WELCOME 6TH GRADE SCHOLARS!

Students:

It is my ultimate goal that you are able to learn as much as you can to succeed in this class and all future social studies classes. I am more than willing to do whatever I can to help you understand the content material but you must do your part by paying attention and putting forth your best effort in class!

Goals:

In this class you will learn about various United States and Louisiana timelines listed in the coursework overview. The goals of the school year consist of:

· Analyzing connections, similarities, difference, effects, and causes of ideas and events in the history of the United States from 1580 to 1791.

· Using geographic representation, historical data, primary sources, and secondary sources to analyze environmental, cultural, economic, political characteristics, changes, construct and express claims.

· Learning to properly construct and support an argument in writing through multiple reading comprehension practices and structured writing strategies.

· Using both visual and performative arts to deepen and diversify the connections to historical concepts.

Furthermore, this course will provide students with the foundational skills and knowledge needed to begin their journey toward becoming thoughtful and capable historians. Students will be challenged to engage with and analyze a variety of texts while developing their abilities through both creative projects and written assessments.

Course Overview:

This course explores the history of North America from early exploration and settlement through the establishment and development of the United States government. Students will examine the growth of colonial societies, with a particular focus on Colonial Louisiana, and investigate the events and ideas that led to American independence. The course will then explore the founding of the United States and the development of its new government. Throughout the course, students will analyze historical texts, engage with primary and secondary sources, and demonstrate their understanding through both creative projects and written assessments.

Unit 1: The Exploration and Settlement of North America

Unit 2: Colonial America

Unit 3: Colonial Louisiana

Unit 4: The Road to Independence

Unit 5: Founding a New Nation

Unit 6: The Government of the New Nation

Grading:

Grades will be based on a variety of assignments and assessments, including homework, bell ringers, exit tickets, class participation, classwork, tests, essays, short-answer questions, and projects. Tests and larger projects will carry greater weight in the overall grade. However, consistent performance on smaller assignments is equally important, as students will need to demonstrate proficiency across both formative and summative assessments to achieve mastery of the course content.

Grading Scale:

A: 100% - 90%

B: 89% - 80%

C: 79% - 70%

D: 69% - 60%

F: 59% - and below

E: Grade/Assignment Excused

X: Assignment Not Submitted

0: Student Received 0%

Supplies:

See school website or front office for detailed school supply list.

Class Rules and Expectations:

· Follow Directions: Follow all instructions and classroom expectations

· Be Prepared: Arrive ready to learn, participate, and give your best every day.

· Be Respectful: Respect your teacher, classmates, staff, and everyone’s right to learn.

· Respect the Classroom: Take care of classroom materials, technology and the learning environment.

· Do Your Own Work: Submit authentic work that reflects your own effort and abilities. Cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized AI use, or helping others cheat will result in an automatic 0.

· Be Accountable: Take responsibility for your choices and actions. Failure to follow these expectations may result in minor or major disciplinary consequences, depending on the incident.

Classroom Procedures:

Excused Absences: Students will be given the opportunity to make up missed assignments due to an excused absence, including illness or medical appointments. Students are responsible for checking what they missed and obtaining any necessary assignments or materials upon returning to class. Make-up work must be completed within the same number of school days the student was absent (e.g., one day absent = one day to make up work). If a student is absent for more than three days, a parent or guardian should contact the school office to request assignments.

Unexcused Absences: Students who miss class due to suspension, truancy, travel, or other unexcused absences—including sports or school shadowing—are responsible for obtaining missed work on the day they return. All missed work must be completed and submitted by the following school day.

Makeup Test: Students who miss a test due to an excused absence will have three school days to make arrangements with the teacher to complete the make-up test. The test does not need to be completed within those three days; students are only required to make arrangements with the teacher within that timeframe.

Late Work: Late homework, projects, and essays may be subject to a deduction of up to 10%. Missed tests must be completed within one week of the original test date, unless extenuating circumstances apply.

Homework and Projects: Homework will be purposeful and designed to reinforce concepts covered in class or prepare students for upcoming lessons. When assigned will be posted in class and on the teacher website. Students will also complete a variety of small and long-term projects throughout the year. Long-term projects will be given adequate time for completion, and students are responsible for completing and submitting all work by the assigned deadlines.

Organization: Students should keep all Social Studies assignments and materials in their designated folder and bring it to class each day. Students should keep all classwork and handouts until instructed by the teacher to discard them.

Technology: McKinley follows a schedule of two weeks with and two weeks without technology using the classroom set of Chromebooks. We will use these for things like research and typing, and it is the students’ job to respect the quality of each computer and use them responsibly.

