Welcome to
World History!
About Me
My name is Melissa
McDonald-Lowe and this is
my third year teaching history
at Skirball. I went to college at
UC Berkeley and got my
master’s degree from LMU. I
am excited to work with all of
you this year!
Favorite History Topic: Mythology
My Hobbies Are:
• Cooking
• Travelling
• Reading
• Gardening
• Knitting
Class Philosophy
Be REAL. No excuses, no exceptions.
Respect this class and everyone in it, including yourself.
Enter this class on time and prepared to get to work.
Ask questions when you don’t understand something.
Learn from your mistakes.
Class Rules
1. Respect yourself, your teacher, and your
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
classmates.
No food, drinks (except water), or gum allowed in
this room.
Raise your hand to speak (This includes asking
questions, don’t blurt out thoughts!!!)
Cell phones must be kept on your desk where I can
see them at all times.
Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself.
Fighting, cursing, or disrespectful behavior is
prohibited
Class assignments and homework assignments are
to be turned in by the date assigned or they are late.
Consequences
If you break a rule...
O First time = Warning
O Second time = Phone Call Home
O Third time = Sent out of class or detention at the teacher’s
discretion. (Teacher’s discretion means I decide, you don’t.
Please don’t waste your time or mine arguing or whining
about it.)
I reserve the right to skip any of these steps if I believe your
behavior is extremely out of line.
Cheating
Cheating in college usually results in automatically
failing a class, but it can even get you kicked out of
school! You aren’t in college yet, so the consequences
won’t be that severe, but I do hate cheating. If you get
caught cheating (including copying homework or in-class
assignments that are supposed to be independent) you
will receive a zero for that assignment/test/quiz for that
day. Then two more things will happen.
O I call your parents to tell them you were cheating.
O You have to come after school or at lunch to re-do the
assignment in this classroom alone with me.
Class Materials
Please bring these things with you every day. We may not
always use them, but it is what you need to be prepared to
learn in this class.
O Something to write WITH (pencils, black or blue pens ONLY
O
O
O
O
please)
Something to write ON (small composition book is my
suggestion)
A place to keep notes, maps, vocabulary words, or other
class paperwork
Earbuds or other headphones
A flash drive
Grading
4 Point Scale
Letter Grade
StandardsBased Grade
4
A
Advanced
3
B
Proficient
2
C
Basic
1
NP
Below Basic/Far
Below Basic
Digital Agenda, Websites, and Email
O Digital Agendas will be posted by 8PM Sunday night on both
the class and school websites.
O Class Website: www.msmcdsms.weebly.com
I will use this website to post any PowerPoints or Prezis, homework
assignments, worksheets, video clips, or anything else that we use in
class
O School Website: http://skirballmiddle.org
O My email: msmcdonaldsms@gmail.com or
mmcdonald@laalliance.org
O Your Email: firstname.lastname@blastla.org
O Your Password: Skirballstudent
*It is YOUR responsibility to remember your password if you
decide to change it!!!
Class Procedures
1.
Do Now: Your Do Now will start the same way every day.
O Download the digital agenda for the day
O Check your email – There will often be a writing prompt or
review question activity to complete that I will send to your
mailbox
Review Whiteboard
3. Direct Instruction (between 15-30 minutes)
4. Independent/Collaborative Stations (about 1:15)
5. Check for understanding – This will include brief
discussions, exit slips, and review questions
 There will be a vocabulary and reading quiz every
Wednesday starting in 2 weeks
2.
Regular and Mandatory
Tutoring
There will be a regularly scheduled opportunity every
week for those of you who need help to come and get it. I
will let you know when that starts in about two weeks.
You are always welcome to come to my room and ask
questions if you have them.
This year, if you miss an assignment you will be required
to complete it in tutoring either at lunch or after school. I
will notify both you and your parents when this happens.