Advanced Placement Chemistry Syllabus

Ms. Marshall

J. B. Conant High School

email: amarshall@d211.org

Science Dept. Phone 847-755-3815

Text:

• Chemistry & Chemical Reactivity, 4^th edition, Kotz & Treichel, Saunders Publishing, 1999

Welcome!

This course is designed to be the equivalent of the general chemistry course usually taken during the first college year. This is an academic, quantitative chemistry course. Being an A.P. class, this class is treated as a college course and will retain the proper speed and difficulty to define it as such. In order to be successful here are some helpful hints:

· Come to class daily and on time.

· Participate actively and ask questions as soon as you need help.

· Keep detailed notes about demonstrations and examples presented in class.

· Keep up with your work.

· Be open to a variety of learning styles and activities.

· Be willing to receive help from your peers, and help others.

It may be helpful to carry the following items with you every day to class:

· Blue/black pen, pencil, ruler

· Scientific calculator

· Notebook dedicated to AP Chem only

· Periodic Table – protected (laminated?)

I expect that you are taking this course with the intention of taking the A.P. Exam in May. With that expectation we need to get through the material and have appropriate time to study before the exam. Due to this schedule we will complete a chapter every 7 days or so. You will have homework every night. Laboratory experiments are an important part of learning chemistry and thus will be dispersed throughout this course.

Grading:

Grades are determined by dividing the number of points you accumulate by the total amount available and multiplying by 100. The scale to be used will be:

100-90% = A

89-80% = B

79-70% = C

69-60% =D

59 – 0% = F

Types of Evaluation:

1. Daily Homework (points will vary) – assignments are to be completed on loose-leaf paper and not paper torn out of a notebook. Students are required to hand in assignments at the beginning of class on the due date to receive full credit. Also, you should show formulas, units, work and circled/boxed answers in order to receive full credit. Assignments will be accepted one day late but will receive only up to 50% of the earned points. Students with an excused absence will follow the standard protocol for CHS.
2. Quizzes (points will vary) – these will cover pertinent information and will occur throughout the year. Some will be announced ahead of time and some will not. Therefore, class notes should be studied frequently. The format will vary but will closely resemble the format in the AP Exam.
3. Exams – these will be in multiple choice and short answer format. Most exams total about 100 points and contain questions equal in complexity to those seen on the AP Exam in May. Calculators are allowed on the short answer section but not on the multiple choice section unless otherwise designated by the instructor.
4. Laboratory Experiments – students are expected to read all materials pertinent to the upcoming lab before doing the experiment. Pre-lab work and write-ups will be checked before entering the laboratory and therefore, should be prepared ahead of time. Any student who fails to perform proper lab safety in the lab or adequately prepare for the lab will receive a zero. Some colleges require proof of laboratory experience before awarding credits to a student therefore, it is suggested to obtain a separate laboratory notebook. Labs are usually done with a partner or group, depending on the lab. If a student will be absent on a lab day he or she needs to discuss a make-up time that is mutually convenient.

Units of Study: the time allotted for each unit may change.

Unit	Topic	Chapters in Text	Time Allotted (weeks)	Quarter covered
1	Basics of Chemistry and Review	1-5	4	1
2	Thermodynamics	6, 19	2	1
3	Atomic Structure	7, 8	3	1
4	Intramolecular bonding and Organic	9, 10, 11	3	2
5	Gases	12	2	2
6	Intermolecular bonding and Solutions	13, 14	3	3
7	Kinetics	15	2	3
8	Beginning Equilibrium and Ksp	16, 18	3	3-4
9	Acids/ Bases	17	2	4
10	Nuclear	23	1	4
11	Review for AP Exam		2	4

Help…Office Hours: I am available before school and during periods 7 and 8. If you need to see me for more than just a quick question we need to make a specific appointment. Please come with your materials, attempted work and specific questions.

Class Behavior: Safety and respect are the key words.

1. Students are to complete all assignments before arriving to class and are to bring all of the necessary materials, including textbook, pen or pencil, paper, etc., to class EVERY SINGLE DAY.
2. Students are to sit in their assigned seats and to PAY ATTENTION when the bell rings. We only have a limited time together so we must efficiently utilize that time.
3. The bell doesn’t dismiss the class. The teacher dismisses the class.
4. Students are to pick up missed handouts from the front of the room and refer to the posted schedule for missed assignment, after returning to class from an excused absence.

Academic integrity: Academic dishonesty occurs when students obtain or assist others in obtaining credit for work that is not their own. Any student(s) caught cheating will receive a zero for the assignment and a phone call home.

AP Chemistry Exam Format:

The exam is changing beginning 2007 to:

Section 1: 90 minutes, 50% of the total grade: 75 multiple choice questions, NO CALCULATORS OR EQUATION TABLES ARE ALLOWED ON THIS SECTION

Section 2: 95 minutes, 50% of the total grade: essay/short answer

Part A: 55 minutes, 60% of 2nd part score

Part B: 40 minutes, 40% of 2nd part score

Part	Question Number	% of section score	Information about Question
A (Calc and equations)	1	20	Equilibrium
A (Calc and equations)	2	20	Other **
A (Calc and equations)	3	20	Other **
B (NO Calc or equations)	4	10	3 reactions Part i: write balanced rxn Part ii: Answer question about rxn
B (NO Calc or equations)	5	15	Other **
B (NO Calc or equations)	6	15	Other **

** One of these "Other" questions will be based on laboratory work.

In General:

If you have an acceptable free response then you will need 50-60% on the multiple choice to obtain a total grade of 3.

Calculators:

Calculators may not be shared. All calculators may be used without erasing the memory except those with typewriter style keyboard (qwert), which may not be used.