CHEM 125-04, 05A  - Dr. Jakubowski

FALL 2014 SYLLABUS

Section 04A:  MWF, 9:30-10:25 am.  ASC 204, Crn# 12926

 Section 05A: MWF, 10:40-11:35 am. ASC 104,  Crn # 12927

Dr J's Contact Information

• office: Ardolf Science Center 241

• office hours:  Tuesday 9:30-10:30     |      Wednesday 3:30-4:30     |     Thursday 9:30-10:30 

• telephone:  363-5354

• email: hjakubowski@csbsju.edu (preferred method of communication)

• web: http://employees.csbsju.edu/hjakubowski

How should you contact me

When you email me, include your section number (see below) in the subject line or otherwise I won't respond to your email:

• 125-04     if you are in my 9:30 AM section

• 125-05     if you are in my 10:40 AM section.

Last Update:  09/09/2014

Table of Contents

• Course Information

• Recommended Materials

• Introduction

• Daily Schedule

• Course Content

• Evaluation Procedure

• Course Goals and Student Outcomes

• Class Structure

• Group Work

• Socrative Quizzes at start or end of class

• USE_OF_SAPLING

• Accommodations

• Support and Tutors

• Participation

• Homework

• Expectations

• Studying Chemistry

• What does it take to get an A?

• Miscellaneous

• Changes in the syllabus

COURSE INFORMATION

Resources

• Web Text (free):  Structure in Organic, Biological and Inorganic Chemistry by Dr. Chris Schaller.  Its organization is closely aligned with CHEM 125 and our daily classes.  It is designed for this class.  A print copy of the text, Structure & Reactivity, is available for purchase at the bookstore (optional).  You do not have to buy a traditional book for this course.
• Workbook (buy at bookstore) :  Introduction to Chemical Structure and Properties:  CHEM 125 Workbook - an in-house, custom made workbook with problems.    It contains activities that apply and extend the information from the textbook or other sources.  We will work in the workbook each day in class.  In addition, you will be assigned parts for homework.  Purchase it at the CSB Bookstore before you come to class. Bring your workbook each day to class.
• Moodle:  �Moodle� is the name for a website that is used for online quizzes, postings, and a gradebook. There are two different Moodle web pages for each of my sections.  The CHEM125Tutor sites, prepared for all sections by Dr. McKenna, contains lessons that will to introduce topics. On a given day, do the Moodle activity first and then do the reading from the textbook and whatever else is assigned.  Since these modules were designed to give you an introduction to the topic before you come to class, I have set the due dates for the assigned quizzes to 30 minutes before the class is to start.  You are given three  times to do each quiz and the last score is recorded.   I created the CHEM125-section number site to post articles, PSA keys, and your grades which you can access any time.  Here are links for each section for each Moodle site.  If these links below don't work, go directly to Moodle and select the appropriate course and section on the left hand panel.)

 125-04A (9:30):  CHEM125Tutor_F14_04A |  CHEM 125-04A 

125-05A (10:40):  CHEM125Tutor_F14_05A  |  CHEM 125-05A

• Sapling ($40): Sapling is an online homework system. You must buy a passcode ($40) for it use at the bookstore.  Go to  Use of Sapling: Online Homework below for detailed information on how to start using Sapling.  The first Sapling "training" homework is due Tuesday, August 26.

OFFICE HOURS

• Ardolf Science Center, 241; CSB
• Office Hours: 2:40- 4:00, Tuesday;  1:05-2:25 Thursdays;  and by appointment

RECOMMENDED MATERIALS:

• Model Kits:  Most chemistry students find it helpful at some point to use model kits to build structures.  Here are some links for ordering some yourself.   Kits may take a few weeks to come in.  Ordering during the first week of September would ensure that kits arrive by the time you need them.

Darling models |  Student kit by Arbor Scientific | Orbit models | Maruzen |  Prentice-Hall (allyn&bacon) | Amazon

INTRODUCTION

CHEM 125 is our single introductory course in chemistry taken by science majors and students in allied and prehealth programs.  By itself it does not fufill the NS requirement of the common curriculum.  Students must complete both CHEM 125 and CHEM 201 in order to earn the NS designation.  It is not usually taken by nonscience majors seeking to fulfill the NS Common Curriculum requirements.  Nonmajors usually take CHEM 105, Chemistry and Society, or a similar nonscience majors courses in other departments.

