Welcome to Chemistry with Mrs. Stephenson

You will be able to contact me throughout the school year by several means, including:

School email: stephensond@luhsd.net  

Remind: remind.com/join/stephchem

Google Voice Number: (925) 517 - 3512

What we are doing in class:

March 10 & 11, 2020

• Students took their Quarter 3 District Assessment
• Students worked on Gram to Gram Calculations
• HW: 2 Gram to Gram Problems

March 6 & 9, 2020

• Returned Balancing Chemical Equations Test
• Reviewed for the District Assessment using the Balancing Chemical Equations Test as Review Examples
• Demonstration: Rates of Reactions - Aluminum and Hydrochloric Acid
• HW: No new Homework.  Complete any missing homework before the end of the Quarter.

March 4 & 5, 2020

• Complete calculations for Acids-Bases Experiment
• Perform Experiment
• Answer follow-up questions
• HW: Mole Conversions Practice

March 2 & 3, 2020

• Class Practice of Conversions for Chemistry (fomally known as Stoichiometry)
  • Convert grams to molecules (this is like your homework problems)
  • Convert grams to grams (this is what Chemists most often do)
• Perform calculations for the Acid-Base Reaction, which we will perform next class.
• HW: Complete homework questions from Chalk Activity, if you did not do so already

February 27 & 28, 2020

• Practiced unit conversions
• Define and practice using the mole and molar mass
• Activity: How many chalk molecules are in your name?
• HW: Practice molecules and molar mass questions
• Turn in Molar Mass Practice HW

February 25 & 26, 2020

• Reviewed for Balancing Chemical Equations Test
• Test: Balancing Chemical Equations, Predicting Products and Identifying Types
• Practice calculating molar mass and complete for homework

February 19 & 20, 2020

• Class reviewed and submitted homework from the previous class (Balancing Chemical Equations)
• Students got into groups picked by the teacher.  They received their Exit Tickets back and peer helped each other to fix mistakes.
• Students stayed in these groups to work on "Predicting Products for Single and Double Displacement"
• HW: Complete "Predicting Products for Single and Double Displacement" if you did not finish it in class

February 13 & 18, 2020

• Teacher reviewed and collected "Predicting Properties and Balancing Chemical Equations" HW
• Students used the phet simulations website to practice balancing chemical equations
• Students did an Exit Ticket to demonstrate their progress in balancing chemical equations
• HW: Balancing Chemical Equations

February 11 & 12, 2020

• Decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Demonstrating the Reaction and Changing the Rate of the Reaction
  • Figure out the products of the reaction
• Students practice Finding the Products and Balancing Chemical Equations for Decomposition and Synthesis Reactions
• Students complete the assignment for homework if they did not finish in class.

February 7 & 10, 2020

• Students completed Group Lab Reports about the Rusting of Metals
• Students worked with the teacher on "Figuring Out the Products of a Chemical Reaction"
• Students who were finished early had an extra credit option

February 5 & 6, 2020

• Teacher returned Covalent Bonding Quizzes and reviewed with students
• Students examined the contents of their test tubes for rusting of metal
• Students observed classmates' experiments and decided if they wanted to try other experiments
• Students continued working on their written reports
• Class used electronegativity and valence electrons to determine the products of the chemical reaction

February 3 & 4, 2020

• Students researched how to make metal rust faster
• Student groups decided what mixtures they would like to try to make metal rust faster
• Students performed experiments
• Students began writing their reports using Google Docs to write a group report.

January 30 & 31, 2020

• Reviewed and submitted Covalent Bonding Practice
• Quiz: Covalent Bonding
• Read article on Painting the Golden Gate Bridge to prevent it from rusting
• Discuss article as preview for experiment on speeding up the reaction of rusting metals
• Practiced Figuring out the products of a Chemical Reaction

January 28 & 29, 2020

• I was at a Textbook Training all day on Tuesday January 28th.
• Students worked on Covalent Bonding Practice.
• Students worked on Chemical Reactions: Figuring Out the Products of a Reaction.
• Students have a quiz next class on Covalent Bonding.
• See me if you were absent and need the work you missed.

