Advanced Chemistry A

Grayling High School

2015-2016
Remind: @ghsadvchem (text to 81010 or register online)

Course Description:

Mrs. Alexandra Ochoa

aochoa@casdk12.net
989-344-3500, ext. 3411
www.mrsochoachemistry.weebly.com

Advanced Chemistry Syllabus

Advanced Chemistry A/B is two trimesters, 1 credit. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Algebra 1
and Biology or Advanced Biology. This course will cover the essential and core topics covered by the
MME curriculum with the emphasis on the core objectives. Topics will include: Forms of Energy, Energy
Transfer and Conservation, Properties and Changes in Matter, and Scientific Inquiry. The course will
include laboratory experiments and problem solving.

Textbook:

World of Chemistry, Zumdahl et. al., 2002, McDougal/Littel.

Each student will be assigned a textbook and will be responsible for bringing it to class each day and for
returning it at the end of the trimester in the condition you receive it in. You will be charged up to $62.67
for a damaged/lost textbook.

Materials:

Scientific or graphing calculator (your iPad may be used in many cases)

3-ring binder
Loose leaf paper or notebook
Pencils & pens (blue or black ink ONLY)
iPad

Classroom Expectations:
Students will respect themselves by:

Accepting responsibility for their own learning.

Sharing ideas by explaining their reasoning to others.
Upholding all district and school rules/policies/expectations, including those pertaining to
attendance and dress code.
Students will engage in safe laboratory behaviors as detailed in the safety contract
(attached).
Asking for help as soon as is needed.

Students will respect others by:

Demonstrating considerate, cooperative behavior in action and language.

Contributing your own ideas to class discussions while valuing the ideas of others.
Valuing and respecting the ethnic, religious, and individual diversity rights of others.

Students will respect their classroom environment by:

Treating furnishings & equipment with care.

Leaving the area around their desk or lab station as they found it (or better).
Keeping food and beverages outside of the classroom (except plain bottled water at desks).

Students will respect our class time by:

Coming to class prepared and on time every day.

Doing their best work and remaining engaged throughout every class.

Disciplinary Consequences
The following sequence of consequences will be followed for each offense to the above expectations. The
level corresponds to the number of times a rule has been broken.
1. Verbal warning to correct behavior
2. Conference after class
3. Before/after school detention
4. Removal from class & phone call home
5. Removal from class & referral

In case of severe misconduct: Misconduct that includes severe disrespect or danger to a teacher or
student (especially during lab time) will result in the students immediate removal from class.

Attendance:

Attendance is very important to be successful! No more than eight absences are allowed.
Students not in their seats when the bell rings will be marked tardy.
REMEMBER: two tardies are equivalent to one absence.

Restroom Policy:
You will have five restroom passes for the semester. They will be kept in your class folder for use. Extra
passes will allow you to receive one extra credit point each if they are unused at the end of the trimester. If
you have any concerns or special needs regarding restroom use, please see me privately.

Grading Policy:
Trimester grades will be based on a variety of assignments and assessments. The weight given to each
category will be as follows:
Classwork/Lab Work
Homework
Quizzes
Tests

20%
20%
10%
_50%
100%
In addition to the above breakdown, the final exam will account for 20% of the trimester
grade. Letter grades are assigned based on the following percentage ranges.
A = 93-100%
B = 83-86%
C = 73-76%
A- = 90-92%
B- = 80-82%
C- = 70-72%
B+ = 87-89%
C+ = 77-79%
E = 69 and below
The steps for calculating the portion of the trimester grade before the final exam are:
1. Find the percent for each category separately. An example would be: The student received
99 of the 105 HW points, so the percent is: 99/105 = 0.942857 = 94.2857%. The student
also received 99 of the 105 CW points, so the percent is: 99/105 = 0.942857 = 94.2857%.
Similarly for quizzes the student earned a total of 58 of the 65 points possible, and
therefore: 58/65 = 0.892307 = 89.2307%. Finally for tests the student earned 177 of the
200 points. 177/200 = 0.885 = 88.5%.
2. Based on the weighting, calculate the marking period grade. Using the percentages above:
0.20*(94.2857) + 0.20*(94.2857) + 0.10*(89.2307) + 0.50*(88.5) = 90.9% = A-

3. In order to calculate the final trimester grade, multiply the grade above by 80% (0.80) and
the final exam grade by 20% (0.20). For example, if this student received 75% on the final
exam, the grade would be calculated as follows:
0.80*(90.9) + 0.20*(75) = 87.7% = B+

Classwork/Lab Work:

Work to be completed in class will be graded on a variety of factors including completion of the activity,
participation, and group work. The minimum grade on lab work will be 60% as long as the lab and work is
turned in. For missing lab/classwork, a 50% score will be allotted if the student was present in class. If
absent from class, lab work must be made up before or after school. Lab work MUST be completed
following the lab rules in the attached document. Any violation will result in removal from the lab that will
require a student to make up the lab outside of class time. A second violation will result in ISS and a grade
of zero on the lab.

Homework:

Work expected to be completed outside of class is due AT THE BEGINNING of the class period unless
otherwise specified. Work turned in after the first 5 minutes of class will be assessed as late work. All
students must turn in their assignment or turn in a new log on their Missing Work sheet with a reason
for their missing work.
Late Work:
For each day late, a 10% deduction will be applied to the grade achieved on the assignment.
Late work will be accepted for a maximum of 50% after one week.
Absences:
For all absences, students will find their missing work in their assigned folder and on the class
website. Students are responsible for obtaining other missing work or notes from another
student or the teacher. For excused absences, students will be given the number of class
periods missed to turn in missed assignments and class work. For unexcused absences, the
missed assignment(s) will be assessed as late work. Extenuating circumstances may require
teachers and student to negotiate reasonable time lines for making up work that both can
accept. If a quiz, test, or lab is missed, arrangements must be made with the instructor to make
it up before or after school.

Quizzes:

Quizzes may be announced or unannounced. The purpose of quizzes is to check for understanding early
and often to track a students progress through a given unit.

Tests:

Test corrections will be accepted for half points back for each test. The following guidelines must be
followed:
Corrections must be completed on a separate sheet of paper
When correcting a problem, the entire problem must be redone.
When a deadline for corrections is given, the corrections are due at the beginning of the hour.

Cheating:
Cheating will NOT be tolerated. Copying someone elses work, giving test answers, or storing info on
calculators will result in a ZERO. This includes copying and borrowing homework.