Syllabus /
Ms. Avar email: Room: 201 Voicemail: (510) 618-4600, xt. 2201
Visit our class webpage to access assignments, quiz and exam dates! /Teacher Pages / Avar T.
The main goal of this course is to come to a deeper understanding of world history, culture and geography. This class will focus on the California History-Social Science Content Standards for Grade 10: Students study major turning points that shaped the modern world, from the late eighteenth century through the present, including the cause and course of the two world wars. They trace the rise of democratic ideas and develop an understanding of the historical roots of current world issues, especially as they pertain to international relations. They extrapolate from the American experience that democratic ideals are often achieved at a high price, remain vulnerable, and are not practiced everywhere in the world. Students develop an understanding of current world issues and relate them to their historical, geographic, political, economic, and cultural contexts. Students consider multiple accounts of events in order to understand international relations from a variety of perspectives.
Please bring following, necessary supplies to class EVERY DAY:
If you are going through financial hardships, please write a note or have a conversation with me: Sometimes students from previous semesters donate extra supplies.
- 3-ring hard cover binder exclusive to this class, as I keep it for up to two days to grade each unit (1½” is perfect size)
- College ruled lined paper
- Set of your own colored pencils (at least 5 different colors) + sharpener. Many assignments require color to receive credit!
- Pen (blue or black ink) & Pencils (must have #2 or mechanical for exams)
- Sticky/Post-it Notes (used to develop critical reading skills with the textbook since we cannot write in the actual book).
- Textbook (distributed for free at school. Students will be responsible for the cost of this EXPENSIVE book if lost).
Class Professionalism Expectations
Just as adult professionals in their jobs must adhere to certain expectations - and have consequences when they are not met - you too have expectations and consequences as professional students in this and any class. In addition to following school policy, below is a list of rules and consequences for our classroom. Failure to act professionally in class will result in a phone call home and a teacher detention, which if not served, will turn into a school referral. To the teacher’s discretion, extremely inappropriate behavior or defiance will result in an automatic administrative referral and/or parent conference.
- BE ON TIME: If you arrive late to class without a pass signed by an SLHS adult excusing you, I will refuse to give you an “on time” stamp for any of your work when it is checked that day. Review “Late Work” policy for consequences.
- ELECTRONICS FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES ONLY AND REQUIRE PERMISSION: If I see or hear your electronic device or earphones without my advanced and explicit permission to use it that day, I will enforce the SLHS school-wide consequences for having electronics (take it away, give it to the Assistant Principals’ office to be picked up after school, and parents/guardians will have to collect it from the A.P. office after subsequent offense). Failure to surrender device to me upon request will result in an automatic referral for defiance.
- BE PREPARED EVERY DAY: Bring 1)Book, 2)Pencil/Pen, 3) 5+color pencils 4) Sticky Notes
5) Sharpener, & 6) Binder w/ paper. You will receive no stamp (and therefore no points) for warm-up Reflections unless you have your own book each day. Don’t borrow a friend’s. I will lend you a book only twice before calling home.
- CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF: If caught leaving food, gum, or trash in the room, you will owe me a 10 minute cleaning detention to help me clean my class, the desks and floor (ew!). If not served you’ll be issued a school referral.
- RESPECT FOR CLASSMATES AND TEACHER AND CLASSROOM: Always be professional.
Don’t interrupt when it’s other people’s turn to speak; no profanity; respect differences; provide constructive feedback rather than criticism, don’t inappropriately tamper with class property; no grooming or sleeping in class.
Failure to act professionally and in a respectful manner will result in a phone call home and a teacher detention.
Grading Scale / Policy
All coursework will be assigned a point value which reflects the relative importance as measured against other activities, and graded by percentage according to the following scale: A: 90-100% B: 80-89% C: 70-79% D: 60-69% F: 0-59%
This course has an ongoing grade for the whole semester (not quarters), and is weighted by priority based upon the following criteria:
- 50%: Assignments and Projects
- 35%: Exams
- 10%: Quizzes (In addition to announced quizzes, Honors sections will have pop quizzes based on reading assignments)
- 5%: Binder organization
Assignment & Binder Policy
- BINDERS: Keep a collection of all of your homework in your binder. Organize your assignments in order using the Table of Contents. See class board each day to record assignment name, number, point value and due dates (see ABI if absent). Binders (and therefore, all of your assignments) will be collected and graded at the end of each unit on the day of the exam. Do NOT turn in assignments separately or loosely unless specifically instructed to do so (very rare). Never throw away old work. Always keep everything for the year in the event you need to defend a grade you earned.
