Course Syllabus

 
CHEM 234 • Organic Chemistry 1 Lecture

Skyline College • Spring 2022

CRN: 47955 

  

Professor A.J. Bates 

   

Contact Information 

Email (primary contact method): batesa@smccd.edu

Canvas Messaging

Instructor Website: https://accounts.smccd.edu/batesa

Office: Building 8, Room 8-236
     My office is across from the Building 8 elevators.
     It can easily be reached from the 3rd floor of Building 7.

Office Phone: (650) 738-4374

Text (SMS) Messaging – Google Voice: (650) 242-5157

        

Office Hours

Schedule: Please click here for an up-to-date Weekly Office Hours Schedule
     Office hours are available in-person and online
      Please see the schedule for specific times
     Office Hours are also available by appointment

Zoom Link: https://smccd.zoom.us/j/146461435      Meeting ID: 146 461 435
     Note: There is no password; however, there is a waiting room. I normally admit everyone 
      into office hours together. However, if I am in a one-on-one student conference, there may 
      be a delay. I appreciate your patience in those circumstances.

 

 

General Course Information

   
In-Person Lecture/Discussion Meetings

Days:   Tuesdays & Thursdays  
Room:  7-104  
Time:   9:35 am – 10:50 am

    

Peer Instruction & Supplemental Instruction Leaders (TUTORS):

STEM Center & Learning Center Tutoring 

  

Prerequisite

The prerequisite for the course is successful completion (grade of C or better)
of General Chemistry 2 (CHEM 220 or equivalent). 

  

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: 

      1. Illustrate the steps in the mechanisms and predict the products of important reactions of organic compounds, including nucleophilic substitutions, eliminations, additions to alkenes and alkynes, and radical reactions.
      2. Perform retrosynthetic analysis of organic molecules to determine appropriate starting materials and reaction conditions to synthesize target molecules.

  

Course Materials                      

    • Organic Chemistry, 3rd, 4th, or 5th edition by Janice Smith

    • Study Guide and Solutions Manual to Accompany Organic Chemistry, 3rd, 4th, or 5th edition
      by Janice Smith

    • Molymod Molecular Model Set (or other molecular model kit) 

    • Calculator: 

    • A calculator is required for just a few topics. A basic scientific calculator will suffice. Devices with a full alpha-numeric (qwerty) keyboard, or wi-fi or cellular capability will NOT be allowed during face-to-face quizzes or exams. Most graphing calculators are also acceptable.

  

  

  

Important Dates

  Date

  Activity

  Tuesday, January 18

  First day of CHEM 234 Class

  Sunday, February 6

  Last day to DROP course with no record

  February 8 (Group 1)

  February 10 (Group 2)

  The Quizzam

  February 18-21

  President’s Day Recess – NO CLASSES

  February 22 (Group 1)

  February 24 (Group 2)

  Exam #1

  March 23  (Group 1)

  March 25 (Group 2)

  Exam #2

  March 27 – April 2

  SPRING RECESS - NO CLASSES

  Thursday, April 21

  Flex Day – No Classes

  Thursday, April 28

  Last day to WITHDRAW from course (grade = W)

  May 3  (Group 1)

  May 5 (Group 2)

  Exam #3

  Tuesday, May 24 

  Final Exam (8:00 am – 11:00 am)
  Note the EARLY start time!

Notes: The above calendar is subject to change. Changes in exam dates will be announced
at least one week prior to the new exam date. See the Canvas course calendar for the lecture
and assignments schedule.

 

 

Online Activities, Lecture, Assignments, and Readings


Please see the Canvas Course Calendar & Topics Pages in the Modules for the course activity schedule, reading assignments, quiz & exam schedules and problem set due dates.

Note: The above calendars are subject to change.

