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Introductory Chemistry I Syllabus for 2014-2015
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Instructor Information

Instructor

Dalila Paredes (Curriculum Vitae)

E-Mail

deparedes21@actx.edu

Phone

8063715092

Office Location

Warren Hall 101F

Office Hours

If you want to be guaranteed office time with me, please email deparedes21@actx.edu and set up an appointment to meet with me. Although I welcome walk-ins, it is not guaranteed that you will get sitting time with me since these hours are open to all of my students from the various courses I teach. 

Office Hours

Monday - Thursday: 9:15 AM - 9:30 AM

Course Information

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact disAbility Services (Student Service Center room 119, phone 371-5436) as soon as possible.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Administrative Drop Policy

N/A

Student Withdrawal Procedures

N/A

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

CHEM-1305-002 Introductory Chemistry I

Prerequisites

Prerequisites: MATH 0303-minimum grade of C, Accuplacer score of 75, THEA score of 270 or an equivalent score on a state-approved test; RDNG 0331-minimum grade of C or a score on a state-approved test indicating college-level reading skills Corequisite:

Course Description

Survey of introductory chemistry principles including measurement, quantitative problem solving, energy, atoms, elements and atomic structure, reactions and equations. This course is a preparatory course for CHEM 1311.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

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Occupational License Disclaimer

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Nivaldo Tro, 5th Edition. 

Supplies

  1. Pencil(s)
  2. Ruler
  3. Highlighter(s)
  4. 300 notecards
  5. 3-hole homework folder filled with loose-leaf paper (for homework)
  6. Notebook for personal notes
  7. Scientific calculator (departme

    Student Performance

    OBJECTIVES AND GOALS OF COURSE:

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    The primary objectives of this class are:

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    1. To gain a basic understanding of general inorganic chemistry and its application.
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    2. To learn fundamental theories, concepts, terms and skills to master basic inorganic chemistry.
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    3. To develop an understanding of basic applications of chemistry in everyday living.
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    4. To develop a healthy understanding and respect for general chemistry.
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    5. To provide a physical science elective for students not majoring in science, engineering, or related fields that would require CHEM 1311.
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    PERFORMANCE/LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

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    Upon completion of this course the student should be able to do the following with a competency level of at least 70%.

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    1. Have a basic understanding of chemistry and its everyday applications.
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    2. Explain the relation between atoms and molecules.
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    3. Understand simple atomic structure and the periodic table.
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    4. Have a basic understanding of the different types of chemical reactions.
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    5. Perform simple calculations related to the topics covered in the class, such as density, heat, stoichiometry, solutions, and gases.
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    6. Write and balance chemical equations and use the equations for basic calculations of chemical quantities.
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    Students Rights and Responsibilities

    Student Rights and Responsibilities

    Log in using the AC Connect Portal

    In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

    If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

    Expected Student Behavior

    Absolutely no call or text (or electronic communication) shall be taken during a quiz or exam, and cell phones will be required to be turned off prior to all exams. Cell phones are not physically allowed to be on the student or on the desk of the student during exam time. Noncompliance with these rules will automatically result in a grade of zero on that exam and potentially the class. 

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    If you are in an emergency situation and it is essential that you use your cell phone during class, please step outside the classroom to complete the call. If the instructor for any reason should feel that these materials (cell phone, tablet, computer and/or pager) are disruptive to the classroom, she reserves the right to ask you to turn them off or to leave the class while they are on. 

    Grading Criteria

    This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor at any time.  Material included is intended to provide an outline of the course and rules that the instructor will adhere to in evaluating the student's progress.  Students are expected to read the textbook before and after the material is presented in lecture.

    Testing:

    Students are required to read all test directions before testing and abide by all test rules. Grades will be posted on Blackboard online once graded and can be checked at any time.

    Students are expected to show up to class on time (If a student does not show up on time, the instructor reserves the right to not allow the student to take that quiz). 

    If you make less than a 70% on test(s) 1-4, you will be required to obtain 30 minutes of tutoring from the Science Enrichment Center prior to taking the next test. You will not be allowed to take the next major test until or after I have received verification that you have received this tutoring. You must inform the Science Enrichment Center staff upon arrival that you are there to receive tutoring (ie, you can’t show up, sit at a desk with no tutoring and expect that effort to count). 

    *Legibility: Your handwritten work must be legible by the instructor and the final answer must be clearly indicated to receive full credit.

    *If special accommodations are necessary, arrangements must be made at least 24 hours PRIOR to exam date.

    *All tests, excluding the Final Exam, will be taken in the Science Testing Center and may be taken during normal Science Testing Center hours. It is the responsibility of the student to know the hours of the Science Testing Center. The instructor will not take an excuse revolving around confusion about Science Testing Center hours to be an excuse for not taking an exam. Bear in mind, NO MAKE-UP tests for ANY reason. You must use the periodic tables, scratch paper and calculators supplied by the department in the testing center. 

