South Orange & Maplewood School District
Level Distinctions Document
Chemistry
Skills
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
Habits of mind
– note taking
skills, ability to
work
independently,
organizational
skills, and
working
ahead.
At this academic level
students are taught
the value of note
taking, as well as
methods to take
notes in an organized
manner.
Students in this
academic level are
more inclined to
perform note taking
in class and can
demonstrate abilities
to work ahead and do
homework on a
regular basis.
At this level students
are expected to be
able to use sound
note taking
techniques and see
note taking as one of
the ingredients of
academic success.
Students exhibit the
highest of
organizational skills.
Notes are carefully
constructed with
examples and
appropriate
annotations. Students
independently strive
for accuracy, knowing
that their notes will
serve as a tool
throughout the
course.
Students in this
academic level
typically find it
difficult to work
ahead, read
independently,
complete homework
consistently and
study strategically.
There is an emphasis
on helping students
to develop good
study habits.
Daily routing includes
the development of
other organizational
skills regarding
organization of
materials and coming
to class prepared.
Students are
reminded to seek
help early in the
process rather than
wait to be asked if
they need help. This
is a fundamental shift
in thinking for some
students.
Daily routine includes
the taking of accurate
and useful notes. It is
expected that
students will come to
class prepared
without more than
the occasional
reminder.
Homework
completion is
expected at this level,
though the load is not
as demanding as it is
in higher levels of the
course.
Students are
encouraged to seek
help when needed,
but often do so
without such
reminders.
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Homework
completion is
expected at this level.
The volume and
complexity of
homework is greater
in this level than in
levels 2 & 3.
Students at this level
often seek help
without reminders.
Students have the
ability to work
independently,
especially once given
the opportunity to be
exposed to
demonstration
lessons in class.
Students at this level
rarely need any
prompting to do
homework or take
notes.
These students
exhibit the ability to
work ahead, i.e.,
homework is assigned
before it is discussed
in class, requiring
students to explore
independently.
Students often form
their own study
groups and teach
each other.
South Orange & Maplewood School District
Skills
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
 Mathematics
skills I –These
cover a
number of
different
areas
including:
 simple
arithmetic
through basic
algebra,
advanced
algebra,
geometry,
pre-calc and
statistics;
 number sense
and the ability
to estimate;
 ability to work
in symbolic
notation
rather than
solely in
numbers;
 order of
operations;
 understanding
exponents
 graphing and
grasping the
meaning of a
graph



Teachers spend time
reinforcing the
necessary
mathematical skills
used in chemistry
with students on a
regular basis.
Students can
generally handle
basic arithmetic and
simple algebra.
Mathematics that
involve, order of
operations, use of
exponents, and
calculator use are
generally more
challenging and are
part of direct
instruction at this
level.
The application of
math tools such as
a*(b + c) = a*b + a*c
and a*(b/c) = (a/c)*b
is also taught.
It is expected that
students will have a
good grasp of basic
algebra.
It is expected that
students will have a
thorough grasp of
algebraic concepts
such as the use of
scientific notation,
exponents,
logarithms,
estimation and
number sense.
It is expected that
students in this level
have a thorough
grasp of math
content necessary for
the course. Students
are enrolled in precalculus or level 5
algebra, and a
number take AP
Calculus.
Creating and
understanding the
physical meaning of a
graph.
Students often rely
on the use of a
calculator to
complete
mathematical
functions.
While symbolic
notation is
challenging, students
are able to learn to
execute simple
manipulation of
algebraic quantities.
Students have a
general facility with
order of operations,
exponents and the
associative and
distributive laws, use
of line and Quadratic
graphs
It is expected that
early in the course,
students are able to
plot a graph and use
proper scaling,
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Students are
expected to have
facility with symbolic
notation and to
follow more complex
algebraic derivations
and solve much more
complex problems.
Students enrolled in
Level 4 are usually in
4 level math as well.
Order of operations
and the
understanding of
exponents and the
associative and
distributive laws are
an integral part of the
course.
Students will be
taught the physical
interpretation of
both linear and
quadratic graphs
Students are
expected to have
mastered linear and
quadratic equations,
symbolic notation
and complex
algebraic derivations,
scientific notation,
exponents,
logarithms,
estimation and
number sense
It is expected that
students have facility
with basic trig
functions and will
gain understanding in
the use of trig inverse
function.
South Orange & Maplewood School District
Skills
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
Mathematics
skills II –This
covers strategies
to solve problems
including word
problems. This
element crosses
over into reading
skills.
It is understood that
students may be
challenged by word
problems. Teachers
at this level work
with students to
dissect the meaning
of word problems,
especially those with
multiple steps to
finding solutions.
Students are also
taught how to
translate word
problems into a
visual context such
as a graph or
symbols used in
Chemistry.
This level assumes
students have more
skill in translating
word problems into
actionable steps.
Students are able to
translate word
problems into a
visual context such
as a graph or
symbols used in
Chemistry.
This level assumes
that students will
quickly grasp how to
translate words and
phrases into symbols
used in formulas,
interpret multi-step
problems and
translate word
problems into visual
context.
This level assumes
that students will
quickly grasp how to
translate words and
phrases into symbols
used in formulas,
interpret multi-step
problems and
translate word
problems into visual
context.
Mathematical
Chemistry
involves problems
which requires
students to read,
translate words
into symbols and
then into
relations and then
solve the
problem.
Students are
generally able to
analyze the problems
and apply the
appropriate relations
which may require
considerable algebra
or trig to solve.
This is
summarized as
conceptualization.
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