SELWYN HOUSE SCHOOL - COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
SENIOR SCHOOL
Course
Chemistry
Grade
11
Code
551-534
Periods/Cycle
5 (6 for Honors Science)
Teachers
Colin Boyle
Michael Downey
Ryan Curry
voicemail:2243
voicemail:2259
voicemail:2280
e-mail: boylecol@selwyn.ca
e-mail: downeym@selwyn.ca
email: curryr@selwyn.ca
Course Description
The course serves as a lead-in to post-secondary courses offered in CEGEP, Grade 12, or Prep
schools. It deals with the "why" behind concepts as well as the application of these concepts.
Major areas of study include: gases, energy from chemical reactions, speed of reactions,
equilibrium (including solubility), acids and bases, oxidation-reduction, and electrochemistry.
Those students taking Honors Chemistry will explore advanced topics including: extended Ideal
Gas Law problems, nuclear chemistry, reaction rate laws, solubility product, how buffer
solutions and indicators work, and electrolysis.
The course uses the problem-solving method of doing laboratory work where the students must
devise means of doing the experiments with minimal direction from the teacher.
Homework
25 lab reports done individually by each student. Each lab report takes, on average, about one
hour to complete.
6 assignments (covering the 6 units in the course). Each assignment, on average, takes about 3
hours. The majority of assignment questions will be done (on line) using Lon Capa.
Usually one period of class time per unit is given to students to work on their assignments
7-8 worksheets.
Each worksheet, on average, takes about one hour. Some class time is also given.
Evaluation
Term 1
60%
20%
10%
10%
tests
lab reports and lab tests
quizzes
assignments
Term 2
50%
30%
10%
5%
5%
exams (written and lab)
tests
lab reports and lab tests
quizzes
assignments
Texts and Resources
Textbook
Chemistry: Experimental Foundations,
Parry, R.W., Bassow, H., Merrill, P.,
Prentice-Hall Inc., Englewook Cliffs, NJ.
Videos
Classroom Videos- Reaction Rates, Equilibrium, Redox Reactions