Eastside High School (2025-2026)
Teacher: Nathan Shaw
Room C131
Human Geography (Honors)
Teacher Contact Information
Phone: 864-355-2843
Email: nmshaw@greenville.k12.sc.us (preferred method of contact)
Teacher Schedule – 2025-2026
1st Semester:
1st Block: Planning 8:45–10:15
2nd Block: Human Geography (H) 10:20-11:55
3rd Block: Civics 12:00-2:05
4th Block: Human Geography (H) 2:10-3:40
2nd Semester:
1st Block: Civics 8:45–10:15
2nd Block: Planning 10:20-11:55
3rd Block: Human Geography (H) 12:00-2:05
4th Block: Civics 2:10-3:40
Recommended Materials
3 ring binder
Subject dividers for notebook
College ruled notebook paper
Blue or black pens
Pencils
12 pack of colored pencils
Course Introduction
Students study the Earth’s human geography beginning with the use of maps and other geographic representations, geospatial technologies, and spatial thinking to understand and communicate geographic information. Students will examine patterns and processes of how human characteristics and activities vary across Earth’s surface and how humans understand, use, and alter the surface of Earth. Conceptual in nature rather than place specific, this course is organized systematically around the topics of basic geography skills, population and migration geography, cultural geography, political geography, economic geography, and urban and rural land use. As an honors course, students will be challenged much further than in a CP level Human Geography course. Students will be challenged through deeper analysis, critical thinking, and higher-level application of geographic concepts. They will engage in more complex texts, case studies, and data to explore patterns, processes, and global connections in greater depth. Students will also participate in more rigorous discussions.
To encourage inquiry, the grade nine Human Geography standards are constructed around the following four themes: Places and Regions (PR), Environment and Resources (ER), Human Systems (HS), and Applied Geography (AG). These four themes define the multi-faceted focus of Human Geography, connecting human characteristics to their impact on the environment. These themes enable students to make connections between regions, differing scales, distribution of objects, and identify trends, patterns, and processes across the Earth’s human landscapes.
Resources/Materials Used:
● National Geographic Magazine
○ Including maps, articles, and website
● Falardeau, Philippe, dir. The Good Lie. 2014; Burbank, CA: Warner Bros. Pictures, 2014. DVD.
○ A film telling the story of several Sudanese children escaping civil war in Sudan in the 1980s. This story details their experiences in refugee camps, their immigration to the United States in the early 2000s, and the cultural changes they encountered in the United States. Rated PG-13.
● Goode’s World Atlas. 22nd edition. New York: Rand McNally.
We will use various other articles, films/videos, images, maps, etc.
Grading System/Course Requirements
This course will be taught in a manner similar to a college course. Students are expected to do additional research outside of class when encouraged, take notes from lectures, and write frequent essays and short answer responses. Students will take a pre (ungraded) and post quiz for each unit.
The grading breakdown for this class is found below:
● Unit/Chapter Tests, Projects: 60%
● Quizzes/Class Assignments/Homework: 40%
● A= 90-100
● B= 80-89
● C= 70-79
● D= 60-69
● F= 0-59
Make-up Work Policy
● Make-up work is defined as work not completed or turned in due to a student’s absence.
● This policy is set by the district.
● Students may be allowed to make up work due to absences that are excused, unexcused or related to discipline with no penalty within 5 days or a reasonable time according to GCSD board policy.
● If a student misses work due to an absence, it is the student’s responsibility to coordinate time with the teacher within 5 days of return to make up the work. Any work not submitted within the 5 day makeup period will turn into “late work.”
● Alternative assignments may be given for performance-based tasks that cannot be recreated in a make-up format.
● If a student is present on the day a test, quiz or project due date is announced and then absent on the day of the test, quiz or project deadline, he/she must be prepared to take the test, quiz, or turn in the project on the day he/she returns to school.
● Field trips and participation in other extracurricular events (such as athletics) are considered attendance days. Work missed due to such events can be submitted electronically by midnight on the day that it is due. Items that cannot be submitted electronically should be submitted the following attendance day.
● Students are encouraged to utilize the before and after school tutoring programs to complete make-up and late work in a proactive manner.
Late Work Policy
Teachers reserve the right to alter this policy based on extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances should be discussed with the administration.
● Late work is defined as work not completed/turned in on time even though the student attended the class.
● Any assignment which is not turned in on time will be deducted 10% off of the original grade earned for each school day the assignment is late up to five days.
● After five days, the student will be assigned a 0 for the assignment.
● Late work will not be accepted after the end of a grading period.
● Students who have 504/IEP/ESOL accommodations specifically allowing for extra time may exceed the 5 day window to maintain compliance with their respective educational plan.
● Students are encouraged to utilize the before and after school tutoring programs to complete make-up and late work in a proactive manner.
Class Expectations
● Daily Materials: Students need a 3-ring binder, dividers, notebook paper, blue or black pens, and their Chromebook ready at the beginning of each class.
