American History Syllabus
American History
Mrs. Richardson
Classroom: 2
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://pekinsocialstudies.weebly.com
First semester planning period: 1st
Second semester planning period: 2nd
Welcome to American History! In this challenging class, you will expand and refine your skills in interpreting and analyzing history. You will synthesize facts into broader concepts, and in doing so, will scrutinize and challenge your understanding of not only history, but of the world around you. To meet the challenges of this class, you will need to adopt two very important dispositions. Doing so will help create a learning environment where everyone can contribute freely and safely. We’ll call these dispositions Guidelines for Success:
1. Respond to every individual with respect; everyone here is valuable.
2. Keep an open mind; to successfully study history, we must be willing to learn from cultures, beliefs, religions, and perspectives different from our own.
As your teacher, I will offer you respect and my full effort, and I expect to receive the same in return from you. I’m happy that you’re here, and I’m excited to work with each and every one of you.
Course Objectives
Course objectives are aligned with the Iowa Core. These objectives include, but are not limited to the following:
Course scope and content:
The following subjects will be studied during this course:
Required Supplies:
Bring the following to class daily unless otherwise advised:
Assessment and Grading:
This class will be diverse, with daily activities ranging from lecture, group activities, individual and group projects, and group discussions.
Grading is divided into three categories, practice, formative assessments, and summative assessments.
Practice is any work that involves acquiring content knowledge or skill sets for the first time. This category includes most daily in-class work such as note taking, web quests, and daily journaling. Practice may also include some homework, such as reading assignments, and reading comprehension questions. Practice work does not receive a grade; however, you will receive written or verbal feedback. I will use your practice work as a diagnostic tool to check for your level of understanding of course material. Thus, it is imperative that you complete it.
My reasons for not assigning grades to your practice work are twofold: first, I do not wish to punish you for making academic mistakes when you practice. Second, I consider incomplete or missing work to be a symptom of a behavioral issue. It is my philosophy that a student’s grade ought to reflect only his or her academic ability, and not behavior. If you are missing three assignments, you will be called in for an individual conference, and your parents/guardians will be notified.
The formative assessments category includes quizzes, Socratic seminar evaluations, and journal self-reflections. The formative assessment category accounts for 30% of your semester grade.
Summative assessments, such as tests, papers, projects, and presentations will count for the remaining 70%.
You have two weeks to make up missing summative or formative assessments before I assign you a zero for the assessment. You may still complete the assessment for full credit; however you may only do so up to the end of the quarter.
Reassessment policy:
You have an opportunity to retake or redo any assessment. You have two weeks from the time I return graded assessments to the class to retake or redo an assessment. For tests, you may take a test that is similar or the same as the original assessment. For projects and presentations, you may revise and return your original work. Reassessment will be handled on a case-by-case basis, and will be done outside of class. I reserve the right to refuse you an opportunity to reassess if you demonstrate a lack of effort or commitment to the learning process during class time. Such behaviors may include, but are not limited to, refusal to take notes, missing or incomplete practice work, and cell phone use in violation of classroom expectations.
Prior to reassessment, you must complete the following steps:
1. Sign up on the calendar on the classroom door for a time to meet with me. Please note the time restrictions outlined on the calendar and schedule your individual conference accordingly. Record the information on your reassessment form.
2. Fill out a reassessment request form. These forms are accessible on the class website (pekinsocialstudies.weebly.com). Alternatively, you can find the link on Google Classroom. Answer all questions truthfully and completely. When you are done, click submit. This form must be filled out PRIOR to meeting with me.
3. Attend the individual conference you have scheduled. During your conference, we will review this form, and establish a study/reassessment plan. This plan must be signed by your parent and guardian prior to reassessment.
4. Take or submit reassessment (date and time will be established during individual conference).
Classroom Expectations:
Tardiness:
You are expected to be in your seat when the bell rings. If you are anywhere else when the bell rings, it will be considered an unexcused tardy unless you have my direct permission, or a pass from another adult in the building. When you are on time, it ensures that class runs smoothly and efficiently. Consequences for unexcused tardiness will be enforced in accordance with the policy outlined in the Pekin Student Handbook:
“A student who is marked as an unexcused tardy for class by an instructor will owe the instructor 15 minutes to be served within 24-48 hours of the unexcused tardy with the instructor. Failure to serve within the allotted time frame will result in a 1 hour detention. After 3 unexcused tardies in any class period, a separate 1 hour detention will be issued.”
Show up to class with the required materials, and with your homework complete. If I notice a habit of unpreparedness forming, you will be required to come in for a mandatory conference.
Cell phones and other personal electronics:
It is my expectation that your full attention and effort will be devoted to class work while you are in this room. Cell phone use during class time is unacceptable. During class your phone must be out of sight in your bag or pocket. You may not engage with your cell phone for any reason without my express permission. Failure to comply will result in a warning. Beyond that, I will ask you to surrender your phone for the remainder of class, and you will forfeit your opportunity to reassess on the next assessment.
