Tuesday 5 May: Tuesday is the day your final paper is due! I will use the few days after the 5th, do evaluate as to whether your paper meets the goals ... so I can contact you if you need to make major revisions. I will then correct the papers over the next week or so.
Please be sure to contact me with your paper idea. I wish to evaluate the idea to ensure:
1) it can be researched (one year a student nearly failed, because he tried to research a top-secret army material, he read about on website ... He clearly could not do that ... as the army did not publish any information regarding it.)
2) the ideas you hope to cover can incorporate sufficient chemistry .... This is not a biology paper, or a social science paper ... It is a chemistry paper, and I will expect the ideas outlined in my emails, and in the attachments about the paper to be followed.
Monday 6 April: Good Day To You All! Okay, here is the post for this week! Yes, you read that correctly.
Finish the notes for Unit 3, pages 93-104. Make sure you do the practice problems.
Once you are done with that ... and you have asked all your questions, complete the worksheet
Bonding and Compounds (found on the Guided Notes page). You will need to use the periodic table which identifies metals and nonmetals ... That too can be found on the Guided Notes tab.
This worksheet (and all other work, not yet handed in, including lab write ups, like the polymer lab and the electrochemistry lab) is due, on Monday, 13 April, 2020
That's right, you have a week. My thoughts on this go something like this.... A week will give you plenty of time to get all current work into me.... Catch up ... Catch your breath.
Secondly, the work is a bit technical still. So, I figure you might wish some more time with it ... AND, it will give you time to write with questions.
Thirdly (and this is important), the grade you earn, the first time ... is the grade you earn. I will not be sending back work to be re-visited.... Let's see exactly what you can put together here.
So, unless you have contacted me ... (and I am aware, some are ill, some are having internet issues ... I got it) ... the work will be considered late after 13 April, 2020 .... And I shall apply the class rules. Now, if you feel you can't manage it ... get in touch with me ... Let's "talk". Okay?
So, write, ask questions, read, highlight, focus ... Go Go Gadget Thinkers!
Saturday 4 April: Hi Folks ... I am posting on a Saturday, to help get the lab out to you.
Let's have this due, a week from now (or Saturday, 11 April)
The video made by Dr. Selzer is under the video collection tab. However, I would really like you to attack the Lab Notes I published under the Guided Notes section.
The reason for this, is that I try to explain what exactly is going on.... Much of what I wrote would have been the pre-lab, as electrochemistry can be tougher.... Take some time with this work ... I really want you to engage here, and write with questions.
For the write up, I want you to include an objective, and questions; 1,2,6 and 7. I think question 2 is the toughest ... it really asks you to stretch your grasp of the issue. I really want to see how you do with this one.
Okay, I shall publish something more on Monday ... I just wanted you to have a heads up as to the lab work.
Thursday 2 April: Hey Gang! I have a good deal to write, so I am publishing a bit early. The second half of tonight's note to you, is about CoVid-19 and laundry. But first, let's get to the assignment....due next Monday.
If we review what we have now done in Unit 3, you should have a working grasp of the terms; chemical reaction, physical change, exothermic and endothermic.
Now, we are going to begin the big stuff ... bond types. The reading is another prep piece. You will get a worksheet on Monday regarding the work.
The assignment begins on page 79 and goes to page 92. Now, the last few pages are practice questions, so it is not nearly as long of a read as it first looks.
So, get to your notes, and begin with page 79. Notice that I have summarized the learning issues, with a table. You don't really need to worry about metallic bonds ...
I really wish for you to focus upon ionic bonds, polar covalent bonds and nonpolar covalent bonds.
On page 80, I list the first of two videos to watch. These videos are also found under the Video Collection tab of this website.
I tried to summarize each video - but I left you some space on page 81 to take your own notes ... or to write down ideas which don't make sense. You can write me about these ... and I will try to address them.
Complete the notes on pages 82-88. Practice problems (some which you may have done, already) begin on page 88 and continue through to page 92.
The Take Home Messages I would like to reinforce with you are:
Okay, that's a fair amount to absorb .... Take until Monday to get that done ... I will, as I wrote follow up with some sort of worksheet to assess that learning...