● Classroom Management: Good behavior is expected of all students. Each student should participate in class activities. All school policies will be enforced. Be respectful of everyone in class.
● Restroom and Tardy Policies: School tardy policy will be enforced. Students should use the restroom facilities before class if possible. Smartpasses will be required for restroom use.
● Phone Usage: The school phone policy, as outlined below, will be followed.
○ Eastside High School is a Personalized Learning School with each student having access to a Chromebook to use for instructional purposes.
○ To increase student engagement and minimize distractions to the instructional environment, students are not allowed to use their personal electronic devices, which include, but are not limited to cell phones and earbuds, during any class.
○ Students may use their personal devices before school, after school, during lunch and during class changes.
○ Failure to comply with this policy will be treated as a refusal to obey. A consequence matrix addressing infractions is included in the student handbook and located on the school’s website.
○ Neither the school nor the district will be responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged electronic device or cell phone brought onto school property.
Classroom Procedures and Regulations
● Students will, during class discussions and lectures, raise their hand to be recognized by the teacher before they speak. If the teacher or a student is addressing the class, no one is to talk or leave his/her seat for any reason.
● Bring fully charged Chromebooks and materials every day.
● Be seated when the tardy bell rings and remain seated until dismissed.
● All assignments are due as scheduled unless the student is absent the day the assignment was announced. If a student is present when an assignment or assessment is announced and is absent on the due date, the student will bring the completed assignment or take the assessment (i.e. a test) on the first day returned to class.
● It is the student’s responsibility to ask the teacher for any work missed due to an absence, not the other way around.
● No food is allowed in class. Only drinks that may be sealed will be accepted in class.
● Students are expected to keep the room neat and will properly dispose of trash or recyclables.
● No personal grooming or applying makeup during class. This includes brushing hair, trimming or painting fingernails, etc.
● Do not sleep in class. Students will not be allowed to make-up missed work because of sleeping.
● All rules of conduct stated in the student handbook apply to this classroom.
Discipline Plan
Depending on the offense, students may have one or more of the following as consequences for their actions (Some offenses will require an immediate referral.):
1. Warning
2. Parent contact: phone call/email
3. Referral to appropriate administrator
South Carolina Human Geography Standards:
● Standard 1: Demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics, distribution, and migration of human populations on Earth’s surface.
● Standard 2: Demonstrate an understanding of the conditions, interconnections, and levels of economic development across Earth’s surface.
● Standard 3: Demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics of culture and cultural patterns and processes across Earth’s surface.
● Standard 4: Demonstrate an understanding of how cooperation and conflict among people influence the division and control of Earth’s surface.
● Standard 5: Demonstrate an understanding of the distribution, function, patterns, and processes of human settlement across Earth’s surface.
South Carolina Human Geography Standards:
● Mapping: Identify, use, interpret, and construct local through global scale maps.
● Models and Representation: Identify, use, interpret, and construct geographic models and other visual representations from local to global scales.
● Gather Evidence and Communicate Findings: Identify, use, and interpret different forms of evidence, including primary and secondary sources, from local to global scales.
● Conditions, Connections, and Regions: Identify, compare, and evaluate the development of complex conditions, connections, and regions.
● Scale: Identify, compare, and interpret spatial hierarchies.
● Distribution and Patterns: Identify, analyze, and explain spatial distributions, patterns, and associations.
Units of Instruction (Topic order may change throughout the year.)
● Unit 1: Basic Geography Themes and Skills
● Unit 2: Population and Migration
● Unit 3: Culture
● Unit 4: Ethnicity and Political Geography
● Unit 5: Agricultural and Rural Land Use
● Unit 6: Economic Development
● Unit 7: Urban Land Use
MagicSchool AI Information
Eastside High School (2025-2026)
Teacher: Nathan Shaw
Room C131
Civic learning provides students with the knowledge, skills and values they need to be informed and engaged participants in our democracy. This includes classroom instruction in government, history, law, democracy, and economics. Students in Civics classrooms should learn through inquiry and the application of historical and political science thinking skills. There should be ample time set aside for thoughtful, organized discussion of current events and controversial issues so that students can connect their learning to their own lives. When possible, teachers should consider service learning opportunities that are tied to instruction outside of the classroom as this is civics in action. The fourth quarter is critically important in this curriculum, as students are given the time to apply their learning and take civic action on an issue that is important to them. This is not a hands-off time for the teacher, but a time to mentor and coach the students as they take early steps in becoming an active, informed citizen.
Students will be provided with a variety of instructional strategies in order to engage each student and enhance his/her knowledge of Civics. The class is student-centered, with a wide range of activities consisting of group and individual learning opportunities, with research projects and writing assignments.