 

 

Course Outline

Topics

Textbook
Chapter
Chemical Bonding: Review of Electron Dot Structures, 
VSEPR, Valence Bond Theory, and Related Topics

1
Acid-Base Chemistry

2
Introduction to Organic Molecules

3
Alkanes and Organic Chemistry Nomenclature Basics

4
Stereochemistry

5
Organic Reactions, Kinetics, and Thermodynamics

6
Substitution Reactions (SN2,SN1) of Alkyl Halides

7

Elimination Reactions (E2,E1) of Alkyl Halides

8
Alcohols, Ethers, Epoxides, and their Reactions

9

Alkenes & their Reactions

10

Alkynes & their Reactions

11
Oxidation & Reduction

12
Radical Reactions

15

Infrared Spectroscopy (Independent Study – will be covered in CHEM 237 lab lectures. IR spectroscopy will be covered on CHEM 234 exams only as announced.)

13

Note: The above outline is subject to change.

  

  

  

Course Information, Requirements, Policies, and Assistance

 

Hybrid Course Structure

This semester we are using a hybrid course structure in a flipped-classroom format for the lecture. Each class session will have approximately half of the number of students as would be present in a fully in-person course. This structure will allow for more one-on-one and small group interactions with the instructors and tutors. The total amount of time that you will need to dedicate to the class will be approximately the same as for a fully in-person class; however, you will have significantly more flexibility in the timing of completing the asynchronous work for the course.

      • In-person Lecture/Discussion: One session per week (most weeks) – 1 hour 15 minutes per class session
        A second session may be required some weeks

      • Online Asynchronous Lecture: Online Lecture Videos (~ 2 hours/week)

      • Class Study (outside of class): Textbook Reading, Worksheet and Textbook Practice Problems, Problem Set Assignments, Office Hour Visits, Study Groups, Tutoring in the STEM Center / The Learning Center (~ 6 hours/week) 

 

Flipped Classroom

In CHEM 234, we will employ a flipped-classroom format. The lecture and lab lecture will be presented primarily through asynchronous online videos. In-person class time will be used primarily for discussion, problem-solving, performing laboratory experiments, and other interactive or hands-on work.

 

Online Video Lectures

The lecture component of the course will present the fundamental concepts of general chemistry, problem solving techniques, and sample problems. Lectures will primarily be presented as online lecture videos in the topics UNIT pages. Outlines of lecture notes will be provided on the course Canvas website. These are intended to facilitate note-taking during while viewing the lectures – they are not a substitute for watching the required online video lectures. Many examples, demonstrations, and additional explanations will be presented during lectures. The lecture topics listed above closely follow the order of presentation in your textbook. However, course notes and emphasis may vary significantly from the text. Your viewing of the online lectures and participation in the in-person and Zoom meetings and is essential to successful performance in the class.

  

In-person Lecture/Discussion Class Meetings

The in-person Lecture/Discussion Class Meetings (or alternate synchronous Zoom class meetings when necessary) are essential to your success in the course. Problem-solving groups, lecture, discussion, lab lectures, lab simulation, problem-solving, tutoring, and questions/answer sessions will all be aspects of all of the Lecture/Discussion class meetings. There will often be worksheets assigned in advance of these meetings to serve as a guide for our discussion during them. Please do your best work possible on them prior to the class meeting so that you will get the most out of the discussion. 

 

Readings and Textbook Problems

    • Assigned readings from the textbook and assigned book problems are a required part of the course and are essential to learning the concepts and performing well on exams and in the course

    • Some Topics are covered primarily through the reading

    • Specific book problems will be assigned

      • Those at the end of reading sections are very useful for checking your understanding of topics as you progress through the assigned reading.

      • Those at the end of the chapter provide extra practice, tie concepts together, and provide questions that are often similar to exam questions.

      • Full answers for selected problems in the textbook are in the Student Solutions Guide

 

Graded Problem Sets and Practice Problem Worksheets

Problem sets, worksheets, and book problems will focus on chemical problem solving, including prediction of products and reaction mechanisms. Successful completion of the problem sets is key to successful course performance. The graded problem sets do not provide exhaustive coverage of course topics. It is important to work the textbook and worksheet problems as well. Problem sets will be assigned regularly and most problem sets will be graded. Textbook and extra practice worksheets will typically not be collected for grading. However, some participation points may be assigned for completing them and using them in class discussion.

