Introductory Chemistry I Syllabus for 2021-2022
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Instructor Information

Course Information

COVID-19 Protocols

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Student Service Center office 112. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

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If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

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:

The Tutoring for Success policy applies to any student whose grade or performance in the course falls below a departmentally determined minimum threshold. In either of those cases, the instructor will direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. Under this policy, the instructor will follow specific departmental guidelines governing the use, duration, and grade component of the tutoring need.

Administrative Drop Policy

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

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

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-1405-003 Introductory Chemistry I

Prerequisites

Course Description

Survey course introducing chemistry. Topics may include inorganic, organic, biochemistry, food/physiological chemistry, and environmental/consumer chemistry. Designed for non-science and allied health students.

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, 4 lab)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Online Homework system, Knewton alta. Need an access code purchsed from AC bookstore or KewntonAlta.com. Follow the Knewton link from your Blackboard contents to set up suing your access code. 

An open source (free) electronic textbook will be linked to your Blackboard. 

Supplies

Pen, Pencil, Paper, Scientific Calculator (non-graphing)

 

Student Performance

Objectives and Goals of Course

The primary objectives of this class are:

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

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

3. To develop an understanding of basic applications of chemistry in everyday living.

4. To develop a healthy understanding and respect for general chemistry.

5. To provide a physical science elective for students not majoring in science, engineering, or related fields that would require CHEM 1311.

 

Performance/Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course the student should be able to do the following:

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

2. Explain the relation between atoms and molecules.

3. Gain fundamental knowledge of chemical nomenclature.

4. Understand simple atomic structure and the periodic table.

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

6. Perform simple calculations related to the topics covered in the class, such as density, heat, stoichiometry, solutions, and gases.

7. Write and balance chemical equations and use the equations for basic calculations of chemical quantities. 

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

Class Conduct:  Please be respectful of the other students in class.  Set cell phones to silent mode and do not send text messages during lecture.  Any use of electronic devices should be related to the course material currently being discussed.  If you need to be "on call" for family or other reasons, please notify the instructor; in that case, set phone to vibrate and quietly step outside if you need to take a call.  Pay attention in class.  Do not be disruptive.  If you are causing a disruption in class, you may be asked to leave.  Avoid listening to personal music players or other obvious "multitasking" behaviors.

If there is any evidence of cheating on any examination or assignment, you will receive a zero for that item and cannot make it up or replace it and it cannot be dropped.

Please see Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook for further information.

 

 

Grading Criteria

[REQUIRED EXAMS/GRADING CRITERIA: There will be five regular exams; tentative test dates are given on the student course calendar.  Any changes to this schedule will be announced in advance in class. Work must be legible and the final answer must be clearly indicated to receive credit; students may be required to show all work on problem solving questions to obtain full credit.  If you need special accommodations, please notify the instructor in advance.  You may not leave the room during a test. During tests, there are no cell phones, graphing calculators, or other electronic devices allowed except for a regular scientific calculator.  You must use the periodic tables supplied by the department. There will be a comprehensive final exam which is required for everyone.]

Please Start Reading From Here;

Lecture:

Due to the present remote learning set up this class contains already uploaded pre-recorded lectures under the class contents and they are listed in the order of the path that has planned for this course. You can access these lectures (you are not required to be present during the class times) anytime and please make sure to complete the lectures according to the flow of the syllabus to be in the same pace as the rest of the class.

There will be a link for virtual classroom on top of the course contents-you can use that link to connet with me for office hours in case if you cannot make it in person and we plan to use the same link to go over virtual labs and problem solving.

Midterm and Finals:

A total of 4 midterms will be given and the best 3 will be used to calculated the final grade-midterm controbution will be 45% for the overall grade. Frinal exam is comprhensive and contribute 25% to the overall grade.

