COURSE SYLLABUS AND EXAM SCHEDULE
General Chemistry I CHEM-1412
Distance Education
Spring 2016
CRN: 95487
Professor Alka Shukla
Brooks/Cole, 9th ed.
Textbook: Chemistry by Zumdahl
ISBN 9781305033436
Instructor contact information
Instructor:
Alka Shukla
Office:
HCCS-southeast
E-mail:
alka.shukla@hccs.edu
Office
Phone:
713- 718-7298
Office
Hours:
Appointments can be
10:30AM-11AM on TWR
Course Intent: To teach basic concepts of Chemistry for non science and
as an introductory course to General Chemistry 1 Chem. 1411 or chem.
1405, an introductory chemistry course with lab.
Topics include Basic math, Elements, Measurements, Quantitative
calculations, Gas Laws,
Formulae of Compounds, Thermo chemistry, Electronic Structure of Atoms
to name a few.
This class is taught on an Eagle on Line format. It is highly recommended that
You have a high speed internet connection such as cable or DSL. If you are not
Familiar with Eagle on Line, you can find help at the following website:
http://smartipantz.perceptis.com/hccs/Content/ShowContent.aspx?id=154
This will give you a quick understanding of Eagle on Line.
Eagle On Line Student User ID
Your Eagle login user ID will be your HCC User ID (sometimes referred to as
the “W” number). All HCC students have a unique User ID. If you do not know
your User ID you can look it up by visiting the HCC home page:
From www.hccs.edu, under the column “STUDENT SUPPORT”, click on the
“Student System Help” link. Then click on “User ID and Password” and follow
the instructions.
Or use the direct link to access the Student Sign In page:
https://hccsaweb.hccs.edu:8080/psp/csprd/?cmd=login&languageCd=ENG
The default student password is “distance.” Students will then be prompted to
change their password after their first login. Please visit the DE Technical
Support website if you need additional assistance with your login.
e-mail.
Communication with your online course instructor is important. Please keep
him informed of problems you are having either with the course or with your
assignments. Disagreements or complaints must be addressed first with your
instructor. For other grievance procedures, consult the HCC Student
Handbook.
DISTANCE EDUCATION STUDENT HANDBOOK
The Distance Education Student Handbook contains policies and procedures
unique to the DE student. Students should have reviewed the handbook as part
of the mandatory orientation. It is the student’s responsibility to be familiar
with the handbook’s contents. The handbook contains valuable information,
answers and resources, such as DE contacts, policies and procedures (how to
drop, attendance requirements, etc) student services I(ADA, financial aid,
degree planning, etc), course information, testing procedures, technical
support, and academic calendars. Refer to the DE Student Handbook by
visiting this link:
http://de.hccs.edu/de/de-student-handbook
EARLY ALERT
HCC has instituted an Early Alert process by which your professor may “alert”
you and DE counselors that you might fail a class because of excessive
absences and/or poor academic performance. A counselor will then reach out
to you to discuss your progress and offer any relevant resources. This
initiative is designed to provide students with support services and resources
to assist them in successfully completing their course
International Students: Receiving a W in a course may affect the status of your
student Visa. Once a W is given in a course, it will not be changed to an “F”
because of the visa consideration. International students are restricted to
ONLY ONE online/distance education class per semester. Please contact the
International Student Office at 713-718-8520 if you have any additional
questions about your visa status and other transfer issues.
NOTICE FOR STUDENTS WHO LIVE OUTSIDE OF HOUSTON
Students who live outside the Houston area and cannot take paper exams at
one of our HCC testing locations MUST make arrangements for a proctor.
Please see the Distance Education (DE) Student Services webpage for
Information for more information.
USE OF CAMERAS OR RECORDING DEVICES:
Use of recording devices, including camera phones and tape recorders, is
prohibited in classrooms, laboratories, faculty offices, and other locations
where instruction, tutoring, or testing occurs. Students with disabilities who
need to use a recording device as a reasonable accommodation should contact
the Office for Students with Disabilities for information regarding reasonable
accommodations.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:
Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision,
hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the
appropriate HCC Disability Support Service (DSS) Counselor at the beginning of each
semester. Faculty is authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the
Disability Support Services Office.