DAILY SCHEDULE

• Tentative Daily Schedule (PDF)

COURSE GOALS AND STUDENT OUTCOMES

The general goals of the course can be broken into content and process goals, as described below.

Content Goals:  Students should be able to:

• explain how the distribution of electrons in atomic orbitals around atoms determine the physical and chemical properties of atoms;

• explain how electrons redistribute around atoms in the process of bond and molecule formation;

• draw representations (Lewis structures) of molecules that show the connectivity, bond types, and electronic and geometric arrangements of electrons and atoms within molecules;

• use Lewis structures of molecules to predict and explain the physical properties (solubility, etc) of molecules;

• explain and interpret bonding in molecules in terms of molecular orbitals;

• recognize, explain, and predict how shapes of similar molecules that differ in connectivity of atoms or in in the spatial orientation of bonds influences their properties;

• use Lewis structures of molecules to predict and explain the chemical properties (acid/base) of molecules.

These can be summarized in 4 general goals:

• To gain an understanding of atomic structure and how the periodic table provides an organizing principle for the chemical and physical properties of the elements.

• To develop an understanding of ionic, metallic and covalent bonding and how bonding affects properties. 

• To understand how shape and charge distribution affects the properties of chemical substance

• To learn how molecular  structure predicts the acid-base properties of chemical species.

 Process Goals: Students should be able to:

• develop their abilities to transfer their newly acquired understandings of the structure and properties of simple molecules to more complex molecules and molecular systems;

• develop critical thinking and problem solving skills

• develop group interaction skills;  (How important are these skills?)

• explain how scientific understandings develop and how the scientific process differs from other ways of explaining the world.  (A cool link on scientific literacy)

Bloom's Taxonomy, developed in 1956, gives a classification of increasing complex and sophistical levels of thinking and behavior associated with in learning.  These levels really reflect the process goals that we wish students to develop in individual chemistry courses and throughout the whole chemistry curriculum. Not all of these process outcomes are achievable in an introductory course.  They are listed below in modified form http://ww2.odu.edu/educ/roverbau/Bloom/blooms_taxonomy.htm .

 PARTICIPATION

Because of the guided inquiry approach, students need to come to class regularly in order to participate fully in their group sessions.  I expect consistent, constructive, energetic yet respectful participation in group problem-solving sessions.  A crucial component of participation is adequate class preparation.  You have a great deal of responsibility for the success or failure of this class. Criteria for evaluating class participation will be developed in consultation with class members at the beginning of the semester.

• Attendance spot checks (graded) will occur periodically.

• If a student misses more than two class periods in the time between two Problem-Solving Assessments, the student will automatically be removed from the team and will complete all team projects/class work on his or her own.  

• Your peers and/or the faculty instructor will conduct participation evaluations regularly. 

• In addition, you will also be asked to assess your own participation.

Your final grade will be influenced by the extent and quality of your participation.  Prep and Participation (Moodle Tutor, Socrative, Passports, Group Dynamics/Participation) count for 10% of the grade.    Significant participation might offset poorer performance on Moodle Tutor, Socrative, and Passports.   Participation suggests interest and effort. It is not limited to just asking/answering questions in class. It includes things like:

• asking questions outside of class when you don't understand the material.
• not just doing the absolute minimum of work.
• showing  interest in the course.

HOMEWORK

The only way to really learn chemistry is to work problems.  Recent educational research indicates repetition is necessary to learn new material.  Prompt, accurate feedback is also key to learning a new task.  Thus, there will be homework (either CONNECT problems, worksheets or problems from the end of the chapter) due almost every day except when there is a Problem-Solving Assessment.   CONNECT and Moodle provide instant feedback and I will try to get any graded homework back quickly. This effort should help you to keep up with the material and come to class with questions about the material that is being covered.   Connect and Moodle programs have specified due dates and times.  Connect and Moodle assignments are all due by 1:00 pm of the day they are assigned.  After the due date and time, you will be shut out of doing the assignment.
These homework assignments should keep you on track but are NOT a substitute for doing any other problems or reviewing your notes or studying for the Problem-Solving Assessments.

