21-22 Social Studies Syllabus
How does history affect each of us today? How does geography influence our identity? Why do we have a constitutional democracy? What effect do current events have on our lives? What is the meaning of freedom? How do race and gender influence our lives? These questions, and many more will frame our study this year. Be willing to challenge your thinking.
Our focus this year will involve learning how to think and read like a historian, how to reason and analyze with evidence, how to engage in civil discourse with people who have different opinions from you, and how to “read yourself into history.” We will learn about events that created the foundations of modern America. We will open our year by exploring the Progressive Era, a time in which social and political inequalities were challenged by Americans as they rapidly transitioned into modernity. As the United States grapples with new domestic policy and regulation, the world finds itself in a brutal and bloody conflict of colossal scale as European empires finally collapse, and a young generation is scarred by the violence of World War One. Following the darkness of The Great War, we will look at America’s celebratory Roaring Twenties, when a war-scarred generation lived lavishly, not concerning themselves with what the future may hold. Following this bougie splurge of a decade, the United States had to endure the Great Depression, only to then determine their position on the global stage as ideologies once again clash in Europe and Asia during WWII.
Our second semester is Global Studies. This focus asks you to take knowledge of government, rights, history, and values and apply them not just to the United States, but also to the whole world. We will tackle units focusing on global conflict, human rights, water usage, and more. As you leave 8th grade, you will have a much broader and deeper understanding of the world in which you live.
Assignment Policy
A notebook will be assigned to you in the first few days of school. Make sure you have plenty of loose-leaf paper and a folder for Social Studies.
Work which is submitted outside the time I have set aside for grading (late work or resubmitted assignments) will be graded when I next have the opportunity. Late work will be evaluated on a MAXIMUM of 70% of the original value.
Grading System
- Assessments: 30%
- Classwork: 60%
- Homework: 10%
Remember that assessments may be redone for full credit. It is your responsibility to find an appropriate time to speak with me about your grade and to set up a time to redo the assessment. Classwork will consist of work done in class and notebook quizzes, which will be graded weekly. Some assignments will be kept in your student folder that lives in the classroom, so you can refer to them at a later time. Homework will consist of Articles of the Week. You will receive one article every other Monday/Tuesday and you turn it in the following Monday/Tuesday.
Personal Conduct
Respect for everyone – teachers, classmates, and self – is expected at all times. You are old enough and mature enough that I do not need to spell out (and bore you to death) every single expectation. Act like the young adult that you are.
Digital Citizenship
I expect you to communicate with me via email throughout the year, especially when you have questions and concerns about assignments and projects. I will do my best to respond to you within 24 hours. Do not wait until the last minute to ask questions!
Being a good digital citizen means you communicate appropriately and professionally. Include a greeting (Hi or Hello work), write in complete sentences, check your grammar and spelling, and make sure to sign your name (sincerely, NAME is fine) at the end so I know who you are. Depending on how you set up your email, your name may not show up in the “To:” field and if you don’t sign your name, I will not know who you are.
I look forward to a wonderful 8th grade year with everyone!
