1. Welcome to 7th Grade Social Studies
Mr. Gouge

2. Introduction Mr. Gouge (pronounced like stooge starting with a G)
From Pennsylvania, has lived in West Virginia, Maryland, Florida
Has worked in banking and teaching
BA: Psychology from WVU
M.Ed: Education from Wilmington University (Delaware)
A.A.S: Criminal Justice WTCC
Has coached: football, baseball, softball
Grew up working with the Amish on farms
Was a junior fireman in high school
Has been on ESPN SportCenter
Has been maced 3 times and electrocuted 1 with a cattle prod
Died in 2006 at Duke (don’t worry I lived)
Married with 2 sons
Teaching for 16 years mostly American Hist.

3. Course Overview
This year we will look at: exploration, colonization, revolutions, the Enlightenment, European kings, WWI, WWII, The Cold War, the world of today and how new nations emerge
We will talk a lot about how these topics effect us in your life and not just a ton of old dead dudes
You cannot talk about history and not include religion, economics, politics and social situations; my promise to you is that I will always be honest and not even speak of my personal opinions. I will never tell you something is good –bad-right-wrong-should-shouldn’t I believe that is your parents responsibility

4. Homeroom When you arrive please find your seat
You can read silently, get ready for the day ahead or do any work for your classes
Go to your locker, water and bathroom as soon as you arrive – don’t wait to get seated
If you have to leave for any reason you must make a pass and get signed
You can talk to your peers as long as It’s normal volume and not interrupting others
NO cell phones during school, I love to take them and make your parents pick them up after school is over.
Enjoy this time, get ready to learn but please be respectful to others who are studying, and at all costs, be good to each other

5. Guided Study
I am pretty sure the school will give us a plan for each day that must be followed, but that may not happen until a couple of days from now.
Until we are told what to do, we will use this time to enrich or remediate lessons from the week
Bring a personal book to read each day !!!

6. Our Class Website Please copy this down www.keithgouge7.weebly.com
I post almost 100% of our work here
If you are absent, it is your responsibility to go to the website and arrive back to class with the work already done
Everything you need for class is on that site: lesson plans, worksheets, online text books, organizers, notes, videos, webquests, etc…

7. Rules & Expectations Let’s just keep it simple:
Don’t lie, cheat or steal
Be kind to others
Do your best
Have an open mind
Be willing to work hard
FOLLOW THE RULES
Use your brain and common sense
Always be willing to help
Just accept that I’m pretty much the coolest teacher at ECMS
Don’t do anything stupid that gets you or most importantly me in trouble!
Learn to love the movies: Braveheart, Old School, Full Metal Jacket, Wedding Crashers, Lone Survivor, American Sniper, Into the Wild and Hector and the Search for Happiness (otherwise my sense of humor is not funny)
“Courage is putting your fear aside and getting the job done” “Sometimes we fall so we can learn to pick ourselves up” “It only takes 1 helping hand to mend a hurting heart” “Two wrongs don’t make a right, but three lefts will” “Always look out for #1 and never step in #2” “The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help”

8. Odds & Ends

9. Tour of the Room