COURSE: America in History5.0 (1005)INSTRUCTOR:Mr.Borgmann
North PennSeniorHighSchool
AMERICA in History 3(SocialStudies)GRADINGPOLICYfor2016/2017
CourseDescription: This required 10th grade course integrates PA Standards into a study of America’s history and culture since 1945. This course, thethird installment of a three part series in American history, provides opportunities for students to study the Cold War, McCarthyism and Korea, the Vietnam War and the cultural changes of the 1960s, the Great Society, Watergate, the Reagan era, the 1990s, and America at home and abroad in the era of 9/11. Current issues of the American political and societal arenas are incorporated into the course. Students will also continue to develop their geography skills, to study primary and secondary source documents, and to investigate the ways culture and events in history have shaped the country and theworld in which we live. Students in both the 4.0 and 5.0 levels engage in writing and research skills addressed in the PA Core Standards. The level 5.0 is a more rigorous course that requires a research paper to build 21stcentury skills such as critical reading, using and evaluating sources, synthesizing information, and developing arguments. Historywillbeapproachedbystudying thepeoplewhomadeandlivedit. Emphasis willbeonimprovedreadingandwritingskills,analysisofdataand research,andtheabilitytoworkwell withothers. YourskillswillbeusedwhiletryingtolearnAmericanHistorythroughachronological approach. We willstartwiththe end of World War II topresentday. Studentswillbeusingboththeir textbookathomeandinclassalongwithatargetedinquiryprojectmethodtolearnandpresentmaterial. Instructionhas beendifferentiatedtomeetthe needsofallstudents.
Text: Appleby, Joyce Oldham., Alan Brinkley, Albert S. Broussard, James M. McPherson, and Donald A. Ritchie. United States History and Geography: Modern times. Chicago: McGraw Hill, 2014. Print.
TraditionalTesting: MajorTestswillbegivenon"A""C"and"E"daysofthe teachingcycle. Both objectiveandsubjectivemethodsoftestingwillbeused. Eachchaptertestis cumulative meaning they containcorequestionsfromprevioustests. QUIZZESorformativeassessmentswillbebothannounced andunannouncedandusedfrequentlyforevaluation.
Non-TraditionalTesting: Shortcumulativedoubletakeassessmentsmaybe given onnon-testingdays
becausedouble-takemeansyoumayuseyournotestocorrectroundonemistakes. Testingmayoccur electronically.
MidtermandFinalExams: AMidtermwillbeadministeredattheendofthesecondmarkingperiodand will countas10%ofsecondmarkingperiodgrade.TheFINALEXAMwillcovertheentireyear’scoursecontentandwillcarrytheweightof16%ofyourfinalgrade. Students have one attempt without notes. UndertheNorthPennRenaissance program,studentsmaybeexemptfromtakingthefinalexam.
TraditionalBasedHomework: Varioustypesofhomeworkwillbe assignedatthediscretionofthe teacher. Allassignmentswillbespot-checkedorcollectedandmustbeontime. Missinghomework can be madeupbyschedulinganafterschoolappointmenttocompletetheassignmentorastudentcansubmit homework ontheseconddayforafiftypercentdeductionorsubmitonthethirddaywithaseventyfive percentdeduction. StudentsmustcommunicatetheirintentiontoMr.Borgmanniftheyplanonscheduling anappointmentorplanontakingadeduction.Studentswhodonotattendtheirappointmentwill receivea zerofortheassignment. Latehomework pastthetwodayswillnotbeaccepted. Ifyoumissa10point homework assignmentandwehave700pointsforthemarkingperiodthenthatassignmentwasworth approximately1.5%ofyourgrade. 700-10=690. 690/700=98.5. Mosthomeworkconsistsofreadingthe textbookwhichtakesapproximately20minuteseachevening.
ProjectBasedClassroom WorkIHomework: Projectbasedclassroomworkandhomeworkwillhavean expected duedateandanextendedduedate. Workwillnotbe acceptedafteranextendedduedate. Theextended duedatehasbeenincorporatedtomeettheneedsofallstudents.
ClassWork:AllstudentsareexpectedtomaintainacumulativeAmericanin History 3notebookfortheentire year. Thenotebookshouldbekeptinchronological orderwhileincludingneatandaccuratenotesofclass work,homework,varioushandoutsandwelllabeledansweredobjectives. Thenotebookmustaccompany thestudenttoclasseachday.
Suspension & Vacation: Any Work provided but not completed during a suspension or vacation will result in a zero.
Research Paper: During the course of the year a research paper will be assigned. The research paper must be completed on a teacher approved topic using the format and research methodology outlined in class. The research paper will have an expected due date and an extended due date. Papers will not be accepted after the extended due date. Please refer to instructions given in class.
Grading:*The student's grade will be reported every nine weeks, four times during the year.
*Factors used in the determination of quarterly grades include: test grades, quiz grades, project grades, class work, research paper and homework completion.
*A project grade will consist of several components such as outline, power point, vocabulary, answered question sheets and/or review questions. The quarterly grade will be determined by strictly averaging all grades from tests, quizzes, projects, and homework. Failure to complete work will seriously affect one's grade because those points will be subtracted from total possible points then averaged.
*Homework must be in on time to receive full credit. Homework is both mandatory and voluntary depending upon the skill of the student.
*Research Paper will be announced in advance along with written expectations and requirements. The completed research paper will probably be due at the end of the second or third marking period. Mr. Borgmann will record the grade either on the third or fourth marking period depending upon when it is graded. Failure to complete a research paper will result in a zero in which the paper was graded.
* A Midterm will be administered at the end of the second marking period and will count as 10%
of second marking period grade. The Final Exam: is worth 16 percent of your grade. Neither the
Midterm or Final Exam is double-take.
*Make-Up Work: If you have an excused absence or tardy for only one day, you should be prepared to take or make-up a test or quiz on your first day back from school. If you have an excused absence of two (2) or more days, see the teacher to get back assignments and reschedule tests. If your absence is unexcused, you will receive a zero for the missed assignment /quiz/test and or project. Unexcused absences include class cutting.
*Extra Credit may be earned but you must come to an agreement with the teacher.
*North Perm School District's grading scale rounds to the nearest whole number which negates teacher discretion. A grade earned is the grade reported for the marking period and the year.
Grading Scale for Marking Periods Final Course Grades
A+97 – 100%A+ - D course averages parallel the marking period grades.
A90 – 96%E 50 – 64%
B+87 – 89%FBelow 50%
B80 – 86%
C+77 – 79%
C70 – 76%
D65 – 69%
FBelow 65%
Final Exams (Full Year Courses)Final Exams (Semester Courses)
21% for each marking period40% for each marking period
16% for final exam20% for final exam
All numeric averages will be rounded to the nearest whole number.