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The Volatile Chemist
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There will be no blanket statement for all schools ike | Quote: | | I think we can all agree that, if you really want to learn chemistry, school is the last place you should go... |
implies. Some schools will have good curricula, and some bad. Mine hasn't been great, very recursive until the middle of my H.
Biology class, where we studied chemical cycles in cells, ATP generation, etc. I assume it will get better next year with H. Chemistry, but I can only
assume.
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AJKOER
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I also previously even mentioned on SM that I suffered under a gym/chemistry 'teacher'.
I believe that the attack on democracies (certainly in USA) has progressed by the intentional de-edification of the populace. Democracies can only
function progressively through informed voters. And, as an information source, I am not talking about bias attack ads funded by billionaires on those
who have no schooling in economics or any understanding of rationale fiscal policies, or knowledge in pure sciences.
I am actually a fan of the Chinese controlled economy model where, when corruption/misdeeds are exposed, the guy in charge gets executed.
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Texium
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Yet at the same time under that system, many of those who are the most corrupt and powerful get a free pass because they simply own too much to be
taken down. Not that it's any different in the US in that regard, like with the banks and auto companies.
Anyway though... this is now beginning to get dangerously off topic, sorry.
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Brain&Force
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Quote: Originally posted by The Volatile Chemist  | There will be no blanket statement for all schools ike | Quote: | | I think we can all agree that, if you really want to learn chemistry, school is the last place you should go... |
implies. Some schools will have good curricula, and some bad. Mine hasn't been great, very recursive until the middle of my H.
Biology class, where we studied chemical cycles in cells, ATP generation, etc. I assume it will get better next year with H. Chemistry, but I can only
assume. |
The Volatile Chemist, I think any student who is on this site should be qualified enough to take AP Chemistry. Is it available at your school?
At the end of the day, simulating atoms doesn't beat working with the real things...
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The Volatile Chemist
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| Quote: Originally posted by Brain&Force | | Quote: Originally posted by The Volatile Chemist | There will be no blanket statement for all schools ike | Quote: | | I think we can all agree that, if you really want to learn chemistry, school is the last place you should go... |
implies. Some schools will have good curricula, and some bad. Mine hasn't been great, very recursive until the middle of my H.
Biology class, where we studied chemical cycles in cells, ATP generation, etc. I assume it will get better next year with H. Chemistry, but I can only
assume. |
The Volatile Chemist, I think any student who is on this site should be qualified enough to take AP Chemistry. Is it available at your school?
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Thanks for thinking so!
My last teacher said I have the know how to. My school offers it, but I have to take honors first, or try to take a pass/fail test. I could pass it,
but if I took AP this year instead of honors, I'd only be able to tke one year of chemistry classes  Besides, my parents don't think too highly of my chemistry "skills"/knowledge, and wouldn't let me skip a class
anyways.
[Edited on 6-8-2014 by The Volatile Chemist]
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Texium
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Yep, I took Pre-AP Chemistry last year and that was all pretty basic, I knew most everything already, but it was worth it for the extra year of
chemistry class! Next year I'm taking AP, and I've worked out a plan with my teacher for my senior year to have a period for independent chemistry
study/being a teacher's assistant. That should be fun, since I'll hopefully have more access to the school lab equipment for stuff that I want to do.
It should look good for college applications too.
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Texium
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Today was my first day of school this year. I'm already impressed by my school's AP chemistry class, because we immediately did a lab in which we used
chromatography to compare the behaviors of different metal ions and use them to identify three unknown ones. We used the nitrates of silver,
cobalt(II), copper(II), iron(III), and mercury(II). I was pleasantly surprised that we were allowed to use a mercury compound in a lab. I thought that
chemophobia would have at least been at that level at my school. My teacher explained that she'd never let chem 1 students use mercury compounds, but
she feels like she can trust AP chem students to be sensible. So, the overall first impression of the class was quite good to me. It seems too that
since there is only one fairly small AP chemistry class, there is less concern about using more valuable reagents like silver nitrate. I'm looking
forward to a good year in that class, especially since I get to have it everyday, whereas most classes at my school are only every other day.
