Course Description:

Introduction to Chemistry II, CHEM 1020, is a 4 cr. hr. lecture/laboratory course intended to:

1. Satisfy the chemistry requirement for several career programs; and
2. Satisfy part of the general education science requirement.

The course will develop a variety of chemistry topics on an as needed basis in order to deal with a variety of societal issues.

Course Objectives:

As you read through the materials, perform the experiments and activities, and work through the assignments for this course you should:

1. Become aware of the relationship between chemistry and the world around you;
2. Develop and utilize the "analytical process" to explore the world around you;
3. Understand and apply some of the basic principles and models of chemistry to various questions and issues;
4. Appreciate the relationship between mathematics and science and learn to apply appropriate mathematics skills to solve problems of a chemical nature; and
5. Develop the critical thinking skills needed to solve problems or deal with various issues.

While we do not feel that we over-emphasize mathematics skills in Introduction to Chemistry II, it is impossible to learn chemistry without using a mathematics skills.  Thus Intermediate Algebra, MATH 0850 is a pre-requisite for the course as it teaches the skills you will need for this course.  

The course will deal with the following issues:

1. The Fires of Nuclear Fission
2. Energy From Electron Transfer
3. The World of Plastics and Polymers
4. Manipulating Molecules and Designing Drugs
5. Nutrition:  Food for Thought
6. Genetic Engineering and the Chemistry of Heredity

In order to discuss these issues meaningfully we will develop a variety of chemistry concepts within each of the individual units.

Students should have completed Chem 1010, Introduction to Chemistry I.  If Chem 1010 was taken from some other textbook, students are advised to look over the materials in the first 6 chapters as preparation for the course.

Please visit the Virtual Bookstore to obtain textbook information for this course:
http://rodp.bkstr.com

 

Although there is no textbook for the laboratory experiments, students will be expected to print out copies of the experiments for their use at home.  Many of the experiments require materials that are often found within the home or may be purchased relatively inexpensively.  Before beginning an experiment, read the experiment to determine what materials will be needed.  Gather all the materials for the experiment before beginning the procedure.

The minimum requirements can be found at http://www.rodp.org/students/hardware_software.htm. 

The minimum requirements can be found at http://www.rodp.org/students/hardware_software.htm. 

 

Specific software requirements for this course include...

 

The CHIME plug in for viewing molecular structures.  You can download it at

http://www.mdlchime.com/chime/

An Acrobat Reader which can be downloaded at

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html

The Real Player audio/video player which can be downloaded at

http://www.real.com/realone/index.html?lang=en&loc=us

The module tests will be available online during a given time period.  Each test will be available for two and a half hours from the time you begin the exam.  

The final exam must be taken during the scheduled time period at a proctored TBR site.  Each TBR institution maintains a site where such proctored exams can be taken.  You will be responsible for contacting one of the TBR institutions and setting up a time when you can come in to take your final exam.  If you are unable to find a location in your area where you can take the exam contact your instructor who will help you find a suitable location.

A variety of assessment tools will be used to determine your understanding of the materials and issues raised in the course.  

 

Group Work:  You will be expected to gather experimental data or perform activities and share the results within your group of 3 to 4 students.  This allows you to compare your results with those of others and to do some self-assessment of your performance. Your results will be entered in the appropriate activity in the Tests and Quizzes tool on the Course Menu. Once the instructor grades your assignment it will automatically post to your grades list.

 

Module Tests:  There will be a major online quiz upon the completion of each module.  This quiz will focus on the chemistry learned to address the issue developed in that module.  Each module is tied to the material in one of the chapters of your textbook.  

 

Consider This and Skeptical Chymist Activities:  You will be required to work with your group or alone to answer the questions raised in these activities.  The results of your work are entered in the appropriate activity in the Tests and Quizzes link from the Course Menu.  

 

Laboratory Experiments:  Each laboratory experiment has a list of information and questions that are listed in the last paragraph of the lab experiment. Your results are posted to your instructor by going to the Tests and Quizzes link in the Course Menu and selecting the appropriate experiment. This will be an answer box for each of the items that need to be posted to your instructor to complete the experiment. You may return to this page as often as you want and change your answers if you wish. Be sure to save each question before exiting the experiment. Do not push the finish button until you have answered all the questions. Once you push finish you can no longer return to the experiment to make changes and your experiment will be submitted for grading.  Each experiment will be graded.  Your instructor will drop your lowest laboratory grade with the exception that the three part experiment (Experiments 5, 6, and 9) will not be dropped. 

 

Final Exam:  A proctored final exam will be given covering all of the materials from the semester.  The final exam will focus on your understanding of the chemistry developed in the course.

 

The breakdown of how these assessments will be used to determine your grade are shown in the table below.

Consider This and Skeptical Chemist Activities (Your best set of activities totaling 150 pts will be counted)	150 pts
Laboratory Experiments (Your lowest laboratory grade will be dropped)	250 pts
Module Tests (You may replace one module test grade with 1/3 of the score you get on the final if it is better)	420 pts
Final Exam	200 pts

Your final grade for the course will be determined using the following scale:

895-1000 pts	A
795-894 pts	B
695-794 pts	C
645-694 pts	D

A detailed list of topics and assignments can be found at the beginning of each module.  You will have approximately two weeks to complete each module.  All materials for the module must be completed and submitted prior to taking the module test.  For the actual dates when module tests will be given consult your course calendar.  

Students must participate in all interactive aspects of the course.  In particular, students are expected to communicate by email with the other students in their group on any experiment or activity that requires the exchange of information.  Students are expected to communicate with the instructor as a learning resource as well as post all required assessments.  Students must actively participate in the unit discussions. Students should check the course bulletin board frequently for announcements.

1. Students are expected to participate in all interactive aspects of the course.  In particular they must communicate with the other members of their team via the course email tool on all assigned team activities.  
2. In order to keep up with the course materials and make sure that all materials are complete and submitted on time it is important to learn how to navigate in WebCT. 
3. To be aware of any changes in material, due dates, etc, it is important to keep abreast of course announcements.
4. Address technical problems immediately so that they do interfere with your successful completion of the course.
5. Students are expected to observe course netiquette at all times. 

• Columbia Guide to Online Style by Janice R. Walker and Todd Taylor
• Citation Styles Online http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/cite6.html

Library

The Tennessee Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in the Regents Degree Program. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading must be included in all courses. 

Students With Disabilities

Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with their home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.

Syllabus Changes

The instructor reserves the left to make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are necessitated during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify students of such changes both by individual email communication and posting both notification and the nature of the change(s) on the course bulletin board.

Technical Support