Honors Chemistry Grading Policy
Mr. Rogers
Grading: Each semester will consists of test, quizzes, lab reports, homework, classwork, and
individual/group projects. Your grade will be tabulated based on a total points system. This means
that every assignment given is worth a set amount of points. To determine your grade I will take the
total amount of points you have earned over the course of the semester and divide it by the total
number of possible points. This system is very straightforward and will let you always know what
your grade is in my class. The following table shows a working example of this system:
Assignment
Ions Worksheet
Quiz: polyatomic Ions
Lab Report: Cations &
Anions
HW: Ion questions
Test: All about Ions
Earned Points
15
24
46
Possible Points
20
30
50
8
98
10
112
191/222 = 86% B NOTE: The total amount of points possible each marking period will vary.
Assignment Types:
Tests: Test will be assigned at the end of every major chapter/unit that we cover in class. Tests
will consist of problem solving questions, short answers, and open ended responses. (I’m not a big
fan of multiple choice. Sorry!) For tests you will be provided with a periodic table of the elements
which you can use as a resource throughout the test. Each test will be announced at least 4 school
days prior to when it is given. Tests will always be worth at least 75 points, and will be based on the
amount of information covered in the chapter. Chemistry by nature is a cumulative science, always
building on what we have covered earlier in the year, and therefore this means that the majority of
our tests will be cumulative in nature as well. By the end of the semester they will account for about
25-35% of the total grade.
Quizzes: There will be both announced and unannounced quizzes. Some will let you use your
(only your) class notes, others will allow you only the use of the periodic table. A quiz will be worth a
minimal of 15 points, and a maximum of 50 points. By the end of the semester the quizzes will
account for about 5-10% of the total grade
Lab Reports: There are two types of lab reports you will do for this class. The first, and easier
type, requires you to fill out a lab data sheet during the lab and answer questions that will help guide
you through what you should have learned from the lab. The second type of lab report you will do in
our class is a formal lab write-up in which you will hand in a typed lab report summarizing all data
and things you have learned. We will go over exactly how to write up a formal lab and what is
expected of you before the first lab is assigned. For the most part lab reports will be due before the
next lab day. The majority of labs we do in Honors Chemistry are inquiry based labs. This means that
you will be doing the lab to discover, learn, experience something on your own and there may not be
explicit directions on how to carry out the lab or that there may be questions that go with the lab that
require you to think about topics we have talked about, research on your own, and apply multiple
concepts at one time. By the end of the semester labs will account for about 35-40% of the grade. This
means that this category is the one that has the most influence on your grade.
Homework: Homework will be worth between 5-25 points (based on difficulty and length of
assignment) and will be collected on the day specified by me. Homework is graded on whether or
not it has been completed NOT whether the answers are correct or not, because of this policy NO
LATE HOMEOWRK will be given credit. Homework for the week will be posted on my schoolwires
website but remember whatever is said in class always takes precedent. Homework will account for
about 10-15% of the grade by the end of the semester.
Activities: Throughout the course of the semester we will be doing activities in class to help
reinforce topics/ideas or introduce you to new facets of chemistry. The directions, point values, and
due dates for these items will vary based on what they are but for the most part you can think of
these assignments as mini labs, where we take part of the day to investigate new topics. Due dates
will always be posted on schoolwires, and be reiterated in class by myself. By the end of the semester
these activities will account for about 10-20% of your final grade.
Individual/Group Projects: From time to time we will engage in independent or group
projects both in class and on your own time. These projects will have varying point values and
directions which will be discussed as they come along. You will always be given a handout on the
project with due date and with a rubric attached on how you will be graded.
Extra Credit: The ONLY guaranteed extra credit I give will be one 2 point bonus question on
each test or formal quiz you take in my class. Please do not ask for extra credit assignments, just
assume there will never be any.
Late work: As stated above NO Late Homework will be accepted but I will still be happy to go
over it with you to help you understand the material. Late classwork will follow the same policy as
homework. . All other late assignments (other than homework) will lose 10% of the total points each
day until the 5th day, after the 5th day a grade of “0” will be entered.
Absent: If you are absent you will have as many days as you were absent to make up the
work. That is if you are absent for three days, you will have three days to make up the missing work.
After that the late work policy will be employed. Missed tests or quizzes MUST, MUST, MUST be
made up within this time. (In the above example a missed test or quiz must be made up within three
days.) If the test/quiz is not made up in this time a grade of “0” will be entered.
Final Grade: Your final grade will be tabulated using the current school approved system
which takes into account your 2 semester grades and your final exam grade.