 

Molecular Model Kits

Molecular model kits are a vital tool for understanding bonding and three-dimensional structure of organic molecules. You will be required to build models for many lectures and use them to complete problem sets. You are strongly encouraged to purchase your own organic model kit.

 

Exams

    • Three Midterm Exams and a comprehensive Final Exam will be given in the course

    • Exams will be administered in-person at the announced time on the exam date

    • Exams dates are on the syllabus

    • The midterm and final exams will given on the dates indicated on the course syllabus. However, please note that the time scheduled for the three exams and the Final may be expanded. The specific times will be announced at least one week prior to the exam (usually earlier). Be sure to plan your semester schedule to be available and on-campus at the specified exam times

  

Quizzes

Quizzes may be administered online or in person (lab, lecture, or other class meetings). Quizzes may be announced or unannounced. A high-value quiz, referred to as The Quizzam, will be administered early in the course to make sure that you are getting off to the right start in your studies for General Chemistry 2.

 

Getting Course Assistance

Office Hours:  Office hours are a time to get one-on-one and small group assistance from the instructor and other students who may be attending. Take advantage of this opportunity for individualized assistance. Office hours are also by appointment. Please ask if you need help and cannot make it to the regular office hours and we will arrange a time. 

Academic Excellence Workshops: Our Peer Instruction (PI) Tutors will hold office hours and/or study sessions to work practice problems, discuss course topics, answer questions, and support your success in the course. This is an excellent opportunity to get additional assistance in the course.

STEM Center, MESA Program, and the Learning Commons: All students in Chemistry are welcome and encouraged to use the resources available through the STEM Center and the MESA program, located in rooms 7-303 to 7-309 (when we are on-campus). Computers, tutoring for other courses, scholarship programs, and other services are available as well. During times of campus closure, the STEM Center will continue operation fully online.

 

Office Hours / Discussions / Problem-Solving Sessions

In addition to regular office hours, problem-solving sessions will be held periodically and announced in class and on the website. They will be an excellent opportunity to get help on problem sets, ask questions about course topics, get assistance with molecular models, work additional problems, and meet fellow students.

 

Study Groups

Working with other students to complete and understand problem sets is essential to the course. You are encouraged to form study groups to discuss problem sets, notes, and to prepare for exams.

  

Canvas Course Website

Problem sets, lecture notes outlines, important course announcements, updated schedules, and links to useful resources will be posted on the website. You are required to check the site regularly. If you miss a class section, you are responsible to check the web site for announcement of exam and quiz dates or any schedule or due date changes.

 

Special Needs

If you have any special needs for accessibility or any other issues, please discuss with me as soon as possible so that appropriate accommodations may be made.

  

Diversity & Inclusion

The College and our course is a place where we should all treat one another with respect, and welcome individuals of all abilities, ages, backgrounds, beliefs, ethnicities, genders, gender identities, gender expressions, national origins, races, religious affiliations, sexual orientations, and other perceived differences. All members of this class are expected to contribute to a respectful, welcoming and inclusive environment for every other member of the class.

 

Safe Zone

I am a member of a Safe Zone Ally community network, and I am available to listen and support you in a safe and confidential manner. As a Safe Zone Ally, I can help you connect with resources on campus to address problems you may face that interfere with your academic and social success on campus as it relates to issues surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity. My goal is to help you be successful and to maintain a safe and equitable campus.

 

Preferred Name/Pronoun 

I will gladly honor your request to address you by your choice of pronouns and/or an alternate name from the name on your academic record. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make changes to my records and address you properly.

 

Campus and Community Lectures / Expanding Your Horizons

Part of your academic development includes attendance and participation in lectures, seminars, workshops, and conferences of interest to you. I encourage you to broaden your experiences and learn about new opportunities through these events. Additional information will be provided in class.

