– SOCIAL STUDIES 8 COURSE SYLLABUS –
"...Democracy's very existence depends on an educated electorate..." --Thomas Jefferson
MISS HOOS
ROOM 7
2011-2011
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?
In 8th grade Social Studies, we explore the history of our country from the colonial period through the
events leading up to World War I in alignment with the California state standards for 8th grade Social
Studies. I love history and I hope that you learn to love it too. If you are curious, work diligently, and
stay involved in class, it might even be fun! We are going to ask and answer a lot of questions. By the
end of the year you will know more about the history of our country. But more importantly, you will have
learned new ways to solve problems, and will know how to answer your own questions about the world
and how to check to make sure your answers are reasonable.
WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL ABOUT HISTORY?
I am sure that you have heard the statement, "Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to
repeat it." It sounds like an important statement, but what does it mean? Here is the way that I see it:
What you and I are doing now – the things we do, the things we wear, the things we eat, the things we
believe – are all part of a big experiment. It is an experiment that we call 'life,' but fifty years from now
or one hundred years from now, it will have somehow become this thing called 'history.'
So, why do we care? If we look at history as an experiment, then it is natural that some of the things
people have tried over time have not worked. We know that there are civilizations that once spread
over huge areas of the Earth, but now all that remains are buried ruins. What happened to them? And
how can we live so that the same thing does not happen to us? These are some of the important
questions that historians try to answer.
We are going to study the experiments of our past and see what happened. Then we will try to look at
the ways we live now in terms of an experiment and see if we can predict what some of the results of
our actions will be. Maybe we can learn to make better decisions than those who came before us.
TEXTS:
We use TCI’s History Alive! – The United States Through Industrialism and the companion
interactive student notebook (ISN) as our primary texts. Please take good care of your book. Any
damages to your book will result in a fine at the end of the year. Unless otherwise directed, please
keep your textbook at home. Bring your ISN to class every day – even if you think you won’t need it!
MATERIALS:
Please bring the following items to class daily:
Other useful items:
MHS agenda book/student planner
ISN (workbook)
Binder with lots of notebook paper
Working blue or black pens
Working grading pens (no blue, black, yellow)
Sharpened pencils with good erasers
200 flashcards (during the Constitution unit)
Working, self-contained pencil sharpener
Colored pencils
Highlighters
Post-it tabs
Extra flash cards
ATTENDANCE:
Regular attendance is essential for you to be successful in this class. Many activities involve lectures
and partner or group work and are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to make up. Please help
maintain the continuity of the learning process by scheduling appointments on Friday afternoons and
keeping vacations to the times provided in the school calendar. If you are absent for any reason, you
must return to class with a re-admit and you are 100% responsible for all work you missed during your
absence. (See grading policies below.) The tardy policy will be strictly enforced. No exceptions.
THE CONSTITUTION EXAM:
All 8th graders must pass the Constitution exam. This is a Promotion requirement. If you do not
pass, you will not be able to participate in Promotion activities. We will devote at least four weeks of
class time to preparing for this exam. You will make 200 flashcards and there will be required extra
study sessions held after school. Once we have begun studying for this exam, it is essential that you
spend time every night studying. Be especially careful to keep track of your study cards. Every year
students have their flashcards stolen. Do not let this happen to you. While we are studying for this
exam, you will be required to have your 200 flashcards with you every day. You will be required to put
your name and period on every card so that any lost card can be returned to you. I know it sounds
intimidating but if you are diligent and responsible, you will be successful! If you need help at any time
– PLEASE ASK! Please let me know as soon as you have a concern so that I can help you get
prepared in time for the exam. Please do NOT wait until the last minute to ask for help!
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Email: jhoos@smmusd.org (preferred)
Phone: (310) 457-6801 ext. 74-228
Student Meetings: Come in during nutrition, during lunch, or immediately after school. There are
always lots of students in my room, so if you would like a private meeting, please arrange one in
advance so I can let other students know that I will not be available. Thanks!