Students who are requesting special testing accommodations must first contact the
appropriate (most convenient) DSS office for assistance:
Disability Support Services Offices:
System: 713.718.5165
Central: 713.718.6164 – also for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services and Students Outside
of the HCC District service areas.
Northwest: 713.718.5422
Northeast: 713.718.8420
Southeast: 713.718.7218
Southwest: 713.718.7909
Mandatory:You must use HCC Email to access messages and updates
about course.
Student Learning Outcomes:
● Solve problems using procedures outlined in class.
● Understand the terms used in Chemistry, the states of matter and the transitions
between them.
● Able to compare elements, compounds and mixtures. Name and write the Chemical
formulas of Elements and Compounds.
● Apply the Law of Conservation of Matter to balance chemical equations and solve
simple stoichiometry problems.
● Determine atomic structure and chemical properties of elements from their position
in the periodic table.
● Perform conversions between Molarities, mass of solute and volume of solution.
● Draw the Lewis Structure and determine the shape and polarity of a simple
compound from its formula.
● Know the rules for nomenclature of simple inorganic compounds.
● Identify acids and bases, acidic and basic solutions and calculate pH.
● Demonstrate ability to carry out simple laboratory experiments using common
chemical measuring devices and safety precautions.
Getting ready for class:
Prerequisites: Chem 1411,MATH 0308 or qualifying score on MATH placement test,
ENGL 0305 or ENGL 0316 AND ENGL 0307 or 0326, OR higher level course (ENGL
1301), OR placement by testing.
Required Text: Chemistry , By Zumdahl
9th edition
Publisher: Brooks/Cole
Edition: 9th
ISBN 9781305033436
Required Materials: Lab Manual custom made for HCCS
Scientific Calculator
Free Departmental Tutors at Eastside campus
Tutors at: http://hccs.askonline.net/index.mhtml
The Distance Education Student Handbook contains policies and procedures
unique to the DE student. Students should have reviewed the handbook as part of
the mandatory orientation. It is the student's responsibility to be familiar with the
handbook's contents. The handbook contains valuable information, answers, and
resources, such as DE contacts, policies and procedures (how to drop, attendance
requirements, etc.), student services (ADA, financial aid, degree planning, etc.),
course information, testing procedures, technical support, and academic calendars.
Refer to the DE Student Handbook by visiting this link: http://de.hccs.edu/de/destudent-handbook
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:
Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision,
hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the
appropriate HCC Disability Support Service (DSS) Counselor at the beginning of each
semester. Faculty is authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the
Disability Support Services Office
Students who are requesting special testing accommodations must first contact the
appropriate (most convenient) DSS office for assistance:
Disability Support Services Offices:
System: 713.718.5165
Central: 713.718.6164 – also for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services and Students Outside
of the HCC District service areas.
Northwest: 713.718.5422
Northeast: 713.718.8420
Southeast: 713.718.7218
Southwest: 713.718.7909
After student accommodation letters have been approved by the DSS office and submitted
to DE Counseling for processing, students will receive an email confirmation informing
them of the Instructional Support Specialist assigned to their professor.
Please check following link for class evaluation:
http://www.hccs.edu/district/students/egls3/
Important Course Content policy and Exam Schedule information:
Chapters covered : Course will cover Chapters :11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,22
in sixteen week period.
2 Exams: There will be three exams. All exams will be of 2 hour duration and will be
in person at school or online. There will be a mandatory comprehensive final
exam at the end of the semester. No makeup exam will be given. If there is a
genuine problem contact me to find a way to help you. You will be provided with
a formula sheet and periodic table. During the examinations, no one will be
allowed to leave the examination room until the examination is completed and
turned in. You should have your own scientific calculator while taking an
examination. All cellular phones should be turned off during the examinations.
Backpacks and other personal belongings should be kept away from the
examination table.
3. Assignments: All assignments must be turned in timely manner to get proper
credit. Regular visits to course site are mandatory and are part of the final grade.
