American History
Class Syllabus
Teacher: Coach Shea
Office Hrs. M-F 6:00 – 6:40, & 5 th Hr.
Contact Info 472-9507 or (Email) jcshea@mpsaz.org
OVERVIEW: American History is a required course for all students that must be completed with a passing grade in order to earn a High School Diploma. This course will explore the historical events, systems, geographic regions and people which have helped create this great nation, The United States of America.
GENERAL OBJECTIVES: This course is designed to provide all students with mastery level learning.
Students will acquire knowledge, cultural and democratic understanding, civic values and social participation. The students will also relate and apply past American events, systems and people to current issues in our present society.
All of our objectives are designed to create students that are college and career ready .
COURSE DESCRIPTION & TEACHING STRATEGIES: Throughout the school year this course will focus on the creation of the United States, and how it evolved into one of the strongest nations in the world. Our focus will be to analyze and evaluate how the U.S. came to be, and we will investigate major events throughout the past 250 years of American History. This will allow us to determine what impact these events had in shaping how we live today and in the future. Without history, we as a Nation would never know where we came from or where we are headed. This class will involve activities ranging from character education, vocabulary, oral and group cooperative learning, reading, writing, video, direct instruction, Socratic questioning, assessment and evaluation. All of these teaching strategies are geared to challenge students to critically think and learn at the highest levels.
RESOURCES: Items that you will need
A.
You will need to bring to class
1.
One spiral notebook with perforations or a 3 ring binder with loose leaf paper.
2.
Multiple pens and pencils
3.
Colored pens or pencils
4.
A folder (Can be included in the spiral Notebook)
5.
Student Handbook/daily planner
B.
You will be provided with
1.
A textbook: American Anthem (must check one out from the bookstore for home)
2.
Other resources materials, such as supplemental readings will be provided
CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS:
I believe in the system of assertive discipline in the classroom. This system will allow me to interact with students in a firm and fair manner. The expectations within my classroom are consistently high, based on the rights of the teacher and student. Through the use of this system I have the right to establish an optimal learning environment, request and expect school appropriate behavior, and receive help from administration and parents when it is needed.
As for the students, they have the right to an effective and appropriate classroom that is free of inappropriate, selfdestructive behavior and to always have a choice and a voice. With full understanding of the consequences that

automatically follow those choices. These rights and expectations will be clearly communicated to the students and consistently followed up with the appropriate actions.
Within the first two weeks of a new semester the rules, consequences, and expectations of the class will be clearly communicated. The foundation rules are:
STUDENTS WILL:
1.
Be respectful towards all teachers & classmates at all times.
2.
Come to class prepared & organized daily (e.g. bring appropriate materials & writing instrument)
3.
Be on Time for class and turn in all work on time.
4.
Follow directions
5.
Refrain at all time from using any electronic devices (Cell phones, IPod’s, etc.)
These rules will be enforced in alignment with all school policies & procedures outlined in the student handbook.
CELL PHONE USE:
Will not be tolerated in the classroom, although they may be used for educational purposes, only the teacher will determine when the educational purpose has arisen.
EVALUATION PLAN
PURPOSE STATEMENT: The purpose of my grading system is to communicate information about student’s academic achievement. Students will be graded on a point system which resets at the beginning of each
Semester. Each category will be weighted separately. The format is as follows:
W riting (Note taking, Summary, Quick writes) 25%
I nquiry (Socratic Discussion, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking) 10%
C ollaboration (Participation, Peer assessment) 20%
R eading (Vocabulary, Concept maps, Analysis) 25%
D emonstrate (District Final Exam) 20%
The Grading format of this course will consist of percentage grades that will be changed to letter grades. The scale will be as follows:
90% - 100%
80% - 89%
70% - 79%
60% - 69%
59% and below
A
B
C
D
F

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I have read this syllabus/management plan, understand and agree to the guidelines of this document. If you have any questions regarding this syllabus please do not hesitate to contact
Coach Shea.
Parent or Guardian (Sign) _____________________________________________________
Parent or Guardian E-mail: ____________________________________________________
Student Name (Please Print) ____________________________________________________
Date: ______________________________
Please return this portion of the syllabus to Coach Shea for class credit.