Honors World Regional Studies: Course Expectations 2017-2018
Shawnee Mission East High School
Steve Klein
The Importance of World Regional Studies
Although the physical size of the earth has been the same for millions of years, the earth is getting smaller and smaller. We now have the ability to travel long distances in short amounts of time, communicate with people around the world simultaneously on the internet, and watch live media productions from around the globe. New global realities require us more than ever to understand and interact with people and their cultures, values, languages, family systems, and religious beliefs. We live in a world that more urgently than ever requires us to be geographically literate due to our undeniable connection with cultures, places, and ideas. In the past, geography was thought of as an endless memorization of places, but today’s World Regional Studies curriculum calls for students to know more than where a place is; today’s curriculum goals include having students “feel” what it would be like to live and work in another society and learn responsible behaviors of being global citizens.
Grades
Approximately 55% on tests and quizzes, 35% on daily points, participation, and current events, and 10% on projects. The final exam is worth 15% of the semester grade.
The following scale will be used
100-90 = A89-80 = B79-70 = C69-60 = D59-0 = F
It is important to remember that to graduate in Shawnee Mission it is required that you pass two semesters of World Regional Studies.
Late Work
All daily work is due at the beginning of class. Unexcused late work is not accepted. An exception will be made for one daily assignment per quarter that you may turn in anytime during the quarter it was due.
Projects will be accepted until the end of the day they are due (unless an in-class presentation is required). Unexcused late projects are subject to a letter grade deduction (10%) each day they are late.
Make-Up Work
District policy states that you have two (calendar) days for every day missed to make up work missed when absent. I expect that you will follow this policy. Check Google Classroom and contact me as soon as possible so that you do not get behind. If you are absent on the day of a test, you need to make arrangements with me to make it up after school or during seminar. Class time will not be used for making up work; DO NOT ask me about make up work once the bell rings! If you miss class time, you must use your own time to obtain make-up work and not the class time of your classmates.
Long-term assignments, as per the District Policy Handbook, are to be turned on the date scheduled. Therefore, if you happen to be absent on a day when a long-term assignment is due, YOUR ASSIGNMENT IS STILL DUE!! Simply have someone put your long-term assignment in my mailbox by the end of the school day.
Exams
Exams will be multiple choice, matching, short answer, and/or essay. You will always be given at least one week’s notice before an exam. Given there is a focus on geography in this class, map quizzes will be given frequently; material on map quizzes builds on itself so it is important to keep all maps and continuously refer to them. Pop quizzes should be expected over assigned readings.
Daily Work
All work turned in should be written neatly using standard-lined white paper. Please include your first and last name, the date, along with your class hour in the top right hand portion. Take pride in your work. Assignments that are sloppy or not in the proper format will be returned without a grade.
Behavior
Students should refer to the syllabus for classroom rules and expectations, the main one being “Always do what is right.” Behavior in the classroom should always reflect an attitude of respect for your teacher and classmates. If you are engaging in a behavior that negatively affects the teacher’s ability to teach or a student’s ability to learn, then what you are doing is wrong. On the occasion when a substitute is in the room, regular classroom expectations obviously apply. If a substitute writes your name down as being a problem, there will be a minimum consequence of three detentions. No discussion. Other specific important rules to note are:
No food or drink is allowed in class. You may have a water bottle, however.
No electronic devices. Electronic devices are to be used for classroom activities only. If “lids down” is in effect, then laptops should be closed. Further, if any electronic device is out during an exam, I will have to assume that cheating is occurring and the student will receive a zero. This policy remains until ALL students have completed the test.
No writing on desks.
Do homework for other classes on your own time.
Failure to abide by these rules will result in losing daily points for that week and a call home.
Be on time to class. Tardies will be handled as described in the school policy.
Suggestions/Materials
Students should retain all returned work until the end of the semester; students assume the burden of proof for missing work.
Students should obtain aseparate spiral notebook for Honors World Regional Studies (in addition to the spot in the usual binder).
Colored pencils will be required on frequent occasions.
Purchasing an atlas is not mandatory, but it may be helpful to have one (the internet canbe a reasonable alternative, but is more difficult to use).
Procedures
Bring a writing utensil and paper to class every day.
Turn in any work that is due to the appropriate tray upon entering the classroom. See above for late-work policy.
Welcome to a brand new year full of opportunities for friendships and successes! I am available to help you during my planning period (5thhour) as well as before or after school and seminar, or as arranged between the two of us. Please do not hesitate to ask for help! I am looking forward to getting to know each of you.