7th Grade Social Studies

Syllabus
2015-2016
Policies and Practices Mr. Garner Social Studies

I. Contact information:
Contact Information: (623) 344-1770
E-mail: joseph.garner@sp.imagineprep.com
Website: https://www.mrgarnerhistory.weebly.com
Office Hours:Wednesday and Thursday 8:00-8:45am, Wednesday 2:00-2:25pm, or by appointment.

II. Course description:

Our class this year will have cover the Arizona Common Core standards for 7th grade history. Major Events include:
Civil war, reconstruction and World War I.
Students will approach historical studies in a variety of ways.
1. Building background knowledge through notes, vocabulary, dates, graphing, charting, discussing,
and reading.
2. Close reading or analyzing primary and secondary sources.
3. Student lead Socratic discussion around critical questions and sources.
4. Geography skills and knowledge.
5. Material history (physical objects and pictures to assist understanding)
6. Projects (Google slides, history fair board, video assignments, etc)
III. Structure
Class Structure
Units: 3-6 Weeks long and concluding in a project and Unit Exam
Open note quizzes focusing on assigned readings and critical knowledge
Homework
Classwork
Distribution of Grade
Projects: 25%
Unit Exam:25%
Homework: 25%
Notes/Participation/Graded Class Work/Socratic/Bell Work: 25%
IMPORTANT NOTE: Students not keeping up with reading, bellwork, classwork and homework will struggle with
quizzes and tests.

IV. Grading scale:

Graded Assignments
A = 90%-100%
B = 80%-89%
C = 70%-79%
D = 60%-69%
F = 59%
Homework Markings
= full points (effort made, complete)
= points (impartial, minimal effort)
=0 points (no effort, unreadable, not following instructions)

V. Homework:

Homework is given 2-3 nights per week.

It is normally:
a. Short practice of the skill learned in class that day
b. An assigned reading and summary. The goal is to make new skills and
knowledge more concrete.
On occasion homework is:
a. Completion of unfinished class work.
b. Collaboration/Independent work on a class project.

VI. ABSENT work:

Students are responsible for seeking the missing class work binder and homework binders on their own. The website
material page will also have copies of most class and homework assignments. Explanations and mini lessons can
be provided during office hours or by appointment.
Absent work MUST be turned in with a COMPLETED blue absent slip stapled to the front. Absent work should be
turned into Mr. Garner during independent work time in class OR during office hours not during instructional time.
Absent work is eligible to earn 100% credit as long as it is turned in within the same number of days that the student
missed. If absent work is turned in after that period of time, it will be considered late and treated as such.

VII. LATE WORK:

Pink slip must be attached. 20% loss of credit. New for 2015-2016: students have 2 weeks to turn in late work. Late
work acceptance is cut off 4 days before the grading period ends. 3+ missing assignments results in lost specials
time, mandatory stay full day and or lunch detention to make up work.

VIII. Redoing assessments (tests, quizzes, projects, and assignments):

At teacher discretion, any assessment may be redone if the student did not master the intended content or skills, and
the student has demonstrated sincere effort to prepare for the assessment the first time it was given. Rigorous
relearning or review in preparation for the second attempt will qualify a student to redo an assessment. Redoing
assessments is a privilege, not something to be taken for granted. Students must redo assessments within two
weeks of their return; otherwise the original grade stands. The higher grade between the original attempt and the
second attempt will be recorded, not an average of the two grades. Occasionally, assessments cannot be redone,
but instead students may correct their mistakes and receive additional credit for each item they correct. Students
must redo assessments on their own time, not during direct teaching time in our class.

IX. Extra credit:

Extra credit opportunities will only be offered to students that have turned in ALL of their regularly assigned class
work, homework, projects, quizzes and tests and are not happy with their grade. Extra credit is issued at the
discretion of the teacher.

X. Plagiarism:
According to Arizona State Universitys academic integrity policy, plagiarism is defined as follows:
`Plagiarism means using another's words, ideas, materials or work without properly acknowledging and
documenting the source. Students are responsible for knowing the rules governing the use of another's work or
materials and for acknowledging and documenting the source appropriately.
(http://www.asu.edu/studentaffairs/studentlife/srr/academic_integrity.htm).
Any student who compromises the academic integrity policy will automatically receive a zero, and parents and
administration will be notified immediately. For any further questions on academic integrity, please reference the
Imagine Preparatory at Surprise student handbook.
Parents please watch out for homework copying and forging signatures on reading logs.

