Durfee High School
Advanced Placement Chemistry
Course Syllabus 2013 - 2014
Instructor: Mr. Steven D. Abdow
E-mail: sabdow@fallriverschools.org
Required Text:
Room Number: 412
Office hours M, Th, Fri 2:45 – 3:30 or by appointment
Chang 2010 Chemistry 10th Ed. McGraw Hill Higher Education
Secondary Text: Brown, LeMay & Bursten 2009. Chemistry: The Central Science. 11th
Ed. Person Prentice Hall. Upper Saddle River, NJ. or
Brady, Russell, & Holum 2000 Chemistry, Matter & Its Changes. 3rd Ed. John Wiley &
Sons. New York, NY
Supplemental: AP Chemistry Guided Inquiries Activities for the Classroom Fall 2013,
CollegeBoard AP Chemistry Resources CD
CollegeBoard AP Chemistry Workshop Handbook and Resources 2013 - 2014
Review Materials: AP exams from prior years will also be used to review free response problems and
Reactions as well as NMSI exams and quizzes. Livescribe files are also available on my
teacher website
Laboratory Materials: CollegeBoard AP Chemistry Guided – Inquiry Experiments
AP Chemistry Lab Protocols from NMSI
Overview: This course is open to any student who has completed a first year chemistry course. Students who
elected to enroll in this course were issued a summer break review assignment which covers topics covered
in their first year chemistry course. This review assignment covered such items as:
- Atomic structure and various histories of the atom
- Nomenclature of simple chemical compounds
- Writing formulas of simple chemical compounds
- Electronic structure and periodicity
- The mole concept
- Stoichiometry
- Gas laws
- Solutions and concentration
- Nuclear chemistry concepts
- Metric system and scientific notation
The first 2 weeks of the AP course will consist of a review of the summer assignment. This will provide
students a sound basis for the AP course. Students will be tested on the summer material.
Course Design: This challenging course will help students develop an organized approach to tackle the AP
curriculum. Students will be expected to work in study groups, actively participate in lab activities, perform
research projects, and develop an inquiry based approach to learning.
Course Requirements: To obtain credit for this course, students will be required to:
- Complete the assigned readings of text and outside material as designated by the instructor.
- Successfully complete all course labs, examinations, quizzes, and assignments.
- Effectively contribute in classroom discussions on relevant subject matter.
- Students are responsible for all class notes and handouts as well as text material.
- Students are expected to attend class fully prepared and work each day.
- Students are expected to contact the instructor in advance with schedule conflicts for any required work,
quizzes, tests and / or reports.
-
Students are expected to have a class notebook, writing tools, calculator, lab notebook, and safety
goggles.
Students are expected to comply with all school and classroom rules
Students are expected to check my website on a nightly basis
It is the student’s responsibility to check with the instructor for all missed work due to an EXCUSED
absence in a timely manner per the guidelines in the student handbook.
Grades and Grading: Numerical grades will be issued as per the guidelines of B.M.C. Durfee High School.
The grading categories and relative % weights are listed below:
Formative Assessments 1
Labs / w Report
Homework
Classwork
Total
1
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
100%
Formative assessments are as follows: quizzes TBD, exams TBD, Portfolio TBD
Course Policies: Regular attendance is expected of all students as per the guidelines of Durfee High
School. Any work missed due to unexcused absences or ejection from class may NOT be accepted and
will be assigned a zero grade or at the discretion of the teacher, will be graded at with a substantial
penalty. A zero grade will also be assigned for any type of academic dishonesty. There is no make-up work
for an unexcused absence, ejection from class, or academic dishonesty. All allowed make-up work due to
an excused absence, must be completed in a timely manner acceptable to the instructor. The instructor
reserves the right to alter any class component and / or policies. Such announcements may be made in
class or by other means. The student is responsible to stay aware of these changes. Students are
responsible to adhere to the classroom rules (see classroom rule sheet). Any administrative/scheduling
issues and/or general concerns should be communicated immediately to the instructor. This course has
a zero tolerance unauthorized electronic device policy.