Laptop use:
We will use your laptops every day in this class. My expectation is that you will handle your laptop appropriately. You are expected to only use your laptop on class work when in this room. Failure to comply with directions regarding your laptop will result in its confiscation for the remainder of class. Repeated or major offenses will result in an office referral, and an administrator will determine consequences as outlined in the student handbook. If for any reason you do not have your laptop in class during a laptop-based activity, you will be required to make up that work outside of class at a later date.
General Behavior:
I expect your behavior to be appropriate for a classroom setting. Repeated minor behaviors such as tardiness, talking out of turn, texting during class, or any majorly disruptive or inappropriate behavior may result in lost privileges, detention, removal from class, mandatory conferences with administrators and/or parents/guardians present, or any combination of these consequences.
Daily Routine:
When the bell rings each day, you are automatically expected to perform the following routine:
Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty:
Students are expected to maintain the highest regard for academic honesty in this classroom. The definitions of plagiarism and academic dishonesty are outlined in the Pekin High School Student Handbook. Instances of plagiarism or cheating on an assessment will result in a zero for that assessment without the ability to retake or redo the assessment.
Questions, Issues, and Concerns:
If you have any questions or concerns throughout the semester, do not hesitate to address them with me. You can do this before or after class, during homeroom (get a pass from me first) and before or after school. If you have a first period study hall, you may come in for help at that time as well. Additionally, I can be reached by email at [email protected].
Mrs. Richardson
Classroom: 2
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://pekinsocialstudies.weebly.com
First semester planning period: 1st
Second semester planning period: 2nd
Welcome to American History! In this challenging class, you will expand and refine your skills in interpreting and analyzing history. You will synthesize facts into broader concepts, and in doing so, will scrutinize and challenge your understanding of not only history, but of the world around you. To meet the challenges of this class, you will need to adopt two very important dispositions. Doing so will help create a learning environment where everyone can contribute freely and safely. We’ll call these dispositions Guidelines for Success:
1. Respond to every individual with respect; everyone here is valuable.
2. Keep an open mind; to successfully study history, we must be willing to learn from cultures, beliefs, religions, and perspectives different from our own.
As your teacher, I will offer you respect and my full effort, and I expect to receive the same in return from you. I’m happy that you’re here, and I’m excited to work with each and every one of you.
Course Objectives
Course objectives are aligned with the Iowa Core. These objectives include, but are not limited to the following:
- Students will understand historical periods in American history. They will be able to analyze and show connections between patterns of historical change and continuity.
- Students will understand the role of culture in American history. They will analyze and compare different cultures within American society. They will understand the value of cultural diversity in American history, and how cultural factors have driven conflict throughout history.
- Students will understand the role of individuals and groups within American society; and how each drives political, economic, and social change.
- Students will understand cause and effect relationships and other historical thinking skills as ways of interpreting events and issues of both the past and today. They will understand the process of critical historical inquiry, and the value of multiple viewpoints in decision-making on public issues.
Course scope and content:
The following subjects will be studied during this course:
- The Art and Science of History - How to study history like a Pro.
- Antebellum - The Road to the Civil War
- The Civil War
- Reconstruction
- Westward Expansion and Native American History
- Immigration, Labor, and the Rise of the City
- Imperialism and the Spanish American War
- World War I
- The Roaring 20’s
- The Great Depression and the New Deal
- World War II
- Prosperity and The Cold War
- Vietnam
- The Civil Rights Movement
Required Supplies:
Bring the following to class daily unless otherwise advised:
- Notebook (should be reserved only for government)
- Folder or binder (again, should be reserved only for government)
- A writing utensil
- Laptop (fully charged)
Assessment and Grading:
This class will be diverse, with daily activities ranging from lecture, group activities, individual and group projects, and group discussions.
Grading is divided into three categories, practice, formative assessments, and summative assessments.
Practice is any work that involves acquiring content knowledge or skill sets for the first time. This category includes most daily in-class work such as note taking, web quests, and daily journaling. Practice may also include some homework, such as reading assignments, and reading comprehension questions. Practice work does not receive a grade; however, you will receive written or verbal feedback. I will use your practice work as a diagnostic tool to check for your level of understanding of course material. Thus, it is imperative that you complete it.
My reasons for not assigning grades to your practice work are twofold: first, I do not wish to punish you for making academic mistakes when you practice. Second, I consider incomplete or missing work to be a symptom of a behavioral issue. It is my philosophy that a student’s grade ought to reflect only his or her academic ability, and not behavior. If you are missing three assignments, you will be called in for an individual conference, and your parents/guardians will be notified.
