Course Information Sheet 2013 – 2014: Global History & Geography I
North Salem High School
Mrs. Vara & Mrs. Sharpe
September 3, 2013
Dear Parents and Students,
It is our pleasure to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves. We are looking forward to an exciting, productive year working with you. We strongly support the importance of parent involvement in education and believe that the best education possible is attained when we work together as a team.
We have prepared a FAQ sheet for you to read which explains our expectations, grading policy and helpful guidelines. We need your support to help accomplish these expectations, which we believe will lead to student success in Global History. Please recognize that student participation and completion of all activities is critical for successful completion of this course. Students must pass the Global History and Geography Regents as well as this course to graduate from high school.
It is our hope that the following information answers many of your questions and concerns.
1. What is Global History I?
Global History I is the first year of the two-year sequence in Global History, which culminates in the New York State Regents Examination in June of your sophomore year. This course is designed to meet the five social studies standards (U.S. and NY History, World History, Geography, Economics, and Civics: Citizenship and Government) based on the New York State Education Department. Units will include: Early Civilizations (Prehistory-256 B.C.E.), Empires of the Ancient World (1750 B.C.E. – 1570), Regional Civilizations (750 B.C.E – 1650) and Early Modern Times (1300-1800). Students will be expected to draw connections between the 9th and 10th grade Global Studies material in Global History II, as a means of preparation for the statewide exam.
2. What do we expect from our students?
We expect all students to be in class on time, prepared, and ready to participate in the lesson. Lateness to class will not be tolerated as it disrupts students and teacher alike. A late pass is required and persistent lateness (3) will result in detention according to school policy. Proper behavior, observance of class and school rules, and a good attitude are required. If students are absent from class, it is their responsibility to make up all missed classwork, notes and assignments in a timely fashion.
We do maintain high standards for all students. To succeed in our class, students should be prepared and will be expected to think. We encourage, and require, all students to look beyond what the textbook or teacher says. Success in Social Studies depends on the ability to look at events from different perspectives. Being critical, asking questions and having an opinion are important qualities for success, not only this year, but in the future.
3. What must our students bring to class?
We expect all students to have the following:
a. A three ring binder for Global History
b. Loose-leaf paper
c. 12 dividers (to be labeled during class)
d. Highlighters, pens, pencils
e. Agenda book
All materials should be brought to class daily. Our class textbook should be left at home. Students must save all materials handed out throughout the year to help prepare for the Global History and Geography Regents Exam.
4. How are grades determined?
Quarterly grades are comprised of the following:
a. Homework (Classwork) – 15%
i. Homework is graded on a scale from 0-5. To receive a (5), work must be complete (100%) and done to the best of your ability. To receive a (4), work is mostly complete (80%) and done to the best of your ability. To receive a (3), work is incomplete (60%) with some effort shown. To receive a (2), work is incomplete (40%) with little effort shown. To receive a (1), work is mostly incomplete (20%) with little or no effort shown. To receive a (0), the work is missing.
ii. Late homework will NOT be accepted for full credit unless student was legally absent from class.
iii. Late homework that is completed will only be accepted for partial credit (3) if such homework is handed in prior to the chapter examination.
iv. Assignments will be posted on the North Salem web page.
v. All plagiarized work is an automatic zero.
b. Exams – 40%
i. Exams will be given after the completion of each topic.
ii. Cutting on the day of an exam or being illegally excused will result in a failing grade (0) as based on the School Attendance Policy.
c. Quizzes – 25%
i. Quizzes will generally be given during the ½ point for each topic.
ii. Cutting on the day of a quiz or being illegally excused will result in a failing grade (0) as based on the School Attendance Policy.
d. Projects/Essays – 20%
i. This portion of your grade incorporates oral presentations, collaborative work, Thematic Essays, and Document Based Questions (DBQ’s).
ii. Cutting or being illegally excused on the day of a presentation or in-class essay will result in a failing grade (0) as based on the School Attendance Policy.
iii. Ten points will be deducted off late projects/essays for each day late.
e. Participation - You may receive up to two additional points on your quarterly average based on the following expectations: attendance, readiness, collaboration, positive attitude, respectfulness, effort, and daily focus on the lesson.
- You will not earn these points if your cell phone is in use or visible.
- If a student arrives later than ten minutes to class, no participation points can be earned for that day.
- You will receive no credit for this course if you accrue eighteen unexcused and/or excused absences and fail to make-up the work.
5. When can our students seek extra help?
Extra help and make-up work sessions will be held every week on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2:15-2:55 in room W-11A for Mrs. Sharpe and in room W-13 for Mrs. Vara. Please see us to make arrangements during the school day for additional help.
6. What is the format of the Global History and Geography Regents Examination?
This is a cumulative exam covering all material from both 9th and 10th grade Social Studies. The three-hour exam is structured as follows:
a. Fifty multiple-choice questions covering both the 9th and 10th grade material.
b. ONE Document Based Question (DBQ), where students are given a collection of documents. Students must then answer “scaffolding” questions based on those documents, then write an essay using the documents and their outside knowledge to support their writing.
c. ONE Thematic Essay, where students must address a number of tasks based on a given topic covering all material from the two-year sequence in Global Studies. Students are provided with a list of suggestions of possible areas to consider in their answer.
7. How can I contact Mrs. Vara and Mrs. Sharpe
a. Mrs. Vara:
b. Mrs. Sharpe:
As an effort to ensure easy and smooth communication, we would greatly appreciate it if you can please email us as soon as possible for our record keeping. Please indicate your child’s name and period that they have Global History in the subject line.
We will be keeping in touch with you all year long. Approximately every five weeks you will receive either a progress report or a report card. If you have a question about either report, please contact us immediately. We are happy to answer any questions you may have and to keep lines of communication open. If it is not convenient to email, please feel free to call the school office at 669-5414. Your call will be returned as soon as possible. We look forward to meeting you at Open House in September.
Sincerely,
Alison Vara
Jennifer Sharpe
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The following signatures are required as evidence of your awareness and understanding of our class policies. We thank you and welcome you to a new and exciting school year.
Student Name: ______
Student Signature: ______
Parent/Guardian Name: ______
Parent/Guardian Signature: ______