    4 major unit exams can consist of a comprehensive mixture of multiple choice, matching, true/false, completion, problem solving and short answer questions. The 3 BEST exam scores will be used and account for 60% of your total grade.

    Quizzes:

    There will be 13 quizzes throughout the semester. The 10 best quiz scores will be used and account for 10% of your grade.

    Homework:

    Homework assignments will be given periodically for student enrichment. 13 of these assignments will be randomly taken up for a homework grade or assigned during class time. The 10 best homework grades will account for 10% of your grade. Homework will be due at the beginning of class. Once the instructor has given the “Last-call” warning, no homework will be eligible for submission after this warning call and that grade will be entered as a zero. Homework answers must be highlighted and all work must be shown to receive full credit for the answer. 

    Final Exam:

    The final exam is comprehensive and will account for 20% of your grade.

    Grading:

    Grades will not be curved nor are extra credit assignments allowed / given for ANY REASON.

    90-100 % = A

    80 - 89.99% = B

    70-79.99% = C

    60-69.99% = D

    59.99% or less = F

    MAKE UP POLICY:

    If you MISS, COME IN LATE or LEAVE EARLY to any test or quiz for any reason or MISS the DUE DATE and TIME for any homework assignment, the grade of a zero will be assigned for that test, quiz or homework assignment for the semester.

    **NO MAKE UPS or LATE WORK will be allowed FOR ANY REASON on any test, quiz or homework assignment, so PLEASE DO NOT ASK. **

    Grade Disputes:  While I encourage you to come to me with questions, if you wish to dispute a grade, you must contact me within a week of the grade being posted or there will be no change to the disputed grade. 

    Attendance

      There are 30 scheduled class days excluding Finals for the Spring 2015 semester. Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the student to attend class. Attendance will be taken every day at the beginning of class. If the student is not present at the beginning of class while attendance is being taken, credit will not be given for late or no arrivals.

    It is the responsibility of the student to check that his/her attendance was accounted for, DAILY. If there has been a mistake made on the behalf of the instructor, the student has until the next class day from the disputed date to ask the instructor for attendance credit.

    Scheduled Holidays:

    Monday, January 19th: Martin Luther King Day

    Friday, March 13th & Monday March 16th - Friday March 20th: Spring Break 

    Friday, April 3rd –  Easter Holiday

    Important Dates:

    Wednesday, February 4th – Census Day

    Monday, April 13th – Summer registration begins

    Thursday, April 23rd – Last day to Withdraw (please come speak with me first!)

    Monday, May 11th – Friday May 15th Finals Week

    Scheduled FINAL: Tuesday, May 12th at 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM SHARP in the regularly assigned classroom (Failure to arrive on time will forfeit the student's right to take the final).

    Calendar

    Unit 1: Intro, Chapter 1 (The Chemical World), Chapter 2 (Measurement and Problem Solving) and Chapter 3 (Matter and Energy).

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    Unit 2: Chapter 4 (Atoms and Elements), Chapter 9 (Electrons in Atoms and the Periodic Table) and Chapter 10 (Chemical Bonding).

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    Unit 3: Chapter 5 (Molecules and Compounds) and chapter 7 ( Chemical Reactions).

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    Unit 4: Chapter 6 (Chemical Composition) and Chapter 8 (Quantities in Chemical Reactions).

    Additional Information

    Cheating Policy: There is a no tolerance cheating policy in this course. If the instructor and/or Science Testing Center staff suspects or catches a student(s) cheating, an "F" will be issued to that student(s) for the course. The instructor also reserves the right to issue an "F" without confronting the student especially if it is finals week.

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    WITHDRAW: A grade of "W" will be given for drops or withdraws on or before the published official withdraw date.

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    FINAL GRADE CHANGES: The final grade turned into the registrar's office will not be changed unless approved by all full time chemistry faculty committee. Request must be submitted in writing.

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    BAD WEATHER: 
    \ If classes are canceled due to inclement weather, you are responsible for reading and learning the material that would have been covered. If an exam was scheduled and classes are canceled, the exam will be given the next class meeting. (BE PREPARED). If class is canceled the last day of class and an exam was scheduled, then the exam will be added to the Final Exam and the questions will count as the exam and as the final exam. All attendance policies will be be enforced, unless Amarillo College officially cancels classes, NO EXCEPTIONS. Cancelations will be announced on the radio by 6:30 AM or by 3:00 PM for evening classes. Also check the AC website.

    Syllabus Created on:

    11/30/-1 12:00 AM

    Last Edited on:

    11/30/-1 12:00 AM