5th Grade Social Studies
Class Guidelines 2013-2014
Instructor: Ms. Speck
Website (please bookmark): http://www.goasa.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=363341&type=u
Email:
Welcome to fifth grade Social Studies at ASA!
We will cover (amongst many other things):
*First explorers to the US
*Colonial Period
*American Revolution
* Lewis and Clark Expedition
We will use (amongst many other things):
*Primary/Secondary source documents
*Current Event presentations
*Active simulations
*Journal writing/exploration
*Mapping/Geography
*Annotation
*Projects
Classroom participation and scholarly behavior are highly valued as we set sail…
Assessments/Grading
ASA students in middle school do not receive letter grades, but are assessed on specific skills and standards.
Terms and definitions:
Exceeds – Student demonstrates understanding beyond course expectations.
Meets Plus – Student demonstrates a high degree of proficiency.
Meets – Student has met the standard and demonstrates proficiency.
Approaches – Student did not demonstrate adequate proficiency.
Fall Far Below – Student did not demonstrate proficiency.
No Work Submitted – Student did not submit assignment.
Assessments will take many forms. Projects, diary entries and third quarter presentations are examples.
Assessments are weighted as follows:
Participation (15%):
*Prepared (5%)
*Respectful (5%)
*Engaged (5%)
Content/Skills (80%)
Meeting Deadlines (5%)
Note – Students performing consistently at the “Meets” level (or above) is considered successful in Social Studies.
While “Meets Minus” is passing, it indicates that the student is at the minimum proficiency level to pass. Student will likely encounter difficulty as the course gets more difficult.
Participation
Participation, engagement and discussion are vital to creating an engaging and interactive learning community. Each student is expected to lend his/her knowledge, opinions, and point-of-view in a respectful manner during discussions. ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IS VITAL.
Extra Support
Should your student need extra support, lunchtime Q & A is available Monday-Thursday.
• Pick up a Q & A Pass at the beginning or end of class. They are in the orange jar on my desk.
• Tape the pass in your planner or fold it and put it in your ID holder if you have one.
• Get your lunch as quickly as possible on the day of your tutoring. It is best to bring your lunch from home on that day to maximize tutoring time.
• Show your pass to the teacher at the crosswalk on lunch duty. You will not be allowed into the building without one.
• Be sure to eat your lunch during the tutoring session. Lunch Q & A is a quiet work time.
Note: Other days and hours may be available upon request.
Absences/Tardies
Classroom work and assignments are available on the class website. Please check the website prior to emailing the instructor to request information regarding due dates or work missed while absent.
It is your responsibility to make arrangements for tutoring (if needed), and to make up work that is missed due to absences.
Tardies are a distraction from learning for the late student, as well as his/her classmates. As such, tardies are strongly discouraged. Students are expected to be in their seats, with all necessary materials, when the bell rings. We work from bell to bell.
Refer to the student handbook for further information regarding absences/tardies.
Pink Slips
Pink slips will be given for missing assignments, classroom disruption, and not being prepared for class. Parents will be contacted after the third pink slip so that supports for student can be put into place. Pink slips will affect Participation grades.