January 24 & 27, 2020

• Discussed class sign-ups for next year.
  • Juniors sign up January 28th and 29th.  Sophomores sign up February 3rd and 4th.
  • Consider taking some higher level science classes that will help prepare you for your future college or career choices.
• Reviewed Molecular Modeling assignment and submitted it.
• Did the Reaction of igniting methane in students' hands and modeling the reaction as a class.

January 22 & 23, 2020

• Returned and Reviewed Ionic Bonding Quiz
  • See me if you earned less than 90% (22.2/25) and would like to retake it for up to 90%.
• Naming Covalent Molecules
  • Notes and Practice
• Molecular Modeling Kits
  • Complete making Molecules if needed and work on Summary Questions

January 17 & 21, 2020

• Molecular Modeling Kits: Covalent Bonding

January 15 & 16, 2020

• Review for Quiz by going over Ionic Bonding Practice 2 (HW)
  • Submit HW
• Quiz: Ionic Bonding
• Discuss Results of Surface Tension Experiment and why we got these results
  • Submit Experiment Results and Questions/Answers
• Notes: Polar and Nonpolar Covalent Bonding

January 13 & 14, 2020

• Review student questions on Ionic Bonding Practice
  • Students submit Homework
  • Class Practices Lewis Dot Structures
• Experiment: Surface Tension of Different Solutions
• HW: Ionic Bonding Practice 2
• Quiz Next Class on Ionic Bonding

January 9 & 10, 2020

• Teacher checked "Making Predictions about Bonding"
• Students took one slide of notes on Ionic Bonding
• Students did an Activity to create Ionic Bonds from different Ions
  • Practiced writing formulas and Naming
  • Students put examples on the board and the class reviewed them
• HW: Ionic Bonding Practice Worksheet
  • Did several examples in class so students are comfortable with what to do

December 11 & 12, 2019

• Quarter 2 District Assessment
• Receive Quarter 2 Final Review (due on the day of the Final)
• Begin reviewing for the Final
• Have your Pastel Periodic Portrait checked off

December 9 & 10, 2019

• Returned graded tests and informed students of redo options if they earned less than 70%.
• Learned about emission spectroscopy and observed elements through the emission spectroscopes.
• Did the assignment Electron Energy and Light
• HW: Complete assignment if did not complete in class.
• District Assessment next class.

December 5 & 6, 2019

• Reviewed any questions students had about the test material.
• Collected the Periodic Table Patterns Test Review
• Test: Periodic Table Patterns

December 3 & 4, 2019

• Students worked on the Period Table Patterns Test Review to prepare for the test on Thursday and Friday
• HW: Complete Test Review and Study for Test

November 18 & 19, 2019

• Class Business: Check your grade, do the Science Class Survey, Get your Quiz back from last class
• Notes & Practice: Trends for Atomic Radius & Ionization Energy
• HW: Atomic Radius Trend

November 14 & 15, 2019

• Reviewed Valence Electrons HW and turned it in
• Class Practice on Valence Electrons, Charges & # of Bonds elements make
• Quiz: Valence Electrons

November 12 & 13, 2019

• Activity: Valence Electrons
• HW: Valence Electrons Practice

November 7 & 8, 2019

• Complete "Reactivity of Groups" and add information to your Pastel Periodic Portrait
• Activity: Valence Electrons with Modeling Kits

November 5 & 6, 2019

• Pastel Periodic Portrait
  • Label and Practice Periods and Groups
  • Identify Groups by Names
  • Label and Practice Metals, Metalloids, and Nonmetals
  • Label and Practice Valence Electrons for Main Group Elements
  • Begin common Reactivities of Alkali Metals, Alkaline Earth Metals, Halogens, and Noble Gases

November 1 & 4, 2019

• "33 Card Trend Game": Complete organizing cards
• Summarize how you organized them
• Identify the missing element
• Write ClEveR: What are the patterns of the elements on the Periodic Table?
• HW: Complete ClEveR if you did not in class.

