WELCOME       
Chem 120 / Fall 2014

1. Introductions / Roll :


Answer questions A & B :
Enter the numbers as a two digit number, eg. 23, next to your name on the roster when it comes to you. Also provide the name that you would like to be addressed as next to the printed name on the clip board if it is different. (eg. Roster = Smith, William --> Bill)It is being circulated through the class on a clipboard. If your name does not appear, you are not enrolled nor on the wait list. If not on the list, there is very little possibility of adding either section 1970 or 1971.

A) Computer/Internet Experience: (Answer with a number.)

    1. None
    2. Little: some limited experience
    3. Lots: can use several applications and routinely rely on the Internet
    4. Expert: programming background, a wide familiarity w/ hardware
      5. & software and Web apps.
       
    B) Planned Major or Emphasis / Career Goals: (Answer with a number.)
    1. Biology or Related: MCB, Genteics, Pre-med, etc.
    2. Nutrition/ Dietetics
    3. Biochemistry
    4. Physical Therapy / Sports or Personal Training
    5. Pharmacy
    6. Engineering
    7. Chemistry
    8. Physical Science: Physics or Geology or Astronomy
    9. Environmental Science
    10. Other (please specify later in your e-mail)

2) Course Homepage: http://chemconnections.org/general/chem120/

Syllabus (Handout): http://chemconnections.org/general/chem120/120sylF14.html
Read information & policies carefully. Note in particular: grading, attendance, i-clicker & Webassign

Calendar: http://chemconnections.org/general/chem120/calendar-F14.html
Consult often; use as a planning guide.

Textbook Options / Course Materials
Zumdahl 9e & ChemWiki

A comparative study at UC Davis of 725 students, half using the ChemWiki as their main resource and half using a conventional textbook, showed no statistical differences in academic performance and final grades. Overall results indicate that students in the sections using ChemWiki on average performed just as well in the course as students in the control.

Complete Student Topics, Emphasis and Resource Links:

Must have your own E-mail Account before the next class. (Can obtain a free account from several vendors. G-mail recommended.)
http://chemconnections.org/general/chem120/web14.html#E-mail

3) Learning styles survey (Pick up handout when leaving class or print out on-line from link below);

http://chemconnections.org/general/chem120/learning-10.html
Study approaches to Chem 120 (Send results by e-mail to Dr. R. before the start of tomorrow's class; 5 pt. quiz grade; a zero will be entered if deadline is missed, and course e-mail information will not be forwarded.)

Information:

Seeing, Hearing, Doing:



Reading, Listening, Note taking & Communicating

At the start of tomorrow's class, turn in an 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper with your name and Chem 120 section number. 1) Provide definitions of the following adjectives:

    1. empirical
    2. conceptual
    3. contextual
    4. theoretical
    5. qualitative
    6. quantitative
    7. objective
    8. subjective
    9. predictive
    10. stochastic

2) Select two or more of the adjectives and use them without assistance from anyone in one sentence that best describes what chemistry is about in your view. Underline each adjective in the sentence that you used.

15 pt. quiz grade

4) Study Approaches: Daily Class / Lab Attendance & Preparation; i-clickers: Must have your own in class to receive credit; be sure to bring it with you everyday including lab. The i-clickers can be purchased on-line, and from the DVC and other college/university bookstores. There are two versions of the i-clicker. A new one with more features than a simpler, older one. Both are acceptable for use. An image of the older version is shown in the syllabus.

If you are financially challenged, there are a limited number of i-clickers available for loan and can be checked out for the semester through the DVC Chemistry Department. The unit will be on loan for the duration of the semester. It is to be returned in working order before the end of the semester on the date requested. If the unit is not returned in working order, the cost for replacement of the unit will be billed as a fee. The replacement cost is $50.00. If interested, pick up a check out form on leaving class today or print it out on-line (i-clicker form.pdf). Fill out all but the serial number and then see Dr. R. If there are not enough i-clickers to meet demand, a lottery will be conducted.

