US HISTORY I:
Beginnings to the Industrial Revolution
Teacher: Brandi DeSandro (bdesandro@pikecountyschools.com)
Goshen High School
286 Eagle Circle, P.O. Box 7
Goshen, AL 36035
Phone: (334) 484-3245
Fax: (334) 484-3247
Website: http://www.goshenhs.com/
School Mission Statement:
The mission of Goshen High School is to establish a dynamic learning environment, which is safe and accountable, and prepares our students for success with their life goals.
Textbook: The Americans, McDougal Littell, 1998
Course Description: U.S. History I: Beginnings to the Industrial Revolution is designed to teach citizenship and the foundations of government. Emphasis is placed on vocabulary, critical thinking skills, historical writing, creative projects, presentations, minor research, and interpretation of original documents (DBQ’s). Besides listening to traditional lectures on important themes in U.S. History, historical and relevant video clips will be shown to support the lessons. Students are expected to participate in class through discussions, debates of key issues, simulations, and mock trials. Furthermore, students are expected to continually develop their writing skills through regular short writing assignments in their journal, and maintain a notebook of all class notes, handouts and materials.
State Standards:
1. Contrast effects of economic, geographic, social, and political conditions before and after European explorations of the fifteenth through seventeenth centuries on Europeans, American colonists, and indigenous Americans.
2. Compare various early English settlements and colonies on the basis of economics, geography, culture, government, and Native American relations. Examples: three colonial regions, colonies of settlement versus colonies of exploitation, religious beliefs
3. Trace the chronology of events leading to the American Revolution, including the French and Indian War, the Stamp Act, the Boston Tea Party, the Intolerable Acts, the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the publication of Common Sense, and the Declaration of Independence.
4. Describe the political system of the United States based on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
5. Identify key cases that helped shape the United States Supreme Court, including Marbury versus Madison, McCullough versus Maryland, and Cherokee Nation versus Georgia.
6. Describe relations of the United States with Britain and France from 1781 to 1823, including the XYZ Affair, the War of 1812, and the Monroe Doctrine.
7. Describe the development of a distinct culture within the United States between the American Revolution and the Civil War, including the impact of the Second Great Awakening and writings of James Fenimore Cooper, Henry David Thoreau, and Edgar Allan Poe.
8. Trace the development of efforts to abolish slavery prior to the Civil War.
9. Summarize major legislation and court decisions from 1800 to 1861 that led to increasing sectionalism, including the Missouri Compromise of 1820, the Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and the Dred Scott decision.
10. Describe how the course, character, and effects of the Civil War influenced the United States.
11. Contrast congressional and presidential reconstruction plans, including African-American political participation.
Course Objectives:
To prepare students to be knowledgeable, responsible citizens capable of applying critical thinking and abstract reasoning skills in their everyday lives.
Makeup Work Policy:
On the day you return (at the beginning of class), you will be expected to turn in any assignments that were collected while you were out. At the end of class check with me to see what you missed and to pick up handouts, arrange to makeup tests, quizzes, etc. You will be given 3 school days to turn in any missed assignments. This is your responsibility!
Late Work:
Regarding late work, get things in on time! It is not fair for other’s who work hard to get assignments in on a timely manner. I value my time teaching, as well as your time to learn. Late work will be accepted according to the following penalties: 1st day -10 points; 2nd day -20 points; 3rd day – 30 points; after the 3rd day, you will receive a 0 for the assignment! Check with me often to keep up with missing assignments and avoid any surprises at the end of the grading period. This is also your responsibility!
Grading Procedures:
Students will be given several grades over the course of 18 weeks in the form of quizzes, special projects, daily grades, notebooks, and chapter exams. Grades will be calculated using the following scale:
Exams 40%
Quizzes 20%
Notebooks/Homework/Daily work 20%
Projects 20%
*A comprehensive semester exam will be given at the end of each semester.
Grades:
Grades are based on the following scale. Each assignment is designated as a daily grade (ex: homework or vocabulary) or major grade (ex: test or long term project) based on length and degree of difficulty: 90%-100% = A, 80%-89% = B, 70%-79% = C, 60%-69% = D, & 59%-0% = F
On the first day of school, you will enter the class with 100/A+. It is up to you to work to keep it. To succeed in this class, complete ALL assignments! No extra credit will be allowed; however, there will be opportunities to receive extra points throughout the school year. Again, this is a privilege. Do not assume that you are entitled to it. Furthermore, if you have missing assignments you will not be eligible for extra credit until all assigned work has been submitted. All handouts and work (in progress and returned) are to be kept in students’ binders. Do not throw anything away!
Unwelcome Materials:
Cell phones and iPods are not allowed in the classroom. However, there may be times that they will be requested for research during class. Otherwise, if you need these items for extra curricular activities or other classroom request, keep them out of sight and in your locker on OFF. For parents who need to reach their child at school, please call the office and the message will be relayed.
