Strive not to be a success,

but rather to be of value.

-Albert Einstein

Edition: Spring 2017, 1B & 2B

Lesson Plan Schedule
January

Empirical Formulas
Moles
Molarity
Solutions
Dilutions

February

Stoichiometry

March

Acids & Bases

pH, pOH, Bronsted
Gas Laws

ureka! Welcome back from Winter break!

This semester, we will delve into real-world chemistry
problems and topics like: water contamination,
Avogadro and his obsession with moles, why if you
are not a part of the solution that you are a part of
the precipitate, why lemons are sour while coffee is
bitter, why soda bubbles/fizzes when you open the
can, why your chest goes up and down while
breathing, why we need to eat calories for energy,
how it is that batteries work and why they die, and
much , much more!

April

Gas Laws
Thermochemistry

May

Mrs. Lisa Daconta

Thermochemistry
Electrochemistry
Nuclear Chemistry

Abstract Information
Course Name: General Chemistry
Classroom: Room #420
Phone: 520-879-3063
Email: dacontal@vailschooldistrict.org
Office Hours: 7:30 8am daily

Requirements
Interactive 100-page Notebook
Continued from Fall Semester

Scientific Calculator
Graphing Calculator is also acceptable

Laboratory Clothing
Closed-toed shoes, long pants

#2 or Mechanical Pencils
1

Avogadro

Expectations & Rules

Consequences

1. A. C. T. - Are responsible and

trustworthy, Care about each other,
& Take responsibility

I cant control your choices, but I do control

the consequences!

Positive
-electron bumps, smiles, laughing,
encouragement, awards, stickers, stamps,
& a positive classroom environment

2. Respect your classmates, the

classroom materials/environment,
and your instructors.
3. Be prepared! Enter class each day
completely prepared.

Negative
1. Warning
2. Note or call home
3. Conference (teacher/student/gardian)
4. Lunch Detention
5. Referral

4. Ask. Always.
5. Be positive!

Like a proton!

Grading

Procedures

Classwork (25%)

Bellwork

-including: in class activities, worksheets,

and the interactive notebooks

-enter classroom and find assigned seat.

Begin immediately on displayed bellwork in
your Interactive Notebook

Homework (10%)

Tardies

-practice of learning objectives, completed

in notebooks and graded for completion

-enter class quietly and place pass on my

desk, begin bellwork or activity

Tests and Quizzes (35%)

-Corrections can be made on quizzes for
some credit, but not tests

Leaving Classroom

Lab Reports (20%)

-only during independent work time and is

up to my discretion. Sign out by front door

-Typed documents will be turned in via

turnitin.com

Attention

Cumulative Semester Final: 10%

-Shark Bait! Pause or stop whatever you

are doing, turn your face to me, and listen

*Please check grades on

Powerschool frequently*

Participate when questions are posed!

I have not failed. Ive successfully discovered 10,000 things that wont work.
-Thomas Edison (inventor of the lightbulb)
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Course Objectives

Miscellaneous
Homework
-Posted on blog or board; complete in your IN

Group Work
-Stay on topic, work with shoulder partner
-Late Work
-occasionally can be made up for 50%
-repeat offenders will not have this privilege

With 100% effort on your part, I can guarantee 100% fun! You
will be able to think chemically and critically about many of the
scientific myths & propaganda, and be able to discern the
chemical likelihood of reactions with sound chemical deductions

Quizzes & Tests

-24 hrs for quiz corrections, no corrections on
tests. If absent, must make-up quiz or test

Lab Reports
-accompany lab experiments, guidelines will
be provided when necessary

Google drive
-Presentations, worksheets, most homework
questions, lab and report documents, and all
other learning materials on Google Drive

Food, Gum & Drink

-Never allowed; only water in secured water
bottle is permitted

Dismissal from Class

-the bell does not dismiss, I do. Do not pack
up until I have dismissed you.

Absences
-CHECK THE BLOG for what you missed

Reteach
-If you score less than a 60% on a mid-unit
quiz, you will be assigned to reteach the
following morning after you receive a notice.
-Reteach occurs promptly at 7:20 and goes
until 8:20.
-If you do not show up for reteach, you will be
assigned detention.
-Reteach counts as an excused absence from
your zero hour class.

Extra Credit

Lab Safety Rules

- Come properly dressed for lab days. (Long pants, closed toed
shoes, shirts with at least short sleeves, and hair tied back.) No tops
of feet or ankles showing.
- You must wear lab goggles or glasses throughout the entire
experiment.
- Be extremely careful with glassware, chemicals, and other
equipment. There is no horsing around in lab.
- No gum , no eating, and no drinking during laboratory
experiments.
- You will pay to replace broken glassware. (A bill will be sent to your
student account for the amount that the piece is worth.)
- If any chemical gets on your skin, eyes, or clothes, flush the area
profusely with water for at least 5 minutes. Notify your teacher.
- Never reach over or across an open flame. Keep flammables away
from flame or open sources of heat.
- Never taste a chemical or drink out of glassware.
- The chemistry stockroom is for teachers only, unless I give you
explicit permission to enter it.
- Clean chemicals off the balance using a brush or paper towel.
Never brush a chemical onto the floor. Do not touch chemicals.
- Dispose of chemicals in proper waste containers. Clean up spills.

-Research projects (up to 10% of grade)!

Character Chemistry for Mrs. Daconta

As a recent Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology graduate from the University of Arizona, I
am now pursuing my passion to spread the love of science by becoming a high school chemistry
teacher via the Teach Arizona Masters Program. Previously, I researched alternative and novel
mu/delta opioid receptor ligands with the Hruby Group in hopes of generating a non-addictive
therapy for opioid-dependent patients. My research for generating biodiesel fuel from the abundant
desert Jojoba plant was also recently published in the Journal of Chemical Education. If I had to be an element, I
would be Germanium because my heart still lives in Germany with the rest of my family, or I would be Francium
because its atomic number was my husbands football number and it is generally very rare to find on Earth!

Character Chemistry
Please answer the questions and return by January 6th, 2017
1. If you had to be an element, which one would you be and why?
Element: ____________________
Why?: _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
2. Do you have a job? If so, doing whatif not, where do you want to
work?
_______________________________________________________
3. In your life, who do you have the most chemistry with?
_______________________________________________________
4. What is your favorite animal and why? ________________________
_______________________________________________________

5. What is/are your favorite TV shows, movies, and/or books?

__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
6. What is one thing from the first semester that is still confusing to you?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
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