5) Pre-class & Pre-lab Preparation:
You are expected to be prepared before coming to each class and lab. Powerpoint slides and printable class powerpoint outlines with i-clicker questions are linked from the Course calendar page and Resources page in viewable form and with downloadable gray scale outlines that are .pdf formatted. Review all i-clicker questions before each class and select answers as best that you can. Consider the best possible answer for each question. (NOTE: The slides and questions are organized by topic and textbook chapter and not by class meeting. This will require you to estimate how far each class will go with the material. There will be carry over from class to class. Consult the calendar to see how many classes are devoted to each respective chapter as a planning guide.)

6) In-class Participation: (i-clicker) = 10% of course grade
Your daily in-class responses to the i-clicker questions will be automatically recorded for each class. Each response whether correct or incorrect is worth 1 point. If correct, an additional 1 point will be added. The class scores are normalized at the end of each exam, and the 10% awarded accordingly. It is highly recommended that you take in-class notes and make a record for yourself of the correct i-clicker anwers, which will be provided in-class. Taking notes of the in-class discussion and recording the correct i-clicker answers on a printed .pdf outline is highly recommended as the best approach to prepare for quizzes and exams.

7) Post-class (Worksheets, Homework, Tutoring, Study Groups):

Visit the calendar daily. Assignments have deadlines that must be met. Plan accordingly.

 Each chapter has a Worksheet that relates to the topics in the chapter. These worksheets are to be done collabratively as a group, which is responsible for completion of the Worksheet, where each group member receives the same grade. In some cases you will be assigned to a group and in other cases you will select your group partners with groups being no larger than four members. You are highly encouraged to form you own study groups from these Worksheet collaborations.

Individually complete as many problems for each in-class topic from any of the available question resources: Zumdahl textbook and/or Chem120:ChemWiki and/or ChemVantage (on-line homework/quiz problems) as you think necessary & reasonably possible, This is your challenge to decide how much is enough and budget your time so that you get the highest return on your invesment in work and time. Keep a separate notebook for your problems which should be neat and well-organized.(Not necessary for ChemVantage.) Consulting the Zumdahl solutions guide or Chem:120:ChemWiki problem solutions or ChemVantage practice quizzes and exams is recommended highly.

Homework & Class Notes will be collected at the end of each quiz and factored into the respective quiz scores. (When you enroll in ChemVantage with a Google+ account username & password, ChemVantage will record your results from the work that you submit.), An amount of up to 30% of the points lost on the quiz will be added back into the quiz grade depending on the amount and quality of the Homework that was done. A related scheme will be employed for each of the 3 "hour" exams, which will be explained in more detail after the first Exam.

The DVC Chemistry Department provides student tutoring in PS 110 during the week beginning the 2nd or 3rd week of classes. Please consult the schedule that is posted in labs and lecture rooms.throughout the department.

8) Course Outcomes: Grades,
Overall GPA/ Transfer/ TAG/ Baccalaureate Degree/ Future Evaluations (Job/Graduate & Professional Schools) Consider the following typical academic evaluation (reference) form that is to be completed by faculty references.

9) Safety: DVD topics for next lab

10) Lab Check In
For ONLY those of you who are on the roster NOT the Wait List.

For those of you who ARE on the Wait List and those who are not, but willing to take your chances on enrolling: See Dr. R. before leaving lab. For everyone enrolled in the course:

Use your time well: Check the calendar and resources pages. Plan your week and the use of your time before Exam 1. Get all course materials that you intend to use. Get use to and adapt to the teaching style, pace and rigor of Chem 120, the course schedule, and the collaborative course environment where it is everyone's job to help everyone succeed in a challenging environment. If you followed the U.S. team in the World Cup consider their mantra, which came from the U.S. Naval Academy:
I ......... I believe ...... I believe that ..... I believe that we will win! ... or in this case, that "we will succeed"!