SYLLABUS FOR CFA 9TH GRADE CIVICS
Teacher: Ms. Sujata Vadher
Room: 323A
Voicemail: 612/692-1499
Email: sujata.vadher@mpls.k12.mn.us
Course description:
Welcome to 9 th Grade Civics. This course offers a colorful and exciting
mix of social studies subjects. By the end of the year, you will have a
solid foundation for entering 10 th grade.
Course Objectives Quarter One:
0ur primary objective is to prepare you to have skills for 10 th grade. To
do so, we focus heavily on academic skills, writing, time management and
interpersonal communication skills. Small and large group discussions
occur regularly. All students are expected to participate.
Additionally, we prepare you for the Minnesota Basic Skills Writing Test,
administered in the 10 th grade. This course is writing intensive. You
regularly practice your writing skills. In-class essays and exams make
up the majority of your quarter grade
What is needed for class daily:
Our class in Civics moves very quickly and covers a lot of material.
Therefore, it is imperative not only that students keep pace with the
course but also ask questions or seek out additional help when needed.
Ms. Vadher is willing to meet with students after school with requested
appointments.
By the end of this quarter, you will:
4
Demonstrate and strengthen your ability to write formal essays.
4
Strengthen your note-taking skills.
4
Compare/contrast/synthesize and analyze information.
4 Exercise critical thinking and communication skills in formal and
informal discussions.
What you should have in class each day:
v
Blue or Black Ink pens and pencils.
v
An organized three ring notebook for notes, readings and projects.
v
Student Planner and ID
What you should have for regular use in class:
v
A dictionary and/or thesaurus
v
A copy of The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
v
Knowledge of local, state, national and international news.
PLEASE NOTE:
ASSIGNMENTS WRITTEN OR TYPED IN A COLOR OTHER THAN BLUE OR
BLACK WILL NOT
BE ACCEPTED! A ZERO WILL BE GIVEN FOR THE ASSIGNMENT!
Ninth grade Civics
COURSE POLICIES
Course policies are the rules and guidelines our class follows, in addition
to those established by Patrick Henry High School . (All Patrick Henry
rules and expectations are enforced in Ms. Vadher’s classroom.) These
policies remain consistent throughout the school year and are reviewed at
the beginning of each quarter. Each student is expected to know,
understand and follow these policies. If you feel class or school policies
need clarification speak with Ms. Vadher directly.
ATTENDANCE:
Prompt daily attendance is expected. All students must be in the classroom
and ready to begin class when the bell rings. Each tardy costs you one
point and negatively influences your grade . According to Patrick Henry
policy, you fail the course if you have more than seven absences during an
academic quarter. Approved school activities do not count against
attendance, provided the student attends the activities and is doing
satisfactory work in class. Additionally, if a student is aware of
up-coming absences, it is her/his responsibility to inform Ms. Vadher
before the absences and arrange make-up or alternative work.
CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR:
You are a member of a community of learners. For any community to thrive,
certain concepts must be embraced. In our community, I expect the
following general behavior of all students.
RESPECT: All students will respect themselves, their community members
and their learning environment.
READINESS: All students must attend class everyday and ready to actively
participate in the day’s activities.
RESPONSIBILITY: All students must accept responsibility for themselves and
their actions.
Active participation and preparedness is expected at all times!
No distracting items are allowed in the classroom (I.e. headwear, coats,
backpacks, food, beverages, chains, purses, electronic devices, pictures,
notes, yearbooks,
catalogs)
Appropriate language will be used in the classroom—no swearing or
otherwise offensive remarks will be allowed.
You are responsible for your progress ; therefore, communication with
Ms. Vadher about problems or struggles is expected.
CHEATING, COPYING AND PLAGIARISM:
Cheating, copying and plagiarism are serious acts of academic dishonesty
and are not tolerated. All team teachers, family members of students
involved and the program coordinator will be informed of such behavior.
Students who cheat receive a zero for the assignment or exam. Students
involved in copying of work receive a zero for the assignment or exam,
including any student allowing the copying to take place. Students who
plagiarize receive a failing grade for the quarter.
Plagiarism is the use of another’s ideas or expression without appropriate
acknowledgement of the source.
Examples of plagiarism include failure to give appropriate acknowledgement
when repeating another’s phrase, sentence or paragraph; failure to give
appropriate acknowledgement when paraphrasing another’s thesis or argument;
failure to give appropriate acknowledgement when presenting another’s line
of thinking; or, turning in a paper for a current course that was written
for another course.
Plagiarism, like cheating and copying, results in serious consequences.
If students or family members have questions about this, please talk to
Ms. Vadher. Ignorance is no excuse for plagiarism.
All students are expected to achieve at the level of 70% or better in this
class without factoring in extra credit, which is rarely given in Civics.
