CHEM 105 ~ Chemistry Foundations ~ 2 credit hours
South Dakota State University
Spring 2016
Meeting Times and Location:
T, Th, 11:00 – 11:50 am in Avera room 043
Instructor: Dr. Nicole Grove
Contact Information:
Office:
Office Hours:
Email:
SAV 353
M-Th: 2:00-3:00pm (other times by appointment)
nicole.grove@sdstate.edu
Course Description:
A foundation course designed to prepare students for 100 level chemistry courses. Basic concepts in chemistry
including matter, measurement, nomenclature, and stoichiometry will be addressed and mathematical concepts
basic to 100 level chemistry courses will be practiced.
Prerequisites: None
Co-requisite: None
Instructional Methods:
This is a lecture-based course, which will be delivered by the use of PowerPoint and written instruction.
Several examples will be given in class and the student will also have the opportunity to practice different
problems in lecture. The students will have reading assignments as well as several different types of practice
problems outside of class. D2L will be used to post lecture outlines, grades, announcements, and supplemental
information regarding this course.
Required Materials:
Dianovsky, M., Grove, N. (2015). General Chemistry: Understanding vs. Doing. Iowa: Great River Learning.
**This is an eBook access code, which can be purchased at the register.
ALEKS access code. This can be purchased from the bookstore at the front register.
Any scientific calculator.
Loose leaf notebook paper.
Suggested, but not required: any edition of a general chemistry textbook.
Attendance:
Attendance will not be taken each class period, however, there will be quizzes and other “participation” points
that will occur in class. All announcements and material will be presented during the normally scheduled class
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period. If the student is gone, it is the their responsibility to find out what was missed from a classmate. It is
not the instructor’s responsibility to “fill the student in” on what they missed.
Academic Integrity:
Student Academic Integrity and Appeals: The University has a clear expectation for academic integrity and
does not tolerate academic dishonesty. University Policy 2.4 sets forth the definitions of academic dishonesty,
which includes but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty,
misrepresentation, and other forms of dishonesty relating to academics. The Policy and its Procedures also set
forth how charges of academic dishonesty are handled at the University. Academic Dishonesty is strictly
proscribed and if found may result in student discipline up to and including dismissal from the University.
Academic integrity is the maintenance of professional standards in writing, assessment, behavior, ethics,
research and all University activities. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Written and other works as
well as other academic activities by students are expected to be the products of their own efforts. Dishonesty,
deception, cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, complicity, multiple submission and copyright/fair use abuse will
not be tolerated.
Students are encouraged to work together, however; students must submit their own original work. It is
unacceptable for two or more students to collaborate in the creation of an assignment and each present the same
material. This will be considered an act of deception.
Extracting the work of another, either partially or entirely, without reference citation is plagiarism. Since
quotation marks are reserved for profound statements and are unacceptable for use in reports, they may not be
used in direct quotations or in lieu of paraphrasing material. In either event, the material must be referenced.
Course Goals and Student Learning Outcomes:
This course does not meet any IGR or SGR requirements. Students will be introduced to basic chemistry
concepts in order to supplement a high school chemistry experience. By the end of this course students should
be able to:
1.




Identify and explain the basic concepts, terminology and theories of the selected natural sciences.
To meet this outcome, students will study and solve problems where they will draw conclusions from
lecture material based on sound scientific concepts and principles.
Students will evaluate the validity of the data through independent and collaborative work, as well as
through written expression.
This outcome will be assessed through exams, quizzes, and assignments.
The process of lectures, active learning, team-based learning, practice exercises, and reflective questions
will be used.
Methods of Evaluation:
There will be four in-class hour exams, and a final exam, which will be cumulative. There will also be reading
assignments as well as homework and reflections/journals that will be due outside of class, as well as learning
activities in class that may be unannounced.
Grading
Upon grading, all exam scores will be listed in D2L for each student. Grades from ALEXS and the online
eBook will be updated in D2L periodically throughout the semester.
