Name _____________________________________________

Class Period ________

OTHS ACADEMIC CHEMISTRY

Course Guidelines, Expectations, & Safety

TEACHER INFORMATION
Teacher:

_________________________________

Email:

_________________________@katyisd.org

Tutorials:

_________________________________

Conference:

______ period

Website:

http://othschem.weebly.com/

UT Course #:

____________

ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Electronic devices are valuable learning tools in the proper setting; however, their presence can be destructive when used during
inappropriate times or for inappropriate purposes. Therefore, our policy is:
Electronics may not be used unless the teacher gives permission.
During a test or a quiz, electronics may not be in the direct possession or view of a student for any reason.
During a test or a quiz, if an electronic device is in the possession or view of a student, the student and the device may be sent to
the students grade level principal for further evaluation of academic honesty.

WEBSITE
The course website is an extremely useful resource. It contains calendars, notes, practice packets, tutorial videos, answer keys, etc.

GRADE DISTRIBUTION
Tests
Labs & Quizzes
UT Quest Online Homework

55%
30%
15%
100%

CALENDARS
Detailed six-week calendars are provided for students the first day of each six weeks. The calendar includes all online homework, lab,
quiz, review, and test dates. The calendar is followed closely and it is recommended that students look at it daily to prepare for upcoming
due dates and activities in class. The calendar is also available on Canvas.

BINDERS
Students are encouraged to maintain a binder specifically devoted to Chemistry.
It may be helpful to divide the binder into the following sections: Note packets (blue), Practice packets (white), Labs (green), Quizzes
(white), and Practice Tests (pink). Six Weeks Calendars, the Academic Chemistry Course Guidelines and Expectations, KISD
Science Safety Rules, and a Periodic Table should be kept at the front of the binder.

CALCULATORS
Students will use a class set of TI-nspire calculators during tests, quizzes, and daily work activities.
It is the students responsibility to obtain a calculator for home use. Calculators are also available online and on mobile devices.
Functions that will be used include logarithm and scientific notation.

CLASSROOM POLICY
Do your work.
Treat the room with respect, kindness, and care.
Treat your neighbor with respect, kindness, and care.
Follow all lab and safety rules.
No food or drinks in the room.
All school rules are upheld in the classroom.

SUPPLIES TO DONATE
1st period- 1 gallon of distilled water & colored pencils
2nd period- Lysol All Purpose Cleaner & sponges
3rd period- Boys: dish soap Girls: liquid hand soap
5th period- Paper towels
6th period- Pencils, erasers, & highlighters
7th period- Kleenex

TESTS AND QUIZZES

Test and quiz dates are posted on the six-week calendars and website.
Tests will be by unit(s) depending on the material and topic length.
Practice Tests are provided for every test and are distributed three days prior to testing (see calendar).
Practice Test answers are covered in class on review day and are posted to the website the evening before the test.
Students who are absent the day before the test will still take the test as scheduled, as no new material will be covered.
RETEST POLICY
The last week of each six weeks, all students will take a cumulative test where all information covered in the six weeks will be tested.
The cumulative test will count as an additional test grade for all students, but will also double as a retest for students who did not pass

one or more tests in the six weeks.

For retest purposes: the students original test score, below a 70, will be replaced with the cumulative test score, not to exceed 70.
If the student scores lower on the cumulative test, the original test score will remain.
It is highly recommended that students who do not pass a test come to tutorials with any chemistry teacher to go over the test and
clarify information missed as soon as possible.

LABS
Students will complete a lab safety quiz and will demonstrate 100% mastery of the safety rules in order to participate in lab.
Labs will be performed in groups (assigned by the teacher), dependent on lab design and materials.
Electronic devices are not appropriate in a laboratory setting and may not be used or in sight during labs.
Lab safety rules must be followed at all times. Negligence (not wearing goggles or closed toe shoes), not following instructions,

purposeful horseplay, and harmful behavior will not be tolerated in the lab.
Clean-up: In a chemistry lab, students are expected to take care of the equipment and lab stations. Each lab period, 10 points are
allocated for lab clean-up. If the lab is left in disarray, 10 points will be deducted from the lab grade.
Lost notebooks: Students are given one lab notebook each six weeks. If lost, students may print labs from the course website,
but 5 points will be deducted for each occurrence.
Late labs: 1 day late= Maximum 75, 2 days late= Maximum 50, 3+ days late= zero
Unless specified otherwise, violation of lab protocol will result in a 20 point deduction from the lab grade and/or a discipline referral to
the students grade level principal.

