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Mr. John Loro 2019-20207th Grade Social Studies jloro@ (973) 983-6535 ext. 1131Dear Students and Families,Welcome to 7th grade Social Studies, Intro to U.S. History from Colonization to The Creation of the United States Constitution. I am looking forward to getting to know all of you and talking about all of the exciting things that are happening in our community, our country and in the world. Events throughout U.S. history have had great political and social impact, not only in our country but throughout the rest of the world. Together we will explore the evolution of our country's political, social and economic systems and their significance to modern times. We are living at a time that has a lot of historically important changes taking place and this class will help you to understand how these events relate to each other, to the past, to our country and to your own lives. Topics we will examine in class include:Geography and Current EventsReview of Age of Exploration and colonization of the Americas and Age of EnlightenmentEuropean Colonization of North America-Jamestown, Roanoke, Plymouth, etc.The French and Indian WarRevolutionary War Era and Events leading up to RevolutionThe Constitution and creation of early U.S GovernmentCivics and America’s involvement in World EventsThe election process, the current U.S. administrations policies and decisions, and recent national political events that take place in our countryTextbook Series:? Prentice Hall- America:History of Our Nation (In class hard copy and Online Textbook . We also may use The History of Us by Joy Hakim for certain units.We will follow the “Mr. L” guidelines in class:M- Make the right choicesR.-Respect yourself and othersL- Lead by exampleStudents are also expected to come to class prepared and on time and to follow the school rules and guidelines set forth in the student handbook. Here is how the class will be organized:Do Now/Class ReflectionsSome days when you arrive, you will be asked to provide a written response to a question in your journal or on your own device in the google classroom that relates to what we have been discussing in class to your lives. This will give us all a chance to talk about what’s on our minds, as well as to work out some answers to the questions we might have. The reflections are graded for completion.Current Events Each month on the google classroom you will be presented with an article on a global or national issue that you will respond to and share your opinions and your stance on the issue as well as the impact the event has on our country and the world. This will be interactive and students will be asked to post articles and topics as well as comment in the online forum about the topic covered.Maps/ Map ActivitiesThe location of any given area has a lot to do with how it may be affected by history. Each unit you will be given a map to help you identify states or areas from our focus region so you can learn a few at a time and understand how that areas location relates to its history, or how areas of our country developed in relation to historical events.ProjectsProjects will be interactive and a combination of group and individual work. You will have about one per marking period and will be given a detailed rubric in advance that will explain the assignment and how it will be graded. Here we will incorporate various types of technology to communicate about history, create meaningful connections, and explore local, state and government issues that interest us. HomeworkThere will be very little homework assigned. Most of your homework will be classwork or projects that are not completed in class, and these assignments will be posted online in our google classroom. Any other homework assigned will be to study for tests and quizzes. I encourage all parents and guardians to be involved with monitoring homework and also to contact me with any questions or concerns that can make this experience as valuable as possible. Any students who do not have internet access at home will have the opportunity to interact with online homework during class time. In addition, all homework that is posted online may also be handed in on paper in case of technology failures or limited access. Most homework will be work that is not completed during class. I will not assign separate assignments just for homework.Quizzes and TestsYou will have a series of short quizzes throughout each unit that will help prepare you for the final unit tests. Quizzes and tests will utilize various types of assessments, including multiple choice, short answer, essay, and map identification. Some will be open book & open notes, others will not. Regardless of the format, I am always available for extra study time and encourage students to study for assessments with each other outside of school as well. Also, please let me know if you are having difficulty with other course work or you feel overloaded because we can find a way to make things less stressful.GradingThis class is graded using a total points system where each individual assignment is given a point value based on the difficulty and time allotted for that assignment. Because of the interactive and hands-on nature of this course there will be a lot of projects, both individual and group, that make up a large part of the grade for each marking period. Students will be provided with a grading rubric for each assignment that outlines how they will be evaluated. The point value is figured by dividing the total number of points that they earned by the total points possible for the marking period. How assignments are typically graded: There will be very few Homework assignments (most will be optional enrichment or extra credit, for example attending history night at Morris Knolls).You may also receive homework if you do not complete the days activity. = 5-10 pointsIn class assignments such as map activities, study guides and guided reading= 10-50 pointsLong term projects (1-4 weeks) = 50-100Map Quizzes (1 for each unit) = 15-35Online video activities () and text review activities = 10 ptsUnit Tests = 40-100Current Events (one or two per month) Teacher and individual students will post articles on recent topics. Students are required to answer guided questions and post comments in the google classroom and will have till the end of the month to complete the assignment= 10-15 pts. There will be two days alloted in class to complete the current events on . Students should have enough time to complete the assignment in class but can spend extra time at home to discuss the topics and complete the assignments with a parent or guardian.Any assignments not listed above that occur will be provided in advance with a grading rubric outlining the points possible and how it will be evaluated. Due dates will also be provided and a minimum of 5 points will be taken off for every day that an assignment is past due. See student handbook for policy on absences and submitting late work due to illness. Materials needed for class:Pencils and a pencil caseA method to record important dates and assignments (Agenda) may be done in binder or on the google chrome book.Chrome book for completing the do now and any other class work. Will be provided by the school. We will use Google classroom on a daily basis in class. You are responsible for knowing your passwords and charging your chrome book.A small pack of colored pencils for coloring in maps and projects. These are available in class but you may want your own set for convenience. A google document for do nows and for reflections (can be kept on your chromebook)Color coded class folder for keeping in class assignments (provided by teacher and kept in class.Parents and guardians, I want to invite you to become an integral part in your child’s education and to come to me with any questions or concerns that you may have about our class. In addition I will be posting a website that will be linked to the Denville District site that will be a great resource for both you and your children. I will be using it for different purposes throughout the year but mainly for a way to keep students up to date on scheduled assignments and expectations for the course. I update it regularly and almost all of the class material can be found on the site in either Microsoft Word or PDF formats. I also recommend that you log on to the Parent Portal site because I update my grading on a regular basis. Students, I want to welcome you to 7th grade Social Studies. I hope you continue to have a great time here at Valleyview. I am looking forward to learning a lot with all of you this year. Sincerely,Mr. Loro---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please fill out the information below and return to me by Monday, Sept 09, 2019Student Name: _____________________Student Period: _____Parent Guardian Name/s: _______________________________ Parent Guardian Contact Info: Phone / Email _______________________________________Student Signature: _____________________Parent Signature: _____________________ ................
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