Chemistry 2009-10                  St. Augustine H.S.                    Mr.H. Gonzalez

Greetings

Your son/daughter is enrolled in my Chemistry Class this school year.  It will be a privilege for me to be his/her instructor this school year.  Please feel free to contact me at anytime you feel your child’s progress is not to your satisfaction so that we can discuss ways to help him/her.  My school email address is higinio_gonzalez@st-augustine.org

Or call the school at 724-8131 to set up an appointment tosee me personally after school or during my planning period.    

Because St. Augustine H.S. is College Preparatory School,your child will be expected to function at a pre-AP level.  It is essential that he/she be able to do the following:

1. know how to use the Periodic Table of Elements
2. know how to write and balance a chemical formula.
3. know how to write and balance a chemical equation.
   
4. know how to work stoichiometric problems.  (Math problems involving chemistry, Algebra is very helpful)
5. student must be able to apply what they have learned in class to assignments and to interpret data.

Notes taking is essential but understanding the concepts is paramount to success.  Reading for understanding and no memorizing materials.

Your child should bring to class materials with which to work with. 

1. pen/pencil
2. paper
3. scientific calculator
4. periodic table
5. chemistry book (provided by the school)  Chemistry: HOLT. 
6. chemistry workbooks (you need to purchase the book below)

The UltimateChemical Equations Handbook (student ed.), by George R. Hague Jr. and JaneD. Smith, Price: $25.00 (price includes the book and lab materials needed for experiments)

Grading Scale: Assignments (Homework & Classwork)      10%

                          Quizzes (announced and unannounced) 25%

                          Laboratory assignments (including write

                                                    Ups)                          15%

                          Tests                                                   50%

                                                                                    100%

The following are my goals and objectives for the chemistry class. 

Chemistry Goals and Objective

School year 2008-09

Goals:  The students will be able to:

1. Apply chemistry to everyday life.
2. Use habits of mind in thinking and learning, such as curiosity, openness to new ideas and skepticism.
3. Develop an awareness of the importance of chemistry in a variety of careers.
4. Apply a variety of problem-solving strategies and decision-making skills in a real-world context.
5. Communicate effectively.
6. Use appropriate reference tools with particular emphasis on the Periodic Table of Elements.

Objective 1:  The student will demonstrate an understanding of the foundation skills of chemistry.

Targets:

Dimensional analysis as a problem-solving strategy.

Significant figures as it relates to precision and accuracy in measurements.

Naming compounds and writing chemical formulas.

Balancing equations.

The Mole Concept.

Objective 2:  The student will demonstrate an understanding of the safe and effective use of lab processes.

Targets:

Safe lab procedures.

Read and interpret MSDS (Materials Safety Data Sheets) and chemical labels.

Effective use of equipment.

Objective 3:   The student will demonstrate skills in scientific problem-solving.

Targets:

Develop an experimental design.

Acquire and organize data.

Form hypotheses and draw conclusions.

Use knowledge of chemistry to make informed decisions.

Objective 4:  The student will demonstrate the ability to solve problems using the principles of stoichiometry.

Targets:

Calculations involving moles, mass and volume.

Limiting reactants (reagents).

Percent yield.

Objective 5:   The student will demonstrate an understanding of periodic trends (periodicity) in chemistry.

Targets:  

Predict the number of valence electrons.

Compare reactivity within a chemical family.

Metallic character.

Atomic size.

Electronnegativity.

Objective 6:   The student will demonstrate an understanding of concepts of atomic structure.

Targets:

Atomic particles.

Atomic number.

Atomic mass

Isotopes.

Ions.

Objective 7:   The student will demonstrate an understanding of concepts in solution chemistry.

Targets:

Molarity and molality.

pH, pOH, acids, and bases.

Solutions,solvents and solute.

Water

Objective 8:  The student will demonstrate an understanding of the principles involved in the Gas Laws and their applications.

Targets:

Combined Gas Law.

Daltons' Law of partial pressures.

Ideal Gas Law.

Objective 9:   The student will demonstrate an understanding of concepts in chemical and nuclear reactions:

Targets:

Factors affecting reaction rates.

Write a chemical and/or nuclear equation.

Interpret a chemical and/or nuclear equation.

Predict the products of a chemical and/or nuclear reaction.

Radioactive decay and half-life of an isotope.

Objective 10:   The student will demonstrate an understanding of concepts in chemical bonding.

Targets:

Electron configuration/electron dot configuration

Octet rule.

Ionic bonding.

Covalent bonding.