ONLINE HOMEWORK
UT Quest is the platform used to complete all online homework assignments.
Students will create a UT Quest account and will be shown by the teacher how to use the online homework website.
Online homework due dates are posted on the six-week calendars and on the UT Quest website.
It is the students responsibility to remember his/her login information and password. His/her teacher does not have access to
this information on the UT Quest website.

PRACTICE PACKETS
Many problems/examples will be worked in class. Not everything covered will be graded. It will be to the student's advantage to take

notes on any material covered in class.

Not all assignments will be graded for accuracy, but all material will be tested.
Answer keys to all daily work and assignments will be provided in class or on the OTHS Academic Chemistry website. It is the
students responsibility to check completion-graded work for accuracy.

ABSENCES AND LATE WORK

When a student is absent, he/she is responsible for checking the six-week calendars for missed assignments. Students will

discuss/schedule any make-up work with the teacher upon his/her return.
Late UT Quest assignments will not be accepted and a grade of zero will be given.
Late labs are accepted with a penalty of 25 points per day late.
As per KISD policy, work assigned prior to the absence is due on the first return day, including TESTS.
If you are absent for a test, the test must be taken upon your return if no new information has been presented in your absence.
Plan to take the test on the day you return to school. If new information has been presented, two days per day missed are allotted.
Any make-up work not completed will result in a zero.

Katy Independent School District: Science Safety Rules

PURPOSE: Science is a hands-on laboratory class. You will be doing many laboratory activities which may require the use of hazardous chemicals
or potentially dangerous equipment. Safety in the science classroom is the #1 priority for students, teachers, and parents. To ensure a safe
science classroom, a list of rules must be followed at all times. Both you and a parent or guardian must sign the safety agreement before you can
participate in the laboratory. The safety rules are to be kept as a constant reminder of proper lab behavior.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
1. Conduct yourself in a responsible manner at all times in the laboratory.
2. Follow all written and verbal instructions carefully. If you do not understand a direction or part of a procedure, ask the instructor before
proceeding.
3. Never work alone. No student may work in the laboratory without an instructor present.
4. When first entering a science room, do not touch any equipment, chemicals, or other materials in the laboratory area until you are instructed to
do so.
5. Do not eat any food, drink beverages, or chew gum in the laboratory. Do not use laboratory glassware as containers for food or beverages.
6. Perform only those experiments authorized by the instructor. Never do anything in the laboratory that is not called for in the laboratory
procedures or by your instructor. Carefully follow all instructions, both written and oral. Unauthorized experiments are prohibited.
7. Any time chemicals, heat, or glassware are used, and during dissections, students will wear laboratory goggles. There will be no exceptions to
this rule!
8. Be prepared for your work in the laboratory. Read all procedures thoroughly before entering the laboratory. Never fool around in the laboratory.
Horseplay, practical jokes, and pranks are dangerous and prohibited.
9. Observe good housekeeping practices. Work areas should be kept clean and tidy at all times. Bring only your laboratory instructions,
worksheets, and/or reports to the work area. Other materials (books, purses, backpacks, etc.) should be stored in the classroom area.
10. Keep aisles clear. Push your chair under the desk when not in use.
11. Know the locations and operating procedures of all safety equipment including the first aid kit, eyewash station, safety shower, fire extinguisher,
and fire blanket. Know where the fire alarm and the exits are located.
12. Always work in a well-ventilated area. Use the fume hood when working with volatile substances or poisonous vapors. Never place your head
into the fume hood.
13. Be alert and proceed with caution at all times in the laboratory. Notify the instructor immediately of any unsafe conditions you observe.
14. Dispose of all chemical waste properly. Never mix chemicals in sink drains. Sinks are to be used only for water and those solutions designated
by the instructor. Solid chemicals, metals, matches, filter paper, and all other insoluble materials are to be disposed of in the proper waste
containers, not in the sink. Check the label of all waste containers twice before adding your chemical waste to the container.
15. Labels and equipment instructions must be read carefully before use. Set up and use the prescribed apparatus as directed in the laboratory
instructions or by your instructor.
16. Keep hands away from face, eyes, mouth, and body while using chemicals or preserved specimens. Wash your hands with soap and water
after performing all experiments. Clean (with detergent), rinse, and wipe dry all work surfaces (including the sink) and apparatus at the end of
the experiment. Return all equipment clean and in working order to the proper storage area.
17. Experiments must be personally monitored at all times. You will be assigned a laboratory station at which to work. Do not wander around the
room, distract other students, or interfere with the laboratory experiments of others.
18. Students are never permitted in the science storage rooms or preparation areas unless given specific permission by their instructor.
19. Know what to do if there is a fire drill during a laboratory period; containers must be closed, gas valves turned off, fume hoods turned off, and
any electrical equipment turned off.
20. Handle all living organisms used in a laboratory activity in a humane manner. Preserved biological materials are to be treated with respect and
disposed of properly.
21. When using knives and other sharp instruments, always carry with tips and points pointing down and away. Always cut away from your body.
Never try to catch falling sharp instruments. Grasp sharp instruments by the handles.
CLOTHING
22. Contact lenses should not be worn in the laboratory unless you have permission from your parents.
23. Dress properly during a laboratory activity. Long hair, dangling jewelry, and loose or baggy clothing are a hazard in the laboratory. Long hair
must be tied back and dangling jewelry and loose or baggy clothing must be secured. Closed-toed shoes are recommended.
24. When lab aprons are provided for your use, they should be worn during laboratory activities.
ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES
25. Report any accident (spill, breakage, etc.) or injury (cut, burn, etc.) to the instructor immediately, no matter how trivial it appears.
26. If you or your lab partner is hurt, immediately get the instructors attention.
27. If a chemical should splash in your eye(s) or on your skin, immediately flush with running water from the eyewash station or safety shower for at
least 20 minutes. Notify the instructor immediately.
28. When mercury thermometers are broken, mercury must not be touched. Notify the instructor immediately.
HANDLING CHEMICALS
29. All chemicals in the laboratory are to be considered dangerous. Do not touch, taste, or smell any chemicals unless specifically instructed to do
so. The proper technique for smelling chemical fumes will be demonstrated to you.

