Kristen Tollefsen
D-206 (p. 2); D-207 (p. 3, 4, 5, 6); Planning: p. 1
C-Flex Office
tollefsenk@edmonds.wednet.edu; 425.431.4164
Welcome to U.S. History!
2015-2016
TEXT: United States History by Prentice Hall. Textbooks will not be checked out to all students due to an
existing online version of the text. Books can however be checked out at the beginning of the semester
by any student wishing to do so. This class will also utilize a number of online readings, handouts, and
primary sources. These should all be kept in a notebook or folder until the end of the semester.
REQUIRED SUPPLIES: All students must bring the following materials ON A DAILY BASIS: a composition
notebook specifically for USH; writing utensils; and a planner (could be an app on your phone, but needs
to be official).
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This class is designed to be a survey of U.S History, with a focus on the events
that shaped the great country that we live in. There will be an emphasis on cultural encounters,
technological advancements, growth of new social and political ideas, as well as the role of economics in
shaping our country. Throughout this course, we will work together to obtain a better understanding of
historical events and how they have shaped our world, then and now. Our class will study eight specific
places and eras. Within each unit there will be an emphasis on analyzing the SPICE (Social, Political,
Interactions, Cultural, and Economic) components of each in order to more easily compare them across
space and time. Most units will include a mixture of lecture, simulations, primary source work, projects
(group and individual), and an end of unit writing assignment.
Grading Policy
Tests/Quizzes: 30%
Projects/Long-Term Assignments: 30%
Homework: 25%
Classwork/Participation: 20%
Grade percentages will convert to the following letter grades:
A
B+
C+
D*
100% - 93%,
89.99% - 87%
79.99-77
69.99% - 60%
A92.99 - 90
B
86.99-83
C
76.99-73
F* 59.99 and below
B82.99-80
C72.99-70
*AT contract
Expectations
--DO be creative, work hard, and do your best work all the time.
--DO be on time. Tardy means you are not in your seat with the bell rings.
--DO turn in work on time (see late work policy below).
--DO use the Google classroom (I keep it up-to-date with assignments). Information will be given in class.
I will also maintain a classroom website throughout the year.
Kristen Tollefsen
D-206 (p. 2); D-207 (p. 3, 4, 5, 6); Planning: p. 1
C-Flex Office
tollefsenk@edmonds.wednet.edu; 425.431.4164
--DO keep track of all your papers. I will NOT give out ANY paper twice; you must go to my website to
print it out again if you lose it.
--DO stay for AT to get caught up, if you have a question, or need further explanation. Please note: I’ll
keep you in AT if you missing enough assignments to impede your progress in my class, regardless of
your numerical grade in my class.
--DO what you need to do to get caught up if you are absent. You have FIVE days to make up a test or
quiz after an excused absence before it is recorded in the gradebook as a zero. Assignments done in
class will be posted online. It is YOUR responsibility to talk to me in order to find out what you missed
and when it needs to be turned in. I WILL NOT TRACK YOU DOWN.
--DO be present in classroom activities by only using your phones during designated times. Using your
phone during undesignated times will result in your phone being sent to the office for retrieval. There
will be times available to use your phone or laptop during class, but this is a privilege that must be
earned. Further, you may not use recording devices in the classroom without the expressed consent of
the teacher, and you may not post online or otherwise publish recordings and/or photographs without
my expressed consent. Finally, I am not responsible for your electronic device. If your device is lost or
damaged, that is your responsibility.
Behavior
Please know that I love teaching and working with students. In my classes, it is my utmost hope that
every day both my students and myself are learning, are challenged, and are having fun. While I know
there will be good days and bad days, I want all of us to want to be able to learn and grow together. To
this end, I believe in doing everything I can to ensure that we are all treating each other with respect.
Mutual respect between everyone involved will allow us to laugh, learn, and get to know each other
better. If for some reason an individual or group is not able to meet these expectations, I will do
everything I can to correct the situation. Here are some actions I have taken in the past and will continue
to use that have helped my classroom to continue to run effectively:
-a non-verbal reminder (a look, a head nod, etc.)
-a private conversation with all students involved (either in the classroom or in the hall)
-a phone call and/or email home
- loss of AT time
-a conversation with the counseling department or administrator
-a written referral to administrator
-formal meetings with parents, counseling and/or administrator
Plagiarism and Cheating
Because we greatly prize academic honesty, Meadowdale High School regards plagiarism as a serious
offense. To be clear, plagiarism means to take or use someone else’s ideas as your own. Some of the
ways that plagiarism occurs is by turning in someone else’s work as your own, copying words or ideas
from someone else, failing to use quotation marks when quoting, giving incorrect information about a
source, changing some words around from someone else’s original sentence, and cutting and pasting
from the internet. All students at MDHS will receive a uniform message on this topic in their English
classes. If, after these warnings, should a student choose to plagiarize, the student will receive a ZERO
Kristen Tollefsen
D-206 (p. 2); D-207 (p. 3, 4, 5, 6); Planning: p. 1
C-Flex Office
tollefsenk@edmonds.wednet.edu; 425.431.4164
on the assignment and a written referral to an administrator. Should the student then plagiarize again
(even in another class), the student will not receive credit for the class for that semester (see
Meadowdale Student Handbook, located online).
Late Work
As much as is possible, I assign homework to allow students to practice skills learned in class. Know that
if I assigned the work to you, I want you to do it! Therefore, late work will be accepted at 50% credit
after the time it is due and/or collected. Pay attention to due date times in our Google classroom and on
turnitin.com so you do not turn in assignments late.
--Late essays and projects will not be accepted without prior arrangements (BEFORE THE DUE DATE). If
you are sick/absent on the day that an assignment is due it is your responsibility to find a way to get it to
me (email, friend, parent, etc…).
--No credit will be given for tests or assignments with UNEXCUSED absences. Please do not skip my class,
have your parents write a note, and then expect to receive credit for assignments. I will give you lots of
notice for long-term assignments, and will have little patience for unexcused absences resulting in late
work.
Again, I’m looking forward to working with you and your parents this year. It is my belief that all
students can achieve success when shown the tools appropriate to them as individuals. You can also aid
this process by keeping up with what your student is doing each and every day in class. I will keep
Skyward as updated as possible throughout the semester. This can serve as a great tool in tracking your
student’s progress and attendance in this class. If there are ever any questions, please do not hesitate to
call or email me. Please contact me if you have any questions.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PARENTS: Once you have found my website, in the documents section you’ll find my syllabus. Please
read it and then click the link on the homepage in order to fill out the Google form which will create
an online record for me.
STUDENTS: Once you have joined my Google classroom, read the syllabus and understand the goals
and expectations of my class, please complete the assignment (it’s a Google form) which will create an
online record for me.