Information For Parents of Students in all LCHS Chemistry I Classes

1. How do I contact my child’s chemistry teacher?

2. What is the focus of Chemistry this year?

3. What can I do to help my child succeed in Chemistry?

4. What is expected of my child in Chemistry?

5. What about grading?

 

Please contact your child’s chemistry teacher if you have any worries or concerns or just need some information.

Jan Carroll Weir
Science Department Chairman
Instructional Technology Specialist
email: janweir@msdlt.k12.in.us  

Mrs. Weir can tutor before school daily.

Greta Muprhy
email: gretamurphy@msdlt.k12.in.us 

Mrs. Murphy can tutor after school daily.

 

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What is the focus of Chemistry this year?

Basically, we will focus on:

1. Knowledge leads to understanding
2. Personal accountability for learning
3. How to study
4. Proper problem solving technique as it relates to the application of mathematics
5. How to use a science textbook for understanding

Chemistry is often the most challenging course that students take as Juniors.  But, students will learn skills that will help them in their other classes -- especially college prep classes.  Students who have successfully completed Chemistry often come back and tell us that Chemistry was one class that best prepared them for the rigors of college -- even students who never again took another science class!

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We understand that chemistry can be hard and that many parents cannot recall what chemistry they have learned immediately to help their child. We have tried our best to provide all the academic assistance that we can through class activities, handouts, tutoring (both before school and after school), and the website. The main thing that parents can do is to provide support and show interest. Parents can encourage their child and keep in close communication to monitor successes and failures. Parents need to be sure to check webgrades (LTOnline) on a routine basis! Parents can provide a place for study in the home where interruptions and distractions are at a minimum and, if it is necessary, the child can be monitored to keep them on task. Parents should also review the FAQ page (http://www.weironline.net/chemcentral/FAQ.html) for students on the ChemCentral website.

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Chemistry I is a course designed for those students wishing to be prepared for college and it will be taught with that in mind. Homework will be assigned daily. Your child is expected to show initiative in his/her study habits, meaning he/she is to be responsible for learning. We will provide your child with the activities, experiences, sources of information and practice necessary to learn the content, but we will not learn the material for them. Your child needs to study the objectives on a regular basis (daily is suggested) and not just when a quiz or test is assigned. A real student studies daily and then reviews before tests or quizzes.

Chemistry I is a lab-oriented course and as such does require students to be mature and self-disciplined (the teachers have only two eyes, both in the front of their heads like everyone else, and cannot be at all places at all times). We will try to reduce as much of the danger as possible, but we will be working with open flames, corrosive acids and bases and with glassware that can break. For this reason, it is necessary for a parent or guardian and student to sign a form with the intent to follow the laboratory rules to keep the environment safe for all. (This should have been completed by the second week of school and prior to the first experiment.) A copy of it can be accessed here.

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The MSDLT high school grading scale will be used.

All work done will be assigned a certain number of points. Grades at the end of each six weeks will be on a straight percentage basis which is then translated into the letter grades above. Approximate percentages distribution for determination of six week grade:

· Exams and Tests and Quizzes 60%

· Homework or other assigned work 20%

· Labs 20%  NOTE: In the chemistry lab, latex products are used (latex rubber aprons, foam rubber, rubber rings on different devices, balloons, etc.).  If your student has a latex allergy, BE SURE TO CONTACT THE TEACHER so we can work out a feasible and reasonable plan.

A computer grade book package is used to record and calculate grades. Webgrades will be routinely posted on LTOnline web site.  If parents have never logged onto their LTOnline account, click here for directions. Thus, grades at the end of the six weeks and the semester should never be a "surprise."

Exams will contain typically combination of multiple choice and free response questions. Student handbook rules will be followed for makeup of all exams. It is the student's responsibility to schedule the specific time for exam makeup with the teacher. Failure to do so may result in the student receiving a 0 on the exam. 

Each marking period, about 3 or 4 of your student's lowest grades (coming from quiz scores, homework scores, lab scores) will be dropped.  (Please note that the number of scores dropped will be decided by your team of teachers and will vary from term to term.)  So, we expect that students will turn in their assignments ON TIME.  If students are not absent and yet fail to turn in your work when it is due, students will receive a zero.  Now, this isn't the end of the world because students will be able to drop some grades.  If students are absent, students must have their work ready to turn in the next class period.  If students are absent and miss a quiz, students must come in before school or make up the quiz during study hall or after school  (students should be sure to contact their teacher to arrange this).  If a student does not make up the work by the next class period, students will get a zero.  Again, no big deal since we drop some grades.  It is, however, in the students best interest to turn in all work on time or make up work in the time allotted above.  That way, when we drop grades, if a student got a low score on something, it won't wind up counting against the students grade.  Questions?  See Mrs. Weir or email her.

Marking Period Grades and Semester Grades:  

Nine Weeks Grades: Nine weeks grades are determined first as a percentage which is then reflected as a letter grade (see high school grading scale above).

Semester Final Exam: Chemistry final exams are cumulative (covers information from the entire school year) and are made up of problems and essays and multiple choice questions. 

CORE 40 Final Exam Second Semester: All Chemistry I students will take the Chemistry CORE 40 exam.  

Semester grade:  Each 9 week marking period will count 40% and the final exam will count 20%. Because the final exam in chemistry is cumulative in nature, more weight may be placed on the final exam grade when a "split grade" needs to be determined.  This will be left to the discretion of the teacher.  

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