- STAMPS: On the day assignments are due, I will stamp your papers if they are 1) complete (read and follow all instructions!) and 2) on time, and 3) YOU are on time too! Receiving a stamp on an assignment does not mean you automatically have a grade for it entered into the records – you must turn it in with your binder to get credit for it at the unit’s end. Don’t throw anything away! I WILL NOT STAMP your assignment if I see you copying a classmate’s assignment, letting a classmate copy yours, or see you hurrying to finish it!! Assignments that are “stamp-worthy” are finished before you enter the room.
- POINTS: If your assignment received a stamp, assume you will receive full credit points when you turn it in with your binder. Exceptions are if I discover that your assignment doesn’t show academic integrity/authentic effort when I review it carefully during binder grading. I will automatically deduct at least 2 points from an assignment if it is without a stamp, but it will still get some points only if complete by the time you turn in your binder. No credit for incomplete or loose assignments.
- LATE POLICY: ALWAYS turn in your binder (even if late)!! If you turn in your binder late, you will receive half credit on the binder grade only but still will get full credit for assignments with a stamp. Turning in NO binder will earn you NO points for assignments that unit (meaning you will have an F for that unit because assignments + binders are nearly ½ your grade).
Absence Policy
- FOR ASSIGNMENTS YOU MISSED AND NEED: Check your mailbox folder for any makeup work that was handed out. You will find assignment sheets we did the day you were absent, marked with a “Makeup Work” stamp, which means you have until the day BEFORE the exam (review day) to complete your assignment for full credit.
LOOK ON THE COURSE WEBPAGE ( / “Teacher Pages” / Avar, Traci) AND/OR MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO USE THE SAMPLE BINDER FOR ANY MISSED NOTES / REFLECTIONS that weren’t worksheets I handed out. Update your Table of Contents and arrange everything in order in your binder.
- FOR ASSIGNMENTS YOU DID WHICH NEED A STAMP: The day you return, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to ask and remind me to stamp your completed assignments (that were due when you were absent) when I come around to stamp for the day. You will receive a stamp if your assignment was done 1) on time (by the day of your return) and 2) is complete. If you are not ready for a stamp when I come around, your assignment will be counted late.
- FOR MISSED EXAMS / QUIZZES / BINDER CHECKS: See “Important Dates” on Table of Contents (in class and on ABI) to keep track of these important days. You have one week from the date of a missed exam or quiz to make it up (you may turn in your binder on this day). You must MAKE AN APPOINTMENT to take them: It is YOUR responsibility to do this. You are not excused just because you were absent. If your absence is unverified in the attendance system by the time you make-up the exam/quiz, I will assume you cut class so you will receive a zero.
Other Policies
- Restroom / Locker Passes: Only TWO emergency passes provided for each semester. DON’T LOSE THEM! You must serve a 15 minute detention if you need to be excused to the restroom / your locker but you’ve run out of passes. (Medical exceptions considered on a case by case basis and/or with doctor note).
- Exam Retake Policy: If you are unhappy with your score, you may retake each exam one time. You must complete an “Exam Retake Form” to do so (which are located in the front pockets of the Mailbox folder and/or on my teacher webpage). The deadline to retake exams is 2 weeks from the day you receive your exam grade back, but plan and be prepared to make TWO appointments within that time period (one appointment to review your exam and explore and discuss areas where you need to improve, and one appointment for retaking the exam). Your highest score will be final. No retakes on quizzes.
Appointments
- Sign up on the appointment sheet to get extra help, discuss your grade, organize your binder, or makeup exams/quizzes/work. I cannot promise to be available to you unless you sign up. Plan ahead and I look forward to seeing you!
Plagiarism / Cheating
All work that you turn in must be yours or properly cited (do not misrepresent others’ work or ideas as your own).
Do not let other students “borrow” or copy any of your work (use the sample binder, course webpage, or teacher for help).
Academic dishonesty on any work will receive ZERO credit, with no opportunity for makeup/retake. No exceptions!