World Geography, 2013-2014Mr. Oom 139

World Geography, 2013-2014Mr. oom 139

This World Geography course is designed to give you an understanding of the world around you and to arm you with the skills of the geographer. In an increasingly globalized world, where neither trade nor danger stop at national borders, having this knowledge is essential. You will also be greatly aided, whether in college, the business world, or as a member of a modern democracy, by mastering the skills that this course can teach you.

Expectations

In order to accomplish all of this I need some things from you and, while we will discuss a number of procedures, there are only three basic rules:

Respect Yourself: Recognize that you have an opportunity that millions around the world could only dream of: to go to school, to learn, and to shape your own future. Do not waste it. Take pride in your work, do it to the best of your ability, and turn it in on time. Study and try to understand the subject, not just because it is going to be on the test, but because it will help you to grow. Your teachers, parents, administrators, and the country as a whole all have expectations of you, but none of them matter as much as the ones that you have for yourself.

Respect Others: You are not an island. Your classmates are there to learn and I am there to teach all of you, so do not steal their opportunities. When others are working, give them the silence that they need in order to do so. In discussions and debates, disagreements are expected and encouraged, but express them politely. When somebody else is speaking, listen and do not interrupt. When I say something, remember that my only goal in being here is to help you learn, so please follow my instructions.

Come to Class Prepared to Learn: You have a lot of other things going on: sports, extra-curricular activities, jobs and, of course, socializing. However, the reason this school exists, the reason that I am here, and the reason that you are here, is so that you can learn. Show up on time, every day, with your assigned work or reading done, your materials at hand, and your mind focused on what we are here to do.

In addition to these, we will follow all school and district policies.

Tentative Schedule

Below is a schedule of topics for this course. Please note that dates are subject to change: as Mike Tyson said, “everyone has a plan ‘til they get punched in the mouth.”

• 8/20-9/16 – Unit 1: US and Canada
• 9/17-10/15 – Unit 2: Latin America
• 10/16-11/14 – Unit 3: Europe
• 11/15-12/13 – Unit 4: Russia and the Republics
• 12/18-12/20 – 1st Semester Finals
• 1/7-1/30 – Unit 5: Africa
• 1/31-2/25 – Unit 6: Southwest Asia
• 2/26-3/21 – Unit 7: South Asia
• 3/24-4/21 – Unit 8: East Asia
• 4/22-5/13 – Unit 9: Southeast Asia and Oceania
• 5/19-5/21 – 2nd Semester Finals

Assignments

Following is a basic list of the graded assignments that you will be completing throughout the year. Please note that this is subject to change as needed.

-Tests: There will be a major test at the end of each unit. These will generally include a combination of multiple choice, identification, and short answer questions. Test scores will not be curved, but you will be given the opportunity to retake the test. Keep it mind that my retakes are harder than my original tests

-Papers: You will be assigned to write on a number of topics. You may be assigned a subject, given a choice of topics, or asked to come up with your own. No matter what, though, you will be given clear guidelines as to what is expected from you and you are encouraged to ask questions if there is anything that you are not clear on. You will also usually be given the opportunity to rewrite your essays and improve your grade.

-Bellringers: There will be a question, writing prompt, or instructions on the front board every day. You should walk in the door, sit down, and immediately begin working on your bellringer. You will keep these all together, labeled with the number and date, and turn them in every Friday for a grade.

-In-Class Assignments: There will be some sort of in-class activity nearly every day for which you will receive a grade. For the most part, whether or not I collect these assignments will be up to you. If everybody is working well at all times, I will give the entire class full credit participation points. If that is not occurring, I will collect and grade the assignment. No matter what, though, if you are absent you will have something to make up.

-Current Events: Each Friday I will open up a new discussion board on the classroom website and you will need to respond. I will give out more information about this after the new online school program because available later this semester.

Website

Follow these steps in order to access my webpage:

• Go to the MHS website (
• Click on “Staff Directory”
• Click on “Social Science”
• Click on “Mr. Chandler” on the left

On the left you will find links to course documents, including assignments.

Under “Useful Links” you will find a link to the World Geography Textbook online.

• Follow the link and then click on “2007 Online Book” (This will be the closest to ours)
• The username is “MontroseHighSchool” and the password is “Indians”

SSR

Every week (usually on Fridays) we will have 20 minutes of Sustained Silent Reading (SSR). You may bring whatever (appropriate) material you wish to read during this time, and there will be some items available in class.

• You can earn one bonus point each week for bringing a non-fiction book to read during SSR

Absences

If you are absent from class, for whatever reason, it is your responsibilityto make up whatever you missed. You should ask me at the beginning of class for any handouts or assignments and for adjusted due dates. You should ask your classmates for the bellringer question(s) that you missed. Anything that was due on the day you were absent needs to be turned in on your first day back.Whenever possible I will post assignments online, so check there first.

Late Work

It is extremely important that you turn in all of your work on time. Late work will generally be accepted with a reduction in your grade, but that policy may be revisited if it is abused.

Controversy

There are some things that people feel strongly about and are often offended by, and religion, ideology, politics, and race tend to top the list. It is, however, impossible to honestly study the world without dealing with these subjects. Further, Geography is not a static discipline and there are constant disputes about a number of things. At some point in this class I will probably say something that you disagree with, some of your classmates will probably say something that you disagree with, and you will probably say something that somebody else disagrees with. Please understand that this is a good thing, that polite disagreement and debate are essential. If you are truly offended by something please say so, but you need to be prepared to discuss controversial and emotional issues.

For Parents

First off, thank you for taking the time to go over this syllabus. Being aware of what your son or daughter is doing in class and giving them encouragement when they need it is an excellent way to insure their success. I prefer that they do their homework on their own, but encourage you to give them advice and feedback and help them to study if you can. If you have any questions or comments, or simply want to touch bases, please do not hesitate to contact me.

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