AMERICAN HISTORY -- Mr. Hiemstra
This American History class is a fascinating course and will explore events and issues that you are familiar with and some that you are not. The desired outcome of this course is for you to develop an understanding of the cause-and-effect relationship between past and present events, recognize patterns of interactions, and understand the impact of events on the United States today. We will be studying political, social, economic, and cultural issues, and analyzing the impact these issues have had on American society over time. Students will continue to build upon previous studies of American History, the fundamental concepts in civics and government, economics, and use skills of historical analysis as they examine American history. This course goes beyond memorization of isolated facts to the development of higher level thinking skills, encouraging you to make historical assessments and evaluations. For example, students will study key turning points that helped shape the United States. Writing will be emphasized.
What do I need to do to get a good grade in this course?
Respect each other and me.
Class participation is critical. If you participate responsibly it will help your grade. If you detract from the learning environment or you don’t come to class, or you are on your cell phone, your grade will drop.
Complete your assignments on time.
Grading Practices:
Grading Scale & Posting of Grades: All individual, quarter, and final grades for students will be calculated using the following scale: 100-90 A; 89-80 B; 79-70 C; 69-60 D; 59-0 F. All grades will be made available to students and parents in PowerSchool. Important: I will be using Google Classroom as my main learning platform, and I will be grading assignments there, but Powerschool will be the place to look for your updated grades. Student progress will be updated at least every two weeks.
Final Exam & Final Grade and Marking Period Weights: The final exam for this class will be worth 20% of a student’s final grade. The remaining 80% will be determined by assigning equal weight (20% percent) to a student’s performance in each of the four grading periods.
Assignment Types & Weights:
There are two main grading categories other than the final exam - Major Assignments and Minor Assignments. Each will be worth 40 percent of your grade.
Major Assignments (40%):
Major Tests, Projects, Writing Assignments: Student (progress towards) mastery of course content and skills will be measured both formatively and summatively through the use of assessments. Assessments include but are not limited to quizzes and tests. All large summative assessments (end of unit) will be announced in advance. Students will be asked to create “performance pieces”, either individually or in groups, that demonstrates and extends their understanding of course skills and concepts. These can encompass a wide variety of formats (videos, presentations, posters, simulations, etc.). Emphasis will be placed on teaching writing this year. Students will be asked to understand and analyze primary and secondary sources. Students then will evaluate and apply their understanding of these documents in formalized writing assignments (analytical, persuasive, narrative, etc.). Some writings will require multiple drafts and discussion and revision work with me. Occasionally, rubrics will be used to guide and provide feedback on student efforts.
Minor Assignments (40%):
Classwork / homework: This grade includes class participation. Introduction, review, and practice of course concepts and skills in route to mastery will take place via short assignments (e.g., vocabulary, question sets, graphic organizers, note taking, notebook management, journals, Google Forms, etc.) that students will work on in class. Assignments will be posted in Google Classroom.
Quizzes: Announced quizzes on readings or classwork will be given periodically. Quizzes can also be unannounced.
What about late work?
Please try your best to get your assignments done on time. There will be a 10% per day penalty on late work. No late work will be accepted after 2 weeks. Please follow the due dates in Google Classroom closely.
Remediation/Revision:
● If you do not do well on a test, you will have ONE opportunity to retake the test. Students re-taking an assessment can get up to but not higher than 80%. For example, if a student gets a 52% on a test, they can take a retake and receive up to 80% credit for that test. After one week, a student may not retake the assessment.
What materials will I need for class?
Your computer
A 3 ring binder with loose leaf paper
Pens and pencils
Rewards:
Praise (daily).
Positive notes / calls home (random).
Various positive perks (throughout the school year).
The joy of learning about history and politics!
Consequences or penalties:
If your behavior is unacceptable, I will talk with you individually. If that does not help the situation, I will call home. If we still don't get to where we need to be, I will complete an administrative write-up.
If you have an unexcused absence, you cannot make up the work for that day and will receive a zero for the missing work.
Don’t let your cell phone get you down! See new school policy here: Copy of ECHHS Cell Phone Policy
Honor Code Pledge: All students are subject to, and expected to know and abide by, the provisions of the school’s honor code. Students must sign the ECHHS Honor Pledge when submitting work. The pledge states:
“I pledge that I have neither given nor received unauthorized help on this assignment; I am aware of the consequences for doing so, and I will act upon violations of the Honor Code.”
COURSE AGREEMENT (AMERICAN HISTORY)
Dear Parents:
We are going to have a great year and I am excited about working with your children. The students and I will be learning about relevant topics for them to evaluate – whether it is the current political climate and current events or discussing World War II, it will be an invigorating learning experience. I look forward to working with you to help motivate and infuse your child with an interest in U.S. History and current events. I will endeavor to use my experience as a Legislative Assistant on Capitol Hill and as a lobbyist to bring real-world experiences into the classroom. After you have read the syllabus, please sign the “Course Agreement” for your child to return to me. Also, please keep an eye on my website to see what we are doing in class or contact me via email at hhiemstra@chccs.k12.nc.us .
For parents wanting weekly updates from me about class activities and events, please print clearly your name and email below.
Sincerely,
Hans G. Hiemstra
Hans G. Hiemstra
_______________________________________ (parent’s email address)
We the undersigned have reviewed the course description and guidelines for Mr. Hiemstra’s class. We agree to abide by the rules and regulations set forth in the syllabus. Additional copies of this handout can be accessed by visiting Mr. Hiemstra’s page on the school’s website.
If there are any questions, please contact Mr. Hiemstra at hhiemstra@chccs.k12.nc.us .
Parent’s name: ___________________ Parent’s Signature: _____________________
Student’s name: __________________ Student’s Signature:_____________________