30.
31.
32.
33.
34.

Check the label on chemical bottles twice before removing any of the contents. Take only as much chemical as you need.
Never return unused chemicals to their original containers.
Never use mouth suction to fill a pipette. Use a rubber bulb or pipette pump.
When transferring reagents from one container to another, hold the containers away from your body.
Acids must be handled with extreme care. You will be shown the proper method for diluting strong acids. Always add acid to water, swirl or stir
the solution and be careful of the heat produced, particularly with sulfuric acid.
35. Handle flammable hazardous liquids over a pan to contain spills. Never dispense flammable liquids anywhere near an open flame or source of
heat.
36. Never remove chemicals or other materials from the laboratory area.
37. Take great care when transferring acids and other chemicals from one part of the laboratory to another. Hold them securely and walk carefully.

HANDLING GLASSWARE AND EQUIPMENT

38. Carry glass tubing, especially long pieces, in a vertical position to minimize the likelihood of breakage and injury.
39. Never handle broken glass with your bare hands. Use a brush and dustpan to clean up broken glass. Place broken glass or waste glassware in
the designated glass disposal container.
40. Inserting and removing glass tubing from rubber stoppers can be dangerous. Always lubricate glassware (tubing, thistle tubes, thermometers,
etc.) before attempting to insert it in a stopper. Always protect your hands with towels or cotton gloves when inserting glass tubing into, or
removing it from, a rubber stopper. If a piece of glassware becomes frozen in a stopper, take it to your instructor for removal.
41. Fill wash bottles only as directed and use only as intended, e.g., rinsing glassware and equipment, or adding water to a container.
42. When removing an electrical plug from its socket, grasp the plug, not the electrical cord. Hands must be completely dry before touching an
electrical switch, plug, or outlet.
43. Examine glassware before each use. Never use chipped or cracked glassware. Never use dirty glassware.
44. Report damaged electrical equipment immediately. Look for things such as frayed cords, exposed wires, and loose connections. Do not use
damaged electrical equipment.
45. If you do not understand how to use a piece of equipment, ask the instructor for help.
46. Do not immerse hot glassware in cold water; it may shatter.
HEATING SUBSTANCES
47. Exercise extreme caution when using a gas burner. Take care that hair, clothing and hands are a safe distance from the flame at all times. Do
not put any substance into the flame unless specifically instructed to do so. Never reach over an exposed flame. Light gas (or alcohol) burners
only as instructed by the teacher.
48. Never leave a lit burner unattended. Never leave anything that is being heated or is visibly reacting unattended. Always turn the burner or hot
plate off when not in use.
49. You will be instructed in the proper method of heating and boiling liquids in test tubes. Do not point the open end of a test tube being heated at
yourself or anyone else.
50. Heated metals and glass remain very hot for a long time. They should be set aside to cool and picked up with caution. Use tongs or heatprotective gloves if necessary.
51. Never look into a container that is being heated.
52. Do not place hot apparatus directly on the laboratory desk. Always use an insulating pad. Allow plenty of time for hot apparatus to cool before
touching it.
53. When bending glass, allow time for the glass to cool before further handling. Hot and cold glass has the same visual appearance. Determine if
an object is hot by bringing the back of your hand close to it prior to grasping it.
HANDLING ORGANISMS
54. All laboratory wastes that may harbor any microorganisms must be assumed to be pathogenic and need to be treated before they are thrown in
the trash.
55. Potentially harmful wastes due to microorganism-type contamination include bacterial cultures, culture tubes, disposable loops, Petri dishes,
