8th Grade Syllabus
8th Grade Syllabus
Teacher: Christie Wente Christie.wente@aps.edu
Website: https://sites.google.com/aps.edu/christiewente/home
Room P108
You are about to embark on a journey through United States history from the First Americans to the formation of our government. All our lessons are tied to New Mexico state standards. We will have 2-3 major projects you will work on in class and at home.
Timeframes are estimations as assignments may be changed at my discretion due to factors such as time constraints, class interests, or unexpected circumstances.
First Semester
Exploration of Early America
Colonization
Lead up to American Revolution
American Revolution
The Articles of Confederation
The Constitution
Second Semester
The New Republic
Industrial Revolution
Westward Expansion
Lead up to the Civil War
Civil War
Reconstruction
1. Be respectful. Be respectful of everyone, even if you don’t see eye to eye with them. Watch your language. Treat others like you would like to be treated. Make this world a better place by how you act.
2. Be here. This means physically and mentally. Once the bell rings, you should be sitting in your seat ready to learn.
3. Be responsible. All assignments and projects are collected at the beginning of class on the due date. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to check the website, email me or talk with your friends to get any missed notes or assignments. The due date does not change because you were not here. Make sure you bring all required supplies to class so that you are ready to learn and you are not disrupting class time asking your classmates to borrow what you forgot to bring.
4. Put forth effort. Think deeply and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Apply what we learn in class to your own life. Try to do your best in everything. You will get out of this class what you put into it.
Grades will be based on your demonstration of mastery of content and skills taught. It will also include how well you COMPLETELY fulfill the requirements of class. You will earn points toward your grade by completing your assignments.
· 30%. Unit Tests and Quizzes
· 30% Projects and homework
· 40% Binder Checks: This will include notes from class, in class work, organizational skills and will indicate your level of participation in class. Points are deducted for negative behavior (Ex: disruption/talking out of turn/disrespectful attitude)
I give students ample time to complete all assignments by their due dates, and I expect students to turn in all work on time. However, I understand that sometimes students make mistakes, forget to record assignments, or even lose them. To accommodate these growing pains and still encourage students to complete all assignments, I have established the following late work policy:
All homework, projects and in-class assignments turned in on time are eligible for 100% of the assignment’s credit. Each day they are late, they are eligible for 10% less credit.
If you are absent, work will be due the day you return to school unless prearranged.
Later in the semester I will offer a chance to help you improve a test or homework grade. This extra credit is not something just to do, but something that proves you understand and have achieved the standard we are trying to master.