8th Grade Government & Economics Course Syllabus

Teacher Ms. Bloomfield

Phone: 674-8165

Email:

Course Description

This course will be divided into two different topics within social sciences: government and economics. The first 4 ½ weeks of the course will be government. Government is the principle for how people have attempted to establish order and rules throughout their society. The majority of the government lessons will focus on state and local government and constitutional amendments beyond the Bill of Rights. The second half of the course will be economics. Economics deals with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Students should be able to relate all of the course content to real life situations.

Requirements

Students are required to have a separate notebook or three-ring binder to promote organization. Notes are to be kept separate from notes in other classes. The teacher strongly encourages students to have their own art boxes.

Text & Other Resources

United States History: Beginnings to 1877

Civics: Participating in Government

We the People

KCCT Test Coach

Living Constitution

Decisions, Decisions

* A textbook will not be issued for this course. However, students are encouraged to check out texts as they are needed.

Academic Honesty

Students may be encouraged to help each other with assignments or homework. However, copying or cheating is not accepted. Students will not be allowed to communicate during tests, unless otherwise directed. Should academic honesty be a problem, students will be forced to completely repeat the assignment completely on their own under the close supervision of the teacher. The principal will be made aware of the situation.

Methods of Instruction

I will use various methods of instruction. I hope this will help keep the class interesting and fun for the students, while learning at the same time. Activities that may be used include: lecture/discussion, small group assignments, library/Internet researches, and student/group presentations. Technologies that may be used include: Prezi, PowerPoint, video/DVD, Internet, iPad, etc. Assessments that may be used include: group presentations, exams, bell ringers, writings, Open Ended Responses, worksheets, graphing activities, and announced/unannounced quizzes.

Grading

The teacher will use standards based grading for all student grades. Tests on learning targets will be given every 2-4 weeks depending on the length of the unit. Students can earn a grade of 1, 2, 2.5 or 3 (Mastery) of the content. Multiple opportunities will be given for students to redo and makeup work so that they can reach mastery of all content.

Students will retake an exam once in class. All students that do not have 3’s on any portion of the exam will be required to retake. Afterward all retakes are the students’ responsibility. Makeup exams beyond the second exam will be completed on the student’s time: in the morning prior to breakfast, at the end of the day during dismissal, during break, or lunch.

90-100%A

80-89%B

70-79%C

60-69% D

59% and belowF

Course Outline

  • Week 1
  • Forms of Government
  • US Government
  • Week 2
  • Federalism
  • Branches of Government
  • Week 3
  • State & Local Government
  • Bill of Rights
  • Week 4
  • Amendments 13th, 14th, 15th , 24th, 26th Amendments
  • Supreme Court Decisions
  • Week 5
  • Government Exam
  • Types of Economic Systems: Traditional, Command, Market, Mixed
  • Week 6
  • Production, Distribution, and Consumption
  • Scarcity
  • Opportunity Cost
  • Week 7
  • Money
  • Week 8
  • Supply and Demand
  • Interdependence
  • Specialization
  • Week 9
  • Economics Exam