CE Chemistry
Course Description/Overview/Welcome Statement
This course presents the foundations of chemistry. Topics to be taught include: chemical measurements, atomic structure, formulas, chemical reactions and equations, chemical nomenclature, stoichiometry, molecules and chemical bonding, gas laws, liquids, solids, solutions and acids and bases.
Course Detail
- 1.0 Credit
- Grades 11-12
- Fees: $10, plus $5/UVU credit – Student must enroll in class on UVU’s website to receive CE credit.
- Prerequisite: Teacher permission & completion of Secondary Math 3.
- Homework: 3-4 Hours per Week
- Level of difficulty: 4
- Credit Type: PS, CE, NCAA
The Students will Study:
- Dimensional Analysis
- Solubility
- Periodic Table
- Ions
- Balancing Equations
- Redox
- Reactions
- Moles
- Molarity
- Bonding
- Lewis Structures
- Organic Nomenclature
- Nuclear Chemistry
- Acidis/Bases
- Much more!
This is a hands-on class with many lab activities and demonstrations included.
Concurrent Enrollment CHEM 1010/1015L
The course prepares students for future college level courses. Chemistry 1010 fulfills a Physical Science general education course requirement for all institutions of the Utah System of Higher Education.
Learning Expectations
Course components:
Modules: Ten modules covering the basics of elementary chemistry are provided on the ‘Modules’ tab of the canvas page. Each is similar to a textbook chapter which is broken down into sections with a reading which includes a summary, vocabulary and helpful online links for each section. Each section has a “to do” list which, when assigned, must be completed before the next class starts. This will prepare you to participate in the class activities. You will be at a severe disadvantage in class if you haven’t come prepared and may not be able to participate in the lab or activity for the day.
Homework: Each section of a module is accompanied by a homework assignment on Canvas to be completed as the reading material is assigned.
Worksheets/Assignments: Worksheets and other classroom activities covering the topics taught in each module will be completed and graded in class.
Discussions: There will be a graded discussion question assigned for each module to which you will respond before seeing other student responses then you will comment on at least two other student responses.
Laboratory: This course consists of both online lab simulations and in-class lab experiments. Links to each online lab simulation are found on the “to-do” list page for the section of each module they correspond with. In addition, the page contains a pdf of the corresponding activities for each online lab. You will complete the activities at home and answer the questions for the lab, submitting your answers to the lab to your teacher by the due date. In-class labs will be, of course, performed in class and the write-up will be due the following class period.
NOTE: There will be a separate grade on your college transcripts for CHEM 1015. Most of the in-class labs are CHEM 1015 labs.
Module Tests: There will be a test over each module that will be taken in class.
Exams: There will be an exam at the end of terms 1-3 and a comprehensive UVU final at the end of the year. The state Chemistry SAGE Test will also be taken in early May for 10th graders.
Assessment of Progress
Grading: Below is the percent contribution of each component to your total score:
Homework/Discussions 10%
Worksheets/Assignments 10%
Labs 20%
Module Tests 10%
Term 1 Exam 10%
Term 2 Exam 10%
Term 3 Exam 10%
Final Exam 20%
Grade assignments will be the percentages as follows:
A 93+ A- 90-92.9
B+ 87-89.9 B 83-86.9 B- 80-82.9
C+ 77-79.9 C 73-76.9 C- 70-72.9
D+ 67-69.9 D 63-66.9 D- 60-62.9
F below 59.9
Course Materials
- Notebook for taking notes.
- Pencil NOT pen.
- Scientific calculator with a log function.
- Access to internet at home.
Classroom Procedures
Course Expectations: This is a concurrent enrollment class which means that it is academically equivalent to college level CHEM 1010 class. In order to maintain concurrent enrollment status the course material rigor and grading standards must be elevated to meet the standards of our hosting university. Some of the expectations that may be different from a normal high school class include the following:
- The course final will be comparable to the final given at Utah Valley University. The final will be worth 20% of the grade in the course. There will be no final “make-up” or extra credit on the final.
- There will be no extra credit awarded in the course.
- There will be no make-up assignments.
- More than half of the final grade will depend upon exam and test scores. Simply turning in all assignments will not be enough to get a good grade or even pass the class. You must prepare for tests. Doing a good job on assignments will help you prepare but you will need to make a concerted effort to make sure you have mastered the material.
