Mark Keppel High School

2015-2016 Course Syllabus American Government

Mr. Tom
Course Introduction
This year in American Government, you will be learning how our nations government is
organized and how it operates. Come in with an open mind and I am sure you will enjoy
the class.

Materials
1. Magruders American Government (William A. McClenaghan)
2. 2 spiral notebooks with first and last name, class period, title (Government Notes or
Quickwrite) on front cover. These notebooks should be dedicated to this class only and
should NOT be used for other classes.
You are expected to bring all of these materials daily.
Class Rules
Within our classroom community, I strongly encourage developing and maintaining a
positive atmosphere. In order to do so, there are a few rules which should be observed
and followed at all times:
1. Treat the teacher, each other, and class property with respect.
2. Practice academic honesty. Cheating is a serious matter and will not be tolerated.
3. Be in your seat with your materials ready by the time the bell rings.

Attendance
I will follow the schools attendance policy. Please do not be late.

Assignments/Exams
I expect all assignments to be completed and turned in on time.
No late work will be accepted. For excused absences, please speak to me individually
regarding makeup assignments or exams. Makeup arrangements must be made the first
day you return from your absence. It is your responsibility to make these arrangements.
There will be no makeup assignments or exams for unexcused absences.

Grades
Your grading will be based on the following categories:
Tests/Quizzes 50%
Homework/Classwork 25%
Projects 25%
Grades will be assigned according to the following scale:
A
B
C
D
F

90-100%
80-89%
70-79%
60-69%
59% and below

Website
You will need to understand how to use two websites for this class:
Mrtommkhs.weebly.com
This is the website you should be looking at on a daily basis for class information.
It lists assignments, contact information, etc.
Edmodo.com
When clicking links on the above website, you will be directed to specific pages
with assignment information. You will also be submitting electronic copies of
assignments to this website.
Contact
Communication is key. If you have any questions regarding the class content or
expectations, please feel free to come by and schedule a time to speak with me. You may
also contact me via email (using the Weebly website).