The formative assessments category includes quizzes, Socratic seminar evaluations, and journal self-reflections. The formative assessment category accounts for 30% of your semester grade.
Summative assessments, such as tests, papers, projects, and presentations will count for the remaining 70%.
You have two weeks to make up missing summative or formative assessments before I assign you a zero for the assessment. You may still complete the assessment for full credit; however you may only do so up to the end of the quarter.
Reassessment policy:
You have an opportunity to retake or redo any assessment. You have two weeks from the time I return graded assessments to the class to retake or redo an assessment. For tests, you may take a test that is similar or the same as the original assessment. For projects and presentations, you may revise and return your original work. Reassessment will be handled on a case-by-case basis, and will be done outside of class. I reserve the right to refuse you an opportunity to reassess if you demonstrate a lack of effort or commitment to the learning process during class time. Such behaviors may include, but are not limited to, refusal to take notes, missing or incomplete practice work, and cell phone use in violation of classroom expectations.
Prior to reassessment, you must complete the following steps:
1. Sign up on the calendar on the classroom door for a time to meet with me. Please note the time restrictions outlined on the calendar and schedule your individual conference accordingly. Record the information on your reassessment form.
2. Fill out a reassessment request form. These forms are accessible on the class website (pekinsocialstudies.weebly.com). Alternatively, you can find the link on Google Classroom. Answer all questions truthfully and completely. When you are done, click submit. This form must be filled out PRIOR to meeting with me.
3. Attend the individual conference you have scheduled. During your conference, we will review this form, and establish a study/reassessment plan. This plan must be signed by your parent and guardian prior to reassessment.
4. Take or submit reassessment (date and time will be established during individual conference).
Classroom Expectations:
Tardiness:
You are expected to be in your seat when the bell rings. If you are anywhere else when the bell rings, it will be considered an unexcused tardy unless you have my direct permission, or a pass from another adult in the building. When you are on time, it ensures that class runs smoothly and efficiently. Consequences for unexcused tardiness will be enforced in accordance with the policy outlined in the Pekin Student Handbook:
“A student who is marked as an unexcused tardy for class by an instructor will owe the instructor 15 minutes to be served within 24-48 hours of the unexcused tardy with the instructor. Failure to serve within the allotted time frame will result in a 1 hour detention. After 3 unexcused tardies in any class period, a separate 1 hour detention will be issued.”
- 2016-2017 Pekin High School Student Handbook
Show up to class with the required materials, and with your homework complete. If I notice a habit of unpreparedness forming, you will be required to come in for a mandatory conference.
Cell phones and other personal electronics:
It is my expectation that your full attention and effort will be devoted to class work while you are in this room. Cell phone use during class time is unacceptable. During class your phone must be out of sight in your bag or pocket. You may not engage with your cell phone for any reason without my express permission. Failure to comply will result in a warning. Beyond that, I will ask you to surrender your phone for the remainder of class, and you will forfeit your opportunity to reassess on the next assessment.
Laptop use:
We will use your laptops every day in this class. My expectation is that you will handle your laptop appropriately. You are expected to only use your laptop on class work when in this room. Failure to comply with directions regarding your laptop will result in its confiscation for the remainder of class. Repeated or major offenses will result in an office referral, and an administrator will determine consequences as outlined in the student handbook. If for any reason you do not have your laptop in class during a laptop-based activity, you will be required to make up that work outside of class at a later date.
General Behavior:
I expect your behavior to be appropriate for a classroom setting. Repeated minor behaviors such as tardiness, talking out of turn, texting during class, or any majorly disruptive or inappropriate behavior may result in lost privileges, detention, removal from class, mandatory conferences with administrators and/or parents/guardians present, or any combination of these consequences.
Daily Routine:
When the bell rings each day, you are automatically expected to perform the following routine:
- Record the day’s agenda (located on the whiteboard). You may use your google calendar or handwrite in your notebook. This step of recording homework and due dates will not be checked; however, you are accountable for knowing the information written there.
- Open up Google Classroom. At the top of the classroom feed, you will see today’s journal prompt. Click the prompt to answer the question.
- You will have about five minutes to type your journal response. Journal responses ought to demonstrate thoughtful and thorough reflection. If you are done with your journal response early, please close your laptop (so that I know that you are done), and sit quietly while your classmates finish.
Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty:
Students are expected to maintain the highest regard for academic honesty in this classroom. The definitions of plagiarism and academic dishonesty are outlined in the Pekin High School Student Handbook. Instances of plagiarism or cheating on an assessment will result in a zero for that assessment without the ability to retake or redo the assessment.
Questions, Issues, and Concerns:
If you have any questions or concerns throughout the semester, do not hesitate to address them with me. You can do this before or after class, during homeroom (get a pass from me first) and before or after school. If you have a first period study hall, you may come in for help at that time as well. Additionally, I can be reached by email at [email protected].