XI. Cheating

Students caught cheating during quizzes and tests will received a zero with no make-up opportunity. First offenders
may be eligible for extra credit at the end of the quarter if all assignments are turned in. Students must also protect
their own work with a cover page as they work. Students not properly using a cover page could also receive a zero.

XII. Extra Supplies:

I could always use more (in order of quantity/importance): copy paper, lined paper, pencils, pens, highlighters, books
for our classroom library, art supplies, Kleenex, volunteers for field trips/newspaper club.

XIII. Required Class Materials

Agenda
3 ring binder, 2 in+, with inner pockets (can be shared with other classes, only required one section labeled Social
Studies)
Loose Leaf Paper, reinforced holes is a plus.
2 Pencils
1 black or blue Pen
Yellow Highlighter

XIV. FOR PARENTS: Supporting Your Child in the Classroom

Dos
1. Checking the agenda for highlighted HW assignments. These are missing.
2. Routine trips to the library and encouraging fun, appropriate level, reading material. Explore new genres with your
child.
3. Active dialogue: ask them to explain what they are learning, reading etc.
4. Backpack check: set a time that the backpack and agenda are cleaned out and organized. Cross check the
backpack contents with required materials in all classes.
6. Monitor power schools for missing work and allow students to score low on certain assignments. The curriculum is
quite difficult and certain assignments are meant to push students to see their weaknesses. Students who only score
perfect on every assignment never get to find their weaknesses and develop them. Especially in our scholar classes.
7. Trust your child but verify: diet, sleep, homework, projects, etc.
8. Identify if you childs handwriting is poor and ask them to slow down on homework. Some basic suggestions is to
enforce that they, anchor their letters to the bottom line, always use lined paper, and sit in a proper writing posture.
This is an enormous help to me as I grade.
Donts
1. Make reading/writing/researching a punishment, or chore.
2. Be a stranger. My classroom is open by appointment for school day visits. Please introduce yourself at school
functions. I have office hours and Im often here after school late as well.
3. Hold back if you are having struggles or successes at home. I do not have children of my own but have spent a
great deal of time with the middle school aged student and can share incites. We are a team.
4. Force children to read high level literature. There was a push in education a few years ago to identify the lexile
level of students and only allow them to read above their level. This had disastrous effects on student reading levels
for a number of reasons. Almost universally we saw student independent reading go down and it inversely affected
their natural reading level growth. Vocabulary development is critical at this age and it cant happen if students stop
reading for fun. We will do plenty of close reading at higher Lexile levels in the classroom.

XIV. Mature Content

History is not always pleasant. Therefore it reflects all the realities of adult life that students will soon be fully
exposed to as they go into high school and the real world. A textbook or source document with strong language is
not the same as an R rated movie. A book using the n word is often attempting to illustrate the realities during a

time period such as the civil war or civil rights movement. We should never forget or shield our children from an
honest look at our history. A book may have mentions of violence or intimacy and still be incredibly valuable in its
message and themes.
XIV. Classroom Library
Mr. Garners class has a small library with fiction and nonfiction texts ranging from 3rd to 10th grade. Students must
fill out a library card and return their book within two weeks and before checking another out. If a child loses a book I
reccomend abebooks.com or amazon for inexpensive used texts. Students and parents will need to sign a
permission slip to use the library.
Important NOTE: Dear Parents, I support you in monitoring your childs reading habits and I will alert you if I think a
book your child is reading is inappropriate. If a book we will be using in class has mature content a warning will be
sent home. I have the highest respect for you as a parent and you have the final say on what your child reads. I can
make alternative arrangements for your child if you disagree with any of the reading material we will be using in
class. There are also many online sources that generate reports on book content that may be useful to you.

XV. Discipline
School rules are expected to be followed. Class rules are simple: be kind to others, show respect to others and do
not interrupt the educational process. Class procedures are expected to be followed. Students not following rules or
procedures will be give a warning then, depending on the infraction, may need to change seats, go to a buddy
classroom, sit in lunch detention, or serve a school detention. Under certain circumstances discipline is aimed to fit
the offense. Parents will be notified if students are not responding to simple warnings and seat changes. I strive to
give students opportunities to adjust poor behavior on their own before parental contact.