Independent reading of course content such as assigned articles, document-based questions, and applying real world knowledge to current global issues is a keystone to this class. Applying vocabulary for each topic will be valuable to gain a complete overview of Civics. Students will be able to explore their strengths as learners and also be able to use those strengths to excel in all different areas of the classroom environment. Through the range of activities presented throughout the year, the student will be able to fine tune their learning strengths in order to be successful in future social studies classes. The following is a simple breakdown of the units that we will be covering this year.
1- Political Philosophies
2- Historical Foundations
3- Framing the Constitution
4- The Federal System
5- Political Parties
6- Civic Life
7- Social Justice, Equality, and Patriotism
8- The Civil War and American Identity
9- Industrialization & Rights of the Individual
10 – Civil Rights and Liberties During the Civil Rights Era
11 – The American Identity and Global Politics of the 20th Century
12 – Civics in Action
The primary text that we will be using this year is “We The People: The Citizen and The Constitution; 4th Edition”. There is a classroom set of textbooks for each student. Textbooks will remain in the classroom and cannot be taken home unless explicit permission is given by the teacher.
There will also be many primary sources, articles, and news sources that will be supplied to students throughout the year by your instructor.
3-ring Binder with 12 dividers/tabs
Pencil/Blue or Black Pens
Charged Chromebook
Notebook Paper
Highlighters
Grading Policy:
A: 100-90
B: 89-80
C: 79-70
D: 69-60
F: 59-0
Assessment Tools
Major Assessments 60%
- Includes any tests, projects, or major essay assignments
Minor Assessments 40%
- Classwork, quizzes, homework
Final Exam will count as 10% of the final grade, as determined by district policy
Students can expect testing throughout the year. Tests will be administered through Google Forms and students will take them on their Chromebooks in class. However, some of the major grades will be done through projects (about 2-3 major grades will be projects).
Attend on time. Keep up on all readings. Bring materials to class. Turn in all assignments. Participate in discussions. Be familiar with email and check it regularly. Check the class website/Google Classroom regularly for assignments and updates. Be thoughtful and civil to classmates and the instructor. Please do not eat in class. Turn off phones/earbuds. Use of electronic devices (including computers) during class must be approved by the instructor. Take notes regularly, you will be graded on your completion of notes. Every 2 weeks, I will look over your notes. This is to ensure that you further develop your own note-taking skills. Be prepared for our unit quizzes. We will have pre-quizzes at the beginning of each unit that will be ungraded. However, post-quizzes will be graded. We will take post-quizzes on review days. This will serve as a way to not only show your progression throughout the unit and build further confidence before the test/project, but to also serve as a review strategy on review days as we will go through each of the questions after completion of the quiz.
Academic Misconduct: Cheating in any form compromises your grade and lowers the quality of your diploma. Classmates who cheat may actually lower your grade by inflating grades, etc. Please make a point to read the Student Handbook regulations on academic dishonesty. To clarify, using someone’s work without giving that person proper credit (i.e. properly citing them) or passing other people’s work off as your own is considered plagiarism regardless of whether you got the material from a book, the Web or your best friend.
If a student is absent on test day, tests and assignments may be made up within 5 days of returning to school. Students must turn in work the day they return if they were in class the day the assignment was given. If absent on the day a project is due, a student MUST turn in the project upon return or late penalties will be applied. Student accommodations of extended time will be met, along with other accommodations students may have.
The Late Work Policy is as Follows: 10 points off per day, max of 60 if turned in by end of unit, max of 50 if turned in after the unit
Grading policy for late work: ALL LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE GRADED IN THE ORDER RECEIVED AND AFTER I HAVE GRADED ALL “ON TIME” TESTS/ASSIGNMENTS. If you want your work graded quickly, turn your work in when it is due.
Students are to be in their seats when the bell rings. All students late to class must report to attendance for an admission slip to class.
Guardians are encouraged to check their student’s grades via PowerSchool online. They will be able to access all of the students' graded assignments and view missing assignments. Guardians are free to email or call the instructor at any time with questions regarding their student’s progress. A link to daily lesson plans will be available on the website. This will note assignment due dates as well as test dates and other important events going on within our school. Guardians will be contacted by the teacher in the event that the student is habitually truant, misbehaves in class, is in danger of failing, or with any other concerns the teacher may have.
Rules:
● Be on time
● Be respectful of all people and property
● Be prepared and bring all materials to class
● Be positive towards classmates and teachers
Teacher Schedule – 2025-2026
1st Semester:
1st Block: Planning 8:45–10:15
2nd Block: Human Geography (H) 10:20-11:55
3rd Block: Civics 12:00-2:05
4th Block: Human Geography (H) 2:10-3:40
2nd Semester:
1st Block: Civics 8:45-10:15
2nd Block: Planning 10:20-11:55
3rd Block: Human Geography (H) 12:00-2:05
4th Block: Civics 2:10-3:40
Teacher Contact Information:
Phone: 864-355-2843
Email: nmshaw@greenville.k12.sc.us (preferred method of contact)
MagicSchool AI Information