Doral Academy Charter High School



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Doral Academy Charter Prep

Course Syllabus 2019-2020 School Year

United States History Honors

INSTRUCTOR: Mrs. Veronica Espinosa

ROOM#: Room 517-H

GOOGLE VOICE PHONE #: (786) 254-1497 (please text or call at reasonable times)

E-MAIL: vespinosa@

INSTAGRAM: firedbird_espinosa

WHO IS MRS. ESPINOSA?

Welcome to our classroom! We’ve got a lot of great times ahead of us this year. Here at Doral Academy Charter Preparatory, I teach AP World History Modern, AP Human Geography, and U.S. History Honors. I absolutely love teaching here. I grew up in Miami as an only child. I attended Kensington Park Elementary, W.R. Thomas Middle School, and G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School. I have a Bachelor’s degree in social science education 6-12, and a Master’s degree in History, both from Florida International University. I am also an Adjunct Professor at Doral College in which I teach History throughout online courses. This school year will mark my 11th year working as a teacher. If you see me outside of school, you will most likely see me with my husband and our beautiful 3-year-old son.

My Philosophy on Teaching and How I Facilitate My Classes:

• I am not a teacher. I am a facilitator of learning. I want to unlock the curiosities inside of you and see your passions ignited.

• I believe relationships are incredibly important. I want to get to know who you are as a person and I will do my very best to come and support you at your games, band competitions, plays, etc.

• RIGHT NOW, throw out everything you know or have experienced about any social studies class you’ve ever taken. You’re about to go on the ride of your life and it will be completely different than anything you’ve ever done. I am PASSIONATE about what I do and teach and I want you to experience that same excitement too. My goal is to, as much as possible, create an environment where you are having so much fun learning, that you forget you’re learning. If you’re not laughing and having fun, we’re doing something wrong.

• I believe in challenging you. You are going to have to work harder than you ever have before and you will EARN your grades. You will be stressed, but you will be a better learner for it and I guarantee you will leave my class at the end of the year knowing so much more than you could ever imagine.

• My door is ALWAYS open to you. If I can help you in any way, with class, school or other issues, please know I am always here for you, even if you just need to vent or have someone listen.

• Life happens. There’s a difference between constant excuses for not meeting expectations and when things come up. If things inside or outside of school are effecting your ability to meet course expectations, talk to me individually.

• I hold you to high expectations, just like you will be held to in life. While we most certainly will have fun, there are also expectations which I expect you to meet in my classroom. I absolutely, under no circumstances, will allow you to disrupt the learning of the rest of the students in our class.

GOAL: The goal of this course is for students to learn and understand the history of this country and its influence on society today.

MATERIALS: Writing utensils and paper are a requirement of this class. You are also required to have the Notes posted up on the class website printed out and brought to class each day. Supplemental materials such as erasers, highlighters, liquid paper, etc, should also be brought to class. Other additional materials may be needed through out the school year; the teacher will let you know when to bring these to class.

REQUIREMENTS: All students are responsible for bringing their supplies and materials to class, as stated above. Class notes, which are your readings for this course, will be posted online. It is your responsibility to print out the notes, read what is assigned, and bring them to class. These notes, as well as notes obtained in class are what you need to study for quizzes and tests.

*It is your responsibility to read the notes prior to coming to class and to print them out so you can add additional notes in class. The teacher will not have these notes for you in class. It is only available online on the class website at .

*If teacher suspects that students do not read prior to coming to class, a pop quiz will be given. The teacher will lecture in class on certain topics and expand on those topics, but not everything in the readings will be covered in class. The lectures involve a lot of questioning on the material that was read. Students need to be responsible for their own learning.

*This class will require independent study including reading, research, writing papers in and out of class, and completing projects, including a joint project in collaboration with your Language Arts class. Expect to complete Edgenuity Modules frequently throughout the school year; this is required by Doral Academy and the US History Honors course due to the EOC. This will be your project/essay grade for this course.

*In the beginning of every class period, there will be a Bell-Work on the board about the material to be covered in class that day. Students will copy the quote down and write their response to the quote on paper that is to be kept throughout the quarter. All of the Bell-Work done throughout the quarter will be collected at the end of each quarter, worth a participation grade.

*This course is an EOC. This means you will have an end-of-course exam for US History worth 30% of your final grade in the course. Everything done in this class is to prepare you for the exam.

GRADING: Your academic grade will be determined from tests, quizzes, assignments, projects, and participation.

Tests: 30%

Projects/Essays: 25%

Quizzes: 20%

Class work/Home Assignments: 15%

Participation: 10%

You will have chapter quizzes and unit tests. Both quizzes and tests are multiple choice format, like the EOC. No extra credit is given in this course; students will have at least 18 grades every quarter to accumulate their overall grade.

GRADING SCALE: 90-100 = A

80-89 = B

70-79 = C

60-69: = D

0-59: = F

ATTENDANCE AND TARDIES: Students arriving to school after 7:30 am will be locked out as per the school policy. Those students caught in the lockout will miss the entire 1st period and it will be an unexcused absence; the work missed cannot be made up.

I expect you to be in class when the bell rings. Tardy policy WILL be strictly enforced. Once three are accumulated, detentions will be given out.

It is the students’ responsibility to make-up work with an EXCUSED absence. It is the students’ responsibility to ask for the make-up work and turn it in with in one week upon return; this is the MDCPS policy.

For quizzes/tests/exams: You should NEVER be absent on a day of a quiz, test, or any type of examination. It is your responsibility to make it a priority to be in class those days. If, however, you are absent from class, it must be excused and you will make up the quiz/test/exam IMMEDIATELY upon your return to my class. No exceptions. Please note that it will be a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT exam in a DIFFERENT FORMAT.

SCHOOL ATTIRE: Follow student dress code as per student handbook.

RULES AND POLICIES:

1. All Doral Academy rules and expectations must be followed at all times.

2. You must show respect for the teacher and all students at all times.

3. All directions and instructions from the teacher must be followed.

4. Place cell phone is phone pocket chart at beginning of class. Cell phones will be confiscated and turned into administration if student fails to follow procedure.

5. Having to go the bathroom is treated like a college class. If you have to go, go. Do not interrupt me in the middle of my lecture to tell me you have to go to the bathroom. Take the pass and go. Come back at a reasonable time or you will have your bathroom pass revoked.

6. If you have to schedule a parent conference, call the school directly (305) 597-9950 and schedule a meeting with me.

CONSEQUENCES FOR MISBEHAVIOR:

1. Verbal warning

2. Parent contact

3. Detention

4. Office referral and parent/teacher meeting

VIDEO CLIPS

During the school year, I will utilize parts of video clips from YouTube or an educational website to give students a deeper understanding of what we are studying. Some of the clips depict tragic events in history and thus are often mature in content. Parents are encouraged to research any of the video clips I might show to show validity of the content.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT PAGE- print, sign and bring back this page of the syllabus as acknowledgement that you understand my syllabus.

I have read and understood the above information as conditions for my enrollment in the United States History Honors class at Doral Academy Charter Prep. My signature, and that of my parents/guardians, indicates my commitment and responsibility to uphold these rules.

PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN

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PRINT STUDENT NAME STUDENT SIGNATURE PERIOD/CLASS

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PARENT/GUARDIAN SIGNATURE PHONE NUMBER & E-MAIL

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