October 30 & 31, 2019

• "8 Card Game": Making Patterns
• "33 Card Trend Game": Patterns of Elements on the Periodic Table
  • Identify the Physical and Chemical Properties
  • Organize the Cards into Patterns
  • Write notes describing how you organized them
• HW: "Pastel Periodic Portrait" Questions # 1- 10
  • Use pages 165-166 of the textbook for help.

October 28 & 29, 2019

• Test Review Questions
• Turn in Test Review and "Atoms Matter" Annotations
• Test: Atoms & Isotopes
• Begin Periodic Table Unit with "8 Card Game"

October 24 & 25, 2019

• Review Questions from the Build an Atom Simulation
• Create and model isotopes of Carbon with kits
• Begin Test Review for Test next class
• HW: Do the Atoms Test Review and study for your test

October 22 & 23, 2019

• Reviewed and submitted Isotopes HW
• Created Scaled Models of the Atom: If the nucleus is a tennis ball, how big is the electron cloud?
• HW: Complete "Atoms Matter" Annotations

October 18 & 21, 2019

• Build an Atom phet Simulation (https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/build-an-atom/latest/build-an-atom_en.html)
• Review Isotope HW Questions and Submit
• HW: Atoms Matter
  • Read and Annotate Paragraphs 1 - 4 for next class (you can complete all 8 tonight, if you wish)

October 16 & 17, 2019

• Review and Submit Neutral Atoms HW
• Draw and critique Models of the Atom (Students submitted this work)
• Isotopes: Notes and Class Practice
• HW: Isotopes

October 14 & 15, 2019

• Students receive Periodic Tables to glue into Notebooks
• Notes and Class Practice: How to use the Periodic Table to Identify the Parts of an Atom (Protons, Neutrons, & Electrons)
• Small group practice with kits on parts of the atom
• HW: Neutral Atoms Worksheet

September 26 & 27, 2019

• Submitted Midterm Test Review
• Took Midterm

September 24 & 25, 2019

• Experiment: Specific Heat of Metals
  • Perform Trial 2
  • Complete Math to calculate Specific Heat and Percent Error
  • Answer questions on the back
• HW: Midterm Test Review
  • Test Next Class!  BRING YOUR CALCULATOR!

September 20 and 23, 2019

• Review any questions from the Specific Heat Practice Problems
  • Turn in homework
• Experiment: Calculating the Specific Heat of Metals
  • Complete 1 of 2 trials today.
  • Do the math to see if you can fix anything for the second trial
  • HW: Work on Trial 1 Math and Question 1 on the back for homework.

September 18 & 19, 2019

• Submit HW (Earthquake Investigation and Homework)
• Specific Heat and Q = m•C•ΔT equation
  • Notes
  • Discussion
  • Practice Problems
• HW: Specific Heat Practice Problems (Students started questions in class)

September 16 & 17, 2019

• Notes and Videos: What evidence do we have of plate tectonics and what causes their movement?
• Earthquake Investigation on the USGS website
  • Complete Questions and Submit the paper
  • If you do not finish the questions in class, they become part of your homework.
• HW: ClEveR Question: Are the plates moving and how do we know?
  • If you do not know how to write this in the ClEveR format, write a paragraph to a page answering the question in any format.

September 12 & 13, 2019

• Review Density Questions
• Quiz: Density (you need a calculator)
• Use the USGS website to look at locations of earthquakes as evidence of plate tectoni movement

September 10 & 11, 2019 (I was at a meeting all day on the 10th)

• Review Density Questions with the Sub or classmates (or me on the 11th)
• Read and answer questions in Section 2.3 of the textbook (due to my absence on the 10th)
• Quiz next class.  Study your example problems.  Bring a calculator to class.