blood typing materials, any body fluids, any unknown growing items, contaminated media products, disposable gloves used in dissections or
when handling living materials, electrophoresis materials, any items which might harbor microorganisms.
56. When conducting any disposal procedures, be sure to provide personal protection for yourself and others around you. Always wear proper
personal protection equipment (goggles, aprons, gloves, etc.). Conduct disposal procedures in proper areas for the materials (hoods, ventilated
areas, appropriate sinks, etc.). Where appropriate, follow sterile procedures and cautions relative to potential pathogens.
57. Materials that are potentially contaminated with microorganisms must first be sterilized before disposal. There are two methods for sterilizing
wastes: autoclaving and chemical sterilization.
58. Materials can be autoclaved in an autoclave. If an autoclave is not available, a pressure cooker may be used. Objects to be autoclaved should
be placed into a biohazard bag carefully without opening the containers. The bagged biohazard materials should be autoclaved at 15 lbs. per
square inch of pressure for 30 minutes at 121C.
59. To sterilize by chemical sterilization, place culture or material in a 10% bleach solution for 24 hours. To prepare 10% bleach solution, dilute one
part household bleach with nine parts water. Rinse the sterilized material with water, and then dispose of them following appropriate
procedures.

Name______________________________________________

Period_________

OTHS Academic Chemistry Course Policy Agreement

***Please sign and return this page (front and back) by Tuesday, 8/30/16***
I have read and understand the Chemistry Course Guidelines and Expectations and UT Quest Online HW info sheet. The
student agrees to comply with all OTHS Academic Chemistry policies and procedures.
STUDENT SIGNATURE: ___________________________________________ DATE: _________________
PARENT SIGNATURE: ___________________________________________ DATE: _________________

Parent Contact Information:

Parent Name

Preferred Email Address (please print)

1. What are your hobbies, talents, interests, sports/extracurricular activities?

2. Please list your high school science courses (and teacher, if taken while at OTHS).
Level
Science Class
Teacher (omit if not taken at OTHS)
(Circle) Academic or Pre-AP

Biology

(Circle) Academic or Pre-AP

IPC

(Circle) Academic or Pre-AP

Physics

(Circle) Academic or Pre-AP

Other_____________________

3. What are you most looking forward to this year in chemistry?

******************PLEASE TURN PAPER OVER FOR SAFETY CONTRACT SIGNATURES******************

Katy Independent School District

Science Safety Contract
AGREEMENT

I, ___________________________________ (print students name) have read and agree to follow all of the safety rules
provided by my science teacher. I realize that I must obey these rules to ensure my own safety, and that of my fellow
students and instructors. I will cooperate to the fullest extent with my instructor and fellow students to maintain a safe
lab environment. I will also closely follow the oral and written instructions provided by the instructor. I am aware that
any violation of this safety contract that results in unsafe conduct in the laboratory or misbehavior on my part may result
in being removed from the laboratory, disciplinary action, and/or a failing grade for that laboratory.
__________________________________________________
Student Signature
Date

Are you colorblind?

Do you have allergies?

_____ YES _____ NO
If so, please list specific allergies

_____ YES _____ NO

_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Please provide the following information:

Do you wear contact lenses?

_____ YES _____ NO
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.

______________________________________ CIRCLE: will, will not be wearing contact lenses in the lab.
Student Name

__________________________________________________
Parent Signature
Date