Parent Meetings: Please arrange a core conference through the 8th grade core leader: Katy Lapajne
HOMEWORK:
All homework assignments are posted on the white board at the front of class and on the homework
website (http://malibuhigh.org/teacher-hoos) on a weekly basis beginning the first full week of
school. Check these locations regularly to make sure you are aware of what the assignments are and
whether any changes have been made since they were originally posted. I make every effort to keep
the website updated, but information given in class is always most accurate. Get some reliable “Study
Buddies” and keep in contact with them to make sure you do not fall behind if you are ever absent.
Even though the homework may only be to study for an exam or work on a long-term project, there is
homework every night. Expect it and plan for it. Do not leave all your studying to the night before the
exam or wait to work on a project until the night before it is due! Put a complete heading on all work papers without names will not be graded or returned. If you are having any difficulty completing
homework in the time allowed, please contact me immediately so I can help you…that’s why am here!
MIDDLE SCHOOL STANDARD GUIDELINES:
Middle School Expectations Follow directions.
 Be prepared for class. (Bring materials,
class work, homework, etc.)
 Be on time, in your seat and ready to work.
 Use appropriate language. (No teasing,
bullying or putdowns.)
 No food, gum or drinks in class. (Water OK.)
Middle School Consequences1st*: Warning
2nd: Move seat
3rd:
Removed from class
4th:
Removed from class and parent contact
5th:
Referral to office
*Some circumstances may require immediate
referral to the office.
GRADING POLICY:
I don't give grades, you earn them!
Each assignment is given a point value. Larger assignments will have a larger point value and
smaller tasks will be worth fewer points. For example, a writing assignment or project on which we
spend considerable time may be worth 100 points while a homework assignment or quiz could be
worth only 15 points. Grades and points are based not only on completion of work but also on the
quality, neatness, presentation, timeliness of that work as well as whether or not it has been
corrected and improved before being turned in for a final grade.
Except in the instance of an excused absence by re-admit, late work earns half credit. If there is
an excused absence, it is YOUR responsibility to obtain the missed work and complete it in a
timely manner. The amount of time allowed to make up work is equal to the time you were away
from class for an excused reason. If you were absent for an unexcused reason, you must contact
someone, get the work, and turn it in the day you return to class. Make sure you have at least two
reliable "study buddies" who will give you accurate and complete information. In the case of
truancy, no makeup work will be accepted and you will earn a zero (0) grade for all assignments
that were assigned or were due on days that you were truant. This includes missed exams or
project deadlines. Late work will be accepted until one week before the end of the grading period.
Please make sure that you read, understand, and follow all directions on all assignments so that
you earn the maximum number of points. Always put a complete, properly formatted heading on
all papers. ***Work without a name will not be graded or returned. No name = no credit!***
All points are important, so strive to do your best on everything. Progress reports and semester
grades are determined by adding the total number of points you have earned and dividing by the
number of points possible in the class to date. The grading scale is as follows:
100-93%
92-90%
89-87%
86-83%
=
=
=
=
A
AB+
B
82-80%
79-77%
76-73%
72-70%
=
=
=
=
BC+
C
C-
69-67%
66-63%
62-60%
59-0%
=
=
=
=
D+
D
DFail
EXTRA CREDIT GRADING POLICY: Extra credit opportunities are rare. Take advantage of every
one. In this class, extra credit is just that – EXTRA. Extra credit is ON TOP OF, not instead of, regular
work. It is not “alternative” credit. Extra credit exists to help you raise your grade IF you have already
done everything else first. You can (and should) do extra credit assignments when available.
However, extra credit points will not be entered into Illuminate or calculated into your grade until the
END of the semester. Extra credit will be entered and calculated on the last day of the semester if (and
only if) you have NO ZEROES at that time. If you have any zeroes (even one assignment) – you will
not earn any extra credit points. You should check Illuminate regularly to make sure you have no zero
grades. Late extra credit work will not be accepted.
