2019-20 Syllabus

Hillcrest Middle School

Social Studies 7: Contemporary Cultures: 1600 to Present Day

INSTRUCTOR: Molly Pile

Room:

E-mail: mmcalhany@greenville.k12.sc.us

Classroom Phone: 355-61

Office Phone: 355-6100

To schedule a conference: Call Haley Freeman 355-6114

Course Description:

7th grade Social Studies focuses on world history topics during the period of history from 1600 to present day. We will learn about exploration, colonial times, revolutions, small wars and world wars, economies, governments, various cultures and modern day opportunities in technology and industry. Instruction will emphasize the development of twenty-first century skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, use of technology and visual literacy.

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

• Textbook: Contemporary Cultures: 1600s to the Present
• 3-ring binder with labeled tab dividers
• Loose college ruled notebook paper
• #2 pencils (preferred)
• Small set of colored pencils (keep at home or in your bag)
• Yellow highlighter and one other color highlighter
• Agenda
• Fully charged Chromebook
• Materials, with the exception of colored pencils, should be brought to class daily.

Grading Scale:

A=90-100

B=80-89

C=70-79

D=60-69

F= 59 and below

Grading Terms to be Familiar With:

NHI—Not Handed In INC—Incomplete GFA—Grading Floor Applied

ABS—Absent EX—Exempt (acts as if the grade were not there)

Academic Expectations and Policies:

• Assignments should be turned in on time. I grade on time assignments for full credit. Work will be accepted after the due date with points deducted for each late day. I will take 5 points off per day and will not accept the assignment after 10 days during the first semester and 5 for the 2nd semester. Late work may be completed at home, before or after school, or during lunch. Once late work is completed, it will be placed/written into the the red late work binder for it to be graded.
• Students will begin each class with a “starter”. Starters may be collected at the end of the week for a minor grade. Students will maintain an Interactive Student Notebook (I.S.N.) in the 3-ring binder. Students should have labeled tab dividers in order to keep all the class papers organized.
• Unit tests will be comprehensive and contain all levels of critical thinking. Each test will include a combination of multiple choice, matching, true-false, written response questions, and application questions (such as reading a primary source and answering questions about it)..
• Students will complete several small project-based assignments for class. Projects are major grades unless stated otherwise by the teacher. While we will usually start these projects in class, some projects may require work outside of class. Students will have all instructions and rubrics explained in class to ensure understanding of expectations.
• Minor assessments include quizzes (these count twice and will be listed that way in the grade book), some writing assignments, group work, homework and other classwork. Some classwork may need to be finished at home, however, would still be classwork. There will be more minor assessments than major assessments.

Homework:

Assignments will be posted on the whiteboard in the front of the classroom and in the Google Classroom. Students should record assignments in their agendas daily. Written assignments are typically not given every day for this class. However, for proficiency in social studies, students should review their notes most school nights. Highlighting vocabulary terms and creating flash cards of important facts throughout the unit will enhance student performance. Classwork will occasionally need to be completed for homework. Most assignments will be checked for a daily grade. When assignments are checked, they will be checked for accuracy, not just completion.

Absences:

Students do get sick and will most likely miss some days. While out, the student should check my Google Classroom to see what we are doing in class. Upon returning to school, students should check with me to see what they need from class for the time they missed. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain and make up missing work. The student is responsible for getting notes or information from either the teacher or another student in class. Failing to make up work will result in NHIs in the grade book. Students are welcomed and encouraged to make an appointment with me for before or after school for additional help. Students can also see me during lunch if they are not able to stay after school.

Extra Credit:

Extra credit opportunities will be offered periodically throughout the nine weeks. They will be posted in the Google Classroom and announced in class. Students may complete extra credit work for additional points for the nine weeks IF they have no NHIs in the class. Extra credit assignments will relate to the current unit of study, have a set due date, and a rubric or checklist for grading purposes. NHIs should be made up within 10 school days of the original assignment due date or they will not be accepted after that point. Points will deducted for each day the assignment is late. Once the NHI is cleared, the student can then do any extra credit that was offered.

Student Records:

Grades and attendance will be maintained in both the teacher’s grade book and computer. Parents are urged to keep up with their student’s progress by checking the Parent Portal regularly. Interim progress reports will be sent home midway between grading periods, and report cards will be issued at the end of every nine weeks. Please contact me via email or phone if there are any problems concerning grades and I will address them as quickly as possible.

BEHAVIORAL GUIDELINES:

1. Be in your assigned seat and working on the starter in your class when the tardy bell rings.
2. Bring all books and materials to class and take them with you when you leave.
3. Treat everyone with dignity and respect.
4. Follow the directions the FIRST time they are given.
5. Follow all the rules of the school.

