Grade7:EasternCivilization

Instructor:Mr.John(Drew)Earnest
Room:St.MatthewRoom
Emailaddress:jearnest@stmaryofthemills.org
Schoolphonenumber:3014981433

I.CourseDescriptionandPlanofStudy

SchoolMissionStatement:

FirmlygroundedinourCatholicheritage,wehelpallachievepersonalexcellenceinspirit,mindandbody.Followingthe
exampleofChrist,werespectthedignityofeachperson.Weinspirelifelonglearninginaloving,secureCatholic
community.

CourseDescription:

TheseventhgradeEasternCivilizationcoursefeaturesacontentrichcurriculumbasedontheArchdioceseof
Washingtonacademicstandards,butalsoincorporateshigherlevelthinkingskillssuchasreflection,analysis,synthesis,
andevaluation.Specifically,studentswillbeabletoevaluatehistoricalevidence,organizelikeahistorian,understand
historicalargumentation,readprimaryandsecondarysourcescritically,developlogicalhistoricalarguments,synthesize
historicalinformation,usetechnologyresponsibly,understandhistoricaleventsintheircontext(notaswewouldliketo
havethem),identifytheimpactofhistoryonthepresentdayand,mostimportantly,writecoherentlylikeahistorian.
Studentswillinteractwithmultipleprimarysourcedocumentsreadnonfictionmaterials(excerptsandbooks),engagein
research,developanddesignprojectsandwriteregularlyonavarietyoftopics.Studentswilllearntorespondtoa
varietyofwritingprompts,askillthatisessentialtotheirsuccessinadvancedplacementorhonorscoursesatthehigh
schoollevel.

PlanofStudy:

ThiscoursecoversthehistoricaldevelopmentofAsiaandAfrica.Belowisageneraloutlineofthedirectionofthis
course.TheactualunitbreakdownmaybedifferentbasedontheADWstandardsandtheprovidedcoursematerials.
ThislistconformstotheacademicstandardsoftheArchdioceseofWashington.Thespecifictopicscoveredwillbeat
thediscretionoftheinstructor,andmaynotaccuratelyrepresenttheactualbreakdownofthiscourse.Sampletopics
include:

Unit1GeographyandWhyHistory?
Unit2HumanDevelopmentandtheFirstCivilizations
Unit3Asian/AfricanCivilizationsto632AD

Unit4Africa/AsiaintheMiddleAges
Unit5TheRiseofEmpires
Unit6AnAgeofColonization
Unit7Asia/Africainthe20thCentury
Unit8ModernAsia/Africa

II.NationalHistoryDayandFinalExam

NationalHistoryDay:
AsNationalHistoryDayisbeingaddedtotheSocialStudiesprogramthisyear,allmiddle
schoolstudentswillberequiredtocompleteaNationalHistoryDayproject.NationalHistoryDay(NHD)isanational
competitionwhichextendsacrosstheUnitedStates.Studentsconductresearchonatopicoftheirchoosingwhichshould
berelatedtotheNHDtheme.Studentswillthengenerateaprojectwhichshowcasestheresearchthattheycompleted.
Studentswillthenhavetheopportunitytocompeteintheschoolcompetitionandpossiblyadvancetothenextlevel(s)of
thecompetition.Thisisalargeandintimidatingproject,butwewillbebreakingitdownintomanageableparts.When
studentsarenotassignedothernightlycourseassignments,theexpectationisthattheyareworkingontheirproject.
PleasekeepinmindthatthisisthefirstyearthatthisprogramwillbeimplementedatSt.MaryoftheMills.Theremay
besomekinksintheprogramthatarise.

FinalExam:
Afinalexamwillbegivenattheendoftheyearwhichwillbecumulativeinnatureandwillbelinkedto
theADWstandards.

III.ClassMaterials,Expectations,Grades,andExtraHelp

ClassMaterials:

APencilCasewiththefollowingitems:
o Pencils
o Pens
o Gluesticks
o Scissors
o ColoredPencils
o Highlighter
o PencilSharpener
o Paperrepairstickies
Alargebinder
Tendividersforthebinder
LooseleafPaper
Onereamofwhitecomputerpaper
Donationsoftissues,papertowels,and/orCloroxwipesaregreatlyappreciated!

ConductExpectations:

Allrulesandexpectationsoutlinedinthestudenthandbook(seeitonline)willbeenforcedintheclassroom.Please
familiarizeyourselfwiththeserules.Ialsohaveafewotherexpectations.

