Contemporary Chemistry
Instructor: Dr. Mark Ladolcetta
Email: ladolcettam@madisonpublicschools.org
Office: Prep Room (Between D21 and D23)
Availability: A, B, & C days ~7:00 am - 7:45 am
Tues-Fri; 2:40 pm – 2:55 pm
Tutorial: A day lunch – G58
Other times: Please ask.
Where can you find me?: G57-58, D21, or D21/23 prep room
Welcome to the new school year and welcome to Chemistry class! I am looking
forward to what will hopefully be a successful year for both you and me. Chemistry
can be a difficult and challenging subject to master but with patience, diligence, and
hard work, I am confident that each one of you can find the course interesting,
informative, and fun.
Course Overview
This course has been designed to place students at the center of the learning process
by allowing them the opportunity to experience the process of science and to
enhance critical thinking skills through active learning, problem solving, small
group discussion, and laboratory experimentation.
The content of the course is centered around the unifying concepts of chemistry.
These concepts give students a basic understanding of the relationship between the
properties, the composition, and the interactions of substances. In addition, the
course provides students with real world experiences, hands-on activities, as well as
creative problem solving strategies so that they will not only learn, but also will be
encouraged to appreciate chemistry as a physical science and to connect chemistry
to their daily lives.
Classroom rules:
1. Students should be in their seats and ready to begin class when the bell
rings. This rule will be strictly enforced.
2. Students will be respectful of their teacher and other students.
3. No food is permitted in class.
4. Bathroom/locker visits must be kept to a minimum. I have to plan to be in
class for 59 minutes, so you should also plan on being there for 59 minutes.
5. All submitted work, including tests, quizzes, homework, lab reports, etc.,
must be your own work.
6. Cell phones, ipods, and mp3 players are all great examples of chemistry at
work but are not allowed in the classroom. Violation of the school cell phone
policy will result in confiscation of the cell phone.
Grades:
Grades will be computed based on a total points system. Your numerical grade will
be determined by dividing the total points accumulated during the marking period
by the maximum number of points available and multiplying by 100. Point values
are as follows:
Tests
Quizzes
Lab reports
Homework
Class participation
Projects
100 points
10-50 points
15-30 points
10 points
40-50 points
30-50 points
Class Participation
Students will receive 1 point per day for being a good student. A good student will:
 Complete homework assignments
 Participate in class in a meaningful way
 Use class time effectively to complete class assignments
 Not be disruptive during class.
 Refrain from using cell phones in class.
Late Work
Assignments may be turned in late for credit, but will be penalized points for each additional
day. When the assignment has been graded and returned to the class, it can no longer be handed
in.
Tests and Quizzes:
Tests will be given at the end of units or chapters and will be announced with
sufficient time to prepare. Each test will be worth 100 points. Quizzes, worth
anywhere from 10-50 points, will be given periodically and may or may not be
announced.
Homework:
You should expect to receive homework nearly every day. Homework assignments
are not intended to merely keep students “busy”. Homework assignments will be
designed to reinforce concepts covered during class. It is assumed that regular
completion of homework assignments will lead to a successful completion of this
course. Homework assignments will always be checked. Some will be collected.
Collected homework assignments are usually worth about 10 points.
Labs:
Laboratory activities will be conducted almost every week. In general, you will
work in groups when performing lab activities. It is imperative that all students
follow all required safety procedures during lab periods. Laboratory Safety will be
discussed in a separate lecture.
Violation of laboratory rules may result in
dismissal from class and a zero on that particular lab report.
Lab Reports:
Each Lab will require some form of lab report to be submitted. These reports will
be due 2 days after the completion of the experimental part of the lab. Please
understand that, while lab experiments are completed in groups, lab reports must
be submitted individually and they must be entirely your own work.
Extra credit:
There will be no extra credit given in this class. I would prefer that you focus your
time on completing regularly given assignments, lab reports, and tests successfully.
Extra help:
For students needing extra help, I will do everything I can to be available to you
whether it is before school, after school, or during any period in which I am not
teaching. If you wish to see me for extra help, please ask me and we will find the
best
available
time.
Also,
feel
free
to
email
me
at
ladolcettam@madisonpublicschools.org
Absence:
If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to make up missed
assignments. Also, you are responsible for handing in any assignments due on the
day of your absence on the first day that you return to school. Missed exams,
quizzes, or labs must be made up as soon as determined by the instructor. NOTE:
If you are absent the day before a drop day, it is your responsibility to see me for makeup work,
quizzes, tests, etc the next day you are in school, even if our class does not meet.
Course Goals
Students will:
 Collect, Organize, and Interpret data
 Understand and follow safety procedures in the laboratory
 Learn to work cooperatively in both laboratory and class activities
 Show that experimental results can lead to new questions and further
investigation
 Develop and ability to communicate scientific ideas effectively
 Learn to appreciate the role of chemistry in everyday life
 Learn to build and utilized models to explain what cannot be observed
 Identify patterns through observation
 Develop appropriate strategies to solve problems
 Gain skill in the use of technology to acquire scientific data
 Acquire a knowledge of chemical principles
 Appreciate the role of chemistry and application in everyday life and in
possible careers
Course Content
Unit 1:
Unit 2:
Unit 3:
Unit 4:
Unit 5:
Unit 6:
Unit 7:
Unit 8:
Unit 9:
Unit 10:
Unit 11:
Unit 12:
Unit 13:
Unit 14:
Unit 15:
Unit 16:
Unit 17:
Unit 18:
Unit 19:
Chemistry: An Introduction
Matter
Chemical Foundations: Elements, Atoms, and Ions
Nomenclature
Measurement and Calculations
Chemical Composition
Chemical Reactions
Chemical Quantities: Stoichiometry
Nature of Energy
Modern Atomic Theory
Chemical Bonding
Gases
Liquids and Solids
Solutions
Acids and Bases
Equilbrium
Oxidation-Reduction Reactions
Radioactivity and Nuclear Energy
Organic Chemistry