Academic Dishonesty: Academic dishonesty in any manner will result in a zero grade for that particular
assignment. Additionally the student’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) will be notified of the infraction.
Book Policy: Students are responsible to return their school supplied text or repay the fair market value
at the end of the course. Any student who does not return the text in usable condition or replace the text
is subject to enforcement of the applicable school policy.
Homework & Assignments: Homework will be issued on a daily basis. It may consist of text reading, problem
assignments, topic research, the review manual, and / or previous AP exams. Homework will be reviewed the
following day. Students are to keep their homework assignments in their portfolio. It is strongly suggested that
students participate in study groups to facilitate the learning process. Students will also receive reaction sets
from prior AP exams. These reactions will be demonstrated for the students when possible. Students will be
expected to answer questions, write formulas, balance equations, and find patterns among these reactions.
Quizzes: There will be weekly quizzes to reinforce covered material.
Exams: These will be graded on the AP format and they will be cumulative in nature. They will take
approximately two periods.
Portfolio: This binder will contain he course syllabus, labs, tests & quizzes, handouts & special papers,
chapter overviews and miscellaneous sections. This information is to be organized in a sequential manner
from most recent to initial material
Labs: Approximately 12 “hands on” labs or investigations will be performed during the school year. All lab
data will be recorded in a separate lab notebook, labs are to be dated and signed by the student. Two types
of labs will be performed: Worksheet labs that will be completed during the lab and Formal labs that must be
typed, and are to include: lab title, pre-lab questions and concerns about the lab itself, purpose, data tables,
analysis of data and calculations, error analysis, suggestions for a “next time run” of the lab, and conclusions.
All lab reports are to be kept in the student’s portfolio under its own tabbed heading. There will be individual
as well as team lab report write-ups.
Scope and Sequence:
students’ request.
Posted NMSI scope and sequence will be followed. Copies are available at
Teaching Methods: Classroom lecture, laboratory experiments, interactive discussion, assignments
(individual and group), student research, handouts, videos, livescribe notes, and exams. Designated outside
reading to be completed by the student prior to lecture
Special Accommodations: Students with special needs should notify me ASAP to facilitate initiation of
accommodations.
Book Policy: Students are responsible to return their school supplied text or repay the fair market value
at the end of the course. Any student who does not return the text in usable condition or replace the text
is subject to enforcement of the applicable school policy.
PLEASE READ AND SIGN PERMISSION SHEET ON NEXT PAGE
IT IS TO BE RETURNED THE REMIANED IS TO BE KEPT BY THE STUDENT IN TEIR PORTFOLIO
NOTE: THIS SHEET IS TO BE SIGNED AND RETURNED TO THE INSTRUCTOR. THE STUDENT IS TO
KEEP THE REMAINDER OF THE SYLLABUS IN THEIR POSSESSION FOR REFERENCE.
Durfee High School
Agreement / Permission Sheet
Please sign and return to the instructor within the first week of classes. Thank you very much.
Parent / Guardian Agreement: Please sign below acknowledging that you have read all the information on
this syllabus and that you will do your part in assisting your child in successfully meeting all course
expectations and requirements.
Parent / Guardian signature ________________________________ Date: ______________
Parent / Guardian Permission: Please sign below acknowledging that you are hereby granting permission
for your child to actively participate in all laboratory experiments.
Parent / Guardian signature ________________________________ Date: ______________
Parent / Guardian Additional Help Permission: With your permission I will make myself available via email, website and / or other electronic means including telephones. This will allow for extra help
outside of normal school hours. If you would like to grant permission for this additional help, then
please sign below.
Parent / Guardian signature ________________________________ Date: ______________
Please list any special conditions or accommodations that I should be aware of below:
Parents please include your e-mail address and any special contact numbers below:
____________________________________________________________________________________
Student Agreement: Please sign below acknowledging that you have read all the information on this
syllabus and that you agree to meet all course expectations and requirements.
Student’s signature ________________________________ Date: ______________