Now, as to the coronavirus and laundry ... share this with the 'rents ... It may help. The take home message here among others is that:
Here is the link: Best Precautions to Take with Your Laundry
Monday 30 March: Hi Everyone. I am trying something a bit different tonight. I have uploaded two new pieces;
1) Chemical Reactions and Physical Changes Follow-Up and
2) Graded: Chemical Reactions vs. Physical Changes.
Both can be found by clicking on the aforementioned titles on this page, or on the first page, of Guided Notes.
I have also put the 3 video links used in the "Follow-Up" on the Video Collection page, just for easy reference, should you ever want to get back to them.
Okay, so what's different? Well I tried writing the "Follow-Up" as though I were there, speaking with you. You know, I started every class with a review of our "last class", and I tried to recreate that idea in the "Follow-Up" piece.
As I wrote, that piece has three new videos to look at. Since tonight's work begins the ideas of endothermic and exothermic, I selected some of the videos to help visualize what is meant by those terms.
Once you have read through the "Follow-Up" piece, I direct you to pages 76- 79 and, if you choose there are questions on page 88-89, with answers.
Complete the background work and then try putting it all together on the worksheet. Send the worksheet back to me and I can grade it up.
Take the week to get this done ... Get me the worksheet, this weekend.
The learning goal is to learn how to use the terms, endothermic and exothermic IN CONJUNCTION with the terms; chemical reaction and physical change. This is still a vocabulary building piece.
A bit later this week, I am going to publish a new video lab, done by Dr. Selzer. It is a little over 26 minutes long ... and there will be a short write-up regarding electrochemistry.
So, I want you to pace yourself. I don't want to overload you ... but try to keep up.... Deadlines help ... but let's be honest there is room for flexibility here ... so, deep breaths. I don't wish to pressure ... but to encourage and to provide real support.
Let me know how this is working for you .... and of course, please, write with questions ... I am happy to work through any challenges with you!
Thursday 26 March: I have posted a new note packet ... It is an important one, as it will help to solidify important vocabulary terms, bond issues and reaction ideas needed for your final papers/research.
The next few days should be a kick back sort of thing for us ... There is no need to turn in a worksheet. But there is practice to be done, as a worksheet is coming (Hint, Hint :-)
First, download the note packet (Unit 3, Part 1), so you can work with it, and save that work.
For tonight's class ... and for the next few days, as you find the time, take a look at pages 68-75. Be sure to fill in the notes wherever there is an asterisk (*) ... Highlight the area and change the font color ....
There is a really cool video to watch ... I have it in the note packet, and on the video collection page of this website, just in case you ever wish to refer to it quickly.
The important idea :
The work, up to page 75 really deals with the first learning objective found on page 68 ... How to differentiate between a chemical reaction and a physical change.
Some of this will sound familiar ... because, you know, I spiral ideas ...
Page 74/5 has practice problems ... and of course all of the answers are given....
If you wish to get ahead, page 80 has two other videos to watch ... They are more technical than experiential ... and deal with bonding ... I will assign it for Monday ... but if you have the time now, you may wish to manage it by getting ahead.
Write with questions!
Monday 23 March:
1) Monday night lab students, take a look at what Dr. Selzer has recorded for your benefit. Here is the link: Polymer Lab Everyday Chemistry.
It is just under 7 minutes. Once reviewed, take a quick look at my prelab (found on the note packets tab) and answer questions 3 and 4 from the lab manual. Be sure to cite your sources. There is no need for a reflection .... I am asking Monday night folks for an extra question, to help create a fuller understanding of polymers, through research, since experience is lacking. I want to thank Dr. Selzer ... None of us are YouTubers ... so thanks to him for helping the Monday night folks out, so they can get lab credit...
Thursday night lab folks most (not all) of you still owe me question 4 ... get moving.
2) I have posted three new items: extended reference tables, a GRADED worksheet, and a simple PowerPoint (I mean...simple). For today's class I would like you to review pages 59 to 62 of your notes, and then complete pages 63-67.
Then I would like you to take a look at the PowerPoint. Just keep clicking through, and pieces will appear and disappear, until you get to the end. It should mimic the work on page 66 of your notes.