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The quizzes within the eBook will be worth 5% of the overall grade.
ALEKS will be worth 20% of your course grade.
The 20% will be distributed as follows:
* Intermediate Objectives: you'll be expected to reach certain "mileposts" in your mastery of the entire
curriculum at certain dates. ALEKS will keep track of this, and report it to your instructor, who will assign a
portion of your grade based on whether or not you reached the milestone. The purpose of this is, frankly, to
keep you working regularly. We know it is human nature to procrastinate if given the chance. Check the
Gradebook for your score on this metric.
* Final mastery: the remainder of your homework grade will be determined just by your overall level of mastery
at the end of the class -- how many topics ALEKS says you've mastered. The purpose of this is, first, to give
you credit for mastery whenever it is achieved, even if it’s achieved well after the initial deadline. It is also to
give you a strong motive for restoring topics to your mastery list that you may lose on re-assessment. We don't
want you forgetting what you learned in Week 1 by the time you get to Week 8. That would result in a sad
experience on the final exam. Look at the numerator on the fraction above the ALEKS pie for your score here.
Exams: There are no make-up exams. If you will be gone for a university-sponsored event, you must take the
exam prior to leaving for the event. No exams will be given after the class has taken the exam.
The instructor will not accept any late work, and there are no make-up exams or assignments. Please plan
accordingly. No extra credit will be given.
Excused absences will only be accepted for university sponsored events and a death in the family. For both
situations, the student will be required to show proof of such an event. In the case of a university-sponsored
event, the student must email the instructor, with documentation attached in the email prior to be absent, in
order for the day to be excused. For all in-class activities that may have points associated with them, a number
of them will be dropped at the end of the semester to allow for these excused absences. If the number of
absences due to university sponsored events is greater than the number of graded items dropped, the instructor
will work with individuals to ensure they are not missing any points due to absences.
Assessment
Quizzes / in class activities
eBook quizzes
Homework
4 exams
Final Exam
%
10%
5%
20%
50%
15%
Grading Scale:
%
90.0%
80.0%
70.0%
60.0%
<60.0%
Grade
A
B
C
D
F
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Email Correspondence:
All email correspondence will be done with the home university assigned email. The student can email the
instructor with a personal email account but keep in mind emails may be auto-forwarded to the spam and
quarantine folders without the instructor’s knowledge. So, it is best practice for the student to use the home
university assigned email. Email correspondence will NOT be answered within D2L.
Accommodation Assistance:
If you are a person with a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you should
contact the Director of the Office of Disability Services at your home school. At University Center, you contact
Jennifer Schelske, Student Services Coordinator at 605-367-8465. For SDSU main campus student, you should
contact the Director of the Office of Disability Services for SDSU, which is Nancy Crooks at 605-688-4504 or
Nancy.Crooks@sdstate.edu.
