Course Syllabus

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CHEM 3:

Introductory Inorganic Chemistry

 

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION:

CHEM 3 is a 3 unit that parallels a one-year high school course in Chemistry. Over the summer, it has 8 hours of lecture each week. The average student should expect to work a minimum of 17 hours outside of class to be successful. The course, in combination with CHEM 3L, is designed to prepare students for CHEM 1A. The prerequisite for CHEM 3 is Elementary Algebra (MATH 152).

The key goal in this course is to develop an atomic level understanding of everything you can observe or measure. 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

  • Office Hours:
    • Monday-Thursday: 7:00 - 8:00 am & 12:30 - 1:00 pm in LAB Room 610
    • If you can't meet during regularly scheduled office hours, please call or email me to make an appointment to meet outside of office hours.
  • Lecture: meets Mondays through Thursdays, from 10:20 am to 12:30 pm in Room 609.

 

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.

  • Four (4) ORANGE Parscore sheets (Form F 3652-PAR-L) for use on exams.
  • 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.

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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 topics covered, textbook readings, assignments and due dates can be found on the course homepage. Course grades will be calculated as follows:

Course Component Percentage of Grade
Exams 65 %
Quizzes 20 %
Challenge Problem Sets 10 %
Participation 5 %

Extra credit (no more than 3% of course grade) will be offered from time to time for completing course surveys, and will be announced on the announcements page of this website.

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: Exams, quizzes and weekly problem sets may NOT be made up and will NOT be accepted for late credit. 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.

 

  • EXAMS: Three Midterm Exams (150 points each) and one comprehensive Final Exam (200 points) will be given, for a total of 650 points (65 % of total course grade). Each exam will consist of multiple choice questions (scantron needed) and free response questions. The exam questions will be closely tied to the lecture slides, iClicker questions, challenge problem sets & quizzes. 

 

  • OPTIONAL PRACTICE PROBLEMS: Optional homework assignments from the textbook and worksheets related to the daily reading and lectures will be assigned and posted to the lecture schedule (highlighted in green). These problems will NOT be collected or graded, but still represent an important element of the course. As an incentive for completing these optional practice problems, similar questions will often be used on quizzes and exams.

 

  • QUIZZES: A short 5-10 minute quiz will be given at the start of each lecture covering the material from the previous class; these quizzes will be announced during the previous day of lecture, and will consist of multiple choice and/or free response questions and are designed to prepare you for the questions and format of the exams. The quiz questions will be closely related to the lecture slides, iClicker questions, weekly problem sets and helpful links from the course website. The three lowest quiz scores will be dropped and the remaining total will be normalized to 200 points (20% of the course grade).

 

  • CHALLENGE PROBLEM SETS: Daily practice is important to learning any new subject. Each week students will be assigned a series of challenge problem sets relating to the week's material in lecture. These assignments are computer graded on CANVAS and are due at 11:00 pm on the date listed on the course calendar (late work is not accepted). Students will be given 5 attempts at responding to each challenge problem set. In many cases, students will receive directed feedback if they get questions wrong. Despite the challenging nature of these questions, this approach should provide ample opportunity for improvement and full credit. If students haven't arrived at a correct answer after 3 attempts, attendance in office hours is highly recommended. The lowest 3 problem sets will be dropped. These challenge problem sets will help prepare students for the most advanced and difficult problems encountered on the exams. To be successful on the Challenge Problems, students should first work through the practice problems outlined below:
      • Optional homework assignments related to the daily readings will be assigned from the textbook; these textbook problems should be considered REQUIRED to be successful in the course, but will not be collected or graded.  As an incentive for completing the suggested problems, the reading and optional homework questions will be used to help generate quiz and exam questions.The weekly Review Materials will also be helpful for studying the most typical problems encountered on quizzes and exams.

 

  • PARTICIPATION: For full participation credit, a maximum of 50 points (5 % of the course grade) will be awarded as follows:
    •  In lecture, students will sometimes be asked to work in small groups (3-5 students per group) to solve multiple choice questions requiring critical thinking, and knowledge of chemistry. Each student will then submit their answer individually. Answers will be submitted and recorded with the iClicker remote response system Links to an external site.. These responses will NOT be graded for accuracy. Full credit is 50 points and you earn 3 points per lecture for responding to all questions. If you fail to respond to more than one iClicker question in a lecture, you will not receive credit for that day (0 points). To account for times you forget your remote & other technical difficulties,  the 5 lowest scores will be dropped and the total will be normalized to 50 points.
      • You are not allowed to enter responses for another student who is absent from class; if this behavior is observed, all students involved will receive a 0 for their participation grade.
      • Students are responsible for maintaining the batteries and returning a functional iclicker remote. Grade submission is contingent upon return of the remote; students who don't return the remote will receive an incomplete (I). 

 

 

  • 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.

 

SCHEDULE & IMPORTANT DATES:

CHEM 3 over the summer is a 6 week course (including the week of Final Examinations). The complete listing of topics covered, textbook 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 Course Dates 

Important Event

Date
To receive course refund, withdraw by: Wednesday, June 15th
Last day to drop without receiving a "W" Sunday, June 19th
Midterm Exam 1: Tuesday, June 21st
 Midterm Exam 2:  Thursday, June 30th
 Midterm Exam 3: Wednesdays, July 13th
Last day to drop without letter grade:   Tuesday, July 12th
 COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EXAMINATION: Thursday, July 21st, 10:20 am -12:30 pm in Room 609 

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