• US History Course Syllabus

    Course Overview: This class will focus on the history of the United States looking at its beginnings all the way up to today. There will also be a specific focus on what it means to be a citizen, and an in-depth look into current American issues.

    Classroom Expectations:
    1.   RESPECT: Listen carefully when students and teacher are speaking. Do NOT have side conversations
          when someone else is speaking.
    2.   Anything electronic, cell phones, ipods, game players, etc. willbe taken by teacher if seen and then
          returned at the end of the class period.
    3.   Be on time and bring required materials to class EVERY day!

    Required Class Materials:

    -Spiral Notebook that MUST include the following:
    At least 120 pages
    At least 8 ½ by 11 size paper
    Narrow or college ruled (NO WIDE RULED)
    USED ONLY FOR THIS CLASS
    You will need two notebooks overall, one for first term and one for second
    -Your OWN glue stick with you everyday.
    -Pen or pencil
    -BRING YOUR TEXTBOOK!

    Course Structure:

    Your Notebook: All of your work will be directly glued into your notebook. All of the work within the notebook will be graded at the end of every unit (around every 2-3 weeks depending on unit). That means you will be given a new grade after each notebook check that will be immediately posted online so you and your parents will always know what your grade is. You must always turn in your notebook the day it's due,along with all papers & projects, if you don't turn it in it's an automatic zero. I DON'T ACCEPT ANY LATE NOTEBOOKS OR PROJECTS/PAPERS!!! 

    Unit Tests: At the end of each unit, about every three weeks,there will be an exam. Exams will always include multiple choice and short essay sections. You will always receive a review sheet as homework at least two days before the exam to help you study. If you are absent for a test, you MUST make it up the day you return either before school, at lunch, or after school. You must also always have an excused absence to get credit for the test or any make-up work.

    Semester Exams: You will have a midterm at the end of the first semester in December and a final exam in June. Each exam will be cumulative(build from the beginning of the course material).

    Homework: You will have homework most weekday nights, mostly reading and questions for the next day’s lesson topic. You are expected to have it ready at the beginning of the period when I will stamp it for being on time. Late homework will receive 2 points out of 6 points. Not sure if you copied down the homework for tonight? Check the Room 208 Homework Blog on my teacher website. It will always be there, along with the textbook pages needed to do the assignment!

    Make-Up Work: The day you return from an absence, you must check the make-up notebook to figure out what you missed. You are young adults so make-up work is a self-run system, but always if you are confused about an assignment, ASK! You may always get make-up work before or after class. You may NEVER work on make-up work during class.

    Participation: Each week you will receive a possible 10 participation points. These points are given based on: on-time, ready to work, work well with group, contribute to class discussions, showing respect for all classmates and teacher. If you have an uncleared absence, aka cut, you lose ALL participation points for the entire week!!!

    Grade Break-down: Notebook (includes classwork, homework,projects) = 35%
    Exams = 40%,
    Participation = 10%
    Projects/Papers/Presentations = 15%

    Tardies: In order to be successful, you must be on time. Each time you are tardy I will take 2 points off your participation grade. I keep track of tardies, and if you have 4 tardies in one week you will lose ALL participation points for that week.

    Behavior: You will be treated with respect in this classroom by your classmates and myself.  NO PUT-DOWNS!!! If I see you talking when I am talking or a classmate is speaking it will result in the following consequences: First offense- verbal warning, Second offense- conference with teacher, Third offense- phone call home to parent. If the behavior persists or is of a serious nature you will be given a referral and sent from the classroom to have a chat with an associate principal. We work together to learn together in this classroom.

    Plagiarism / Cheating: All work that you turn in must be yours or properly cited (do not misrepresent others' work or ideas as your own). DO NOT let other students share or copy any of your work. If I see you sharing work with someone you will recieve a ZERO on that assignment! Academic dishonesty on any work will receive ZERO credit, with no opportunity for makeup/retake. No exceptions!