Tentative Lecture Schedule:
Day
Tue
Date
12-Jan
Thur
14-Jan
Tue
19-Jan
Thur
21-Jan
Unit Coverage
Course Introduction
Unit 1.1 and 1.2: Classification of Matter
and States of Matter
Unit 1.3: Uncertainty in Measurement,
Accuracy and Precision, and Significant
Figures
Unit 1.3: Significant Figures in Calculations
and Units of Measurement
Tue
26-Jan
Unit 1.4: Dimensional Analysis
Thur
Tue
28-Jan
2-Feb
Thur
4-Feb
Unit 1.4: Dimensional Analysis
Exam 1
Unit 2.1 and 2.2: The Modern View of
Atomic Structure and Atomic Weights
Tue
9-Feb
Thur
11-Feb
Tue
16-Feb
ALEXS Due
1.1 Classification of Matter
1.2 State of Matter
Math
Review
Unit 2.3: Atomic Weights and The Periodic
Table
Unit 2.4: Naming Binary Compounds and
Naming Compounds with Polyatomic Ions
Unit 2.4: Naming Acids and Naming
Molecular Compounds
Week 4
1.3 Accuracy and Precision
1.3 Sig Figs and 1.3 Sig Figs
in Calculations
1.4 Dimensional Analysis
Week 5
2.1 The Modern View of
Atomic Structure and 2.2
Atomic Weights
2.3 The Periodic Table
Thur
18-Feb
Unit 2.4 Overview
Week 6
Tue
Thur
23-Feb
25-Feb
Tue
1-Mar
Exam 2
Unit 3.1: The Mole and Conversions
Unit 3.2 and 3.3: Molar Mass and Percent
Composition
Week 8
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Quiz from eBook Due by
11:00 am
2.4 Naming Binary
Compounds and 2.4
Naming Compounds with
Polyatomic Ions
2.4 Naming Molecular
Compounds
3.1 The Mole
Thur
Tue
Thur
3-Mar
8-Mar
10-Mar
Unit 3.4: Empirical and Molecular
Formulas
No Class ~ Spring Break
No Class ~ Spring Break
Unit 3.5: Fundamentals of Chemical
Equations
3.2 Molar Mass and 3.3
Percent Composition
Tue
15-Mar
Week 9
Thur
17-Mar
Tue
22-Mar
Thur
24-Mar
Unit 3.6: Stoichiometry
Unit 3.7: Limiting Reactants and Percent
Yield
Unit 3.7: Limiting Reactions and Percent
Yield
Tue
Thur
Tue
Thur
Tue
29-Mar
31-Mar
5-Apr
7-Apr
12-Apr
Exam 3
Unit 4.1: General Properties of Solutions
Unit 4.2: Molarity Definitions and Ions
Unit 4.2: Dilution
Unit 4.3: Solubility and Net Ionic Equations
Thur
Tue
Thur
Tue
Thur
14-Apr
19-Apr
21-Apr
26-Apr
28-Apr
Thur
5-May
Unit 4.3: Stoichiometry
Unit 4.4: General Principles and Titrations
Exam 4
Review
Review
Cumulative Final Exam (11:30 – 1:30)
SAV 043
3.4 Empirical and
Molecular Formulas
3.5 Fundamentals of
Chemical Equations
3.6 Stoichiometry
Week 11
Week 13
3.7 Limiting Reactions and
Percent Yield
4.1 General Properties
4.2 Definitions
4.2 Dilutions
4.3 Solubility and 4.3 Net
Ionic Equations
4.3 Stoichiometry
Week 15
4.4 Titrations
Freedom in Learning:
Students are responsible for learning the content of any course of study in which they are enrolled. Under
Board of Regents and University policy, student academic performance shall be evaluated solely on an
academic basis and students should be free to take reasoned exception to the data or views offered in any course
of study. Students who believe that an academic evaluation is unrelated to academic standards, but related
instead to judgment of their personal opinion or conduct, should first contact the dean of the college that offers
the class to initiate a review of the evaluation.
Late Class Statement:
All members of the class should make every effort to arrive on time. In the event that I am going to be late, due
to circumstances beyond my control, I will, if possible, notify the department and ask that someone be sent to
apprise you of the situation. If such notification is not possible, please remain in the class for 15 minutes
beyond the scheduled start time. If I have not yet arrived, and if no emissary of the department has informed
you otherwise, class will be cancelled and you will be free to leave.
Academic Success/Starfish
As your professor, my goals are to help you be successful in this course and to make your learning experience
as meaningful as possible. For that reason, if you demonstrate any academic performance or behavioral
problems that may impede your success, I will communicate with you using Starfish. Starfish is an online
student success program that allows me to send various performance updates to you and to those dedicated to
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supporting your success at SDSU. If you receive a notification in Starfish, please come see me or seek
assistance from your advisor, the Student Success Center, or other campus resources.
Please make sure to update your Starfish profile at the beginning of each semester (including a photo and up-todate contact information). The Starfish link is located in D2L in the top left corner of your homepage.
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