Lab grades are based on Lab Procedure Summary, participation or/and reports.
BASIC COMPETENCIES OF THE CORE CURRICULUM: This course fulfills the following
core intellectual competencies.
1. Reading: (Textbook and Laboratory Procedures),
2. WRITING: writing homework and lab reports.
3. SPEAKING AND LISTENING:
The labs are conducted in groups of two to three. Chemistry is an experimental science
that is dependent on group discussion that includes degrees of accuracy required for all
measurements, a review of laboratory techniques and any precautions to be observed
within the performance of the thought experiments.
4. CRITICAL THINKING: Exercising critical thinking is an important aspect in promoting
an understanding and appreciation for the laboratory component of chemistry. A set of
experiments will be required to identify background readings from the textbook. It will
further require an investigation of new laboratory procedures and designing of students’
own experiments within a set of general guidelines. In this way, a deeper understanding
will result from students having to make decisions concerning the data they collect.
5. COMPUTER LITERACY: Requires online homework by publisher and emails etc.
Course Content and Exam Schedule: Following are tentative dates.
These dates are subject to change by prior notice from the instructor
Helpful Advice and Expectations:
Chemistry is a very interesting field, ranging from the study of simple inorganic Compounds
to enormously complex molecules such as enzymes and nucleic acids in living organisms.
In this course, the major topics we will be covering are Nomenclature of chemical formulas,
reactions, and stoichiometry calculations, chemical thermodynamics, electron configuration
and chemical bonding, gas laws, and solutions. As you might suspect, it can be easy to fall
behind and, as a result, to not be ready for the exams. Following are some general tips that
may be helpful:
Time Management: Procrastination is the enemy! The great temptation for the student is to
delay the work as long as possible. I cannot stress enough that this is a recipe for failure.
Staying current with your work is essential to get success in this course.
If you don't understand anything then please ask questions.
Course Load: if you are a working student, think carefully before enrolling in too many
classes. Your job performance and your scholastic performance will both suffer if you are
overburdened, so be honest with yourself about how much you can accomplish. Do not
forget to leave time in your schedule for study outside the class hours and class
preparation. Consult your 2010-2011 HCCS Student Handbook for additional details.
When beginning a new chapter, I recommend that you read through it quickly the first
time, just to give yourself a good feel for what it is about. I you are really on the job
you will have done this before the class lecture on the chapter! You will understand
what's going on in class much better if you do this.
Study Skills: Good study skills are essential for college study. Reading all assigned
material is key to your success. Do not deceive yourself into believing that you can do well
in this course if you do not read the assigned material. Please ask me any questions you
might have as you work through the subject. Consider me a resource! Also, see
www.dushkin.com/online/ for additional study skills.
A
Remember that college level work requires a commitment of time and effort. The more you
put into it the better the results should be. Always treat this as you would a job!
Get a good, scientific calculator that has scientific notation ("EE" or "EXP" key), log,
ln, x2, , etc.
Review simple basic math Concepts.
Study groups can be very helpful. Keep the group small though, no more than three
or four people.
Finally, keep a positive attitude! Chemistry can be hard, but with the right attitude
and approach, you will succeed in mastering it!
I hope you find chemistry to be an interesting and rewarding subject which will not only be
useful in your academic major, but will give you a better insight into the many scientific
challenges we are facing today. I look forward to working with you this semester!
Laboratory Policy
on the first day of lab a safety video will be shown (about 35 min long). Each student will
then sign a statement affirming his or her commitment to following safe procedures in the
laboratory, and turn the form in to the instructor. You should be especially aware of the
need for adequate eye protection in the laboratory. Glasses or goggles must be worn at
all times during the laboratory period. Any student not wearing glasses or goggles after
the experiment has begun may be given a zero for that experiment! Experiments will be
performed in groups of up to three students each. Before you leave the lab, be sure to
show me your report so I can review and initial it
Each student should arrive at the lab on time, with his or her lab manual, or a Xerox of the
report sheet and the procedure if you are in a financial bind. Laboratory reports are due one
week after the experiment. Each report must be done individually, but of course you can
work with your lab partners on it. If you are not sure about a calculation or a particular
section, ask me about it! You would not believe how often I see absolutely wrong, even
ridiculous, answers copied over and over by other students from just one report! Each
report will be graded on a 100-point basis. Come to lab prepared. Read through the
experiment procedure beforehand and write the summary, also review the pre-lab questions
in the lab manual. You will be much better organized when doing the experiments, and your
laboratory experience will be much more rewarding!