In the daily schedule there are in general 3 types of homeworks listed,  Group, Individual, and Passport.  In general I will check your workbooks in class.  In general I won't have you turn in copies of completed workbook pages.  If I wish you to copy certain workbook pages to turn them in, I will announces that in the class before they are due. It is very important that you stay up with the workbook.  You should pay special attention to the assignment listed "passport" or "passport to class".  To travel to another country you need a passport or you can't be admitted into that country.  I will check your workbook to see if you have completed the assigned passport assignment at the start of the day they are due in class.  If the assignment is NOT completed, I will ask you to leave class that day. Remember the reason for the pre-class assignments:  They represent part of the structure of the inverted classroom.  You do the work before class and then we can spend class time addressing questions and engaging in problem solving.

Plagiarism:   I expect you to do individual work unless you are working on a group assignment.   Any duplicate assignments will be considered plagiarism/academic dishonesty and will be given 0 pts for duplicates.   We will do many group assignments and then I encourage collaboration within a group. 

Workbook:   Do not tear pages out of your workbook. Photocopy the page if you need to turn it in.  I will not accept assignments on pages ripped from the workbook.  We went to considerable effort to provide this bound workbook for you so that all of your notes and problems would be in one place.   I want to encourage you to keep your materials together.

Late Assignments:  Late assignments will receive 10% off per day.

STUDYING CHEMISTRY

Chemistry is a difficult field.  One study showed that there are as many new words in a first year general chemistry class as in a first year foreign language class.  The words have precise, but often difficult meanings.   Critical thinking skills are required.  In addition, there is much content to learn.  It's not a course that centers around discussion or your opinion, but your ability to problem solve.  To be successful in the class, you will need to study regularly and diligently.  Click the link below to find out some proven ways to study successfully that were compiled by Ronald Ragsdale, University of Utah..

HOW TO STUDY CHEMISTRY

Learning is a complex endeavor.  It can be fun and easy and we would like it to be that way. More often it is challenging, difficult, and associated with failure (temporary, we hope).  Our goal as life-long learners is to try new strategies when we encounter difficulties and failures on the path to understanding, and transform our fears into courage and frustrations into patience.  True and deep learning comes when we overcome failures and our fears that prevent us from doing what we need to do.  We move  

• from fearing a new challenge to having courage to face the challenge,

• from frustration when our attempts fall short to patience for ourselves and the hard work we know is required

• from failure to self confidence as we overcome failures. 

It is easy to blame yourself or me if you have difficulty with this class.  Both are unproductive.  You need to adopt a new strategy, as described below.  These strategies work for any situation you find difficult, not just General Chemistry. 

• Learning to Learn Strategies

Richard Light has interviewed 1000s of students to determine how students can maximize their learning at colleges and universities.  He has identified several key principles.  One is that Interactive relationships organized around academic work are vital.  Successful students usually have one or more "intense relationships built around academic work".  He suggests that students join a small study group outside of class.  Our extensive use of group collaborative work in class is consistent with this model. Time management skills are very important.  Lack of time management skills and plans is associated with academic problems.  He notes that first year student often have trouble dealing with the amount and speed of academic work they encounter in their first year.  Many are not prepared for the transition.  Success requires that students make intentional use of time.  For example, he advises students to divide the day into three parts, morning, afternoon, and evenings, and to try to use one for uninterrupted focused academic work.  Also he suggests that students be intentional about use of gaps between activities.  When you study, do it intensely and in an uninterrupted fashion. 

• Strengthening Colleges and Universities: Richard Light

• Psychologists tell us the best way to study: Scientific American

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET AN A?

• Attendance: "A" students usually have almost perfect attendance.
• Preparation: "A" students are prepared for class.
• Curiosity: "A" students show interest in the class and in the subject. They often ask questions and make thoughtful comments
• Attitude: "A students are determined and have self-discipline and show initiative.
• Talent: "A" students have some special attribute that other don't often display. These could include one or more of the following - exceptional intelligence, insight, creativity, organizational skills, commitment .
• Results: The above attributes lead these students to achieve A grades.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES:

Sending any of the course materials from any course at CSB/SJU to a third party vendor is expressly forbidden and will carry serious consequences.