Take Home Message: I am trying to get you to grasp the origin of visible light
3) At the top of page 63 is a listing of elements. I would have had you write down the ground state electron configurations from your periodic tables ... to show you that for elements with the same number of VALENCE electrons belong to the same family (vertical group on the periodic table). This is particularly true for groups 1,2, 13-17. Because of the similarity in the number of valence electrons, these family members (e.g. Li, and Na, or B and Al, or N and P, or F and Cl) undergo similar chemical reactions.
Take Home Message: I am trying to get you to grasp that many important chemical reactions are influenced by the number of valence electrons. While that's a bit simplistic, for our work, it is very important.
4) Once done with the notes and PowerPoint, hit the worksheet ... Try as best as you can to answer the questions. Write me with problems ... and ultimately send me back your responses by Thursday. I will work to monitor the emails ... Okay?
Please be sure to contact me with your paper idea. I wish to evaluate the idea to ensure:
1) it can be researched (one year a student nearly failed, because he tried to research a top-secret army material, he read about on website ... He clearly could not do that ... as the army did not publish any information regarding it.)
2) the ideas you hope to cover can incorporate sufficient chemistry .... This is not a biology paper, or a social science paper ... It is a chemistry paper, and I will expect the ideas outlined in my emails, and in the attachments about the paper to be followed.
Monday 6 April: Good Day To You All! Okay, here is the post for this week! Yes, you read that correctly.
Finish the notes for Unit 3, pages 93-104. Make sure you do the practice problems.
Once you are done with that ... and you have asked all your questions, complete the worksheet
Bonding and Compounds (found on the Guided Notes page). You will need to use the periodic table which identifies metals and nonmetals ... That too can be found on the Guided Notes tab.
This worksheet (and all other work, not yet handed in, including lab write ups, like the polymer lab and the electrochemistry lab) is due, on Monday, 13 April, 2020
That's right, you have a week. My thoughts on this go something like this.... A week will give you plenty of time to get all current work into me.... Catch up ... Catch your breath.
Secondly, the work is a bit technical still. So, I figure you might wish some more time with it ... AND, it will give you time to write with questions.
Thirdly (and this is important), the grade you earn, the first time ... is the grade you earn. I will not be sending back work to be re-visited.... Let's see exactly what you can put together here.
So, unless you have contacted me ... (and I am aware, some are ill, some are having internet issues ... I got it) ... the work will be considered late after 13 April, 2020 .... And I shall apply the class rules. Now, if you feel you can't manage it ... get in touch with me ... Let's "talk". Okay?
So, write, ask questions, read, highlight, focus ... Go Go Gadget Thinkers!
Saturday 4 April: Hi Folks ... I am posting on a Saturday, to help get the lab out to you.
Let's have this due, a week from now (or Saturday, 11 April)
The video made by Dr. Selzer is under the video collection tab. However, I would really like you to attack the Lab Notes I published under the Guided Notes section.
The reason for this, is that I try to explain what exactly is going on.... Much of what I wrote would have been the pre-lab, as electrochemistry can be tougher.... Take some time with this work ... I really want you to engage here, and write with questions.
For the write up, I want you to include an objective, and questions; 1,2,6 and 7. I think question 2 is the toughest ... it really asks you to stretch your grasp of the issue. I really want to see how you do with this one.
Okay, I shall publish something more on Monday ... I just wanted you to have a heads up as to the lab work.
Thursday 2 April: Hey Gang! I have a good deal to write, so I am publishing a bit early. The second half of tonight's note to you, is about CoVid-19 and laundry. But first, let's get to the assignment....due next Monday.
If we review what we have now done in Unit 3, you should have a working grasp of the terms; chemical reaction, physical change, exothermic and endothermic.
Now, we are going to begin the big stuff ... bond types. The reading is another prep piece. You will get a worksheet on Monday regarding the work.
The assignment begins on page 79 and goes to page 92. Now, the last few pages are practice questions, so it is not nearly as long of a read as it first looks.
So, get to your notes, and begin with page 79. Notice that I have summarized the learning issues, with a table. You don't really need to worry about metallic bonds ...
