Welcome to the Honors Chemistry Information Session! Ms. Jonson I will answer all questions at the end. This presentation and necessary documents will be on Sharepoint….soon.

MS JONSON’S HONORS CHEMISTRY GOALS To challenge you In school you are supposed to practice and develop your critical thinking skills, solve complex problems, and engage in deep discussions with your peers about the process of science. We will do inquiry labs and address content that allegedly fits that bill and does not bore you to tears with it’s simplicity. If I make the class easier, it will decrease the amount of chemistry that you will learn. To prepare you for the chemistry SAT II We will cover 95% of the content that appears on the SAT II. We will even take two SAT II exams near the end of the year To prepare you for AP Chemistry You will collect & analyze lab data with practiced, flawless skill. You will learn all the chemistry content needed to begin a second year chemistry class, with NO knowledge gaps.

Is Honors Chemistry for me? This class is for students who:  Are willing to learn how to study  Aren’t afraid of getting their first B (or C)  Did well in honors biology  Are good at math! Basic math such as algebra, logarithms, graphing, and balancing equations will be glossed over.  Are willing to work hard and push themselves and not complain about pace or difficulty or the teacher  Retain knowledge from one unit to another  Have good attendance and don’t purposefully skip tests or because they have procrastinate  Know what Sharepoint is, and how to use it.  Ask good questions

This class is for students who:  Are incredibly safe and meticulous during laboratory experiments and cleanup.  Are willing to do the summer assignment like a champ  Don’t want to take honors chemistry just because it looks good on a college application, but for the experience  Are taking no more than 3 AP/honors classes total next year. Honors chemistry can require a lot of studying and might as much work or as difficult as one of your AP classes  Understand that this might be as much work as an AP class  Are considering studying science in college (biology, physics, environmental science, chemistry, pre-med, etc). You will have to take 2-3 years chemistry in college for any of these majors. Is Honors Chemistry for me? continued

How is the grading structured? GRADING SCALE A % B % C % D % F % ASSIGNMENTS (20%) HOMEWORK: textbook problems, other problem, chapter outlines (10%) READINGS: about one per units (50%) TESTS: multiple choice, short answer, and problems (20%) LAB REPORTS: more content-heavy than the labs in regular chemistry, but less inquiry-based (for the most part) Pacing One unit every 3 weeks or so One or two labs per unit, depending on the unit

Summer Assignment Second day of school: Safety Regulations and Equipment Test Unit 1: Element Name and Symbol Quiz Unit 2: Ion Name and Symbol Quiz Dead White Guys position paper Reading reflection: Cracks in the PT I will check school about once a week.

Other things: Chemistry and biology are different. Wow --- really? Some people assume that those who do well in biology will also excel at chemistry. This isn’t true! It is more likely that your math skills will dictate how well you will catch on to chemistry Not everyone “fails honors chemistry.” My class averages are all about 83-86%. You will be busier during your sophomore year than you think! Don’t bite off more than you can chew. the class will continue to be taught using Powerpoint lectures and homework packets, using the textbook as a supplement The first 3 units are pretty easy because they are review, then it gets hard. Some students come in with a cocky attitude and then flip out during Unit 4 because we are no longer reviewing stuff you learned in 8 th grade. Don’t do that.

Questions? Suggested Resources Any SAT II chemistry prep book