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Amos
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zts16, your school sounds awesome. Mine was pretty cool and trusted us too; we did flame tests, spectrometry, worked with strong acids, etc. But
unless you go somewhere pretty good for university, prepare to have your expectations quickly deflated by college courses later on. At least that was
my experience with being in college.
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Brain&Force
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I'm about to go to university (first year) and I can start taking organic chem courses right off the bat! Though I go to university in October (we get
a late start this year)
At the end of the day, simulating atoms doesn't beat working with the real things...
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The Volatile Chemist
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That's cool zts and B&F! Since I'm in 10th grade, the highest they'll let me take is honors chem, which is ok, but not too great. At least I'll be
able to help others. Can't wait for AP chem next year, but this year will be fine.
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bismuthate
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I just started 8th grade and supposedly we'll be covering the chemistry section of physical science that we skipped before.
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The Volatile Chemist
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| Quote: Originally posted by bismuthate | | I just started 8th grade and supposedly we'll be covering the chemistry section of physical science that we skipped before. |
Wow, Bismuthate! I didn't know you were younger than I. Great job on the forums so far, for going into 8th. I guess I'm only 15, and going into 10th,
but you've contributed a lot to the forum for your age. Great work! Turn some heads when the teacher asks some chemistry questions, okay?
In all honesty, of course, don't brag about your knowledge. But congrats on what you know!
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Brain&Force
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Get out of honors chem.
You won't regret it. Sciencemadness has probably given you enough info to get you out of AP chem as well.
At the end of the day, simulating atoms doesn't beat working with the real things...
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bismuthate
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The Volatile Chemist: Thanks!
Brain&Force: but the problem is that if we don't take all the science classes our schools offer. Will that make it harder to go to a good college
for chemistry (or have accepted results)?
I wonder if it would be better just to take the class for an easy A and get credit for completing the class.
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Texium
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I don't see any reason to not take it. I'm mainly taking it for fun. Since I have to go to school for other things anyway, I figure that I might as
well dedicate a couple class periods to something chemistry related. Much more interesting than testing out. Next period we're making potassium
ferrioxalate. Well, we're actually supposed to be making an unidentified green compound using potassium oxalate and ferric chloride and then titrating
it with potassium permanganate to determine its formula, but you know, pretty obvious what it's supposed to be. Sure, it gets a little bit frustrating
when my teacher tells me that I need to be showing more work on my molarity calculations or some other really simple thing that's automatic for me,
but I think it's worth taking the class for the lab time that it provides. It's usually the best part of my school day.
| Quote: Originally posted by bismuthate | Brain&Force: but the problem is that if we don't take all the science classes our schools offer. Will that make it harder to go to a good college
for chemistry (or have accepted results)?
I wonder if it would be better just to take the class for an easy A and get credit for completing the class. |
Edit: (Your post popped up around the same time as mine) I think he was meaning that it's better to test out of the classes rather than taking them. I
don't really agree though, because I think it's great to be able to get some lab time during the school day. Instead, I'm taking the shortcuts on the
classes that I'm not as interested in, like history and English. So, just as much credit, just as much time saved, and a more interesting schedule
overall.
And yeah, it's definitely an easy A. I got a 98 on the final exam last year in pre-AP chemistry without touching the review. I'm sure that you guys
would have similar results.
[Edited on 9-3-2014 by zts16]
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Brain&Force
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Understandable if you enjoy lab classes - but it may be possible to skip a grade by skipping out of a single class, depending on credits needed.
As for molarity calcs being too short, I got that ALL THE TIME in my classes.
At the end of the day, simulating atoms doesn't beat working with the real things...
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Texium
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Well, I might still be able to graduate early (I'm a junior now). After this year I'll have all required math credits done because I did Algebra 1 in
8th grade, all of my required history done because I took a dual credit history class over the summer, and I'm taking a dual credit English class next
summer, so I'll have all of that done too. I really hope that I don't have to go back to school next year, because if I do I'll have nothing left to
do.
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The Volatile Chemist
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Yea, I like taking labs, I guess. I've taken enough classes early, that I will have no required classes senior year, and 3 junior. I think I will be
taking courses at my state college those years.
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