Last Updated 8-15-11
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Syllabus for CHM-151: General Chemistry I
Phoenix College (online course)
(# 12735 /Fall 2011)
INSTRUCTORS:  This class is team taught by the two instructors listed below.
Mr. Ken Costello
Email: chm151@chemistryland.com
Phone: 480 202-2993 (cellphone #)
Office Hours: Since I only teach online, I don't have an office on campus; however, I check my email every day and throughout the day. I do make appointments to come to the campus to meet with students when needed.

Dr. Josie Castillo
Email: josemar.castillo@asu.edu
Office Hours: I'm on campus Tuesday and Thursdays.  We can meet by appointment on those days.  I also check my email regularly.
TEXTBOOKS: We are in a transition period regarding the textbook. For the last few years, we used the two books on the left. Last Fall we began the use of a new textbook shown on the right. Any of the four books below are OK to use for the course this semester.
Textbook: "Chemistry" 6th and 7th editions
Authors: Zumdahl and Zumdahl
The newest edition is the 8th edition, but we have used the less expensive 6th and 7th editions. Instructor will provide details on where to purchase the 6th and 7th Editions online. So even though the textbook "Chemistry: A Molecular Approach" is the one the department adopted, I'm OK with these older textbooks for this semester.
Here are some links that can help you search out the 6th and 7th Editions of the textbook, "Chemistry" by Zumdahl and Zumdahl.   If you order these online, try to find a seller that has an expedited delivery (about 3 business days) otherwise it could take a couple of weeks.
These are from www.half.ebay.com:
6th edition: $89 down to $10 depending on condition.
7th Edition:  $100 down to $30 depending on condition
The below links are with Amazon.com
6th Edition Used: $40 to $4 (Cheapest I've found) 
7th Edition Used:  From $94 to $30

Textbook: "Chemistry: A Molecular Approach" 2nd Edition
Author: Nivaldo Tro
This is the new book that the department adopted last Fall. It will be the one used for both CHM151 and CHM152 this semester. So if you plan on taking CHM152, this one might be a better one for you; however, it's the most expensive one. So you might use the least expensive 6th or 7th Edition by Zumdahl this Fall or the first edition of the newly adopted book by Tro. 

I did find some used copies of the loose leaf version of the newly adopted textbook at Amazon for $40.  That's a good deal. So if you are taking CHM152, this might be your best bet.  The first edition is fine for this class.  For our class, it's OK to use the first edition of Tro's Chemistry: A Molecular Approach.

First edition of Tro's Chemistry: A Molecular Approach

7th Edition
6th Edition
First Edition    and    second Edition
6th Edition book

First edition of Tro's bookChemistry textbook
Your instruction will not just come from the textbook. Over several years I have developed tutorials that cover much of the same material that is in the textbook. So you have both sources to learn from. The advantage of these online tutorials is that we can use many more images to make learning easier. - (Ken Costello)
Chemistry 3 light logo

Chemistry is a vast subject that encompasses...

The chemicals that make up the galaxies...
   The makeup of the Earth...
      The natural and unnatural chemicals in the environment...

The carbon-based compounds that make up living things...
  And the oxygen-based compounds that make up the continents.

Chemistry is seen but not seen... It's like seeing a tree without ever seeing a cell from a leaf of a tree. Fortunately, our instruments lets us see the invisible.

In other words chemistry encompasses the world of all sizes, all shapes, and amazing behaviors.
Three areas emphasized in this class

1. Something not always covered in classes are tips that give you survival skills for the subject.

Learning a difficult subject is like encountering extreme environments. You have to know the pitfalls of being in the environment. So the pitfalls of learning chemistry will be explained along with the solutions.

2. Learn how to approach a chemistry topic as a blend of building blocks, force & energy, and mathematics. Chemistry can seem like a long list of separate concepts, but this approach ties them together. Also, dividing a chemistry topic into three areas of focus makes it easier to understand.
• The building blocks focus sees chemicals coming from simpler building blocks.
• Chemistry also involves force and energy. For example, attraction and repulsion of + & - charges guide the assembly of atoms and compounds.
• The third part of chemistry involves mathematics. The Earth represents the Metric system which is based on Earth measurements and water.

Chapters in the textbook and tutorials are always a blend of these three focus areas.

