Course Syllabus

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CHEM 3L:

Laboratory for Introductory Inorganic Chemistry

 

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION:

CHEM 3L is a 1 unit laboratory course that parallels a one-year high school lab course in Chemistry. It consists of 1 meeting per week, 3 hours 5 minutes per meeting for 15 weeks. The course, in combination with CHEM 3, is designed to prepare students for CHEM 1A. To be enrolled in CHEM 3L, students must have successfully completed or be concurrently enrolled in CHEM 3 (lecture component). Students who drop CHEM 3 lecture must withdraw from CHEM 3L as well.

The key goal in this course is to develop an atomic level understanding of everything you can observe or measure. As a practical application of chemistry, you will learn the fundamentals of small scale laboratory technique while studying the properties of matter, gas laws, acid-base reactions, precipitations, redox reactions and other inorganic transformations.  Rather than focusing on the memorization of facts and algorithms (while this may sometimes be necessary), the primary objective will be to make predictions and provide explanations. Specifically, you will be building knowledge of chemistry, and developing an understanding of the scientific process in general.

 

 Zerubba Levi, Chemistry Professor

Office: 614-A

E-mail: zerubba.levi@cabrillo.edu

Phone: (831) 477-3230

  • Laboratory: 
    • Section 1 (91318 meets on Mondays from 8:00 am to 11:05 am in Room 610.
    • Section 2 (91319) meets on Tuesdays from 11:15 am to 2:20 pm in Room 610.
    • Section 3 (91321) meets on Wednesdays from 2:30 pm to 5:35 pm in Room 610.
    • Section 4 (91320) meets on Thursdays from 11:15 am to 2:20 pm in Room 610.

 

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION:

Materials and supplies can be purchased from the Cabrillo Bookstore (see website Links to an external site.) or through an online supplier where available.

  • A NON-PROGRAMMABLE scientific calculator. Cell phones, or other devices that can store information or access the internet, may NOT be used on quizzes or exams.
  • Safety glasses.
  • Chem 3 Lab Manual: available in print at PrintSmith [8047 Soquel Drive, Aptos, CA 95003-3928, phone #: (831) 688-1538], or for FREE on the course website.

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of this course, students should be able to:

  1. ANALYZE major chemical reactions and PREDICT outcomes of simple chemical reactions from given reactants.
  2. WRITE reactions with correct chemical names, formulas and balanced chemical equations.
  3. SOLVE stoichiometry problems and unit conversion problems with appropriate conversion factors and significant figures.

 

ASSESSMENT & GRADING:

The complete listing of experiments, topics covered, pre-lab readings, assignments and due dates can be found on the course homepage. Course grades will be calculated as follows:

COURSE COMPONENT PERCENTAGE OF GRADE
Pre-Lab Quizzes 20%
Post-Lab Questions 30%
Lab Practical 30%
Lab Notebook 10%
Scholarship 10%

Letter grades will be assigned according to the cutoffs below:

LETTER GRADE A B C D F
Course Percentage 90.-100% 80.-89% 70.-79% 60.-69% <60.%

MAKE-UP POLICY: Lab work (including PRE-Lab quizzes, POST-lab questions, scholarship points & the final lab practical) may NOT be made-up under ANY circumstances. When a singular schedule conflict exists, students may attend a different lab section, ONLY IF: 1) space is available, and 2) consent is received from the instructor PRIOR to an experiment.

In the event of an extremely unusual circumstance that prevents you from coming to a class (such as a major illness, traffic accident, or family death) you are required to notify me BEFORE the class and turn in proof of your circumstance (such as a police report, doctor's note, obituary or funeral pamphlet) as soon as possible. Proof of your special circumstance must include the date of the incident and a phone number that I can use to verify your absence. 

Assignments will NOT be accepted for credit by email submission.

 

LABORATORY WORK: 

Laboratory work is intended to familiarize you with basic laboratory techniques, encourage exploration of the process of scientific inquiry, and illustrate concepts of chemistry. Learning in a chemistry laboratory involves hands-on training relying on a combination of theoretical understanding and practical skills. For this reason, ATTENDANCE IN CHEM 3L IS REQUIRED. Students who miss MORE THAN 3 lab periods will not pass this lab course.

    • The Download Cabrillo College Laboratory Safety Rules will be enforced at all times. Students who refuse to obey these rules will be asked to leave the laboratory. 
      • You must come to lab with the proper attire (close toed shoes and long pants) or you may be asked to leave and forfeit the points for that day. If the instructor deems your attire safe even though you are not properly dressed you may be allowed to complete the lab with a 30% deduction in your grade for the day.
      • There is absolutely no eating or drinking in lab. Eating or drinking in lab will result in your dismissal from lab, or a 30% deduction in your grade for the day.
      • You must wear safety glasses at all times unless your instructor specifies otherwise. If you are in lab without you safety glasses on you will receive a 30% deduction in your grade for the day.
      • Important safety and disposal information is often covered at the start of each lab. For this reason, you must arrive to lab ON TIME. If you are late for the period, you may miss the pre-lab quiz, and at the discretion of the instructor, may not be allowed to perform the scheduled experiment. 