I really wish for you to focus upon ionic bonds, polar covalent bonds and nonpolar covalent bonds.
On page 80, I list the first of two videos to watch. These videos are also found under the Video Collection tab of this website.
I tried to summarize each video - but I left you some space on page 81 to take your own notes ... or to write down ideas which don't make sense. You can write me about these ... and I will try to address them.
Complete the notes on pages 82-88. Practice problems (some which you may have done, already) begin on page 88 and continue through to page 92.
The Take Home Messages I would like to reinforce with you are:
- Chemical Bonds are really a form of potential energy. The bonds have a length (a position or distance) and this translates nicely into the issue of potential energy.
- Making bonds is exothermic and bond breaking is an endothermic process.
- Oxidation and Reduction are important ideas regarding bond making/breaking
- Bonds are really due to the electron cloud of one species (ion, or atom) being attracted to that positive nuclear charge of a second species .... and the electron cloud of that second species being attracted to the nucleus of the first species!
- Bonds are a means of getting those valence octets ... or as close as possible
- Ionic bonds are between ions of opposite charge ... and almost always involve a metal cation attracting a nonmetal anion.
- Ionic bonds are all about a COMPLETE TRANSFER of electrons ... Sort of like I buy a car ... give it to you ...(!!!!) , and we drive around town together.... In this case, the electron is the car ... There is a complete transfer of ownership ... A metal loses the electron and the nonmetal gains it (Oxidation/Reduction) , and the resulting metal cation and metal anion form a compound.
- Polar Covalent bonds are a sharing (co) of valence electrons (valent) between DIFFERENT nonmetal atoms. Polar = different. The electrons are shared unequally (due to differences in electronegativity)
- Nonpolar Covalent bonds are a sharing of valence electrons between atoms of the SAME nonmetal element, OR Carbon and Hydrogen (C-H)
- There is no such thing as the term, molecular bonds.... HOWEVER ... the terms like covalent bonds, covalent substances and molecules are CLOSELY linked, as covalent bonds result in making molecules ... (while ionic bonds result in making ionic compounds.)
- Not every compound is a molecule .... Only those made via covalent bonds can be called molecules ...
Okay, that's a fair amount to absorb .... Take until Monday to get that done ... I will, as I wrote follow up with some sort of worksheet to assess that learning...
Now, as to the coronavirus and laundry ... share this with the 'rents ... It may help. The take home message here among others is that:
- Leather and vinyl can be wiped clean
- Polyester clothing (workout clothes, athletic-leisure clothing) is more problematic as it may absorb and hold virus trapped in droplets.
- Wash according to labels - don't destroy your clothes, but use water as warm as is allowed per the label.
- If possible allow extra dryer time to help kill viral load.
- There is a link to the American Chemical Council site, listing effective cleaning agents. I have never heard of most of these cleaners .... I mean, I use TIDE .... but (!) I have noticed that a fair number of antimicrobial cleaners are listed. I have absolutely no idea why antimicrobial cleaners are effective against virus particles. (Antimicrobial cleaners, like antibiotics are supposed to be great for bacteria and other "living" organisms .... not viruses ... which, technically are not really "living" .... It's a long story .... look it up, you can handle the research by now.) Anyway, I suspect (but this is a guess!) that the antimicrobial cleansers are drying out the lipid (fatty) envelope surrounding the virus, and thus making the virus vulnerable .... It's a guess ... What do you think?
Here is the link: Best Precautions to Take with Your Laundry
Monday 30 March: Hi Everyone. I am trying something a bit different tonight. I have uploaded two new pieces;
1) Chemical Reactions and Physical Changes Follow-Up and
2) Graded: Chemical Reactions vs. Physical Changes.
Both can be found by clicking on the aforementioned titles on this page, or on the first page, of Guided Notes.
I have also put the 3 video links used in the "Follow-Up" on the Video Collection page, just for easy reference, should you ever want to get back to them.
Okay, so what's different? Well I tried writing the "Follow-Up" as though I were there, speaking with you. You know, I started every class with a review of our "last class", and I tried to recreate that idea in the "Follow-Up" piece.