3. Chemistry uses a vast array of symbols. The lead characters in Da Vinci Code and National Treasure had to know the meaning of a lot of symbols in order to navigate through their adventure. Chemistry is just like that. It is an adventure equally mysterious, and you will succeed if you learn the symbols.


 
COURSE COMPETENCIES

The official course competencies are listed on this district Web page:
http://www.maricopa.edu/curriculum/

Wewill cover these competencies in the course but weave them into the topics listed on home page. The competencies are not listed here because they are a little overwhelming to see all together. Also, a list of competencies makes chemistry seems boring, which it isn't. We have also added a few more competencies that will help you be a smarter consumer and smarter chemistry student.
MORE COURSE COMPETENCIES

In a face-to- face class you would need to have skills using a scientific calculator in order to do calculations in class. Since this is online you don't need to do calculations in a classroom. So technically you don't need a scientific calculator. However, you still need to do calculations. We actually prefer students know how to do calculations with a spreadsheet program like Microsoft's Excel or with the free OpenOffice Calc program. A spreadsheet allows you to layout the problem in a organized fashion with labels. So it reinforces good problem solving habits while doing the math for you, assuming you set up the formulas correctly. In other words, you should have competency with a scientific calculator and spreadsheets.
 
TESTING
In the past, quizzes were put up on Web pages and students sent their answers via email. This worked pretty well but it took awhile for students to get feedback on each of the answers. Last Spring semester, a better system was put in place. Students do their quizzes online and get immediate feedback on their responses. This system allows for hints, explanations, and solutions to be given within the quiz. Just as good is that the program was designed specifically for chemistry. So it allows students to write out chemical formulas and reactions quite easily. It even lets students draw molecules. So these online chemistry tools and instant feedback will make make quiz taking a lot easier and more instructional.
The software company that makes these online quizzes is called Sapling Learning. They have written specialized chemistry tools and quiz management software. They've also created a lot of pre-made questions and animations. Some textbook publishers offer similar online quizzing but you have to purchase a new textbook, which can be $150 or more. Getting an account with Sapling Learning is $29.99 and then you can use older versions of the textbook online that cost as little as $5 or $10. Sapling Learning is also more sophisticated than any of the textbook publisher's online quiz systems that we've seen. So Sapling Learning is a better and cheaper way to go. We will give more details on how you can sign up for a Sapling Learning account when the semester is underway.
Sapling Learning Logo
PACING
The pacing of this class is like a high powered trencher. It digs in and keeps on going. Trenching services are paid by the foot, so they move as fast as possible, but they can't just scratch the surface. That would be a waste of time. If they hit a rock, they do what is necessary to remove it so they can keeping digging along. This is how you have to approach this class. You have to dig in and chew up the material. If you hit a rock, use the learning skills taught in the Pitfalls of Learning to get unstuck. Progress has to be steady. There's no way you or a trencher machine can start off slow and then later just zip through all the material that has to be unearthed. Your work day for digging through chemistry is about 1 1/2 hours a day, 7 days a week equaling about 10 hours a week.
Since we are on the analogy of trenching, your work in CHM130 or high school chemistry means you have already dug through quite a bit of chemistry. Hopefully, you will remember much of that so that you don't have to start back at the beginning. CHM151covers the basics, but only as a review rather than like teaching it the first time. That means we will be going pretty fast through the materials that are covered in CHM130. That gives us more time for the new material.
trench
DEADLINES VS. TARGET DATES: Even though we do not have strict due dates, we do have target dates that give you a pacing that spreads out the learning. We like the course to be flexible to accommodate unforeseen circumstances or irregular schedules. However, if you get too far behind, we will prod you to catch up. If you do not communicate with us and are far behind, we may have to drop you from the course. At the 45th day of class, we are required to drop students who are not making much progress. We will try to warn you if it looks like we have to drop you, but we can't guarantee that.

All Maricopa Community College students are expected to be familiar with the Student Guide that explains the policies, procedures, and resources for students. A link to the home page for the Student Guides is below.
http://www.maricopa.edu/legal/student/conduct.php
Besides student responsibilities, it has a wealth of other information, also.
If you have any special learning needs let us know. The web page has information on that as well.
In summary, we think this class is challenging but also rewarding at the same time.

Welcome to General Chemistry. Now, dive in and see what's there.

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