Chemistry Class Safety Agreement

 

The teacher will remove a student from the science activity area if:

1. Their personal appearance or dress is such that they can cause injury to themselves or to other students.
2. They are behaving in such a manner that they can cause injury to themselves or to other students.
3. They are not following the prescribed safety rules for the science activity area or the particular science activity being conducted.
4. They are going beyond the limits of the science activity into areas that may lead to an unsafe situation.
5. They have not completed the pre-experiment activities that will allow them to work safely in the laboratory situation.
6. They violate the TCISD student code of conduct or TCHS Laboratory safety guidelines (attached).

 

 

STUDENT

I,                                                                       , have read all the safety guidelines and rules.  I understand what the rules mean and/or have had the instructor explain to me their meaning.  I will keep a copy of the rules in my notebook for future reference and for easy access.

 

 

PARENT

I,                                                                       , have read all the rules.  I have discussed them with my child and feel that my child understands what they mean, and the consequences for removal from class.  I would like to inform the school that my child has the following physical or medical situations that could affect their learning in science class or lab.  (Example: allergies, disability, impairment, contact lenses*, etc.)

1.             Home phone#                                                 
2.             Business phone#                                            

 

 

*CONTACT LENSES

Contact lenses are controversial in the science laboratory.  Some experts feel that they are an added risk if there is a chemical splashed in the eye.  All students must wear safety goggles to prevent any such accident.  As a parent, the decision is yours.  Please state whether your child (will / will not) be wearing contact lenses in the lab.  Students will be advised when a lab is scheduled beforehand.

 

 

CONTACTING THE TEACHER

To contact Ms. Davalos with any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at Ashley.Davalos@sfisd.org

 

 

Course Information Sheet

 

Instructor:     Ms. A. Davalos                                                           Classroom:     G202  

Course Title: Pre-AP Chemistry                                                       Conference:   6^th Period

 

Topics to be covered:

1st Semester: Measurement, Matter, Atomic Structure and Periodic Table, Chemical Bonding/Formulas, Chemical Equations/Reactions, Mole Concept,

2^nd Semester: Stoichiometry, Gases, Solutions, Acids/Bases, Thermochemistry, Nuclear Chemistry.

 

School telephone number:                                                    SFISD Web site:

SFHS Main office       (409) 925-2700                                   http://www.sfisd.org

                       

Grading:

The following percentages will be used in this Pre-AP Chemistry course:

Major                           60%                            

Non-Major                  30%                            

Daily/Homework        10%                            

                                   

• Daily average will consist of test reviews, skill papers, and daily warm ups and notebook entries.
• Non-Major average will consist of lab experiments, pre-lab quizzes, and some individual projects.
• Major grades will consist of formal lab reports, special projects, unit tests (UBA’s), and some composition notebook entries. The school will administer checkpoint tests that will be comprehensive and count as a regular test with the exception of SEMESTER exams, which will be weighted on their own toward the semester average.

 

• I understand that due to circumstances beyond our control that there sometimes will be late work. I will accept late assignment up to two days past the due date and still receive credit. For 1 day late -10 points, for 2 days late 30 points, and after 3 days minimal credit.  This is in accordance to SFHS policy.  Any exception is to the discretion of your child’s teacher.
• Retakes must be scheduled within 48 hours of receiving the test grade or graded test. Students may not make higher than a 70 if their score is at or below 50 and students wanting to repair credit may make test corrections for half credit per corrected answer.
• Cheating policy, exam exemptions, and make up work are outlined in the student organizer.
• Bonus points will add to test grades and/or assignments, for the following:
  • Returning, by the due date, any paper, requiring a parent/guardian signature.
  • Turning in necessary school supplies for the class’s overall benefit.
  • Extra work or assignment under the discretion of the teacher.
• Tutorials are strongly recommended if the student is having problems in this class. Tutorials are scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays after school in my classroom. Once soccer season begins, students may make an appointment for tutorials before or after school. The student can make other arrangements during class, if these times are not suitable.