1. 1.Studentsarescholarsandequalstakeholdersintheireducation:

a. Theyallhavethepotentialtosucceedandbelieveit!
b. Theytakeresponsibilityfortheiractionsandacademicwork
c. Theyworkhardtobecomeinformed,responsiblehistoriansandcitizens
d. Theywillnotallowindifference,ignoranceornegativitytotarnishtheiropportunity
e. Theywillexercisecourtesyandhonestyatalltimes.
f. TheywillshowPRIDE(Preparation,Respect,Integrity,Dedication,Excellence)
g. TheyembracetheirCatholicfaithandseektheintersectionofFaithandReason.

2. Studentswillremainintheirseatsuntiltheendofclassunlesstheclassactivitywarrantsmovement.The
arrangementofdesksandseatsisatthediscretionoftheteacher.
3. Studentswillnottalkwhilesomeoneelseintheclassroomhasthefloor.Classcannotproceedsmoothlywithout
thisimportantprocedure.
4. Studentsshouldalwaysraisetheirhandsinclassinordertocontributetotheclassorrequestapersonal
privilege.Studentsshouldavoidneedlesslycallingout.
5. Theclassroomisasafe,inclusiveenvironment.Thismeansthateverystudentshouldfeelsafeandwelcomein
theclassroom.Mockinganystudentonacademicgroundsisstrictlyprohibitedall(relevant)questionsare
welcomeintheclassroom.
6. Racialslurs,genderslurs,sexualslurs,profanityandinappropriatelanguagewillnotbetolerated.
7. Cheatingontestsandotherviolationsofacademichonor(ex:copyingfromaclassmatewhenprohibited)arenot
acceptable.Studentswillattheveryleastreceiveazeroorafailinggradeontheassignmentdependingon
theseverityoftheinfraction.Additionalconsequencesmaybeissuedbytheteacheroradministrationdepending
onthenatureoftheincident.
8. Plagiarismisalsoaformofcheatingandisunacceptable.Studentsmustciteworkthatisnottheirown.They
willbetaughtatthebeginningoftheyearhowtodothisproperly.Plagiarism,however,isadifficultconceptfor
youngerstudentstounderstand.Consequencesmayvarydependingontheinfraction.
9. Studentsarenottotouchtheinstructorsdeskunlessotherwisedirected.ThisismysacredspacewhereIkeep
studentworkandotherimportantdocuments.
10. Itistheresponsibilityofthestudenttoseetheinstructorformissingworkintheeventthatthestudentisabsent.

AcademicPolicies:
Assignmentsandgradesshouldreflecthowmuchyouhavelearnedinthisclass.Youshouldgive
fullefforttothestudyandcompletionofallassignments.
1. Assignmentsshallbegivenaduedateanddeadline

a ssignedbytheteacher.Lateassignmentswillreceivea
penaltyforeachdaythattheassignmentislate.Thespecificamountistobedeterminedbytheadministration.
2. Theteachermayextendtheduedateforstudentswhoneedtorevisitandreviewworkforcontentmastery,due
toextendedabsenceorillness,courseaccommodations,orbasedonteacherprofessionaljudgment.

3. Yourparent/guardianwillbenotifiedifyouconsistentlydononotcompleteandturnincourseassignments.
4. Theteacherwillhelpastudentimplementaplantoimproveagradeifnecessaryandinitiatedbythestudent.

ClassWebsite:
Thiscoursecanbefoundonlineat:http://smmssocialstudies.weebly.com/

*Itmaybeafewdaysbeforethewebsiteisfullyoperational.*

ClassSupportsHowtosucceedinclass:
Keepyourbinderorganized.
Knowhowtogetextrahelp.
Planyourworkaccordingly.
Giveyourbesteffort.

Gradingcategories:
Allassignmentsaregradedoutof100points,buteachcategoryisweighteddifferently.
EssaysandProjects(Inandoutofclass)40%
Tests*25%
FormativeAssessments(Quizzes,ClassAssignments,ExitTickets,NightlyCourseAssignments,etc.)25%
BinderChecks10%

*TheFinalExamwillbegivenaspecialweight.

Gradingscale:
Note:Thisisanewgradingscaleforme.Forexample,ifyouaccidentallyseeaB+,youshouldassumethattobe
arounda90.

Standardand
HonorsCourses
NumericalGrade
LetterGrade
93100
A
8592
B
7784
C
7076
D
Below70
F