Quizzes:

Quizzes will also be part of your grade.  The lowest exam score (NOT the final) will be dropped when the test average is calculated.  The lowest quiz score and the lowest homework score will also be dropped. If a test is missed, that test is the drop grade.  If you know in advance that you have a time conflict with an exam, notify the instructor BEFORE the exam is given.  Any rescheduled tests must normally be completed before the next class meeting.  The final grade in this class will be determined from the average of test grades (45%), labs (10%), quizzes (20%),and final exam (25%). The final grades are based on 90 = A, 80 = B, 70 = C, 60 = D, and less than 60 is failing.  Final averages will be rounded to the nearest whole number to determine grades.  There will be no exceptions; e.g. a 79.4 is still a C.

 Science Testing Center (STC)

All tests including the final exam will be conducted through KnewtonAlta.com. 

Tests will be taken outside of class lecture time.  Please note:  You must present an Amarillo College student ID every time you take a test. The Science Testing Center staff will retain your ID while you take your test and will return it to you when you turn in your test. No appointments are necessary.

STC hours: 9am-10pm Mon,Tues,Thurs,Fri; 9am-5:30pm Wed, 9am-7:30pm Sat

Warren Hall 112

371-5948

No graphing calculators or cell phones will be allowed on exams.  The testing center may provide calculators; the use of this calculator will be demonstrated in class.

MANDATORY TUTORING:  Science Tutoring and Success Center (STSC)

    In an effort to increase retention, any student who scores below a 70 on any exam (excluding the final exam and the last regular exam) must complete a 30 minute mandatory tutoring session in the Science Enrichment Center or with his/her instructor before taking the next exam. An appointment must be made with the STSC for this tutoring session; do not wait until the last minute, as time slots fill up.

     Mandatory tutoring will not require remediation over a failed test.

SEC hours: 8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm Sat

Warren Hall 110

345-5536

The final exam is comprehensive, and there are no exemptions from taking the final.  The final exam will be given in accordance with the official AC final exam schedule.  There will be a quiz on most Wednesdays.  Homework assignments will be due as assigned, normally before Monday classes.

QUIZ GUIDELINES: Quizzes will normally be given online using the KnewtonAlta.com.  This is required for all students, and will be integrated with Blackboard.  No late work will be accepted.  If any written assignments are given, all calculations should be shown and answers circled. 

PRESENTATIONS (not conducted this semster):  Students will do ~10-minute presentations, in groups of two or three, in front of the class on a chemistry-related topic of their choice.  Time slots will be available for this during the last weeks of the semester.  Topics must be approved in advance by the instructor.  Presentations should involve a visual aid such as Powerpoint, Prezi, or a live demonstration (must be approved for safety by the instructor).  All team members are required to present and participate equally.  Any presentations done later than their assigned day, or not presented in front of the class, will not receive full credit. 

Labs:

Labs will contribute 10% for the overall grade. We will use the virtual classroom link on the course home page to login to discuss the postlabs and Q&As. A link for separate lab videos will be provided under the course contents.

 

Attendance

ATTENDANCE POLICY: All students are expected to attend class regularly and on time.  Lack of attendance will affect your grade because of missed lecture material and missed quizzes.  Any student coming in late when a test or quiz is being given will not be allowed to take the test or quiz if other students have already turned theirs in. Quizzes and tests cannot normally be made up; the exceptions are emergencies (documentation may be required such as a doctor's note) or if the student has made prior arrangements with the instructor.

Students who attend class regularly tend to have much higher grades and are much more likely to pass the course. When a student has more than one unexplained absence, a retention alert may be sent. 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 drop this class is April 17, 2019.

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.  It is vital that you read the text BEFORE the lecture on that chapter.  This will greatly improve your understanding of the topic and therefore your grade.  You are responsible for the information presented in the text even if it is not covered in lecture.

GRADE DISPUTES:  While I encourage you to come to me with questions about answers on assignments anytime, if you wish to dispute a grade or have a grade changed, you must contact me about it within a week of having the paper returned or there will be no change to the grade.

EMAIL:  Every student has an account in Blackboard.  You need to check this several times a week. Announcements, course notes, and grades will be posted this way. 

***This syllabus is subject to change. You will be informed of any changes to the syllabus in class or Blackboard***