing your feet to broken glass or harmful chemicals. If your wardrobe plans on the day of lab include sandals, clogs, or other footwear that is open-toed or doesn't have a full-back, bring a pair of sneakers with you to change into. You will not be permitted to perform an experiment if you do not have the proper footwear.
Font size should be 12. Times New Roman and Arial are good fonts to use. The paper should be double-spaced and have 1 inch margins.
Because labs and experiments often times require specific equipment and materials, missed labs will either: 1) be made up after school, the Thursday following the original lab date (for example, if a lab is performed on Monday, the make-up will be that Thursday; if a lab is on Thursday, it will be made-up the following Thursday) or 2) be substituted with an alternate assignment. The option that will be assigned is at my discretion.
If you have glasses, I would advise you to wear those instead on lab days. Studies have been done to determine the risks of wearing contact lenses. While no conclusive findings have been reached, the arguments made in these studies are valid, and worthy of heeding. First, many chemicals give off vapors. These vapors, can become trapped behind your contact lens, thus exposing your eyes to the chemical even after you leave the laboratory. Secondly, if you should happen to get a chemical in your eyes, the contact lens can actually hinder efforts to wash the chemical out of your eyes at the eye wash station. Again, the contact lens will trap the chemical against your eyeball. While there is currently no law that forbids contact lens use in a chemistry laboratory, it is a good idea to refrain from their use whenever possible.
No. The reason for this is similar to the arguments against wearing contact lenses in lab. When you chew gum, you are continuously folding the gum over onto itself. When you breath, you may inhale small amounts of vapors given off by the chemicals being used. These vapors can get trapped in the gum as you chew, and when you leave class, you would still be exposed to these chemicals. For this reason, gum chewing, eating, and drinking are all prohibited in the chemistry laboratory.
Extra Help
When can I come see you to ask questions or for extra help?
I will typically be available in my room before school after 7:20am (except Tuesday/Thursday mornings) and after school until 3pm on Monday - Friday (except for when I have meetings on Monday afternoons). If you wish to come in before or after school, please let me know ahead of time.
No. You need to come prepared with specific questions to ask. If it is obvious that you haven't read the material or looked over your notes and examples that we have done in class, then I will tell you to do just that before coming in to ask questions.
Don't use extra credit as a crutch, or depend on it to save your grade at the end of the 9-weeks. It is a reward for additional effort put into learning about class material. Occasionally, bonus questions will be offered on tests and quizzes. Also, bonus points may be awarded as prizes during review activities. Separate extra credit opportunities will be presented in each class. These are the only extra credit options that are available, and they are available to all members of the class. Please do not ask for an individual extra credit project.
Grades
Not during class time. If you wish to inquire about your grade, see me after class, or before/after school.
No. Privacy laws prohibit me from calling out student grades. If you do not wish to see your grade, simply say "Pass" when I call your name.
(Note: For the 2008-2009 School Year, grades in all chemistry courses will be calculated using a total points method (total points earned / total points possible = grade)).
Many times, students will say "I've gotten good grades on these last homework assignments, but my grade hasn't gone up...why is that?" This happens because your grade is calculated on a weighted percentage basis. Tests are 30%, Labs/Projects are 30%, Quizzes are 15%, Homework is 15% and Class Participation is 10% (for Chem I and Chem II; the same reasoning applies in Applied Chem, just with different percentages). If you already had a 100% Homework average, then additional good homework grades will not increase your overall average; rather they will help you maintain the current overall average that you have. It is for this reason, that you can't depend solely on homework and class participation to save you from having to study for quizzes and tests, and from being able to demonstrate your laboratory skills in experiments. Any questions about this phenomena, come see me.
Miscellaneous
I forgot my textbook; can I borrow one?
There is one classroom copy of the Chemistry textbook available. It is available first-come, first-serve, and is for in-class use only; it may not be taken out of the room. The book must be signed out. A word of warning though, to those who may think they'll just use that book every day: the book has a mysterious stain and a "funky odor" on the inside.
There is also one classroom copy of the Applied Chemistry textbook available for in-class use.
If you know ahead of time that you will be missing class for an extra-curricular event, you are responsible for seeing me ahead of time to get any assignments. The first day you are back, you may ask questions if you have any, and the assignment will be due the next day after that. For instance, say you know that you have any away game and will miss class on Tuesday. You should come to me Monday and let me know, picking up your assignment at the same time. When you come back on Wednesday, you may ask me any questions you may have, and on Thursday the assignment will be due.
Chemistry I Homepage Chemistry II Homepage Applied Chemistry Homepage