September 6 & 9, 2019

• Review Density homework questions
• Check data from Density Measurements that were collected last class.  Are we close to their actual densities?
• Video: Convection Currents in the Atmosphere, Ocean, and Mantle
• Activity: Make our own Convection Currents
  • Model the Convection Currents
• HW: Density Practice Problems (3 Levels again like last class)

September 4 & 5, 2019

• Review what we learned or remember about density from past years in science class
• Do 3 Density practice problems from the textbook
• Measure the mass and volume and calculate the density of 3 objects of your choice.
• HW: Density Practice Problems (Students can pick from 1 of 3 options.  They are organized from Level 1 being easier to Level 3 being most challenging).

August 30 & September 3, 2019

• Instructional Segment 1 (IS1) Test Review Questions and Collect
• Return Snack Food Energy Transfer ClEveR to discuss
• IS1 Test (This is also a LUHSD District Assessment)
• SSR Reading until all students are finished.  I have reading material available to share with students.

August 28 & 29, 2019

• Analyze data and graph from the "Snack Food Energy Transfer" Experiment
  • Is there data we can not use?
  • What is the relationship between mass of chips burned and the temperature change of the water?
• Write your ClEveR for the experiment.
• Return and review Physical and Chemical Changes Quiz.
• Work on test review for next class.
• HW: Study for the test next class!  Complete the Study Guide and go through your notebook.

August 26 & 27, 2019

• Model the Snack Food Energy Transfer (Burning Cheetos) experiment
  • Modeling is drawing what we see, what we don't see (like energy) and explaining how the process works.
• Check our data in Table 1 of "Snack Food Energy Transfer"
• Share our data with classmates.
• Graph the data.
• HW: Finish the graph, if you did not do that in class.
• Heads Up! Test on August 30th (A) and September 4th (B).
  • The test includes graphing, modeling and writing a ClEveR, which are all things we have been practicing in class.

August 22 & 23, 2019

• Review Graphing Practice HW and turn it in (if you didn't finish it or got it late, bring it to me next class)
• Experiment: Snack Food Energy Transfer
  • We will burn Fritos, transfer the energy to water in a can above the Fritos, measure the change in mass of the Fritos and temperature of the water
• HW: No homework.  Lucky you.  Try to stay cool this weekend!
• Next Class: Modeling the energy transfer, graph the data, write a ClEveR

August 20 & 21, 2019

• Use our heating curve of water graphs that we made and the heating curve graph from page 77 pf the textbook to model what is happening during the changes of state of water.
• Review examples of physical and chemical changes (page 35 of textbook)
• Quiz: Physical and Chemical Changes
• HW: Graphing practice for our next experiment: "Burning Snack Foods"

August 16 and 19, 2019

• Students turned in Candle ClEveR (Claim-Evidence-Reasoning)
• Experiment: The heating curve of water
• Graph the data
• Model what energy (heat) is doing to matter (water) at the molecular level to better understand physical changes
• Students will get textbooks and take out pages 32 to 35 to use to study for their quiz
• HW: Study for a quiz next class on the difference between physical and chemical changes.

August 14 and 15, 2019

• Read articles if you need additional explanation about how a candle works.
• Write the 1st or 2nd draft of your ClEveR answering the question: "Is using a candle a chemical reaction, a physical change or both?"
• Re-read, ask a classmate to revise your writing or ask the teacher to revise your writing.
• Work on revising your ClEveR.
• The teacher checks your models of the candle.
• Homework:
  • Complete the 2nd draft of your ClEveR.

August 12 and 13, 2019

• Experiments to understand how a candle works
• Discuss our observations
• Determine what this tells us about how a candle works
• Include this information in our model of the candle
• Homework:
  • Write an outline or rough draft for our question about how a candle works.
  • ClEveR Question: Is using a candle a chemical reaction, a physical change or both?