AP Chemistry Syllabus 23-24

Email: cgallardo@muhsd.org 

Website:  http://scienceninjas.weebly.com/ 

Course Description

AP Chemistry is a one year college level course designed to help students pass the AP Chemistry exam in May.  It is a rigorous, mathematically-based laboratory course that challenges students to think critically and analytically.

Since passing the AP exam may qualify a student to skip a first year college chemistry course, AP Chemistry should not be considered “college prep.”  Rather this is a college class, with college level expectations for behavior, participation, and effort.

Course Structure:

AP Chemistry is built around six big ideas and seven science practices.

The 6  Big Ideas are:

• Big Idea 1: The chemical elements are fundamental building materials of matter, and all matter can be understood in terms of arrangements of atoms. These atoms retain their identity in chemical reactions.
• Big Idea 2: Chemical and physical properties of materials can be explained by the structure and the arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules and the forces between them.
• Big Idea 3: Changes in matter involve the rearrangement and/or reorganization of atoms and/or the transfer of electrons.
• Big Idea 4: Rates of chemical reactions are determined by details of the molecular collisions.
• Big Idea 5: The laws of thermodynamics describe the essential role of energy and explain and predict the direction of changes in matter.
• Big Idea 6: Any bond or intermolecular attraction that can be formed can be broken. These two processes are in a dynamic competition, sensitive to initial conditions and external perturbations.

The 7 Science Practices are:

• Science Practice 1: The student can use representations and models to communicate scientific phenomena and solve scientific problems.
• Science Practice 2: The student can use mathematics appropriately.
• Science Practice 3: The student can engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking or to guide investigations within the context of the AP course.
• Science Practice 4: The student can plan and implement data collection strategies in relation to a particular scientific question.
• Science Practice 5: The student can perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence.
• Science Practice 6: The student can work with scientific explanations and theories.
• Science Practice 7: The student is able to connect and relate knowledge across various scales, concepts, and representations in and across domains.

Required Text

Chemistry: The Central Science (2015, 13th edition) by Brown, LeMay, and Bursten.

 This book is available for checkout at our school library.

Required Materials

Chromebook or laptop with internet access, scientific calculator, AP style periodic table (provided), composition notebook, earphones, and an AP Review book (optional).

School Year Expectations

You will be assigned text readings, video notes, practice problems (usually through Albert.io and Quizizz), and labs. Google Classroom and our class calendar will be used to help keep track of this information.  These assignments will take approximately 40-60 minutes. Some things like writing lab reports will take more time.

Assignments (35% of your grade) -- Assignments may include textbook problems, online practices, video notes, etc.  Typically, students are assigned several problems for practice.  Homework will be submitted through our digital platforms (Google Classroom) by the due date. Assignments that are still not inputted on Aeries can still be turned in for full credit. Once an assignment is marked as missing on Aeries, you may still complete it for 50% credit. If an assignment has been graded with a “0” on Aeries, it will NO LONGER BE ACCEPTED.

Laboratory, Quizzes,  & Tests (65% of your grade)

• Laboratory is an important component to any science class, particularly to an AP science course.  Important Note: Since laboratory is an important part of the class and the AP exam, some test questions will be based on labs.

• You will be given Quiz Checks to assess your progress.  Quizzes may or may not be announced.
• Tests will be given at the end of a chapter or unit and will primarily cover material from that chapter/unit and the related labs; however, there may be problems from previous chapters.  Expect free response questions.

There will be NO retakes on Assessments; HOWEVER, you are allowed to do a test correction in which you can earn back 75% of points missed. Test corrections must be done within ONE WEEK after the test has been graded. No test corrections will be accepted after. The test correction template is linked here.

Absences

Daily participation is highly recommended. Missing class, particularly for more than one or two days will be severely detrimental to your understanding since this class is very fast-paced.  If you miss a chunk of time then you have weakened your foundation for other concepts in class that will build on that material. Make sure to ask questions in class or contact me for additional help.

Semester Grading Scale

A note about letter grades: A’s are reserved for students who show an outstanding level of understanding and comprehension of the material.  A student who earns a grade of A can typically synthesize material and apply it to unique situations.  Students who earn a B, can do this also, but to a lesser degree.  A student who earns a letter grade of C has demonstrated an adequate, but basic knowledge of the material and can synthesize and apply this information to a limited degree.  As much as I would like it to be true, not every student earns an A, but by this grading scale there is also nothing wrong with earning a B or a C, particularly in AP Chemistry!

Academic Honesty

I expect each student to submit only the work that he or she has actually performed.  A lot of what we do in class relies on “the honor system,” meaning when I direct you to work individually this is exactly what you do: work individually.  There is a lot of trust involved and I expect students to maintain and respect the trust I place in you.

Cheating at the college level at minimum earns you an F for the semester and, depending on the severity of the cheating and/or plagiarism can lead to expulsion.  While this is a college level course, we cannot expel you from ECHS for cheating.  

If you are committing academic dishonesty on exams, homework, or lab you will receive a zero on the assignment and your parents and admins will be notified.  The person who provided the material will also have the same consequences.  

If there is a second time it is a mandatory suspension and we will question whether or not you have the skills or maturity to remain in AP Chemistry for the remainder of the school year.  Academic honesty pertains not only to tests, homework and projects, but also to laboratory data.

Violations of academic honesty include but are not limited to the following:

Plagiarism

• presenting someone else's words, ideas, artistry, product or data as one's own

Collusion/Inappropriate Assistance

• helping another commit an act of academic dishonesty by knowingly or negligently allowing work to be used by others.

Cheating

• an act of deceit, fraud, distortion of truth or improper use of another person's effort to obtain an advantage
• includes but is not limited to unauthorized access to examination materials prior to the examination itself

Fabrication/Falsification/Alteration

• intentional misrepresentation , invention, exaggeration or alteration of information or data, whether written, verbalized or demonstrated

Tutoring and Outside Assistance

If you are struggling, feel free to ask for help in class or through email. I will only be available by appointment during 1st period.

The Last Word:

This syllabus may be modified at any time at the discretion of the instructor.  Sufficient notice will be given to students so that they may adjust for changes as necessary.