Syllabus

US History - 8th Grade

Mr. Dahlie

Course Objectives:

Our objective in the class will be to become historians and to establish time management skills for our years after Gibraltar. We will do history, not merely restate facts. This will include primary sources, readings, activities, projects, simulations, essays, etc. We will be focusing on historical individuals, including: changes, continuities, similarities, differences, and connections.

Course Work:

This class will be comprised of readings, activities, projects, essays, and research. It is not limited to this list, but will mostly be compiled of the above mentioned assignments. We will be dealing with about 40 units. The units will run about one week each throughout the course of the year. You will be required to do history through research, understanding and analysis of primary and secondary sources, and synthesizing the information together. You will be a real historian doing historian's work.

Absences:

If you are absent from class on any given day it is your responsibility to find out what you missed. If there was an assignment assigned come to me to find out what it is and for it to be explained to you. If there were notes given on the day you missed get them from someone else in the class.  If it was an excused absence the work should be turned in two school days upon your return to class. The exception to this rule is when there is a long project or paper we are working on in class. If you are gone the day it is due, it will be due the next day you return. If you miss any days during the time we are working on the projects or papers you will not be given any extended time unless you missed a long period of time. Work will not be accepted for full credit if it was an unexcused absence.

Classroom Regulations:

I want to treat everyone fairly. Fair does not always mean equal. If you believe I am not treating you fairly, let me know and I will try to work out the issues with you. I want the classroom to be a safe and positive environment for everyone to learn in. We are here to learn. We can make the classroom a positive and safe environment by respecting everyone’s voice. People will be sharing their opinions and their thoughts. We want to be able to listen to those ideas with an open mind.

Classroom Agreements:

1.      Mutual Respect

2.      Attentive Listening

3.      Appreciations – No Put Downs

4.      Reflect

Academic Integrity:

Cheating or plagiarizing will result in a zero on the assignment and a disciplinary referral. There are no exceptions if you are caught copying someone else’s work, you will not receive a score for your work, because it is not really your own work. Copying someone else includes websites, books, or other materials we may research without giving them the proper citations or credit they deserve.

Grading:

Each topic or area of focus will earn about 10 points. Every point is worth the same as every other point in this course. There are no weighted points. The semester finals will be about 10% of the grade. Each area of focus or topic will have its own set grading criteria and scoring guide for how the points are assessed. The points will usually be earned by higher level thinking, such as analysis and synthesis, not just regurgitating facts (there may be some of this for the purpose of knowing basic facts).

If you have any questions at anytime let me know. I am here to help you in any capacity. I want to make learning about social studies as fun as possible for you. Also, the syllabus is subject to change at any time due to unforeseen circumstances.