Students:

It is my ultimate goal that you are able to learn as much as you can to succeed in thus class and all future social studies classes. I am more than willing to do whatever I can to help you understand the content material but you must do your part by paying attention and putting forth your best effort in class!

Goals:

In this class you will learn about various United States and Louisiana timelines listed in the coursework overview. The goals of the school year consist of:

· Analyzing connections, similarities, difference, effects, and causes of ideas and events in the history of the United State from 1580 to 1791.

· Using geographic representation, historical data, primary sources, and secondary sources to analyze environmental, cultural, economic, and political characteristics and changes and construct and express claims.

· Learning to properly construct and support an argument in writing through multiple reading comprehension practices and structured writing strategies.

· Using both visual and performative arts to deepen and diversify the connections to historical concepts.

Furthermore, this course will provide students with the foundational skills and knowledge needed to begin their journey toward becoming thoughtful and capable historians. Students will be challenged to engage with and analyze a variety of texts while developing their abilities through both creative projects and written assessments.

Course Overview:

This course explores the history of North America from early exploration and settlement through the establishment and development of the United States government. Students will examine the growth of colonial societies, with a particular focus on Colonial Louisiana, and investigate the events and ideas that led to American independence. The course will then explore the founding of the United States and the development of its new government. Throughout the course, students will analyze historical texts, engage with primary and secondary sources, and demonstrate their understanding through both creative projects and written assessments.

Unit 1: The Exploration and Settlement of North America

Unit 2: Colonial America

Unit 3: Colonial Louisiana

Unit 4: The Road to Independence

Unit 5: Founding a New Nation

Unit 6: The Government of the New Nation

Grading:

Grades will be based on a variety of assignments and assessments, including homework, bell ringers, exit tickets, class participation, classwork, tests, essays, short-answer questions, and projects. Tests and larger projects will carry greater weight in the overall grade. However, consistent performance on smaller assignments is equally important, as students will need to demonstrate proficiency across both formative and summative assessments to achieve mastery of the course content.

Grading Scale:

A: 100% - 90%

B: 89% - 80%

C: 79% - 70%

D: 69% - 60%

F: 59% - and below

E: Grade/Assignment Excused

X: Assignment Not Submitted

0: Student Received 0%

Supplies:

See school website or front office for detailed school supply list.

Class Rules and Expectations:

· Follow Directions: Follow all instructions and classroom expectations

· Be Prepared: Arrive ready to learn, participate, and give your best every day.

· Be Respectful: Respect your teacher, classmates, staff, and everyone’s right to learn.

· Respect the Classroom: Take care of classroom materials, technology and the learning environment.

· Do Your Own Work: Submit authentic work that reflects your own effort and abilities. Cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized AI use, or helping others cheat will result in an automatic 0.

· Be Accountable: Take responsibility for your choices and actions. Failure to follow these expectations may result in minor or major disciplinary consequences, depending on the incident.

Classroom Procedures:

Excused Absences: Students will be given the opportunity to make up missed assignments due to an excused absence, including illness or medical appointments. Students are responsible for checking what they missed and obtaining any necessary assignments or materials upon returning to class. Make-up work must be completed within the same number of school days the student was absent (e.g., one day absent = one day to make up work). If a student is absent for more than three days, a parent or guardian should contact the school office to request assignments.

Unexcused Absences: Students who miss class due to suspension, truancy, travel, or other unexcused absences—including sports or school shadowing—are responsible for obtaining missed work on the day they return. All missed work must be completed and submitted by the following school day.

Makeup Test: Students who miss a test due to an excused absence will have three school days to make arrangements with the teacher to complete the make-up test. The test does not need to be completed within those three days; students are only required to make arrangements with the teacher within that timeframe.

Late Work: Late homework, projects, and essays may be subject to a deduction of up to 10%. Missed tests must be completed within one week of the original test date, unless extenuating circumstances apply.

Homework and Projects: Homework will be purposeful and designed to reinforce concepts covered in class or prepare students for upcoming lessons. When assigned will be posted in class and on the teacher website. Students will also complete a variety of small and long-term projects throughout the year. Long-term projects will be given adequate time for completion, and students are responsible for completing and submitting all work by the assigned deadlines.

Organization: Students should keep all Social Studies assignments and materials in their designated folder and bring it to class each day. Students should keep all classwork and handouts until instructed by the teacher to discard them.

Technology: McKinley follows a schedule of two weeks with and two weeks without technology using the classroom set of Chromebooks. We will use these for things like research and typing, and it is the students’ job to respect the quality of each computer and use them responsibly.