Welcome to U.S. History, 8th Grade, Cluster M!
Lanier Middle School, 2015-2016 School Year
Course Expectations
Teacher: Ms. Carrie Roberts
Classroom: Room 248
Email: crobert9@houstonisd.org (this is the best way to reach me; I check it frequently)
Tutorials: Thursday afternoons from 3:35 to 4:20
Website: From purplepups.org, click on faculty, then find Roberts, Carrie. Click on “webpage” under my name.
Supplies:
1. You will need to keep a 3 ring binder for U.S. History with dividers for the following sections:
 Warm-ups and Reflections (please keep a supply of notebook paper in this section)
 Student Learning Log
 Class handouts and notes
 Returned homework
 Returned exams, quizzes, and projects
2. You will need a supply of index cards, which we will use to create Critical Thinking Cards
3. Additionally, you should always have a writing utensil (a pencil or blue or black pen)
I will give check binders and give open binder / note quizzes from time to time; staying organized should be a
priority!
Class Rules:
1) Come to class on time and prepared
2) Always give your best effort
3) Treat yourself, your classmates, your teacher, and your school with RESPECT
Class Procedures:
Beginning Class
1. You should be in your seat when the bell rings
2. On taking your seat:
 Check the board for a homework assignment and copy it into your planner
 There will be a daily warm-up. Sometimes this will be a question to reflect on – write the question
and your answer in the warm-up section of your binder. Sometimes this will be a quick quiz
 Rate yourself on the day’s objective in your Student Learning Log
 I will collect your homework. If you arrive to class without your homework ready to turn in, you
must take one of the “pink slip” sheets from Ms. Roberts’ desk to fill out and turn in.
During Class
1. Participate often and thoughtfully
2. Ask questions
3. Raise your hand in order to be called on
4. Please make every effort to take care of bathroom visits during the passing period so as not to miss instruction
Ending Class
1. We will complete a daily reflection or exit ticket. You will also again rate yourself on the daily objective in the
Student Learning Log. Be sure to turn in any assignments due at the end of class before you leave.
2. Class ends when I dismiss you. Please refrain from packing up until then
3. Clean up your desk and the area around it before you leave
Technology: If you have an internet-enabled device such as a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, you may bring it to
history class daily to facilitate classroom research and participate in online discussion boards, quizzes, review
games, etc. Students should ONLY have these devices out when instructed, and they should ONLY use the device
for the instructed purpose. Any unauthorized use of devices (ex: playing games, being on social media, having the
device out when not instructed, etc.) will result in the device being confiscated (confiscated devices can be picked
up by parents in Office B) and the student being banned from bringing a device for the rest of the year.
Behavior Management: Students are expected to behave in ways that are conducive to creating a productive
learning environment for the entire class. Incidents of students not following school and classroom rules (ex:
students who speak or act disrespectfully to other students or the teacher, cause disruptions or continuously speak
out of turn, refuse to follow teacher instructions, continuously come to class tardy, etc.) will be managed in the
following way:
 First instance – Reminder to follow school and classroom rules.
 Second instance – Student-teacher conference.
 Third instance – Parents will be contacted and student will be required to write a self-management plan
with goals for behavior. Parent-teacher conference will be scheduled if needed.
 Continued instances – Student will receive a discipline referral to the school administration.
Grades:
Grades will be calculated on a total-point scale. The total number of points per 9 weeks will range from 900 to
1200 points. Assignments will include:
 Homework (10 points each) -- You can count on having homework for almost every class session. It
should take you between 20 and 30 minutes to complete each assignment.
 Exams (100 points each) -- There will be an exam at the end of each unit.
 Quizzes (50 points each) -- There will be occasional “pop” quizzes over nightly reading assignments as
well as quizzes over covered content.
 Class Work (30 points each) -- Class Work: Class work, including maps, pair and group work, and reading
response activities will be collected at least twice a week.
 Projects and Writing (100 points each) -- I will assign approximately two projects and/or writing
assignments each quarter. Projects may be assigned on an individual, pair, or group basis.
 IB (0 – 8 points each; not weighted) – Projects and writings will also receive a grade based on International
Baccalaureate criteria. Project assignment sheets and rubrics will reflect these criteria.
I will use the following symbols to provide feedback on assignments where appropriate:

Excellent Point; excellent information

This Information Is Correct
*
This Information is Inaccurate -- Check and Correct
?
This is unclear / does not answer the question
 Expand this point; give more information
Exam Retake Policy
Lanier’s exam retake policy states that students may request a retest if they score below an 80% on an exam. The
retake exam will consist of different questions covering the same material. Two retake dates will be offered the
week following the return of each exam to students. Retakes must be taken either during study lab or after school
on the offered dates. Students are highly encouraged to visit me during study lab or tutorials to review the material
they missed BEFORE attempting a retake. Students can earn up to 80% credit for a retake.
Policy on Late Work:
Lanier has a school-wide late work policy. Late work will be accepted for FIVE calendar days after the due date
(not including weekends). Late penalties are as follows:
 One day late = 20% penalty
 Two days late = 30% penalty
 Three to Five days late = 50% penalty
 Over five days late = no credit
What if you lose or forget to write down an assignment?
If you have lost an assignment sheet or failed to write down the homework assignment in your planner, please
follow this procedure:
 Check the website. Whenever possible I will post assignments to the website.
 “Ask 3, then me.” Call, text, or email at least three friends in the cluster and ask them to send you a picture
of the assignment. If you still can’t access the assignment sheet at that point, then email Ms. Roberts.
Please understand that Ms. Roberts may not respond to your email until the next school day if you are
emailing in the evening or on a weekend.
If you are absent:
 Weekly handouts and class work assignments will be organized in folders by date in the file box at the front
of the room. Students are responsible for collecting all handouts and class work they missed from the
folders before class begins on the day that they return. I am happy to help you find what you need, but it is
YOUR responsibility to ask. Whenever possible I will also post digital copies of daily lesson materials to
the website and/or to HISD’s Hub. These will be organized by date.
 Please feel free to email me if you are absent. I don’t expect you to do work when you are sick, but I can
let you know what you missed and what you will need to make up. Often I can email you digital copies of
missed assignments.
Parents: Ms. Roberts will periodically email updates and important information to students and
parents. Please email Ms. Roberts at crobert9@houstonisd.org with your student’s name in the
Subject line. Please also include in the email any secondary or additional email addresses to which
you would like us to send email updates.
Students: Remember to bookmark the website: Go to purplepups.org, click on faculty, then find Roberts,
Carrie, and click on “webpage.” I will post homework assignments on the website, so check it frequently!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PLEASE TURN IN SIGNED FORM TO MS. ROBERTS ON THURSDAY / FRIDAY OF WEEK ONE
Acknowledgment Form
I acknowledge that I have read the classroom rules and procedures, and I understand the expectations of students in
Ms. Roberts’ 8th grade U.S. History class.
DATE
DATE
STUDENT’S NAME
(please print)
PARENT’S NAME
(please print)
STUDENT’S SIGNATURE
PARENT’S SIGNATURE
PARENT PHONE NUMBER(S):
PARENT EMAIL ADDRESS(ES)