EIGHTH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES
Blue Team
2008 – 2009
http://www.mccsc.edu/~rcourtne/index.htm
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Unlike
math, which builds yearly on skills necessary to function at the higher levels,
social studies tends to focus on different areas, regions, or topics each year.
Most, if not all of you, have studied family, community, state, and nation. In
8th grade, the primary focus of social studies is American History To 1877.
This is, in effect, the first of a two year course in American History. In high
school, you are required to take the second year, which focuses on our nation
from 1877 to the present. I know, it sounds like high school gets the
interesting stuff, right? Yet, in order to understand our nation, we must go
back to the beginning. We are who we are because of ALL that has come before.
English,
math, communication skills, practical arts... these classes help you hone
skills necessary in today’s world. Science studies the physical aspects of the
world, the geological, biological, and astronomical. Social studies focuses on
the human aspect. Who we are, where we came from, where we are going, and how
we use the earth and others to get there. To not understand social studies
aspects of the world is to overlook its most important component -
its
people.
This
year we shall cover numerous topics which will be explained in detail as we
begin each “mini-course”. Each topic will cover approximately six weeks, and
each will have as its focus an aspect of American History prior to the 20th
century. Of course, in order to provide relevance, connections will repeatedly
be made with more recent events in our history.
Possible
topics to be covered this year :
1. EXPLORATION,
COLONIZATION, AND REVOLUTION
2. BIRTH AND GROWTH OF AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT
3. GROWTH AND EXPANSION OF
BOUNDARIES AND PEOPLES
4. THE CIVIL WAR ERA
5. MOVING TO THE MODERN AGE
CLASS OPERATIONS
ASSIGNMENTS
There
are various types of assignments in this class. Homework will be assigned on
the average of three times a week. There may be some units during which you
will have an assignment almost every night while during other units you may go
a week or more without a homework assignment. In addition, there will be
in-class assignments, some of which may be completed at home, others will be
due before the end of class.
Group
work is a component of this class and often you will be working on assignments
with others in your group. Some of these assignments will be for the entire
group and receive a group grade while other assignments will be for each
individual but will require group cooperation to complete effectively. Group
assignments will usually be due by the end of class, but in some cases, such as
projects, several days of class time may be required.
There
will normally be a test each unit. Most
social studies tests are open note, so it behooves you to take good notes in
class. We shall spend time discussing this skill. The tests usually include
several essay questions which ask you to use information, not simply repeat it.
Without accurate notes, the tests are quite difficult. Be sure to have a spiral bound notebook in which you take your social
studies notes.
Finally,
each unit will include a project of some sort. This project itself and the
general topic are assigned, but the student is allowed to pick a specific area
of interest as the topic and, at times, the actual product of the project.
LATE ASSIGNMENTS AND MAKE-UP
WORK
All
assignments are due at the time they are collected in class. Any assignment
turned in after that point is late and will have a letter grade deducted. If
assignments are not handed in by the time the assignment is returned to others
in the class, no credit will be given for the late assignment. However, it will
be noted that the assignment was handed in. This is important, as any student
who is missing three or more assignments during a grading period may incur
penalties such as parent notification, lunch detention, Saturday school, or the
withholding of rewards such as participation in field trips.
Obviously,
if you are absent the day an assignment is collected, you may hand it in upon
your return to class with no penalty. Further, if you are absent when the
assignment is given, you will have the same number of days to complete the
assignment that others had. Many students have assignments sent home when they
are ill, or call homework hotline to find what the assignment is. This is an
excellent idea as it keeps you from falling behind the rest of the class or
being burdened with a mountain of make-up work when you return to school.
However, when a student is very ill, they do not feel up to doing school work.
Even assignments sent home during an illness are not due the day of your
return. If you are absent for several days, talk with your teachers about
receiving an extension for make-up work. Most teachers will be more than
willing to work out a schedule with you, but it is up to you to ask them.
MATERIALS
Each
student will need the following supplies for this class:
Three ring binder – You
will be asked to keep all notes, worksheets, and assignments in this. A three
hole punch machine is available in Mrs. Nowlin’s room.
pencils or pen - you will write every day; always
bring something to write with as I may not have extras to loan.
GRADING
In
this class you are graded on a twelve point scale as follows:
A+ 12 pts. C+ 6 pts.
A 11 pts. C 5 pts.
A- 10 pts. C- 4 pts.
B+ 9 pts. D+ 3 pts. F
0 pts.
B 8 pts. D 2 pts.
B- 7 pts. D- 1 pt.
Grades
are weighted as follows:
TYPE WEIGHT
group
work 1
in-class
assignment or homework 2
test
grade 6
project 12
As
you can see, individual assignments are worth twice as much as group
assignments. Some students worry that poor performance by their group may
result in the lowering of an individual’s grade. This should not be the case
using this weighting system. At least twice during the grading period I will
print out progress reports for each student. Please feel free to check on your
grade by asking at any time.