Classroom Expectations:

Students in my social studies classes will learn the content through interacting with their classmates. Most class sessions include partner time or small group work. The ultimate goal is to learn the content and enrich each student’s understanding of the past, however, the following expectations will be observed:

1. Use your “inside” voice when talking.
2. Respect all members of your group.
3. Do not disturb students in other groups.
4. Focus on the task that you should complete.
5. Do your best and aim to create quality work.

DISCIPLINE:

Consequences for students who choose not to be a part of creating an excellent learning environment include:

1. Verbal warning by teacher
2. Phone call home to parent/guardian
3. Detention (ISS during lunch)
4. Referral to administration

Below is an outline of the content we will study for the 7th grade class this year. Each unit description gives a brief overview of the topics that students will cover in class and are required to know based on the South Carolina Department of Education state standards.

Overview of Units

Unit 1: Colonialism

European expansion during the 1600s and 1700s was often driven by economic and technological forces. In this unit, students will utilize 21st century literacy skills and engage in activities that will facilitate their understanding of the influence of these forces during the Colonial Period. Students will learn about exploration, technology advancements, colonial settlements, and European effects on Asia, the Americas, and Africa.

Unit 2: Absolutism

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of limited government and unlimited government as they functioned in Europe in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The relationship between citizens and their government is a fundamental component of political rule. Students will utilize 21st century literacy skills in engaging activities to develop an understanding of the role of constitutions, the characteristics of shared powers, the protection of individual rights, and the promotion of the common good by government. Students will learn more about the Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment that led people to start making more choices for themselves versus the government controlling their lives.

Unit 3: Rise of Nationalism

Students will gain an understanding of independence movements that occurred throughout the world from 1770 through 1900. The global spread of democratic ideas and nationalist movements occurred during the nineteenth century. Students will learn how the Enlightenment led to revolutions around the world as people searched for ways to gain more independence. Students will utilize 21st century literacy skills and engaging activities to develop an understanding of the worldwide effects of nationalism during this period of history.

Unit 4: Industrial Revolution

Students will focus on the causes and effects of the Industrial Revolution including economic, social, and cultural changes around the world. Students will utilize 21st century literacy skills and participate in engaging activities to develop an understanding of the long-term impact of industrialization.

Unit 5: Imperialism

Industrialization resulted in nations desiring more wealth, seeking additional raw materials, and new markets for selling products. Students will learn how certain nations will attempt to isolate from this industrialization to protect their culture. Students will learn of rebellions and wars during this time of imperialism. In Unit 5, students will utilize 21st century literacy skills and participate in engaging activities to develop an understanding of the multiple causes and effects- short and long term- of rising imperialism across the world.

Unit 6: World War I

Students will learn about the lasting impact of World War I on the world. From the beginning of the war and why it started, students will gain insight on Europe's involvement and how the United States joined the war. New ideas will come about in war efforts, new techniques of fighting a war will arrive, and political changes will take place after the war.

Unit 7: Great Depression & Totalitarianism

Students will learn how the worldwide economic depression changed the world and still effects it today. Students will learn how to compare the ideologies of socialism, communism, fascism, and Nazism and how each of them influenced the rise of totalitarianism in Italy, Germany, Japan, and the Soviet Union.

Unit 8: World War II

Students will learn about the causes and course of World War II, including the drives for empires, appeasement, and isolationism. Students will learn about the major invasions during the war and the effects on Europe. Students will gain insight and understanding of the Holocaust as the "final solution" for Jews and how this will affect the Jewish culture. Nationalism and human rights ideas will start to spread around Europe and Southwest Asia more, leading to further independence movements.

Unit 9: Cold War

Students will compare and contrast the ideologies of the United States and the Soviet Union. Students will become familiar with some of the initiatives to keep peace during this time and how each of these will affect the world. This unit will focus on communism and the domino theory, as well as containment and the competition between the United States and the Soviet Union that will eventually lead to the downfall of communism and the eventual breakup of the Soviet Union.

Unit 10: 20th Century Nationalism

Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the attention of the world is no longer focused on just the superpowers of the world, but now nationalist and further independence movements in Middle Eastern nations, African nations, and Indian nations. The focus of the world has not shifted to human rights concerns, especially after the collapse of the apartheid in South Africa and the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Unit 11: Modern Society

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the significant economic, geographic, scientific, technological, and cultural changes as well as the advancements that have taken place throughout the world from the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 to the present day. This includes the opportunities for women in various nations around the world. The information, technology, and communications revolutions will take place advancing the world to learn more about the uses of televisions, satellites, computers, and the Internet. Students will learn further how the global influences of the world have been both positive and negative due to industrialization, population growth, and urbanization and how these contributing factors have posed a danger to the natural environment.