Class Expectations

To view the course syllabus handed out in class click HERE

Contemporary America

2017-2018, Grade 11 & 12

Miss Fyrberg

Room 204207.368.4354 ext.204
Email: lfyrberg@rsu19.net
Google Doc Share: lfyrberg@rsu19.net

Essential Questions:

  1. How have historical events shaped the modern era?
  2. How does the political process influence history?
  3. How do the actions of individuals shape society?
  4. How have conflicts either been escalated or resolved throughout history?

Topics:

  • Industrialization and Immigration: Progress at Home and Imperialism Abroad
  • Imperialism and World War I: The Great War and the Rise of American Power in the World
  • The Twenties: The Roaring Twenties
  • The Thirties: The Great Depression
  • American Foreign Policy Between the Wars: The Search for Peace
  • World War II: The End of Non-Entanglement, The US Becomes a Global Power
  • The Cold War Era: A Cold War Abroad and Happy Days at Home
  • The Rights Revolution: Turmoil at Home and Abroad
  • Vietnam and its Aftermath
  • Contemporary America: Communist Collapse and Economic Boom
  • The Age of Terrorism

Course Description: Contemporary American History examines the ways in which different, and sometimes conflicting historical experiences, have shaped the modern maturation of American society. The class starts with an in-depth examination of the Great War and how its conclusion created the emergence of the American Century. From here, the course covers an evolving American population through thematic ages including the Jazz Age, the Great Depression and World War Two Era, the Red Scare, the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War Era, the Free market ‘80s and ‘90s, and problems associated with a fractured domestic society in the age dominated by fears of unclear foreign threats.

NRH Social Studies Graduation Standards:

  • Standard 1: Process and Skills in Social Studies Students will be able to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the research and writing process
  • Standard 2: Enduring Themes and Systems Students will make informed decisions based on Historic, Geographic, Economic and Government and Civic themes and knowledge
  • Standard 3: Role of the Citizen Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of and document participation in the rights, responsibilities and duties of citizens (local, State, National, and Global)

You Will Be Able To…

  • comprehend, interpret, and evaluate a wide range of primary and secondary sources including newspapers, Internet sources, magazines, news broadcasts, photographs, political cartoons, maps, charts, and graphs.
  • effectively use a variety of complex critical thinking strategies including analyzing and interpreting perspectives, comparing and contrasting information, and constructing support for your positions.
  • identify patterns and make predictions.
  • strengthen effective communication strategies, specifically: reading, writing, discussion, and technology skills.
  • develop research questions, select appropriate information from sources, and ethically cite reliable information received from a variety of media.
  • describe the role of the individual in the decision-making process in a political system.
  • identify strengths and weaknesses of economic and political systems.
  • explain America’s role in world affairs and the impact of geography and economics on culture and conflict in the United States and other regions.
  • analyze the interconnections of social and/or civic institutions (i.e. media, governmental, financial, technological) on societal issues, trends, and events.
  • evaluate the relationship between economic systems and government

Summative Assessments: The goal of summative assessments is to evaluate your learning at the end of the unit by comparing it against the standard (see “NRH Social Studies Graduation Standards”). You will have multiple opportunities for practice. Summative assessments are high stakes, which means that they have a high point value.

Summative Assessments

85% of Grade

Writing/Essays

Projects Exams
 

For this assessment you must demonstrate standard proficiency in writing (select information from a variety of media, develop claims and counter claims, produce a coherent writing piece appropriate to purpose and audience, and cite sources)

 A variety of projects will be assigned. Examples of projects include but are not limited to: oral history projects, in the news projects, book projects, independent research projects, etc. For this assessment you must demonstrate an understanding of major events, movements and people in United States history and apply key knowledge, concepts, and skills.
You will complete at least one (final) essay per quarter You will complete at least one project per quarter You will complete at least one exam per quarter

 Formative Assessments: The goal of formative assessment is to monitor your learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used to improve your achievement. More specifically, formative assessments will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses and target areas that need work. Additionally, formative assessments help me to recognize where you are struggling so we can address problems immediately. Formative assessments are low stakes, which means that they have low point value.

 

Formative Assessments

15% of Grade

For these assessments you will evaluate ideas and concepts in such a way as to demonstrate an understanding of the results and processes at work in United States History
  • You will be asked to take notes, read, and reflect on your daily work in the form of short constructed responses, graphic organizers, and/or exit slips
  • You will have daily and/or weekly critical readings, vocabulary in context, and follow-up assignments to check for comprehension
  • Formative assessments will include but are not limited to: QOTDs, mini-DBQs, triple-entry vocabulary, quizzes, etc.
  • Independent practice will be meaningful, purposeful, of high quality, and aligned with “NRH Social Studies Graduation Standards”
  • Completing homework is essential to reinforce what you have learned and to help prepare you to participate in classroom discussions, daily lessons, and activities
  • These assignments support the general background and base of knowledge in United States history
  • Formative assessments are the foundation of larger assessments
  • You must come to class prepared to work on the material and discuss major issues

You will complete formative assessments daily

Grading Policy:

  • You are expected to complete all assigned work
  • Grades are based on what you are able to show you have learned
  • No extra credit is offered
  • You are required to keep track of your own grades on Infinite Campus
  • Habits of Work will be observed on a daily basis and will be evaluated based on the attached criteria
  • Reassessment may occur if you have not mastered an indicator. There are no free retakes. You must provide additional evidence that you have mastered the concept or skill that caused you to do poorly in the first place. Some examples include but are not limited to: remediation, attending academic support, going to the writing lab, completing practice work, and/or submitting a reassessment ticket
  • Late assignments do not qualify for reassessment

