Welcome to Mrs Peck's Chemistry 1 page! As you may have noticed, I've combined both General and Honors into the same page. Basically, you will all have to master the same material - just at different expected levels. So other than projects and test formats you can expect to use the same material from this webpage.
Mission Statement: Chemistry is ALL around you! This year I will lead you through the most lab-intensive science you've ever experienced. We will learn science the way it is meant to be learned - through practicing the scientific method. And for some of you, I hope to open your eyes to a future career that will give you not only the financial independence to live as you please - but a career that can take you to ALL/ANY of the industries in our modern world!
Grading Scale: 10% participation, 25% Laboratory (reports, projects, quizzes), 20% Homework tests, 20% Quizzes, 25% Tests
Laboratory Experiences: These happen every Wed in class. You are expected to wear long pants/skirts, solid toed shoes, goggles and if you have long hair it MUST be pulled back.
Quizzes: Expect scheduled and pop quizzes a minimum of once-a-week.
Homework tests: It is true that I don't check daily if you've bothered to do your homework. Instead, we'll go over many of them in class and on average you will have a homework test every other week. You will staple your homework to the back of the test for 50% of the grade - the other 50% of the grade is if you answer the test questions correctly. These are all pulled directly from the homework. I recommend that you keep up with your homework. If you have two consecutive hometests without homework - expect to have a wonderful time in afterschool detention in my homework lab.
Bellringers: We will be whiteboarding the bell review work at the beginning of every class. You are expected to always have your whiteboard markers. This is an important review time for you to ask questions and practice previously covered materials. Use it to your advantage.
Tests: Will be announced one week prior (with the exception of Midterm/Final). These are cummulative tests. So expect up to half of each test to be over material covered in a previous test. Chemistry is a cummulative subject, just like math is, so you can't afford to forget previous material.
Cheating/Academic Dishonesty: My goal is to prepare all of you for the adult world. Since many of you have become used to coasting through classes on the work of your friends - My mission is to break you of this habit. Yes, I RELISH catching cheaters - and I know most of your tricks (I was your age once). So if you're prone to cheating you might as well give it up at my door. Being called to the Principals office and having to discuss with him and your parents the reason WHY your answers happen to match those of a different test version doesn't make for a fun time in detention afterwards.
Participation: Again, my goal is to prepare all of you for the adult world. So think of me as that future manager who expects you to work every second that you're on the clock. There's no sleeping in my class - try it once and wake up to the snickers of your friends as I shock you into wakefulness. There's no sitting there and NOT writing notes or doing worksheets either. Basically, you'd better look busy whenever I glance your way.