Welcome!
Mrs. Mukhopadhyay
U.S. History
Word of the Day
• Haven
• noun: safe place, refuge
• Norco is a haven for seagulls, thanks to
lunch trash.
Course Goals
• You will learn the history of the United States
from the Revolutionary War to the present. You
will complete research projects and gain
experience in making oral presentations.
Text
• We will be using The American Vision (Modern
Times). You are responsible for checking it out
from the textbook room.
• Keep your book at home. You will need it to
complete homework.
• We will use a class set of books in class.
Grades
• You will earn your grade by showing mastery of the skills practiced
in class. These include reading, writing and class participation. You
will have ample opportunity to show your skills through homework,
class work, projects and tests. You will also receive a class
participation grade every day that you attend this class.
• **Note: if you are absent, you cannot earn class participation
points!**
• This is my grading scale:
•
•
•
•
•
A:
B:
C:
D:
F:
90-100%
80-89%
70-79%
60-69%
0-59%
Homework
• Weekly homework assignments every Monday, due over Friday.
• You can earn 100% on homework by giving it an honest effort and
turning it in on time.
• Late homework will be worth a maximum of 80%.
• If you miss more than one homework assignment in a two-week
period, a 30-minute detention will be assigned.
Materials
• Bring a 3 ring binder with a divider for my class, paper, pencil
and pen and to class every day.
• If you are missing supplies, you will lose participation points.
• You will keep all work completed for the class and turn it in for a
grade at the end of each unit.
• Never throw away your history work.
will turn in a packet at the end of each unit, for a grade.
You
Attendance
• You need to come to class every day. If you
don’t, you will lose your daily class participation
points.
• If you are tardy to class, you will lose half of your
class participation points for the day.
• Two tardies will result in a ½ hour detention and
call/email home.
• The third will result in a 1-hour detention and
call/email home.
• On the fourth, a referral will be written.
15/10 Rule
• Teachers are not allowed to write passes
for students for any reason during the first
fifteen or the last ten minutes of class.
• You will soon learn that I follow all school
rules. Don’t even bother asking!
Behavior
•
I expect you to respect the following class rules:
– Be in your seat when the bell rings.
– No food, drinks, or gum in class.
• (Put your drink bottle on the table at the front of the room if it is not ready for the
recycling bin. No drinks or food by your seat.)
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–
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Keep hands, feet and objects to yourself.
Raise your hand before speaking.
Follow directions the first time.
Respect others.
Don’t interfere with each other’s right to learn.
First infraction: warning, loss of points.
Second infraction: detention, call/email home.
Any detention not served will be doubled.
Doubled detention not served will be referred to an assistant principal.
I reserve the right to skip warning and detention stages in a case of
extremely disruptive or rude behavior.
A Note About Cell Phones and
iPods.
• Cell phones and iPods are to be turned off and
put away when inside the classroom. This is
your only warning.
• iPods are not allowed on campus. I know you
have them, but don’t let me see them or your
headphones, or I will take them away.
• If your phone goes off or I catch you texting, I
will take it away and turn it in to the office.
• I will not be nice and give it back at the end of
the period. Don’t even bother asking.
First Homework Assignment
• Sign the course outline and get a parent’s
signature tonight. Turn it in tomorrow and
earn 10 points.
• Parents must sign the back of the paper
as well. It is your video permission for the
entire year.
Movies!!!
I use movies as a teaching tool and as a reward. To watch the movie at the
end of each unit, you must have a C or better in the class, so do your
homework!
• Glory, Rated R (Civil War)
• Far and Away, Rated PG-13 (Western Expansion, Immigration)
• The Untouchables, Rated PG-13 (The 1920s)
• Cinderella Man, Rated PG (The Great Depression)
• Excerpts of The Pianist, Rated R (WWII, The Holocaust)
• Saving Private Ryan, Rated R OPENING SCENE ONLY, TO SHOW DDAY (WWII)
• The Tuskegee Airmen, Rated PG-13 (World War II)
• Guilty By Suspicion, Rated PG-13 (1950s, McCarthyism)
• The 60’s, TV Movie (Vietnam, Civil Rights movement, student protest
movement, Hippies)
• Apollo 13, Rated PG (Sixties Space Program)
• The 70’s, TV Movie (Women’s Rights Movement, Watergate, Drug Abuse)
• All the President’s Men (Watergate)
• Excerpts from Forest Gump, Rated R
How can I make sure I have a good
year?
• Always do your homework. It is not difficult and
it is predictable. It is an easy way to earn 25%
of your grade in my class.
• Be here on time every day, unless excused by a
parent. I will use webtools to clear absences
and to assign detentions.
• When in class, follow the rules and participate in
activities and discussions. Class participation is
20% of your grade. Projects and activities
completed in class make up at least 25% of your
grade.
What will we do in class?
Art Projects
Lots of Work
Watch Movies
Presentations and Debates
What about tests? I’m horrible at
tests!
• Tests make up the last 30% of your grade.
If you come to class everyday, complete
all the activities, and do all of your
homework, you can get a lower grade on
your tests and still get a C in the class.
• If you do all that, you won’t get a 0 on
tests, I guarantee it!
Get Ready for Graduation 2012!
If they made it, so can you!