As I wrote, that piece has three new videos to look at. Since tonight's work begins the ideas of endothermic and exothermic, I selected some of the videos to help visualize what is meant by those terms.
Once you have read through the "Follow-Up" piece, I direct you to pages 76- 79 and, if you choose there are questions on page 88-89, with answers.
Complete the background work and then try putting it all together on the worksheet. Send the worksheet back to me and I can grade it up.
Take the week to get this done ... Get me the worksheet, this weekend.
The learning goal is to learn how to use the terms, endothermic and exothermic IN CONJUNCTION with the terms; chemical reaction and physical change. This is still a vocabulary building piece.
A bit later this week, I am going to publish a new video lab, done by Dr. Selzer. It is a little over 26 minutes long ... and there will be a short write-up regarding electrochemistry.
So, I want you to pace yourself. I don't want to overload you ... but try to keep up.... Deadlines help ... but let's be honest there is room for flexibility here ... so, deep breaths. I don't wish to pressure ... but to encourage and to provide real support.
Let me know how this is working for you .... and of course, please, write with questions ... I am happy to work through any challenges with you!
Thursday 26 March: I have posted a new note packet ... It is an important one, as it will help to solidify important vocabulary terms, bond issues and reaction ideas needed for your final papers/research.
The next few days should be a kick back sort of thing for us ... There is no need to turn in a worksheet. But there is practice to be done, as a worksheet is coming (Hint, Hint :-)
First, download the note packet (Unit 3, Part 1), so you can work with it, and save that work.
For tonight's class ... and for the next few days, as you find the time, take a look at pages 68-75. Be sure to fill in the notes wherever there is an asterisk (*) ... Highlight the area and change the font color ....
There is a really cool video to watch ... I have it in the note packet, and on the video collection page of this website, just in case you ever wish to refer to it quickly.
The important idea :
The work, up to page 75 really deals with the first learning objective found on page 68 ... How to differentiate between a chemical reaction and a physical change.
Some of this will sound familiar ... because, you know, I spiral ideas ...
Page 74/5 has practice problems ... and of course all of the answers are given....
If you wish to get ahead, page 80 has two other videos to watch ... They are more technical than experiential ... and deal with bonding ... I will assign it for Monday ... but if you have the time now, you may wish to manage it by getting ahead.
Write with questions!
Monday 23 March:
1) Monday night lab students, take a look at what Dr. Selzer has recorded for your benefit. Here is the link: Polymer Lab Everyday Chemistry.
It is just under 7 minutes. Once reviewed, take a quick look at my prelab (found on the note packets tab) and answer questions 3 and 4 from the lab manual. Be sure to cite your sources. There is no need for a reflection .... I am asking Monday night folks for an extra question, to help create a fuller understanding of polymers, through research, since experience is lacking. I want to thank Dr. Selzer ... None of us are YouTubers ... so thanks to him for helping the Monday night folks out, so they can get lab credit...
Thursday night lab folks most (not all) of you still owe me question 4 ... get moving.
2) I have posted three new items: extended reference tables, a GRADED worksheet, and a simple PowerPoint (I mean...simple). For today's class I would like you to review pages 59 to 62 of your notes, and then complete pages 63-67.
Then I would like you to take a look at the PowerPoint. Just keep clicking through, and pieces will appear and disappear, until you get to the end. It should mimic the work on page 66 of your notes.
Take Home Message: I am trying to get you to grasp the origin of visible light
3) At the top of page 63 is a listing of elements. I would have had you write down the ground state electron configurations from your periodic tables ... to show you that for elements with the same number of VALENCE electrons belong to the same family (vertical group on the periodic table). This is particularly true for groups 1,2, 13-17. Because of the similarity in the number of valence electrons, these family members (e.g. Li, and Na, or B and Al, or N and P, or F and Cl) undergo similar chemical reactions.
Take Home Message: I am trying to get you to grasp that many important chemical reactions are influenced by the number of valence electrons. While that's a bit simplistic, for our work, it is very important.
4) Once done with the notes and PowerPoint, hit the worksheet ... Try as best as you can to answer the questions. Write me with problems ... and ultimately send me back your responses by Thursday. I will work to monitor the emails ... Okay?