This Advanced Placement Chemistry Course is equivalent to a full-year Introductory Chemistry college-level course. The rigor and pace of this course is consistent with that of many major colleges and universities, and will prepare students for the Advanced Placement Examination in May. Upon successful completion of the exam, students may receive college credit and will be well-prepared for additional advanced chemistry coursework.
AP® Chemistry builds upon prior knowledge of Chemistry. Students will investigate topics such as chemical reactions, stoichiometry, atomic theory, periodicity, bonding, states of matter, thermodynamics, kinetics and equilibrium. This course incorporates a variety of textbook and multimedia resources and will require students to perform hands on and virtual experiments to develop a deeper understanding of chemistry. Students will engage in collaborative activities such as class discussions, contribute to class data and attend regular “lab meetings” throughout the course. AP practice quizzes and unit exams will help prepare students for the AP examination. Due to the rigor and pace of the content, this course is designed to challenge extremely motivated students who have a strong interest in Chemistry.
This AP course has a required summer assignment. Students are expected to complete their summer assignment before the course begins and submit their work by the end of Week 1. Students who register on or after September 1st will receive an extension to complete the summer assignment by the end of Week 3. The summer assignment is intended to review crucial content associated with pre-requisite knowledge for the course, where applicable, as well as to allow students to better understand the rigor associated with the content.
Students enrolled in Advanced Placement VHS courses are expected to take the AP® exam, and to report their AP exam scores to VHS. By enrolling in an AP VHS class, the student authorizes their school administration to report AP® exam scores to VHS. Exam results will not affect the student's VHS grade or future enrollment in VHS courses.
To provide opportunity through advanced study of chemistry for students to engage in and develop seven key science practices:
- use representations and models to communicate scientific phenomena and solve scientific problems
- use mathematics appropriately
- engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking or guide investigations within the context of the AP course
- plan and implement data collection strategies appropriate to a particular scientific question
- perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence
- work with scientific explanations and theories
- connect and relate knowledge across various scales, concepts and representations in and across domains
Students will need to access a number of YouTube videos throughout the course.
This course requires a lab kit for students to perform modified versions of several AP® Chemistry labs suggested by the College Board. Students will need to care for kit contents responsibly, follow directions carefully and work independently to successfully complete these labs. The lab kit price of $200 is for courses running on a standard VHS schedule. International schools will be responsible for the shipping cost for the lab kit.
This AP course has a required summer assignment. Students are expected to complete their summer assignment before the course begins and submit their work by the end of Week 1. Students who register on or after September 1st will receive an extension to complete the summer assignment by the end of Week 3. The summer assignment is intended to review crucial content associated with pre-requisite knowledge for the course, where applicable, as well as to allow students to better understand the rigor associated with the content.
Please note: This course requires use of java to access some course content, which will require regular access to a computer with a Windows/Mac operating system running Safari or Internet explorer. This part of the course cannot be completed on a Chromebook or mobile device.
Please note: This course requires regular access to a computer with a Windows[/Mac] operating system in order to install the software required for the course. This part of the course cannot be completed on a Chromebook or mobile device.