Notebook Organization:
Students must have a binder loose-leaf paper, and 4 dividers with tabs – to be labeled: 1) Bell-Ringer – these questions and/or activities that must be answered every day at the beginning of class, 2) Notes – Date each page, keep chronological. 3) Handouts – including handouts I give you and returned assignments. 4) Projects – handouts and notes related to project assignments.
*Notebooks will be checked regularly, and each of the 4 section is worth 25% of your total notebook grade.
Class Participation:
Students will be responsible for daily discussions, assignments, and activities. The overall grade will include a class discussion grade. Please be aware of the importance of participation!
Collaborative Groups:
You will be required to work with others at times, so you will need to be organized and communicate with your partner or team members.
Journal/Spiral Notebook: You will need a spiral notebook that will be kept in the classroom for writing assignments. Periodically students will answer a big picture question over what we have studied in class. This will be a 5-minute writing followed by a class discussion of the topic. Please remember the importance of class discussion!
U.S. History Classroom Code of Conduct:
Most students exhibit appropriate behavior in class, but learning is a group activity, and the behavior of each person in class in some way or the other affects the learning outcomes of others. If we keep these thoughts and the following rules in mind, the classroom experience will be a better one for everyone involved.
Classroom Rules:
1. Class begins promptly at the beginning of the class block period. When the bell rings, be in your seat and ready to start participating in class at that time. That same rule applies to me – I should be ready at the start of class, which means having technology operational and required materials available. The door will be locked and shut when the bell rings and the 10/10 Rule will be strictly enforced! If you are late you will only be admitted with a tardy slip.
2. Be polite and respectful: Profane, abusive or impolite language or messages will not be tolerated. This includes abusive language, printed materials or behavior based upon a persons race, color, national origin, religion, and physical or mental status.
3. Cell phones, laptop computers (unless authorized by your assistant principal), video games, iPods, MP3’s and other personal music devices are to be turned off and stowed at the beginning of each class. This also means NO ear buds or headphones!
4. It is fine to bring a drink or a snack to class, as long as it isn’t distracting to the class and we are not in a computer lab. All drinks must have a screw on top. No open containers are allowed. However, please remember that someone else will be coming into the room after your class is done, so PICK UP YOUR TRASH. This is a privilege, NOT a right, and will be taken away if trash is left on the floor or desks! This will be a working classroom. Students will be responsible for the keeping the room clean. Also, don’t ask to go get a snack or drink during class! NO GUM ALLOWED!!!
5. I expect to have your attention for the full class period. This means:
--Avoid conversations with people sitting around you. It’s a small room – even if you whisper, please realize that other people can certainly see you, and that’s a distraction to them (and to me.) Talking or whispering during a test will result in a zero on that test. Additionally, persistent talking during tests will result in a zero and disciplinary action.
--Do not start zipping up your backpack and rustling papers before the end of the class period. There’s sufficient time for you to get to your next class without disrupting the last few minutes of this class. If one person does it, it seems to trigger others to do it, and it makes the last few minutes less than optimal for everyone.
--If you know that you’ll need to leave before the class is over, do so as not to disrupt others. Similarly, if you arrive in class late, just slip in as quietly as possible and go straight to your seat. THE BELL DOES NOT DISMISS YOU! I DISMISS YOU!
--If you are so tired that you cannot keep your head up, you should go to the nurse or go home. I realize that environmental factors affect this, including warm rooms, dimmed lights, and material that may not be interesting to you. I’ll try to make class interesting, but remember that my primary goal is to teach you, not to entertain you.
--Turn in assignments on time. Earthquake, fire, flood, and catastrophic illness are the only reasonable excuses for a late submission.
--Disrespectful and rude behavior towards the teacher or fellow students will not be tolerated and any student that consistently violates this rule will be disciplined.
6. As the teacher for this course, I additionally hold myself accountable to the following:
--be knowledgeable and current on the topics presented in this course
--be a role model and a professional
--provide prompt feedback on assignments and quizzes (within one week)
--make time available outside of classes for teacher-parent meetings
--be fair and impartial in student assessments
Plagiarism, Cheating, and Academic Integrity
Plagiarism is the practice of copying words, sentences, images, or ideas for use in written or oral assessments without giving proper credit to the source. Cheating is defined as the giving or receiving of illegal help on anything that has been determined by the teacher to be an individual effort. Both are considered serious offenses and will significantly affect your course grade and/or result in disciplinary action. Please refer to the Pike County Student Code of Conduct booklet for additional information.
General Information:
If you are having trouble with this class, come to me immediately and I can work with you. If you wait till the end of the grading period, it will be TOO LATE. I will be available to help you understand so you can be successful in this class.
Please check and sign below
______________I have read the information and I fully understand what I’m expected to do in class.
Student Signature: ____________________________________
Parent / Guardian Signature: ___________________________________
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