Welcome to the World



Welcome to the World!

Dear Johnston Parents and Significant Adults,

I am excited about having each of your children in the World Cultures and Geography class this year. I am looking forward to being a guide on your child’s adventures through new lands, customs, and ideas as we navigate along this exciting, worldwide journey.

What We Will Study

Geography

Our geography studies begin with a broad view of continents and oceans and then focuses toward different land regions. During the course of our academic year, we will study East and Southeast Asia, Middle and South America, Southwest Asia, Africa and Southern Asia, Europe, Russia and North America. During all of our geography studies, we will engage in map studies, utilizing the numerous maps that are in the classroom as well as puzzle maps, student-created maps, computers and resource materials.

World Cultures

In additional to geography, computer lab, and textbook studies, on occasion sixth grade students will be performing “cultural study.” Cultural study is the hands-on studies students in this class practice and perform in order to understand and to fully appreciate cultures that are different than their own. These items are hands-on, student-directed, and are designed to be challenging and engaging. They serve to introduce the students to the variety, diversity, and uniqueness of other cultures.

During a typical day of cultural study time, students will choose the cultural study they wish. Thus, one student might be writing Japanese kanji, while another student is creating a family totem pole to study Congo’s native religion of animism; meanwhile two other students might be playing the dreidel game which helps Jewish children celebrate Hanukkah. The teacher’s role during cultural study time is to present each item to the students and then to offer further support to students as they study to prove “mastery” over each cultural study, that is, students study until they can show their teacher that they can do the cultural study without being helped or prompted.

Class Discussions

To help us learn and appreciate various cultural views, we will have class discussions. During the discussion the student is expected to not only provide on topic responses but to listen closely to all student comments and especially the teacher’s questions to those comments. Through these discussions the student can gain a full understanding to questions like “Why do we have laws?” “Is race an aspect of culture?” “What can this culture teach us about ourselves?” “How should I interact with people from different cultures? etc.

Sixth grade world cultures/social studies teachers meet every week to plan lessons and activities for students. The course of study is based on the Horizontal Alignment Planning Guide (HAPG) that is issued by Houston Independent School District.

Class Websites

I have designed a website for this class with the idea of making learning fun, providing additional study aids, and easy access for course information. Below are some of the features of the class website.

|Mr. Barber’s Johnston Web Site |Links to all websites listed below and much more! |

| |Domain/26021 |

| |(Also visit for much more!) |

|Gradespeed |Both you and your child can see all of her assignments and grades for all his classes here. |

| |psc |

|Online Textbook |Read the textbook online! |

| |Username: OWTTX Password: chUth9thaW |

| |(Using the “Page Navigator” button is the easiest way I have found to navigate this online textbook.) |

|Online Audio-textbook |Just click on the chapter and section of the textbook that you wish to hear. You can also download each |

| |section into your MP3 player! (Only one download per student please.) |

|Study Video Games |Learning is fun with these study video games! games/ |

|Educational Videos |Have fun learning with these engaging videos! video/ |

| |Username for BrainPop videos: hisdjohnstonms |

| |Password for BrainPop videos: hisd |

|Get to know your teacher |Find out about your teacher while exploring the world! Access from . |

In addition to the above highlights, there are many more webpages and interesting things to see like an entire webpage for learning Japanese, as I have also taught Exploring languages--Japanese class as well. Maybe you would like to increase your knowledge of English by studying Greek and Latin root words, or find out “Where in the World is Mr. Barber?” as you explore and research the various places I’ve visited throughout the world. Please visit the site often and have fun learning!

Parent and Significant Adults “Assignment”—Gradespeed

In my class, and in all of your child’s classes, Gradespeed will be used to report your child’s grades and to view upcoming and/or missing assignments online. In addition, for my class, I will often include information, links, and upload documents as resources for assignments as well as study aids, notes and feedback to your student on particular assignments. Therefore, I would like to ask that you sign up for a Gradespeed account if you have not already. In addition, if you have not done so already, please sign up for a student access account (or you may give them the password to your account). To sign up for Gradespeed please visit psc . This HISD website will be available to parents and significant adults from September 2, 2015. If you do not have access to the internet, our librarian will be glad to let you use the computers in the library after school. Also, most local libraries have internet access for public use.

Field Trip Chaperones Needed

 

Parents, guardians and significant adults are needed in order for us to be able to provide field trip experiences for all students.  If you are interested, please send me an email and I will gratefully put your name on our chaperone list.

To insure the safety of your child and all of our students, HISD requires a background check of all chaperones.  Your part can be easily completed at the front office of Johnston with a picture ID. The back ground check can be completed at any time, but must be completed two weeks prior to the field trip date. Once completed, you will be approved for that entire school year. Thank you for providing for all our students' safety and education by considering volunteering to be a field trip chaperone.

In conclusion, I encourage you to contact me anytime throughout the school year if you have a question or concern. The quickest way will be by email. My email address is dbarber@ . You may also call and leave a message with the front office at 713-726-3616.

With your help, I am looking forward to guiding your child on this worldwide journey.

Deric Barber

Sixth Grade World Cultures (House “J”),

Philosophy, and Ethics Bowl Class

Johnston Middle School

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