PRE-LAB QUIZZES: 

    • BEFORE coming to the laboratory: For each new experiment, students must read and understand both the background information and the experimental procedure, and prepare their laboratory notebooks accordingly Download following the rules outlined here.
    • To assess students' level of preparation, pre-lab quizzes will periodically be given at the beginning of the lab period. You must arrive to lab on time to take the quiz. If you are late for the period, you may not be allowed to perform the pre-lab quiz or the scheduled experiment. The lowest 2 pre-lab quizzes will be dropped, and the remaining total will be normalized to 20% of the course grade.

LAB NOTEBOOK:

POST-LAB QUESTIONS:

    • Many (but not all) of the lab experiments will include assigned post-lab questions. These assignments, covering the core concepts from each experiment, are computer graded on CANVAS and are due the next lab day after the experiment is finished. To accommodate emergencies or illness, the lowest 2 post-lab assignments will be dropped, and the remaining total points possible will be normalized to 30% of the course grade.
    • For some experiments, you may be collecting and sharing data with a partner. HOWEVER, you must do your own calculations and formulate your own conclusions for each experiment. Please refer to the section on Academic Integrity below for more information.

SCHOLARSHIP:

    • This assessment involves approaching the course as a scholar, adult and professional while not hindering the instruction of others. Scholarship includes being punctual, prepared, courteous, cooperative, and SAFE. Point loss in this category is frequently associated with regular tardiness, disrupting lab in anyway, leaving your lab bench or equipment messy, or anything else I deem detrimental to learning. Any unsafe behavior in lab will result in a warning, possibly accompanied by the loss of the lab scholarship points. For each lab there are 10 scholarship points possible; points will only be deducted in the event of unsafe or unprofessional behavior. The two lowest lab period scholarship points will be dropped and the remaining total will possible will be normalized to 100 points. My assumption is the majority of students will receive 100% of these points without incident.
    • Absence from a lab period results in a 0 for scholarship points that day.

EXTRA CREDIT:

For each day a student attends office hours and asks course related questions, 1 point of extra credit will be earned for up to 15 points (1.5% of total course grade). Students must sign in to the office hour log to receive these points.

FINAL LAB PRACTICAL:

    • A cumulative laboratory practical consisting of material covered throughout the semester will be given on the last day of lab, worth 300 points. To encourage careful observations and thorough data analysis, students will be allowed to use their lab notebook on the lab practical.

 

SCHEDULE & IMPORTANT DATES:

CHEM 3L is a 15 week laboratory course. The complete listing of experiments, topics covered, pre-lab readings, assignments and due dates can be found on the course homepage. Please be advised that it is your responsibility to ensure your schedule is open during exam times listed below. It is also your responsibility to submit to the Admissions Office the necessary paperwork for adding and dropping a course; failure to do so can result in you not being officially enrolled or having an "F" grade appear on your permanent record.

IMPORTANT DEADLINE DATE
First Lab Meeting--Attendance REQUIRED Monday, January 25th
Deadline to drop with a refund Saturday, February 6th
Deadline to drop without a "W" Sunday, February 7th
Deadline to drop with a "W" (without a letter grade) Saturday, April 23rd
Final Lab Practical Last Week of Lab: May 9th-12th 

The above schedule is subject to change. It may be changed as the class progresses to allow for the extension or abbreviation of certain material. Please see the course calendar for an up-to-date listing of exam times and assignment deadlines.

 

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS:

If you are serious about being successful in this course, Download  I highly recommend you read and adopt these study tips discussed in this link.

 This advice could very well apply to any course or subject you choose to learn.

Below, I've outlined some of my own thoughts on learning, as well as highlighted valuable resources we have available at Cabrillo.

  • INDEPENDENT STUDY: To thoroughly learn the concepts of chemistry (or any subject for that matter), you must be an actively engaged and dedicated learner. This means you must do more than simply listen to an instructor in lecture, review lecture slides, and watch videos. To improve your independent study skills, I would encourage the following practices:
    • After reading a page or paragraph in the textbook, try to explain the concept IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Science textbooks are not like fictional literature. It may sometimes be necessary to re-read, and re-re-read a section to understand the material. When you can't understand a complex sentence break it down into smaller pieces and try to understand each of the components. Ask questions about how something could be proved or tested. Reading in this way can be slow and frustrating, but it will help lead you to a deeper understanding than if you just skimmed the material. 
    • Try to arrange your schedule so you can read the assigned textbook sections BEFORE coming to lecture. This way you have already been exposed to the terminology and concepts before I try to explain them as best as I can. Studying chemistry can be like learning a new language, and you need practice reading it on your own.
    • After lecture, spend the time going over practice problems. Try to work through questions without reference to the lecture slides, readings, or an answer key. Only when you are stumped should you consult external materials. Remember, you are trying to train yourself to solve problems independently. That being said, group work can be a powerful component to learning and retaining new concepts.

  • GROUP STUDY: You will often be asked to make study groups during lecture and lab time.  I recommend forming study groups to work outside of class time as well. Success in science and math is increased by active study and discussion with peers. Take group discussions as an opportunity to listen to how other people understand and explain concepts; this can lend new perspective. At the same time, try to offer your own explanations for difficult concepts. Trying to teach material to others can solidify your understanding or can help you pinpoint areas that you still don't entirely grasp.