Technology Integration: You will use technology as part of the course. You will be instructed in how to set up necessary accounts (Google Docs) and will be expected to maintain those accounts for class purposes. You will use technology for research, presentations, and collaboration. All class notes are available on my blogsite: missfyrberg@edublogs.org

Course Materials: (the following will be provided within the course)

  • Course website: Nokomerica (accessed from NokomisHistory.com; then select Ms. Fyrberg)
  • Google
  • Various Internet resources in-class multimedia (video, projections, etc.)
  • Handouts/notes

Additional Materials: (to be provided by student – please see Miss Fyrberg if you need materials)

  • 3 ring binder/notebook (at least 1.5 inches)
  • Filler/lined paper
  • Writing utensil (blue/black pen or pencil no colored ink for work that is being submitted)
  • *Dividers (optional)

Notebooks: You are required to keep a separate notebook for Contemporary America.  The notebook must be a three ring binder (at least 2 inches). The beginning of the notebook should contain the course syllabus/class expectations and other frequently used documents. * Your notebook must be organized in such a way that a “reasonable person” would quickly be able to determine your organizational scheme.

  • Unit outline/essential questions
  • Cornell Notes/graphic organizers (in class and at home) – This includes day-to-day information and materials covered in class. The date must be written down on each set of notes for the day
  • Triple-entry vocabulary – This is a running list of terms from the text, classroom discussions, handouts, etc. that you will be required to define, learn, and apply.  These terms will appear on quizzes and exams, more importantly these terms will be used frequently in class, in the media and daily life
  • Articles/handouts – You will be assigned a number of outside readings from primary and secondary sources (both print and electronic)
  • Homework, essays, projects, quizzes, and exams – When an assignment, quiz, or exam is passed back it is your responsibility to correct any incorrect answers on all assignments.  It is impossible to learn or study from assignments if your answers are incorrect
  • Resources/supporting documents/handouts – You will receive a number of resources to help you prepare for summative assessments including outlines for essays, tips on how to write a thesis statement, study guides, project descriptors, etc. These documents will be used throughout the entire course

Academic Support: I am available most days after school (excluding Mondays). As stated in the Student and Parent Handbook, “[if a student] falls behind in their work, especially due to absence, failure to use time wisely, or failure to do homework, the teacher may assign those students to AS. When assigned AS by a teacher the student will report to the classroom [after school] and work under the supervision of the teacher until the work is completed…Failure to report to AS may result in an office referral and disciplinary action” (27).

Attendance/Make-up Policy: As stated in the Student and Parent Handbook, “The most important prerequisite for success in school is daily attendance and punctuality….state law requires the school to monitor student attendance and identifies which absences can be considered excused or unexcused” (18). If you are absent, YOU are responsible for getting the material covered during your absence. You will not be reminded – you are responsible for yourself. If an absence is unexcused you will not receive credit for make-up work or missed work. As stated in the Student and Parent Handbook, “Any assignments missed due to an unexcused absence will be given a grade of zero” (19). For excused absences, the make up work will have an amount of time equal to the time missed to make up work. For example, if you miss 1 day of school you will have 1 day when you return to turn work in. In the event of a field trip during the school day “…work due should be turned in before the trip, but no later then the next class meeting. Students are responsible for meeting with the teacher before the next class to get any work assigned in order to be prepared for the next class” (25).

Tardy to class: If you are tardy to class you will receive a teacher detention.

Plagiarism & Cheating:  As stated in the Student and Parent Handbook, “Plagiarism is the act of using information, graphics, pictures, music, or wording from others without giving proper credit” (17). In other words, presenting someone else’s work as one’s own. Cheating includes but is not limited to, borrowing and/or copying another student’s work, relaying questions and/or answers to exams, copying and pasting information from the internet, etc. Plagiarism and cheating will result in failure of the assignment and administrative action. When appropriate “the student will be subject to removal from the course and denied credit for the semester…” (18). Furthermore, Students who assist or abet in cheating or plagiarism may be subject to the same consequences even if they do not benefit directly academically from the cheating plagiarism/incident” (18).

Class Policy:  You are expected to attend class on time and prepared to engage in the class. Behavioral expectations are that you respect your peers, your teacher, yourself, and the work you are here to complete.

Behavioral Expectations

1.  Prompt

Be on time, enter the classroom quietly, turn in homework, seated and ready to begin before the bell rings

2.  Prepared

Bring all materials and necessary work

3.  Productive

Maximize learning time by staying on task, and following directions

4.  Polite

Be respectful to others, yourself, and your school, be an active listener who is open-minded and tolerant of others ideas and opinions, no derogatory comments of any nature

5.  Patient

Wait respectfully and calmly for your turn, do not complain, listen and stay seated when someone is talking

 

Positive Recognition

1.  Verbal praise

2.  Positive note to student

3.  Positive note/call/email home to

parent(s)/guardian(s)

 Consequences

1st violation = Verbal warning

2nd violation = Two minutes after class

3rd violation = After school detention

4th violation = Removal from class, phone call/email home, office referral

 

Miss Fyrberg has the right to implement a “severe clause” and forego the above consequences and send a student directly to the office based on the severity and/or the frequency of the inappropriate behavior.