Government (Building Citizenship)

Mr. Stone – Room 258 (2015-2016)

Course Outline

1stNine Weeks:

Americans, Citizenship, and Governments

The American Colonies and Their Government

The Constitution

The Bill of Rights

2nd Nine Weeks:

The Legislative Branch

The Executive Branch

The Judicial Branch

*Semester Exam*

3rd Nine Weeks:

State Government

Local Government

Introduction to Economics

The American Economy

4th Nine Weeks:

Personal Finance

Government’s Role in the Economy

The Government and Banking

*Final Exam*

(Students will be excused from their final exam if they receive an A for each nine-weeks gradeAND semester examor have perfect attendance for the entire year. Students who miss 1-3 days during the school year may choose one exam to be exempt from.)

Please note that the instructor has the right to change or modify this outline at any time.

Zero Tolerance:

There is a zero tolerance policy in the school and in this classroom. “Students are expected to conduct themselves in such a way that they respect and consider the rights of others. The board has a ZERO TOLERANCE policy of violence, disruptive or inappropriate behavior by its students.”

Class Rules and Expectations

1.) Be respectful to the teacher and treat your fellow students like you would want to be treated.

2.) Come to class on time.

3.) Be prepared. You are required to have all the materials with you when you come to class every day. (This includes your planner, book, pen/pencil, paper, social studies binder, and any other materials needed for class.)

* Not being prepared for class will result in a reduction of class participation grade.

4.) Participate during class.

5.) Absolutely and positively NO SLEEPING will be allowed in this class. (You will not be given the benefit of the doubt if your head is down, your eyes closed, etc.)

6.) There will not be any food or drink allowed in this room. (Gum is ok, along as I do not hear it, see it, or find it a place other than the trash can.)

7.) Follow the directions the first time they are given.

8.) Inappropriate classroom subject matter will not be discussed in class. (This includes profanity, racial remarks, social life, or any other inappropriate terms or conversations.)

9.) No horseplay of any kind will be tolerated.

10.) Do not litter or leave scraps of any kind in the classroom and no throwing, flicking, or launching of any objects in the classroom.

11.) Students will be allowed TWO emergency restroom passes for each nine weeks. You must have your handbook and bonus buck in order to leave the room.

12.) All school rules in the student handbook will be strictly enforced in this class!

* No Electronic Devices (Cell phones, IPods, MP3 players, etc.)

* Proper Dress code

Please note that the instructor has the right to add rules at any time.

Consequences

1.) The student will be given a verbal warning / student conference.

2.) The student will lose points on their classroom participation grade. They can get the points back by doing an assignment for the next class. Students will also lose points on their classroom participation grade for unexcused absences from school.

3.) If this problem continues, the student will receive a detention.

Parent / legal guardian will be contacted if the student receives a detention.

4.) Once a student has been assigned a detention twice for the same infraction, the third time will result in the teacher referring the student to the disciplinary supervisor for punishment.

All detentions must be served with Mr. Stone from 2:40-3:10 within five days of the infraction. Failure to serve a detention results in the student being referred to the disciplinary supervisor for punishment.

Any severe infractions will be handled immediately by the teacher and/or disciplinary supervisor, forgoing any of the previous steps.

  • Any student getting in-school suspension (ISS) or all-day detention (ADD) will automatically receive an extra assignment. Failure to complete this assignment will result in a reduction of employability/classroom participation grade!
  • Any student receiving out-of-school suspension (OSS) will receive two extra assignments. Failure to complete these assignments will result in a reduction of employability/classroom participation grade!
  • Students will receive double the penalty for infractions with a substitute.

Rewards

1.) Verbal praise.

2.) Written praise.

3.) Positive contact to home (written or a phone call).

4.) The class may be able to watch a video. (This will depend on the overall grade of the class.)

5.) Exempt from Final Exam for having straight A’s (including Semester Exam)

6.) Highest team grade on tests will receive bonus bucks.

7.) Bonus Bucks for points in Class Dojo.

8.) Other rewards will include: homework pass, bonus points, or display of student work.

Grading

I.) Tests/Quizzes (about 33% of grade)

1.) Tests - you will be given one test per chapter.

2.) Quizzes - you will usually have one/two quizzes per chapter. Most of these will announced (once in a while they may not be) and will be used to see you are reading and completing your notes. All students are expected to read the section before we discuss it in class.

II.) Classroom Work(about 67% of grade)

1.) Assignments–will usually be given for each section of the chapter after you complete the notes and we discuss the material. These will vary from questions, puzzles, and worksheets.

2.) Learning Journal–all students are expected to complete their notes. At the beginning of each class, there will a question on the board that you will need to answer for a grade. The purpose of this exercise is for you to review your notes at the beginning of each class before we review the previous topic and move on to a new topic. There will be a spot in your notes to complete journal questions.

3.) Current Events–we will have various articles and assignments that discuss current events. Most of these will come from a weekly reader magazine.

4.) Employability/Classroom participation – students must be in class and come prepared to receive participation points. In most cases; this is where points will be taken if discipline becomes an issue.

5.) Miscellaneous - would include video facts or any other assignments that may be given by the teacher.

6.) Projects–will be given at the discretion of the teacher. Information and guidelines will be given at a later date.

***All students should keep all of their work in a three-ring binder. ***

  • Students will also be assigned a student number and given a box in class.

III.) Learning Teams- For some chapters, students will be put in learning teams based on the score of their pre-test, with the best pre-test scores given the opportunity the be exempt from work and leaders for their team.

IV.) Social Studies Awareness Day – students will be given the opportunity to make-up work or complete additional assignments for extra credit.

V.) Late/Missed Assignments

Students will be required to make-up any work that they miss because of class absences. Depending on the assignment, students can hand work in late for half credit. No late work over one-week late will be accepted. Assignments are due at the beginning of the class period, unless mentioned otherwise! IT IS THE STUDENTS RESPONSIBILITY TO TALK TO THE TEACHER ABOUT RECEIVING AND COMPLETING MAKE-UP WORK!

VI.) Anyone caught cheating will be given a zero on the assignment and receive disciplinary action deemed appropriate by Mr. Stone.

VII.) Extra Credit

Will be given at the teacher’s discretion! If a student feels that they need extra credit, they can discuss it with the teacher and he will come up with an assignment. Points will be rewarded based on the assignment.

VIII.) Please refer to your student handbook for the grading scale and failure policy.

Parent/Guardian Signature Sheet

Cooperation and communication among students, teachers, and parents will promote a more profitable learning experience for your son/daughter. I feel that it is essential that you, as well as your son/daughter, understand course expectations. I ask you read the information in this packet and sign below indicating that you have reviewed and do understand its contents. Then please have your son/daughter return this page to his/her instructor by Thursday, September 3rd.

I look forward to working with your son/daughter and hope to meet you at conferences this year.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call me at 330-832-9856 or 1-800-372-4322. The best time to reach me is between 2:40 and 3:15 PM. You can also e-mail me at; and follow announcements and get assignments on my webpage:

Thank you,

Mr. Stone

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Student Name (please print)

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Student SignatureParent Signature

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Parent E-mail

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Parent Phone Number