Grade 8 Changing Our World 2013-2014

Instructors Sabina Vogt -2040 Cory Willey - 2036 E-mail vogts@ismanila.org willeyc@ismanila.org Blog vogts.ism-online.org willeyc.ism-online.org

Student School Wide Goals At International School Manila, we expect students to work to the best of their ability to be: Effective Communicators: who can interact through a range of modes of communication and for a variety of purposes. Knowledgeable and Skilled Learners : who continually acquire useful knowledge and skills while developing understanding(s) across a broad and balanced range of contexts. Self-directed and Balanced Individuals: who strive to achieve their personal best and understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance. Inquiring and Reflective Problem Solvers: Solvers who can think critically and creatively to make informed decisions and then take appropriate action. Responsible, Caring and Ethical Contributors: who can empathize and be tolerant of differences and are committed to make a positive impact on their communities and environment. Course Description Changing Our World is a semester-long course taken by all Grade 8 students in addition to their regular Social Studies class specifically focusing on the ideas of sustainability and taking action. The course utilizes Alan Atkissons compass points (Nature, Economy, Society, & Well-Being) to examine and hypothesize solutions to global issues. The course also is tied to the Grade 8 Classroom Without Walls program. Each student is expected to participate in a service learning opportunity whether it is during Saturday Service or a pre-approved selfdesigned experience. The goal of the Changing Our World course is to cultivate a sense of empathy and compassion in students for all members of the local and global community and the planet we share. Students develop self-awareness through an opportunity to discover, discuss and reflect on a variety of problems. Students examine their actions and responses to uncover their passions and find ways to affect change through active global citizenry.
MAJOR TOPICS:

Human rights Poverty Education Discrimination

Environmental issues Sustainable development Global citizenship

Assessment The type of content assessment, work time spent on a task, and the tasks level of challenge determine the number of points an assignment is worth. Students will demonstrate their understanding primarily through projects, formal writing, oral presentations, class work, and homework. This work will be individual or collaborative. Students will be assessed on their mastery of ISM Social Studies Intended Learnings and Transdisciplinary Skills. Student progress will be reported on using levels of proficiency (Emerging, Developing, Proficient, Exemplary) on Powerschool. Assignments will be categorized in Powerschool according to the skill being assessed. For example, an assignment assessed for completion only will fall into the category of Personal Management and reflection, while a personal opinion assignment will fall into the category of Communication. Additionally, you can expect teachers to make comments in Powerschool if an assessment earns a particularly low score. Please refer to Powerschool approximately every two weeks to best monitor your childs progress. Homework Policy As per the Middle School guidelines, students should expect to have approximately 60 minutes of homework per course, per week. This may include short tasks that can be completed in one evening, or longer project based tasks that are to be completed over a number of days. Some homework, depending on the assignment, may only be credited on the due date. Late long-term assignments and projects may be penalized up to 10%. These late marks will be categorized as Personal Management and Reflection. Extenuating circumstances resulting in a late submission of work must be communicated to the teacher before the assignment is due. Communication Communication is a vital link between student, teacher and parent to ensure productive learning. Parents should feel free to contact us should they have any questions or concerns regarding their child's progress in school. Parents have access to PowerSchool and can check for regular grade updates. Students also have access to Student Resources on the ISM portal. To share concerns or to arrange a time to meet, please email us at one of the above addresses.