As a general rule, students should not expect extra credit.
Attendance at after-school tutorials or at the PHHS Political Forums may
result in extra credit points being awarded. This is based on student use
of such opportunities. Opportunities for extra credit related to course
content may arise throughout the quarter. Students will not be awarded
extra credit points exceeding 10% of the quarter grade. Additionally,
students choosing to drop their lowest score of the quarter are not allowed
any extra credit points.
HOMEWORK:
The amount of homework varies throughout the year. Homework is tied to
major course projects. Studying your notes 20-30 minutes daily helps
comprehension and retention of course content. Additionally, students are
expected to bring questions related to course content to class. All
students are expected to review and study the course notes daily.
All homework assignments must be completed on the scheduled due date.
Unless otherwise noted, a ssignments are collected at the beginning of the
class period. Assignments turned in on the same day will lose 25% of the
earned score. Assignments turned in the school day following the due date
lose 50% of the earned score. NO ASSIGNMENTS ARE ACCEPTED AFTER TWO
OR
MORE SCHOOLS DAYS FOLLOWING THE DUE DATE!
All major papers and projects ,including bibliographies, should be
double-spaced and typed (12 point font and one-inch margins). If you do
not have regular access to a computer, please talk to me. All other
assignments must be written in blue or black ink or pencil and must be
double-spaced. This includes in -class essays and exams NO ASSIGNMENTS ARE
ACCEPTED IF WRITTEN OR TYPED IN A COLOR OTHER THAN BLUE OR
BLACK!
PATRICK HENRY POLITICAL FORUMS:
All students at Patrick Henry High School are invited to participate in the
after-school Patrick Henry Political Forums. During these forums, local
public officials speak informally with students about politics, government
and student concerns. Past speakers include Mayor R.T. Rybak, Minneapolis
Public Schools Superintendent Carol Johnson, Senator Linda Higgins,
Councilmember Barbara Johnson, Representative Joe Mullery and many others.
Attending and reflecting on such forums meet some of the components for
the U.S. Citizenship standard and may as well as potentially qualify for
extra credit. Schedules for the PHHS Political Forums are available from
Ms. Vadher and are posted in Ms. Vadher’s room.
Sources Used in Civics:
Students receive reading packets with excerpts from a variety of sources as
well as primary source documents. Course content has been put together
through a variety of sources and is regularly updated as new and reliable
information is made available.
Reading packets made available to students may be done so in class-sets.
Therefore, it is necessary that students use the reading time given in
class effectively. Upon request, reading packets may be checked out
overnight. Reading packets checked out overnight must be returned before
first hour the next school day. Students failing to do so may lose the
privilege of checking out the reading packets. It is recommended that all
students get their own personal copy of the United States Constitution.
Teaming in CFA 9th grade Civics:
All students in the 9th and 10th grades have a team of teachers working
with them. (Teams are cohorts of students who share the same classes and
teachers in their school day.) The 9th grade team consists of Ms. Vadher
(Social Studies), Ms. Mr. Strand. (English), Ms. Aram (Math), Ms. Tenhoff
(Art) and Mr. Piccott (Science). Teams support achievement and success,
strengthen positive relationships between students, their peers and their
teachers, offer increased interdisciplinary connections and provide
opportunities for early intervention with struggling students.Team teachers
meet daily to discuss ways to better support students, enhance
cross-curriculum understanding and synthesis and meet with students and
family members. We encourage family members to use our meeting time as an
opportunity to meet with all team teachers at once. Teaming has proven to
be beneficial to students and families in a number of ways. This is just
one example of the commitment Patrick Henry High School and your team
teachers have to student success in the ninth grade.
Check out the PHHS website at www.mpls.k12.mn.us/schools/highschool/henry
GRADING SCALE IN PERCENTAGES:
93-100%=A
90-92%=A83-86%=B
80-82%=B77-79%=C+
73-76%=C
70-72%=C67-69%=D+
63-66%=D
60_62%=D59% or below=F
Parents and Guardians:
I am excited to have your child in my class and look forward to our
upcoming school year together. I hope that together we can make your
child’s school year a successful one. Please review the course syllabus
with your child to further understand my classroom policies, behavior
expectations, and curriculum outline. Expect to hear from me via your
child’s student planner, phone calls, and notes home. I also hope to see
you at Parent-Teacher conferences throughout the school year. Please do
not hesitate to contact me at the above phone number or e-mail address.
Please fill out and return the following information sheet to help me keep
in touch. Thanks!
Ms Vadher
Student Name:
Parent/Guardian Name/s:
Address:
Work phone:
Home phone:
Best time to reach you:
Email address (if available):
Questions you might have:
Suggestions you are willing to share:
Specific information you feel I should know about your student: