Government & Citizenship Classroom Expectations Or How to Succeed in Mr. Hurd’s Class

Class Description Semester Class (1/2 Year) Senior Class –You must have this class to graduate! –Don’t fail, there is not second chance!!! Teacher Driven –Attend Class –Participate –Complete Assignments

Purpose of the Class This class is to help seniors reinforce skills and acclimatize them to the adult world as well as prepare them to continue in their education beyond high school. This class will help students –Be where they need to be and on time. –Be prepared to work. –Complete and hand assignments in on time. –Organize their time and school materials. This is your last year. What you do not learn now will come back to bite you.

Educational Goals Reading/Interpretation Text Writing Test Taking Skills Thinking/Questioning Skills –Who, What, When, Where - “B” Student –Why, How - “A” Student

Academic Goals Analyze the significance and impact of the Constitution on everyday life. Assess the protections and privileges of individuals and groups in the U.S. Understand the distribution of power in the U.S. Federal System Explain the responsibilities of a citizen of the U.S. Look at basic economic principles and how they influence daily life. Examine the relationship between the U.S. and the international community.

Credit/Grades “A letter grade only indicates how well you met the teacher’s expectations, not how much you learned.” “Facts are by their nature nothing more than useless trivia. It is what you can do with the information that counts.”

Credit/Grades Graded on Average of all work and tests. Check your grades online weekly. Two weeks to appeal a graded assignment. Quarter grade appeals only if the teacher made a mistake not including an assignment or putting the wrong grade on an assignment.

Class Attendance and Participation Teacher Math –1 Student has 7 Teachers –1 Teacher has 160 Students –Who will have the most difficult time keeping up with a student’s grade and assignments? Time to cut the apron strings! College professors and bosses will not let your parents solve your problems. –If you have questions or a problem, come see me! The sooner you see me the easier it will be to find a solution. –If you need to, bring mom or dad, but it is your grade and your problem so you need to be part of the solution.

Class Attendance and Participation YOU NEED TO BE IN CLASS AND ON TIME!!! Once in class, expect to stay. –If you forgot due assignments, they are late! –If it is an emergency, talk to me. –Remember, emergencies do not happen every day.

Class Attendance and Participation Do not take up space and precious oxygen - CONTRIBUTE! “I do not know” or a shoulder shrug is not an acceptable answer. Try: –“Can you give me a moment to check my book and notes?” –“I am not sure, can I ask my neighbor?” –“I think this is the right answer…” I never get angry over a student trying.

Class Attendance and Participation If you do not turn in the work when it is called for, it is late and only worth 50%. Work not completed before the midterm receives a zero. Work due after the midterm and not finished before the end of the quarter receives a zero. No makeup work for tardies and sluffs. No Individual Extra Credit –Don’t point grub to make up for what you should have done.

Homework Little in class time is given to fill out worksheets or read your text. Plan on 3 to 5 hours a week outside class. Do not work on other classes on my time or on my work during another teacher’s time.

Assignments Do them when you get them. 50% if late. Incomplete assignments that are handed in will be heavily docked, plan on losing at least half the points. Anything is better than a ZERO! No individual extra credit assignments.

Text Books Bring the book to class Students will be given online access to the text and assignments.

In Class Technology iPads, cell phones, and other electronic equipment are tools not toys. Cell phones are to be turned off and only used in class with permission in conjunction with assignments. iPads are to be put away during videos and are to be used only to supplement classroom learning. Students using cell phones or abusing iPads in class will have the items taken.

Class Notes Need the skill for this class and when you move on to college. Pop Quizzes based on notes and readings. It is to your advantage to take good notes. Unless there is a problem, I will not grade notes. Copies of the Power Point presentations will be given with each chapter. Students need to follow the presentation taking notes on the copies given in class.

Required Reading Two Assigned Books Unit Tests on the Reading and A Reading Counts Test Cheating on Reading Counts gets you a zero (80 points for grade) that can’t be made up and a “U” for citizenship. –Why do all the work researching the book without the joy of having read it?

Quizzes –Lesson quizzes will be given as part of the grade. –Students should make sure they read the lesson and review their notes prior to each quiz. –Students will not be able to make up quizzes. –Students missing class will not have 20 points worth of quizzes count against their grade as long as the absence or tardy was excused. –Students with unexcused tardies or absences the day of a quiz automatically receive a zero toward their grade for the missed quiz. Again, you need to be in class.

Tests Review Sheets are given for every test –Study the vocabulary –Write out the essays before coming to class –Ask if you have questions –Two days prior to a test there will be 30 minute review sessions after school in the classroom Chapter tests –Contain all the information that will be in the Review Sheet –Tests use multiple choice, matching and the same essay questions found on the review sheet. –Students late for or missing the test will need to make arrangements to take the test on their own time after school.

Citizenship Grade I do not give citizenship grades for students with “H” or “S” standards. The expectation is that all students will have at least an “S”. If there is no citizenship listed on your report card, then you have the same as an “S” with no detriment to an Academic Letter or your status on teams and with clubs.

Citizenship Grade “N” & “U” grades will appear on report cards, are given for the following reasons and will affect a student’s academic letter and possibly their standing in student organizations: For an “N” –Be late or sluff class, be disruptive in class so that you need to be moved, use electronics without permission, need to be reminded constantly to take out materials and engage in classroom work or discussion, cheat or lie on an assignment, plagiarize other’s work.

Citizenship Grade For a “U” –Be late more than three times, sluff class twice, text and use a cell phone in class, have your iPad taken, require me to send you out of class, abuse another person’s right to learn through bulling or intimidation, continually lie, cheat or plagiarize others work. I do not work well with liars, cheats or thieves. Better to earn a zero then get caught cheating.

Tardy Policy Be through the door BEFORE the bell rings. If late, go to the office and get a note. Slide the note under the door and wait for me to let you in. Leave the area before I let you in and it is an unexcused absence. If late or unexcused, students receive a zero for missed assignments.

Tardy Policy NOTE: If you are excused by a teacher or the office because of school duty or are returning from a parent supervised appointment, KNOCK on the door and I will let you in. I will honor excused tardies without docking credit. Students still need to make up missed work.

Electronic Devices I will approve laptops and other materials in the classroom that aid in learning. Do not abuse the privilege. Cell Phones –Don’t let me see them. If it goes off, I take it and the second time results in a “N” If I see it out, I take it and it is a “U” for citizenship. Parents need you, check between classes or have them call the office.

Prepared and Working Bring your own materials. –I do not provide free pens or paper –You will be marked absent if you can’t work –Do not ask to retrieve forgotten material If you can’t work where you are, ask and I’ll move you. –If I have to move you it is an “N” for citizenship –Second move is out the door with a “U”

Cheating and Plagiarizing I HATE LIERS, THEIVES, AND CHEATS! Cooperative Learning vs. Copying Cheating gets you a zero and a “U” Do not cut and paste. Do not claim other’s work as your own.

Contacting the Instructor Office Hours School Website: / Parental Visits –Anytime by appointment –Class time (10 points once per quarter)

Conclusion Go on line to the school website Find this class using the faculty tab and Mr. Hurd’s Weebly site. Read the written expectations or view the Power Point with your parents. Send an through my weebly site stating you have gone through the material Receive 10 bonus points for the class

Questions “You get out of life what you put into it.” What you get from the class and your teacher is just a reflection of what you were willing to do.