 

CAMPUS RESOURCES:

  • OPEN ACCESS COMPUTER LAB: Students may use the Open Access Computer labs for word processing, Internet access, and printing. The Open Access Labs are located in the Library, the Aptos CTC (Building 1400) Watsonville CTC (Room WatA310) and the Watsonville ILC (Room WatA210).
  • MESA Center  Links to an external site.is in the 800 Building, phone: (831) 479-5785. They have free tutors, workshops, internet access and food! Study for your Math, Science, and Engineering at the MESA lab with your fellow classmates in a comfortable, casual atmosphere.

MESA is a nationally recognized program that has been assisting students in preparing for careers in math-based fields for over 40 years at certain high schools, universities, and community colleges in California. Cabrillo's MESA Program has its home in the MESA Study Center, now located in the new STEM Center on the top floor of the 800 Building. There the following services are provided to ALL Cabrillo students:

  • Academic Excellence Workshops where participating students meet twice a week to sharpen skills and improve understanding for selected math, physics, or engineering courses;
  • A study center equipped with computers, science-related software, and a small reference library of science and math books;
  • Drop-in and group tutoring in math and sciences provided by math and science professionals and by students, and
  • The opportunity to be a member of a supportive community of students all working toward transfer in a science, engineering or math major.

To those students who qualify for MESA membership, there are many more services and opportunities that are offered to ensure their successful transfer in science, engineering and math majors;

  • Academic counseling by a designated MESA counselor to establish and update education plans,
  • Scholarships, internships, leadership retreats, summer research programs;
  • Field trips to industry sites, science museums, and prospective transfer universities;
  • Long-term calculator, computer, and locker checkouts;
  • Sponsored student travel to professional conferences and
  • Free printing and copying in the Center.

To qualify for MESA membership, students must be working toward transfer in a math, engineering or science major; they must be eligible for financial aid and they must have some educational obstacle, such as being the first in their families to attend college. To find out more, come by the MESA Study Center in the STEM Center in the 800 Building, call (831) 479-6503, or use our website shortcut: www.cabrillomesa.org Links to an external site..

  • THE MATHEMATICS LEARNING CENTER Links to an external site.: The Math Learning Center (MLC) is a free drop-in math tutoring service for Cabrillo College math students and students taking courses having math prerequisites. The MLC was created to help students develop an ability to tackle math problems on their own. By logging into the MLC database, students may request and receive help within minutes. Some of the ways in which students receive help are:
    • clarifying and applying basic math concepts
    • test taking and study skills
    • understanding applications
    • problem solving skills
    • interpreting solutions
    • organizing information
    • analyzing errors
    • connecting new knowledge to existing knowledge
    • using resources (books, notes, calculators, Internet, computers and mobile devices)
    • building confidence

When requesting help, individual tutors go to where students are studying. There is no line to wait in and students are helped in the order in which they request help. To reduce waiting time, each student is often helped with one or two problems before the tutor moves on to the next student. This gives students an opportunity to apply what they just learned to similar or new problems on their own; however, there is no limit to the number of times students may request help. Students may see how busy the MLC is by visiting the webpage: www.mlc.polyhedraldesign.com Links to an external site..

In addition to tutoring, students may use their Cabrillo Library Card to check out calculators, laptops*, textbooks, textbook videos, various learning software packages and a biofeedback system for managing math anxiety. These materials are available for use in the MLC. Also provided are exam review sessions and study sessions when coordinated with the instructor. To use the MLC during the semester, please visit the Center in room 1074 and register for services. For additional information about the MLC, call (831) 477-5696 or visit the website at www.cabrillo.edu/services/mlc Links to an external site..

  • FOR DSPS ACCOMMODATIONS: As required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), accommodations are provided to insure equal opportunity for students with verified disabilities. Students needing accommodations should contact the instructor as soon as possible with documentation from the Learning Skills or DSPS offices.  For more information, please contact Disabled Student Services Links to an external site., Room 810, phone: (831) 479-6379, or the Learning Skills Program Links to an external site., Room 1073, phone: (831) 479-6220.

 

CONDUCT & ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: If you are late to lecture or need to leave early, please be courteous enough to do so quietly. Any unauthorized use of cell phones and computers (including emailing, texting, surfing the web, and playing games) during lecture or lab is considered disrespectful towards the instructor and other students. If phone or computer use becomes distracting to other students or to me, I will ask you to leave the classroom. 

It is your responsibility to understand what constitutes academic dishonesty in accordance with the Cabrillo College Academic Integrity Policy Links to an external site.. If you are caught cheating or plagiarizing at any time, then your violation will be reported and you will receive an F for that assignment or assessment (0 points). If you are caught cheating or plagiarizing a second time, you will receive an F for the course.

Any smart phones or other electronic devices (other than calculators) shall not be visible during any quiz or test. Failure to have devices out of sight will forfeit your grade for that assessment, and may lead to disciplinary action.

Course Summary:

Date Details Due