Grading and Policies

• Follow directions
• Keep hands to yourself
• No swearing, teasing, or put-downs
• Be in your seat, prepared for class, when the bell rings
• No eating in class unless authorized
• Follow all school rules

George Mason Honor Code

Students will follow the GMHS honor code and write the honor pledge on all work submitted for grading, "I have neither given nor received any unauthorized aid on this assignment". Collaboration is encouraged (and authorized) when investigating solutions to homework, group labs and worksheets. This does not mean verbatim copying of information. The work in your lab notebook must be your own work. When working in a group, as you will often, it is your responsibility to record data. In most circumstances you should not copy data from someone else's data table. Results and conclusion, however, are pieces that you should always work on individually and then compare with others in your group. It is important that you practice interpreting the data and forming a conclusion on your own rather than copying what another person has written. Once you have thought about the lab on your own and written some of the analysis, it is appropriate to talk it over with your group and collaborate with each other on the analysis. There should be no verbatim copying of analysis and conclusions. Exams, quizzes, and lab reports (as describe above) are to be your own independent work. Failure to follow these guidelines will result in a zero for the associated work.

All students will be required to write the Honor Pledge on all assignments that are graded.

Weighting

• Daily Work 10%
• Labs 30%
• Tests 60%

The percentages may change slightly depending on the number of labs and tests accomplished in a quarter. Participation points are something that can be lost for coming to class unprepared (no calculator, pencil, notebook, etc.) or for inappropriate behavior.

Late Work

• Late homework is not accepted if we go over answers in class.
• 10% is taken off each day for assignments turned in late.

Grading Scale

Semester Grade

• Quarter 1 grade: 40%
• Quarter 2 grade: 40%
• Final Exam 20%

It is a common misconception that a teacher only asks a question because she thinks that the students know the answer and therefore should be able to give the answer almost immediately. In this class, that will rarely be the case. Do not expect that the problems posed to you will be easily or immediately solved. The mark of a successful chemistry student is one who can break down complex problems they have never seen before into smaller steps by connecting conceptual knowledge with mathematical techniques. The best way to become proficient is practice! Each unit will have at least one or more web based assignments in which you will get immediate feedback and be able to answer questions multiple times until you get the correct answer.

Class work will include some lectures, but it will also include a great deal of cooperative learning in which you will be given some information and then work within a group to answer a set of questions and problems. Given small amounts of information and working in a group to answer questions based on that information will help you understand it better and allow you to draw connections between chemistry concepts which is critical for your success in IB Chemistry.

Collection

• Text reading is expected in the chapters being discussed - it is not always formally assigned. Questions important to the current topic are assigned and graded. Some homework will be checked for completion only.
• On all assignments to be turned in make sure the following info can be found easily:
  • Name
    
  • Date
    
  • Class Period
    
  • Assignment Name
    
  • Honor Code
    
• On all homework (whether it is collected or not)the following format should be followed:
  • The problem statement should be written out. This does not have to be word for word but shoud have the important information from the problem in it
  • Write your answer in a different color pen/pencil than the problem statement
  • Work MUST be shown on every problem. If you aren't sure what work to show, write what you thought about in solving the problem.
  • Box, circle or double underline answers. If I can't find the answer, I will not count it as complete.

The IB requires that chemistry students investigate questions of their own choosing. You will devise three experiments this year that are entirely individual. These three labs will comprise the internal assessment portion of your IB grade (worth 24% of your IB grade). Each of these labs will be worth a test grade and you will be assigned one per quarter for the first three quarters.

Formal laboratory reports are due the class session following completion of the lab work unless otherwise specified. These reports -must be written in the established IB science format and will be graded according to IB established criteria. Completion of IB lab work reports are required. They form part of your school grade and part of your IB grade. Failure to complete IB lab work will result in removal from the course. All assignments are expected on the date due in order to receive full credit.

Lab reports could take the form of one of the following:

1. a simple write-up in which the procedures are usually given and you answer a few questions, attach your data, handouts, and turn in a very informal packet. What you need to turn in will be assigned in class and may include sections detailed below.
2. a formal lab write-up in which you have designed most of the experiment and write-up a very detailed report. You will need to follow all the guideline below, use the sample lay-out provided and completely type your reports. Attach handwritten data to your formal report.

Lab Notebook

• Lab Work Expectations: Before, During, After
• Data Notebook Guidelines

Lab Reports for Portfolio

• Guidelines w/ some examples for Lab Reports
• Layout for Lab write-up. You should follow this layout for all lab reports that are to be turned in for a grade regardless of what sections of the lab report will actually be graded.
• Example Procedures

Safety

• A contract that clearly outlines the expected behavior in the lab must be signed by both you and your parent and returned to me before you can begin working in the lab.
• Lab Safety Rules (additional rules safety in the chemistry lab)
• You will be required to consider safety information when designing labs. Using the "How to read and MSDS" sheet handed out on the first day, find the MSDS documents for the chemicals you will be using and review them before beginning the lab. Include safety precautions in your methods section of the lab write-up. For labs with the procedures provided, I will review the MSDS documents with you.

Other Lab Help

• Handling Errors, Uncertainties, and Significant Figures
• Measurement Techniques

In addition to homework and labs, at the end of each unit an IB style test will be given in order to prepare you for the style and wording of questions and pacing on the IB exam. Tests will be given in two parts: part 1 will be multiple choice and no calculator, nor data book (equation sheet) will be allowed. The second part will consist of short answer questions in which a calculator and data booklet will be allowed. A time limit will be imposed, but if you finish either section early, you can go back look at the first part in the remaining time.

• Required
  • Textbook: Chemistry (Zumdahl, 6th ed.) and Chemistry (Green and Damji, 3rd ed.)
  • (Required) Scientific calculator (graphing is recommended)
  • (Recommended) Access to a computer with internet access (Web based assignments will be given and it is required that formal lab reports are typed. If a student doesn't have access at home, they should plan ahead and use the school computers.)
  • (Recommended) 3 ring binder or spiral notebook for notes, handouts, etc.
  • (Recommended) Colored pencils/pens for graphing, highlighting, etc.
• Suggestions (I will have some of these available in class but I encourage you to have your own)
  • Lab kit: Close toed shoes, long pants, t-shirt, hair ties, case for jewelry, contact case and solution. Keep in your locker and change before class.
  • Ruler /Straight edge
  • Glue stick/tape (for attaching handouts/graphs to notebook)
  • Post-its (for marking important tables/handouts in textbook and notebooks and for recording questions to be asked in the next class)

Missed Class

For planned absences: See me before you leave to get homework, etc. You are responsible for turning in all assignments on your return.

For unplanned absences: Students who are absent are responsible for

• finding out what they missed and completing homework before the next class meeting.
• turning in old homework the day they return to class.

Missed Labs/Test/Quiz

Please don't miss a lab or test day! But if you must, you have one week from the date of the lab/test/quiz to make it up. Some missed labs may be made up with alternative assignments. Please make an appointment with me.

Bathroom Pass

Ask permission to go (in case of emergency, I will know where you are). Only one person out at a time.

Eating and Drinking

For safety reasons: No eating in class unless authorized by me.

You may have drinks during class on non-lab days

Brainteasers

I really enjoy brainteasers, so at the beginning of a unit I will introduce a new brainteaser. Those able to solve it get a little prize!