Lundy’s PreChem Syllabus 2008/2009  				www.mrlundysroom.org

Course Description.  This one semester course is a preparatory Chemistry course.  Many different kinds of activities combine to give the student a well-rounded introduction to the basic concepts in Chemistry.  Other areas of science and related topics will be integrated throughout the course.  Mathematical applications will be developed and practiced.  This course will prove to be challenging each day as students build on their basic knowledge, improve their olds skills, and work on developing new ones.  Students will be expected to work responsibly as individuals and cooperatively in groups.

Textbook: Packard, Jacobs, and Marshall. Chemistry.  Pearson AGS Globe, 2007.

Course Content:

Scientific notation, significant figures, units, conversions, formulas
Elements, periodic table
Electron configurations
Moles, molar mass
Balancing Equations
Enthalpy, entropy
Reaction types, predicting products
Stoichiometry
Covalent bonds, molecules polymers, organic chemistry
Ionic bonds and compounds
Acids and Bases
Solids, liquids, and bases

PreChem Grading Policy:
* Grades earned on “Unit Assessments” will be worth 50% of the total quarter and will not be curved.
* Students who do not score at least a 60% or better on a “Unit Assessment” will complete an appropriate remediation task and then retake a “Unit Assessment” on the same content.
* The remediation task and retake test conditions will be determined by the teacher and are detailed on the attached page.
* All other student work will comprise 50% of the total quarter grade.  This work can include Projects, quizzes, oral assessments, participation, presentations, performance assessments, classwork, lab reports notebook grades, warm-up questions, writing assignments, and homework.

Science grades will be proficiency based:
* Grades will reflect meaningful work tied to the standards and expectations designated for a specific course.
	* Grades will not reflect good citizenship or responsibility criteria.

Classroom Rules:

* Come to class prepared to learn. (Pencils sharpened, pen, paper, textbook and notebooks)
* Respect all property. (School property, personal property, and other's property)
* Respect all ideas given in class and do not criticize anybody's ideas or thoughts.
* Students are expected to behave in a courteous and respectful manner to the instructor and to each other. 
* Students are expected to be in the classroom and ready for class to begin by the time the bell rings.  Failure to comply will result in the student being marked tardy
* All assigned formal labs and project work must be completed in ink or typewritten. You must use a lead pencil for normal class activities, practice work, and recording lab data. 
* Do not enter the lab section of the classroom unless informed to do so. 
* Wait for a word or sign of dismissal by the teacher. The sound of the bell does not dismiss the class.

Extra Credit: 

No extra credit is available in this class as your focus should be on assigned work

Make-up work:

* If your absence is excused you have the same amount of days you missed to turn in work.
* Late work is accepted during the current quarter with a 20% penalty.

“Unit Assessment” part of grade:

* No Curving of test.
* No Dropping of lowest score.
* No “extra credit” or “test corrections” used to improve test score.
* Test questions will be selected from the set of available pool questions.

Remediation Task:

* If your grade on a “Unit Assessment” test falls below the 60% level you may retake the test following successful completion of the remediation task.
* You must attend the scheduled after school remediation class and write test corrections to the questions you missed on the “Unit Assessment”.  
* All corrections must include the correct answer and a citation of where you found the correct answer.
* The retake must be completed within 1 week of the original test date.
* Students do not get class points/credit for remediation task.  The task is your ticket to retake the test.
* Your final grade for the “Unit Assessment” will be an average of the two test scores.