HONESTY POLICY:
At MHS you are expected to do your own work. Violations of the honesty policy include, but are not
limited to cheating on exams in any way. In addition, you may not copy or borrow work from other
students. You may not lend or give your completed work to anyone. You may not copy or paraphrase
work from a textbook, the internet, or any other source, and submit it as your own. Any violation of
this policy will result in a zero (0) grade on the assignment for all involved, regardless of whether you
used someone else’s work or someone else used your work. If you earn a zero grade because you
violated this policy, the work cannot be made up. This makes you ineligible for extra credit!
Administrators will also be notified. The overall school policy is provided, in detail, in your Malibu High
School student planner/agenda book. THIS POLICY IS STRICTLY ENFORCED!!!
COURSE OUTLINE: 2010 – 2011
AMERICA BEFORE THE REVOLUTION (Standard 8.1)
8/30 – 9/8
CAUSES AND IMPACTS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION (Standard 8.1)
9/9 – 9/30
THE CONSTITUTION (Standards 8.2 and 8.3)
CONSTITUTION EXAM
10/3 – 11/15
11/15
THE NEW REPUBLIC (standards 8.3, 8.4, and 8.5)
11/16 – 12/6
THE AGE OF JACKSON
12/7 – 12/20
(WINTER BREAK)
12/21 – 1/3
MANIFEST DESTINY (Standards 8.4, 8.5, and 8.8)
1/4 – 1/17
FIRST SEMESTER EXAMS
1/18 – 1/20
END OF FIRST SEMESTER
1/20
BEGINNING OF SECOND SEMESTER
1/24
THE ERA OF REFORM (Standards 8.6, 8.9, and 8.10)
1/24 – 2/16
THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION – PART I AND THE WORLDS OF
THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH (Standards 8.6, 8.7, 8.9, and 8.10)
2/17 – 3/9
THE CAUSES & EVENTS OF THE CIVIL WAR (Standards 8.7, 8.9, 8.10)
3/12 – 3/30
(SPRING BREAK)
3/31 – 4/15
RECONSTRUCTION (Standard 8.11)
4/16 – 5/11
(STATE TESTING WINDOW)
THE NEW WEST (Standards 8.11 and 8.12)
(OPEN HOUSE)
4/30 – 5/11
5/14 – 5/24
5/24
THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION – PART II AND
THE AGE OF IMMIGRATION (Standard 8.12)
5/25 – 6/1
THE PROGRESSIVES (Standard 8.12)
6/4 – 6/11
(2ND SEMESTER FINALS)
8TH GRADE PROMOTION / LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
6/12 – 6/14
6/15
PLEASE NOTE: DATES FOR THE BEGINNING AND ENDING OF EACH UNIT ARE APPROXIMATE.
STUDENT SIGNATURE
I have carefully read and discussed this syllabus with my parent/guardian.
I am aware of the class requirements and expectations.
I am also aware that I must pass the Constitution exam in order to participate in
8th Grade Promotion at the end of the year.
Student name {Please print}
Student signature
PARENT/GUARDIAN SIGNATURE
I have carefully read and discussed this syllabus with child.
I am aware of the class requirements and expectations.
I am also aware that my child must pass the Constitution exam in order to
participate in 8th Grade Promotion at the end of the year.
Parent/Guardian name(s) {Please print}
Parent/Guardian signature(s)
PARENT/GUARDIAN INFORMATION
*To be completed by mother or female guardian:
What is the best way to reach you? (Please circle one)
EMAIL
PHONE
OTHER
Name: Mrs. / Ms.
Email Address:
Work/daytime Phone:
Home/evening Phone:
OTHER:
*To be completed by father or male guardian:
What is the best way to reach you? (Please circle one)
EMAIL
PHONE
Name: Mr.
Email Address:
Work/daytime Phone:
OTHER:
Home/evening Phone:
OTHER
To be completed by either parent (or both!):
Please tell me about your child. What are his/her interests?
What do you think is important for him/her to learn this year?
How would you like to be involved in your child’s education this year?
Is there anything that I should know about your son/daughter that would allow me to help
him/her be successful in my class?
If you are interested in volunteering in this class (field trip chaperone, etc.), please indicate the
amount and type of assistance you would be willing to give. Please note time constraints as
well. Thank you for your willingness to help!