TEXTBOOK: We will cover 10 chapters in the semester.
Tentative Lab and Exam Schedule:
1
Safety in the laboratory/ Syllabus discussed/
orientation
Jan 20
2
Lab 1
Feb 3
3
Lab 2
Feb 10
4
exam 1 review
Feb 17
5
Exam 1 and Home lab 1 (N)
Feb 24
6
Lab 3
March 2
7
Review for exam 2
March 9
8
Spring Break
March 16
9
Exam 2 (N) and Home lab 2 (N)
March 23
10
Lab 4
March 30
11
Lab 5 and Exam 3 Review
April 6
12
Exam 3
April 13
13
Lab 6 and 7
April 20
14
Review for Exam 4
April 27
15
Exam 4 Lab 15,Final Exam Review
May 3
16
Final Exam
May 10
.
Final Exam : Comprehensive Chapter 1-11
GRADE
DETERMINATION:
Your grade will be
determined by the
following
Exam #1
Exam #2
Key Chemistry
Concept
Exam #4
online review Sets
Pre-Lab and Postlab Worksheets,
& Lab Data Sheets
Final Exam
Comprehensive
Points
See objectives for
each key concept to
know which parts of
the chapters to read.
The study of
Chemistry, Atoms,
Molecules and
Chemical Rxn
Chapters 1,2,3
Chemical calculations
Chapters 4,6
Thermodynamics
Exam #3
Chapters/Study
Guide
100
12
100
12
Assessment and
review Set 2
Chapters 7,8
Molecular Geometry
and hybridization,
gases and
intermolecular forces
Reviews all material
Chapters
5,9,10
Over all basic
knowledge of
chemistry and
hands on learning
of working with
chemicals
Percent of Final
Average
Assessment and
review Set 1
Electronic structure,
Periodic relationship
Chemical bonding
Lab Work
Record
your score
here to keep
track:
100
12
100
12
100
12
100
20
100
20
Assessment
and review Set
3
The lab work
reinforces the
above concepts
and teaches
some
laboratory
skills.
Grade Determination:
1. TASP requirements should be satisfied prior to this course or the student will
automatically be dropped.
2. Instructional practices will help students enhance six basic intellectual competencies:
Reading, writing, speaking, listening, critical thinking, and computer skills.
3. A student must take four lecture tests and the Final Examination. In the event that
a student misses a lecture test, the Final Exam score will be counted as the score for the
missed test (one missed test only) and the final course grade will be calculated
accordingly.
4. The Final Examination will be cumulative and there will be no make- up test for the Final
Exam. Everyone is required to take the Final Exam.
5. There will be no makeup lab . Late lab reports will not be accepted. Lab reports are to
be completed individually.
6. Make up lecture tests will be made only if the student can document personal / family
illness or trauma, within seven days from the day of the test.
7. All policies as described in the current HCCS Student Handbook will be strictly
enforced. These include, but are not limited to policies regarding attendance, student
behavior, and scholastic dishonesty. Instructor can withdraw students with excessive
absence.
8. Any student with a documented disability who needs to arrange a reasonable
accommodation must contact the Disability Services Office at the respective college at the
beginning of each semester. Faculty is authorized to provide only the accommodations
requested by the office.
9. Last day for administrative student withdrawal: 10/31/14 Students remaining and
participating in class after the official withdrawal date will receive a grade. Instructor will
not withdraw these students. It is the responsibility of the students to withdraw themselves
by
89-100- A
79-88 - B
78-69 - C
59-68 - D
Below 59 - F