Course Syllabus

Spring 2024 | CHE-1020-VO01 - Introduction to Chemistry

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Laura DesJardins
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Danielle Lafleur Brooks

General Education Requirements

VSCS Natural Science

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This course is an introduction to the concepts, principles and applications of chemistry. Includes atomic structure, periodicity, structure of matter, solutions, and an introduction to organic chemistry. Includes lab sessions which illustrate the principles of quantitative interpretation of data. Prior learning in Intermediate Algebra or equivalent is strongly recommended.

Essential Objectives

1. Define, and distinguish between, science and pseudoscience.
2. Define and employ the terms necessary to the study of chemistry.
3. Describe Dalton's atomic theory and modern atomic structure.
4. Explain the organization of the periodic table and how to use it.
5. Name, and be able to write chemical formulas for, binary ionic and covalent compounds, including those with common polyatomic ions.
6. Describe basic classes of chemical reactions and write complete, balanced chemical equations.
7. Apply the systems of measurement and unit conversions used in chemistry.
8. Apply the concepts of acid-base chemistry according to Arrhenius.
9. Describe the concept of equilibrium.
10. Describe the fundamental characteristics of solids, liquids, and gases.
11. Explain chemical bonding and molecular structure.
12. Demonstrate the quantitative reasoning skills required to understand, calculate, and interpret stoichiometric data for formulas, chemical reactions, and solutions.
13. Explain how knowledge created in the natural sciences has contributed to the creation, maintenance and dismantling of social inequalities and discuss how diversity improves science.
Lab Objectives:
1. Apply knowledge of the scientific method to:
a. formulate and evaluate real-world scientific questions;
b. ethically plan and implement accurate data collection;
c. analyze and evaluate data;
d. generate conclusions based on analysis and justify claims with evidence;
e. integrate the related work of other scientists; and
f. propose ideas for further inquiry.
2. Communicate findings in a format appropriate to the discipline and type of investigation, such as a laboratory notebook, laboratory report, observational study, field investigation report, poster, or presentation using appropriate evidence to support these findings.
3. Understand the structure and purpose of peer-reviewed publications.
4. Evaluate scientific information for validity, accuracy, reliability, and methodology.
5. Identify and follow lab safety techniques that are aligned with CCV’s Chemical Hygiene Plan, Lab Safety Agreements, and chemical Safety Data Sheets (SDS).

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

This course uses one or more textbooks/books/simulations, along with free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials.

Spring 2024 textbook/book details will be available on 2023-11-06. On that date a link will be available below that will take you to eCampus, CCV's bookstore. The information provided there will be specific to this class. Please see this page for more information regarding the purchase of textbooks/books.

CHE-1020-VO01 Link to Textbooks for this course in eCampus.

For Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials details, see the Canvas Site for this class.

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Methods

This course will be taught using the following methods:

• Readings from the textbook (FREE online)
• Notes and mini-lectures posted online
• Video tutorials (Youtube)
• Video demonstrations
• Lab simulations (online)
• At-home lab activities
• Online class discussions
• Homework software (can be purchased on eBookstore or here: https://account.101edu.co/signup)
• Optional online office hours

Evaluation Criteria

Students will be assessed through the following methods. More information is available about each of these on the Canvas site for the course.

• Homework problems (web-based homework software) - 25%
• Discussions - 5%
• Final Project - 15%
• Lab Activities (at-home labs and computer simulations) - 25%
• Quizzes - 15%
• Performance Tasks - 15%

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

Attendance Policy

Attendance will be recorded every Tuesday and Saturday morning and will be based on participation during the prior week. Students will be marked present based on participation in one or more assignments that week. Students who complete less than half of the work for the week will be marked absent on ONE of the days. Students who complete zero assignments will be marked absent for BOTH of the days. Students who reach six absences in the course are in jeopardy of automatic failure.

Typical Week in Our Course

Each week I will post a Weekly Overview that lays out the objectives, assignments, resources, and expectations for the week. I will also include any "upcoming important dates" to be aware of. Students should begin each week by carefully reading and reviewing the Weekly Overview. In general, each week you should expect to do the following:

• Read a section of the online textbook and watch the tutorial videos posted to the module.

• Use the notes and sample calculations I post to help you understand the material.

• Attend optional Zoom office hours.

• Complete the lab or simulation

• Depending on the week there will usually be either a quiz or record a problem set (we call these the performance tasks).

• Participate in the class discussion.

• Complete the 10-30 homework problems on the Aktiv homework software program.

At-Home Lab Activities

Throughout the course there will be several opportunities for students to do simple labs at home. Each lab is explained on a worksheet that should be completed by the student. Some labs will require you to simply observe and record what you see, while others will require you to complete measurements and record data. These labs are safe enough to carry out in your home using your own dishes and cookware and would be a great opportunity to work with a family member (young or old) to explore the joys of Chemistry. Please check out the At-Home Lab Activities Supply List (found here: https://shorturl.at/gxABK) for a list of items you will need to purchase or borrow for our course.

Missing & Late Work Policy

Aktiv homework problems have a built-in 3-day grace period, however there is a progressive deduction for work submitted after the deadline.

The lowest homework, lab/simulation, and discussion grade are dropped automatically from the gradebook. This helps to offset a time during the semester when "life happens." If you have a bad week and don't turn anything of those assignments in, then they just disappear.

Late quizzes, and performance tasks will not be accepted without prior, written permission from the instructor and only in extenuating circumstances. In the event that you are granted an extension on an assignment, know that this will only be done once for you during the term. If you find yourself experiencing life events that prevent your success in the course and requesting multiple extensions, I will refer you to your adviser to discuss your options for the term.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity