Welcome to Chemistry

Welcome to… Chemistry Mrs. Wathen – Room 2403 (281)641-6660 [email protected]

Welcome to Chemistry! Chemistry is in everything that we see and do. We will be looking at what is happening to all the matter around us and how it can change in an instant given the right conditions. The first semester we will be building the framework of Chemistry and the basics of what everything is made of and how it works including properties and changes in matter, atoms, the periodic table, elements, and basic compounds and reactions. This is a very cumulative course and requires that you retain the information from the 1st semester for the 2nd semester. We will use this knowledge base to understand moles, stoichiometry, states of matter, energy, chemical changes, rates of reactions, acids and bases, and hydrocarbons.

Class Materials 1. Textbook: Chemistry: Matter and Changes, Glenco; McGraw-Hill . Online Edition: Go to: http://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/science/ose/index.html Username: CM&C Password: bRanuC7uvA 2. Folder or Binder: You will need some kind of folder or binder in order to keep yourself organized for Chemistry. Since the material in Chemistry is cumulative, your chapter notes will be a great resource throughout the year. You must save all chapter notes and bring them to class everyday! Quizzes and homework may be discarded at the end of each 6 weeks. 3. Pen, Pencil, & Highlighter: You must have a working pen, pencil, and highlighter everyday in Chemistry. Borrowing from a classmate on a daily basis is not acceptable. 4. Supplies: We are asking that you bring a few supplies for the class so that we have the things we need to be able to do our lab activities throughout the year. Please bring one of each of the following: 1 roll of paper towels, 1 box of Kleenex, and 1 of the following: 1 bottle of hand sanitizer or 1 bottle of soap.

General Classroom Rules 1. My #1 rule is always be respectful of the teacher, others, and all property! This includes your attitude and speech to be uplifting and kind at all times. 2. Please get to class on time! Tardies are strictly enforced and will be handled by your Assistant Principal. My rule is that you must be all the way inside the classroom door when the tardy bell rings. Tardies accumulate for the entire semester and may result in a loss of semester exam exemption status. 3. Be prepared! Please bring your folder/binder, pen, pencil, and highlighter to class everyday. You will not be allowed to go to your locker once the bell has rung, so please don’t ask! 4. You are responsible for leaving your desk and lab area in tip top condition. Please do not write on desk tops or lab tables. 5. You are responsible for your own work. Cheating will NOT be tolerated. In my classroom, cheating includes both the giving and receiving of information on anything that requires individual effort. This includes exams, lab write-ups, homework assignments, quizzes, lab drawings, and projects. Any instances of cheating will result in a zero on the assignment, a Saturday class, and an “U” in conduct. I will also notify your parent(s) immediately. 6. All school rules apply in our classroom.

Class Website: www.humble.k12.tx.us Go to the Humble ISD website listed above. Click on the link for campuses, and then select Kingwood Park High School. Once you are on the Kingwood Park web page, find the link for faculty web pages. Lastly, click on Wathen, Lisa. You will need (and want  ) to reference this web site quite frequently to check for announcements, test dates, upcoming assignments, chapter outlines, final exam reviews, worksheets, etc. I will try to post most of my material on my website, so if you ever lose/forget something, check here before you ask me for a new copy!

Class Work and Make-ups 1. All homework should be turned in to the appropriate class period tote tray upon entering the classroom. Assignments turned in on the due date, but after the beginning of class will be considered late. Even if an assignment is late, it is still good to do it because it will only benefit you in preparing for the test. 2. Each student will be provided with ONE copy of each handout – if you lose or misplace a handout, you will either have to download the document from my website or make a copy from a classmate. 3. If you are absent, please refer to the weekly calendar (in class) or to my web site to see the assignments you missed. Then, either see me for any handouts you might have missed, or download them from my web site. If you missed notes, you are responsible for either copying notes from a classmate, or coming before/after school to copy them from me. In addition, if you are absent for a lab activity, it is your responsibility to schedule a time to make up the lab. The number of days you were absent for is also the number of days you have to make up your missed work. 4. If you are absent for a test, a make-up test must be taken within one week of the absence. Make- up tests for science will be administered in room ______on Tuesday afternoons from2:40 – 3:30, or Wednesday mornings from 6:30 – 7:17. If you are unable to attend a Tuesday or Wednesday make-up session, please come see me so we can set up a time that will work – as long as it is taken within one week of the date of the absence. Failure to make up a test within one week of an absence will result in an automatic zero. Tests/Tutoring 1. Tests may cover information from one or more chapters. The material for your tests will come primarily from the class notes; however, information from the text, worksheets and labs may also be included. My tests are designed to challenge your higher level thinking skills through a variety of question types; including multiple choice, matching, fill-in-the-blank, and essays. 2. Tutoring will be held on Tuesdays at 6:45 am and Wednesdays at 2:40 pm or by appointment. Please come to tutoring with specific questions, and I will do my best to explain and re-explain until you understand the material. This time is designed to help you work through areas of difficulty so that you gain an understanding of the material. I do not hold test review sessions!

Grades 1. Your grade in Chemistry will be determined according to the following formula: Tests = 60% of six weeks grade Daily + labs = 40% of six weeks grade

2. Semester exams count 20% of your semester average in high school. You may choose to exempt two exams per semester, although the same exam cannot be exempted both semesters. In order to exempt a semester exam, all of the following criteria must be met: a. 80 average for the 3 six week grading periods b. 3 absences or less per semester c. 1 or no Saturday classes per semester