 

Laboratory Safety Guidelines

Santa Fe High School

General Safety Guidelines

1. Always be safety-conscious. Move about the laboratory in a safe manner.
   2. Report all accidents. No accident is too small to report.
   3. Know the locations of safety equipment in the laboratory; use only in emergencies. Know the location of fire exits.
   4. Plan ahead. Become familiar with all of the health and safety hazards of equipment and chemicals in use. If you are not sure, ask.
   5. Safety glasses (splash proof goggles) must be worn while working with any chemical that could be harmful to the eyes. Rubber aprons should be worn while carrying out many kinds of experiments.
   6. Use Bunsen burners only at the direction of the teacher. Open flames are prohibited when flammable substances are in use in the laboratory. Never leave active burners unattended.
   7. Confine long hair while working in the laboratory; watch for flames and machinery.
   8. Always wash your hands thoroughly at the end of the laboratory period. When handling chemicals, keep your hands away from your face, eyes, and body, until they have been washed.
   9. If a chemical is splashed or spilled on your skin, flush it away with plenty of water. If irritation or pain develops, report it immediately.
   10. If you should get chemicals into your eyes, go directly to the eyewash fountain and gently flush with water. Report this immediately to your teacher.
   11. Do not consume food or water while in the laboratory; never taste chemicals.
   12. Keep desk tops clear of all books, clothing, and other personal property except necessary lab directions and notebooks; keep fume hoods clear and clean.
   13. Returned cleaned equipment to its proper place when finished. Report any damage of equipment to the instructor.
   14. Keep sinks clean and free of glassware.
   15. Never return chemicals to stock bottles.
   16. Handle only materials that you are assigned to work with.
   17. Use acids and bases with caution. Wipe up spilled material at the direction of the teacher. Watch out for eyes, skin, and clothing.
   18. Keep reagent bottles covered. Follow the correct procedure for opening reagent bottles.
   19. Do not use unlabelled chemicals. Check label twice to be sure that you have the right bottle. Refer unlabelled containers to your teacher.
   20. Follow all instructions, both written and verbal. If you think some changes in procedure are necessary or desirable, check with your teacher.

Broken Glassware

1. Broken glass - clean up immediately with brush and pan
   2. Before inserting (or removing) glass tubing or thermometers into corks or stoppers, check with your teacher for proper procedure.

Avoiding Burns

1. Keep a lighted burner away from clothing, books, or other combustibles. Lean away from top of Bunsen burner while it is being lit.
   2. Hot glass looks just like cold glass. Use care when touching glass objects that have been heated.
   3. To heat easily evaporated (volatile) flammable liquids, use a water bath, inside a fume hood if possible.
   4. Do not heat anything inside a closed container.

Handling Chemicals

1. To smell the contents of a container, use a "wafting" action of the hand as demonstrated by your teacher.
   2. Use care to avoid splattering of solutions when heating to dryness.
   3. Never use mouth for pipetting up poisons, corrosive liquids, organic solvents, live cultures, or contaminated materials. Use automatic pipettors at the direction of your teacher.
   4. Always add acids to water slowly, carefully, and with a gentle stirring action (solid glass rod only). This should generally be done in a large open beaker. Avoid overheating which often accompanies too rapid mixing. ACID INTO WATER... never the reverse.

Electrical Precautions

1. Before connecting equipment to a power source, examine all wiring for electrical defects and improper installation.
   2. Make sure that all equipment is properly grounded and that you are NOT.
   3. Make sure that your hands are dry; that the work area is dry.
   4. Be certain that the proper voltage is available.
   5. Follow directions. If you are unsure of any procedure, ask your teacher.

 

Succeeding in Science

*Skills*

 

 

Attend Class:

• Pay attention
• Be prepared
• Ask questions

 

Take good notes:

• Write down as much as possible
• Listen for signals
• Use abbreviations and symbols, use a question mark in the margin, when you need elaboration on a topic from your instructor
• Copy whatever is written on the board
• Look over notes before the next class day meeting

 

Study early and often:

• Stay ahead or at least current
• Study two to three hours for each hour of lecture
• Study one to two hours for every hour of lab

 

Approaches to studying:

• Information presented sequentially and often in mathematical terms
• Learn early topics well
• Build new information on what you already know

 

Actual studying:

• Study in an environment similar to the testing environment
• Begin with course objectives
• Read over class notes with text
• Work assigned exercises and problems
• Work more exercises and problems
• Stay focused

 

Test taking:

• Stay relaxed
• Preparation reduces anxiety
• Solve problems systematically
• Perform a first pass answering all of the questions you are certain of
• Work all problems
• On multiple choice questions eliminate the wrong answers
• Stay focused

 

Laboratory preparation:

• Review the introduction and experimental procedure BEFORE lab
• Don’t miss, make ups are harder to learn from when working alone
• Stay focused