- The final grade awarded is the final grade. After the grade is appropriately given, it will not be changed.
- Grades will be recorded on an official university transcript. The grades will be considered for the reagents scholarship and for admission to most universities.
- Upon successful completion of this course, students will receive 3 hours of chemistry 1010 credit and 1 hour of chemistry 1015 at Utah Valley University.
Calendar of Due Dates for Major Assignments
At the beginning of each term the due dates will be given to each student.
Progress Reports and Report Cards
Grading: Below is the percent contribution of each component to your total score:
Homework/Discussions 10%
Worksheets/Assignments 10%
Labs 20%
Module Tests 10%
Term 1 Exam 10%
Term 2 Exam 10%
Term 3 Exam 10%
Final Exam 20%
Grade assignments will be the percentages as follows:
A 93+ A- 90-92.9
B+ 87-89.9 B 83-86.9 B- 80-82.9
C+ 77-79.9 C 73-76.9 C- 70-72.9
D+ 67-69.9 D 63-66.9 D- 60-62.9
F below 59.
Connecting Home to School
My phone number is 801-373-6550 ext. 3411. You can also e-mail me at chrisn@provo.edu
I’ll get back with you when I have some time.
Personal Statement and other items (optional)
NORMAL STUDYING
Read section(s) that will be covered in Canvas prior to coming to that lecture. Take notes during the lecture; pay particular attention to problems that are solved. After the lecture you can try to work these problems on your own, referring to your notes as necessary. After lecture, re-read the section(s) that was covered in the book. Work the Examples as you come to them in a section. Try to solve the problems without looking at the solution. If it is a work out problem, be sure to work it out on paper (not just in your head or on a calculator). Be sure to use units. If you can’t work the problem, look at the lecture notes or the preceding paragraphs to search for the method to answer the question. If you are still stuck, get help. Do your best and try your hardest. You can do more than you think you can. Also, supplement your lecture notes from items in the reading that help you understand the concepts or work the problems better.
If you cannot complete a problem, then seek help. Don’t wait until you’re way behind. Get together with a study group, go to chemistry peer tutoring (if available at your school, or come to LA201 on the UVU campus), or visit your instructor during office hours.
Repeat the cycle after every lecture. You should study at least 2 -3 hours immediately after or at least before the next lecture.
PREPARING FOR EXAMS
Review notes, re-read chapters, rework inter-chapter problems. Read the chapter summaries and section goals. Study in depth your areas of weakness.
Work end of chapter problems again, and do some that you hadn’t done before.
If you cannot work some of the problems, seek help from the sources listed above.
Take the WebCt quizzes for each chapter. Take each quiz like it is a real exam. If you miss problems, figure out why, and practice additional problems that test that concept.
The majority of studying should be “NORMAL STUDYING”. Preparing for exams will help you identify areas of weakness you need to reinforce, and to refresh your knowledge of the concepts you already know. The length of time needed to prepare for exams is variable, but if you have studied as outlined above, it should only take several hours.
TAKING EXAMS
Relax while taking the exam. Read each problem thoroughly. If the problem requires solving equations, list everything that is given in the problem (all numerical values with the units). Write the equation you need to solve the problem. Work out the problem, paying close attention to the units. After you obtain the answer, read all of the possible answers, paying attention to the units on the answers. If your answer is there, chances are that is the correct answer; however, multiple-choice tests are designed to provide answers that arrive from common student errors in the problem solving technique. So, you should think of common errors (i.e., unit conversion errors), or errors that you have made while trying to solve similar problems. But don’t second-guess yourself. Usually, your first answer is your best attempt. If the problem asks about concepts or definitions, read all of the possible answers before choosing your answer. If you come to a problem you can’t answer, come back to it. Your mind can work on solving it even while you are not consciously thinking about it.
If you have no idea on how to work the problem, try to rule out as many of the possible answers as you can. It makes your odds of guessing the correct answer better.
Make sure you have filled in the answer correctly on the ScanTron (or at least the answer that you want to be graded).
Give every exam your best effort. You are being tested on what you know. If you cheat on an exam, you should evaluate what your priorities are, and ask yourself if that is really the type of person you are becoming or want to be. On the enforcement end, cheating will not be tolerated, and if detected, will result in a failing grade for at least the exam, and perhaps the course.