Physical Science I Syllabus for 2020-2021
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Instructor Information

Course Information

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Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

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Course

PHYS-1415-001 Physical Science I

Prerequisites

Course Description

Science course designed for non-science majors with focus on elementary education science instruction methods and content. Primary emphasis will be fundamental concepts of chemistry, such as atoms, density, equations, reactions, acids and bases and solutions. May also include integration with physics, geology and astronomy.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(4 sem hrs; 3 lec, 3 lab)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Conceptual Physical Science, 6th Edition, Hewitt, Suchocki, and Hewitt. Pearson/Addison Wesley, 2017.

Lab handouts will be available on Blackboard. Students should print their own before coming to lab.

 

 

 

Supplies

Pen, pencil, paper, calculator, mask, safety goggles, plastic apron

 

Student Performance

1.  Have sufficiently developed lab skills.

2.  Have a basic understanding of chemistry and its everyday applications.

3.  Explain the relation between atoms and molecules.

4.  Make simple chemical calculations.

5.  Have a basic concept of solution chemistry.

6.  Understand atomic structure and the periodic table.

7.  Have a basic understanding of the different types of chemical reactions.

8.  Relate chemistry to other disciplines and understand how it fits into everyday living.

9.  Develop confidence in presenting chemistry concepts in the classroom.

1.  To gain a basic understanding of general inorganic chemistry and its applications.

2.  To learn fundamental theories, concepts, terms and skills to master basic inorganic chemistry.

3.  To gain an introduction and basic understanding of simple organic chemistry.

4.  To develop fundamental laboratory skills.

5.  To provide hands-on activities for use in teaching chemistry basics in the elementary-middle school classroom.

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

Students will meet in alternating groups and will come to morning lecture once a week to facilitate social distancing. Class time is used for examples and discussion. Lectures will be available on video through Blackboard, and should be viewed prior to coming to class. Specific instructions will be given for each week.

Please put your cell phones on silent mode during class. Step outside to take calls. Do not listen to music playing devices, etc. during class.  Use of electronic devices should be related to the course material currently being discussed.  Any obvious "multitasking" takes away from the learning environment.

Please respect your classmates by arriving on time to class and refraining from side conversations during lecture.  

In class, sit in alternate seats and keep your mask on. Stay six feet away from others when possible. Sanitize or wash hands before and after class.

Please familiarize yourself with the Student Rights and Responsibilities Document and particularly the section on cheating.

CHEATING:  If a student is caught cheating, this will result in a grade of zero for the test or assignment involved.

TOBACCO AND TOBACCO PRODUCTS USE:  Amarillo College is a tobacco-free campus.

 LAB:  Do not eat, drink, or chew gum while in the lab room.  If you need to do any of these during lab time, or to make phone calls, you will need to step outside the room.  Wear closed shoes (no flip-flops or sandals) and pants or skirts that come down to at least mid-calf when doing experiments. Pants should not have holes in them. Tie back long hair during experiments.  If you are not present for a lab experiment (this includes arriving late after classmates have gotten started), you may not receive credit for that portion of the lab activity.

Grading Criteria

You may monitor your grades through Blackboard.

There will be four regular exams and a comprehensive final exam. Homework will be assigned weekly. Participation grades are also given once a week based on attendance in class on your scheduled day. If you are not able to attend, let the instructor know in advance; you might be asked to come on the opposite day. Exams will be taken online on your own time within a specified interval. These will be done through Blackboard.The final grade in this class will be determined from the average of all test grades (40%), participation (10%), homework (10%), lab reports (20%), course notebooks (5%), and final exam (15%).  The lowest test, homework and participation grades will be dropped.  The lowest two lab grades will be dropped.  The notebook and final exam cannot be dropped or replaced.  

Late homework assignments and lab reports will not be accepted.  If you are unable to attend class on the day something is due, please contact the instructor by class time in order to have the absence excused.  Otherwise, you will get a zero for any assignment due or participation grade being given that day.

1e final grade will be assigned based on your final average as follows:  90=A, 80=B, 70=C, 60=D, and less than 60 is failing.  Grades will be rounded to the nearest whole number; final grades will not be curved.

 

Attendance

All students are expected to attend class regularly.  Lack of attendance will affect the grade because of missed discussion time and missed participation days and labs.  If a student will not be able to attend class, the instructor should be notified at or before class time.   Lab activities which require using chemicals or other hands-on equipment cannot be made up.  If a student finds it necessary to drop this class, it is his/her responsibility to contact the instructor and initiate the drop process. The last day to withdraw from this class is November 24, 2020.

According to Amarillo College policy, any student who has not attended class by the 12^th class day will be automatically dropped and will not be allowed to re-enroll.

Calendar

Additional Information

OTHER INFORMATION (GENERAL NOTES):  Assignments will be given for reading material in preparation for lecture and for homework assignments.  There will be small group activities throughout the semester. There will be four (4) exams, to be given online through Blackboard.  These tests will be comprehensive and may contain true/false, matching, completion, short answer, multiple choice, and/or problem solving.  Homework assignments will be due weekly.  Lab reports are normally due the class period after the lab is done; do not wait until the last minute to do the lab questions!

LAB LOCKERS: Everyone will be assigned a locker (drawer) in the lab room and given a key for the semester. It will contain equipment for your use during the semester, and you can use it to store your apron and goggles. There will be a “Lab Check Out” day at the end of the semester for students to clean and organize equipment and return drawer keys. Failure to check out of lab will lower your semester grade by one letter.

TEACHING TECHNIQUES:  I will be using several teaching techniques in this class.  Traditional lecture will be done on video, to be viewed before class, and reviewed as necessary.  Class time will be used for problem solving, discussion, and practicing what you have learned.  There will be posted notes for you and these will be correlated to the lecture material.  

You may find yourself called upon during class.This is an interactive class and EVERYONE will be asked to participate often!

HOMEWORK GUIDELINES:  Homework must be neat and legible.  It may be done by hand or on the computer; as long as we are meeting in person, turn it in on paper.  If I cannot read it, no credit is given.  All homework problems involving calculations must have all work shown and your chosen answer circled or otherwise clearly marked.  Work may be done in either pen or pencil; please do not use red. You are allowed to work together on homework, but I encourage you to take responsibility for your own answers as this will help you prepare for the exams.

LAB REPORTS:  Download and print the worksheets before coming to lab. Report only your own results, in your own handwriting. Any photocopied lab work will receive a zero. Anyone not present for the experiment will not be allowed to receive credit for the portions of the report involving the hands-on activities. Please do not turn it in if you didn't do it.

Students will come to lab on alternating weeks. Students in group A (Tuesday morning in-person group) come one week, and students in group B (Thursday morning in-person group) come the next week. If it is not your week to come to lab, you still have a lab assignment. It is something that can be done at home or by watching videos, but it still counts as a lab report and needs to be turned in.

NOTEBOOKS:  Each student will keep a notebook (three-ring binder) to contain handout material, homework, class notes, lab reports, and other materials from the class.  The cover will include topics relevant to chemistry and interests of the student and will be part of the notebook grade.  The criteria for grading of the notebooks will be covered by another handout.(to be posted on Blackboard).