 

Student Email Account (my.smccd.edu)

Your instructor and Skyline College will use your my.smccd.edu email account to share information with you. If you don’t check that email, you will miss important news. If you don’t want to check your my.smccd.edu account, and you would rather use an email account such as gmail, yahoo, or another, please take a few minutes to set up forwarding for your my.smccd.edu email to your regular account. Follow these steps in the link: How to Forward Your my.smccd.edu Email to Another Email Address

 

Grading

APPROXIMATE point breakdown (subject to change):

   Exams:                                                                    500 
   Quizzes/Discussions/Participation:                TBA (0-75)
   Problem Sets:                                                          50                             
                                                                Variable: 550-625 points

 
Grade assignments will be based approximately on the following scale:

A      =       90.0 % - 100 %
B      =       80.0 % - 89.9 %
C      =       70.0 % - 79.9 %
D      =       60.0 % - 69.9 %
F      =            0 % - 59.9 %

  

Make-Up

Problem sets may not be made-up. Your lowest problem set score will be adjusted to full credit.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT come to the on-campus class meetings, labs, or exams if you are sick, have any COVID-19 symptoms, or have been recently exposed to COVID-19 (see the SMCCCD COVID-19 Guidelines). Make-up dates will be worked out so that you may meet the requirements for the course. 

   

Dropping or Withdrawing from the Course

If you choose to DROP or WITHDRAW from the course, it is your responsibility to follow the appropriate procedures and observe the ending dates for these options.

 
 

Personal Conduct – Expectations

 

GENERAL:

  • All students are expected to RESPECT themselves, one another, the instructor, the room, and the equipment. In turn, the instructors will respect students and their academic needs and progress.
  • REGULAR ATTENDANCE to lecture & laboratory is required. Please be ON TIME to lecture and lab as a courtesy to the instructor and other students. Time lost due to tardiness to lab, or exams cannot be made up. I will make every effort to start and end class on time. Please also make every effort to arrive and be prepared for class to start at the scheduled time.
  • SAFETY: All students are expected to abide by the safety rules in the laboratory. These will be discussed in detail in a separate handout. Note that safety glasses or goggles are required at all times in the laboratory.
  • Please SILENCE mobile phones and other devices before entering the lab or classroom. Please do not talk on the phone or check or send voice or text messages during class.
  • For lab safety and as a courtesy to your fellow classmates and the instructor, please do not wear headphones in the laboratory at any time or during the lecture or discussions, unless they are part of an assistive listening device or for the purpose of other appropriate accommodations. 

 

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:

  • Each student is expected to turn in only his or her own work, prepared for this course during the current semester (this applies to problem sets, prelabs, lab reports, and all assignments in the course).
  • Each student is expected to do her or his own work on quizzes, tests, and exams without assistance from other students or any unauthorized aids (g. cheat sheets, calculator programs, etc.).
  • Each student is expected to acquire his or her own laboratory data and report that data without alteration.
  • Cheating, plagiarism, or academic dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated in this course.
  • Academic dishonesty will have serious consequences. The FIRST offense (and any subsequent offense) may result in any or all of the following:
  • Receive a zero on the item in question.
  • Report to the College Administration (Dean responsible for Student Code of Conduct violations)
  • Lowering of the course grade (in addition to the above penalty).
  • Course failure.
  • Under the standards of Academic Sanctions, you may be subject to any or all of the following on the FIRST offense (and any subsequent offense):
    • A warning
    • Temporary exclusion from an activity or class.
    • Disciplinary Probation.
  • Please see the Student Handbook or Course Catalog for the college's definitions and policies on academic dishonesty and its consequences.
  • Additional discussion of academic integrity may take place in lecture or lab.
  • If you have questions regarding academic integrity, please ask the instructor.  
  • I would like to emphasize that I do NOT expect cheating to be a problem in the course. I expect that students will act with honesty and integrity in all of their work for the course.