Thursday, May 25, 2006
Working Vacation (oxymoron)
Chemistry Regents Review must be a daily habit until June 21. Thus, we have two more actual released exams posted on the website. As I explained in class, take the Regents properly: go over the past two exams that we started to review today, then take the new exams (one every other day). Carefully mark up each question, write any formula, definition, illustration, explanation, etc. to show how you predicted your answer to each question. I added the answer keys to the file; the intelligent student will only review the key AFTER s/he has completed the test. Again, your part B-2 and C answers should be more elaborate and Honors-level than the succinct, "Frankenstein"-talk answers on the key. I will collect and grade your work; those two tests are due IN CLASS on Tuesday.
I posted a detailed Reference Table that you should practice copying so that you can commit the information to memory for test-day. Please let me know if you think of any mnemonics to add to the table. I also posted the current NY State Chem Regents Syllabus upon which all Regents questions are based.
Our Nuclear/Organic written exam will be next Thursday. Make sure that all of your review worksheets/hw is done by then.
Random most frequently asked question: What does AMPHOTERIC/AMPHIPROTIC mean? an AMPHOTERIC/AMPHIPROTIC substance can act as either a Bronsted acid = H+ donor/proton donor or as a Bronsted base = H+ acceptor/proton acceptor in a chemical reaction.
For example:
rxn 1 HS- + H2O --> H2S + OH-
rxn 2 HS- + NH2- --> S 2- + NH3
in rxn 1, HS- is acting as a proton/H+ acceptor i.e. a Bronsted base
in rxn 2, HS- is acting as a proton/H+ donor i.e. a Bronsted acid.
I will post another Regents by Monday; just download that one and PREVIEW/HIGHLIGHT some questions that you want answered during Tuesday's class. If ANYONE is not ready for review on Tuesday, s/he will be given an in-class 100-point exam immediately.
I take Regents review seriously and I expect the same from each class.
The time to relax is AFTER June 21. Until then, you have a lot of knowledge to practice and reinforce. I hope that ALL of you will make the commitment, as I have to you, to achieving a very high score on the Regents and that you will not only NOT settle for a grade below 90, but also that you will strive for the elusive 100 (only 7 students at our school have ever achieved the perfect score on the post-2002 written Chem Regents; not many more in the entirety of the State have achieved a 100 i.e. you will have bragging rights for LIFE if you accomplish this feat).
On June 21, you will be taking your ELEVENTH full Regents exam, at the least!. If you work earnestly and correct any and all errors and uncertainties, I think that you will be well-versed by then.
Stay strong,
Mr.Cicale
p.s.
Those of you who are prepping for the SAT II, here is a nice link for the exam:
http://www.sparknotes.com/testprep/books/sat2/chemistry/
I will try to scan my answer key to the Achievement Test handout that I gave out last week. It's a lot to scan so it may take a while.
I posted a detailed Reference Table that you should practice copying so that you can commit the information to memory for test-day. Please let me know if you think of any mnemonics to add to the table. I also posted the current NY State Chem Regents Syllabus upon which all Regents questions are based.
Our Nuclear/Organic written exam will be next Thursday. Make sure that all of your review worksheets/hw is done by then.
Random most frequently asked question: What does AMPHOTERIC/AMPHIPROTIC mean? an AMPHOTERIC/AMPHIPROTIC substance can act as either a Bronsted acid = H+ donor/proton donor or as a Bronsted base = H+ acceptor/proton acceptor in a chemical reaction.
For example:
rxn 1 HS- + H2O --> H2S + OH-
rxn 2 HS- + NH2- --> S 2- + NH3
in rxn 1, HS- is acting as a proton/H+ acceptor i.e. a Bronsted base
in rxn 2, HS- is acting as a proton/H+ donor i.e. a Bronsted acid.
I will post another Regents by Monday; just download that one and PREVIEW/HIGHLIGHT some questions that you want answered during Tuesday's class. If ANYONE is not ready for review on Tuesday, s/he will be given an in-class 100-point exam immediately.
I take Regents review seriously and I expect the same from each class.
The time to relax is AFTER June 21. Until then, you have a lot of knowledge to practice and reinforce. I hope that ALL of you will make the commitment, as I have to you, to achieving a very high score on the Regents and that you will not only NOT settle for a grade below 90, but also that you will strive for the elusive 100 (only 7 students at our school have ever achieved the perfect score on the post-2002 written Chem Regents; not many more in the entirety of the State have achieved a 100 i.e. you will have bragging rights for LIFE if you accomplish this feat).
On June 21, you will be taking your ELEVENTH full Regents exam, at the least!. If you work earnestly and correct any and all errors and uncertainties, I think that you will be well-versed by then.
Stay strong,
Mr.Cicale
p.s.
Those of you who are prepping for the SAT II, here is a nice link for the exam:
http://www.sparknotes.com/testprep/books/sat2/chemistry/
I will try to scan my answer key to the Achievement Test handout that I gave out last week. It's a lot to scan so it may take a while.
# posted by C @ 1:53 AM 
