Civics and Economics Course Syllabus
Civics and Economics Course Syllabus
Ms. Melissa Boyd
Room 211
Civics and Economics is taught as both an on-level class and an honors class. Both environments are based on the same curriculum, but may include differing methodologies, projects, assignments, and/or tests of attainment.
Evaluations: A typical class will have approximately 16 unit tests including vocabulary, matching, fill in the blank and short answer. Other tests, quizzes, or projects may be utilized depending on student needs as determined by the instructor.
Grading: The grading of assignments will be based on Beaufort County School “End of Term” grading policy as follows:
90-100 = A
80-89 = B
70-79 = C
60-69 = D
59 and below = Failure
Final Grades will be based on the same structure (shown above) as prescribed by Beaufort County Schools.
Students should monitor and maintain sufficient grade levels throughout the semester to avoid last minute attempts at correction which rarely make sufficient difference within the grade structure to salvage a passing grade. Progress reports will be sent home with students for parent review and signature on completion of the 3rd, 6th, 12th, and 15th weeks of the semester.
Supply List:
2 - 1 ½ ” loose-leaf binder
Pencils and pens as needed
1 – yellow, pink, green, or blue highlighters
Earbuds or headphones will be used often in class.
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Civics Today textbook will be provided to you in class for work use. Homework will ONLY be assigned if you do not finish the assignments given to you in class, or if there is a project due that requires work to be done outside of class.
It is the student’s responsibility to come to school prepared.If a student is having difficulty obtaining these items please come to me in advance for assistance. DO NOT wait until they are needed in class to say that you do not have them!
Curriculum Structure: Again the curriculum will be the same in both the honors and on-level environments and will follow generally the outline on the following page. Weather and other delays may cause changes to the schedule to be necessary, so this is only a tentative outline.
Civics and Economics Course Outline
Date Topic
Week 1 Civics and Economics Pre-test
Unit 1: What is Civics?, Citizenship, Duties and Responsibilities, Rights of a Citizen
Unit 1 Test: On the above mentioned Week 1 information. Study guide will be handed out two days prior to test.
3 Journal Assignments: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Definitions, worksheets, and book work will be assigned per unit.
Week 2 Unit 2: Who are Americans, Beginnings of America, Colonies in America, Colonial Life
Unit 2 Test: On the above mentioned Week 2 information. Study guide will be handed out two days prior to test.
3 Journal Assignments: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Definitions, worksheets, and book work will be assigned per unit.
Week 3 Unit 3: Stirrings of Rebellion, Beginnings of Rebellion, Independence Declared
3 Daily Journal Assignments
Week 4 Unit 3: (cont.): Revolutionary War
Unit 3: Test: On the above mentioned Week 3-4 information. Study guide will be handed out two days prior to test.
3 Journal Assignments: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Definitions, worksheets, and book work will be assigned per unit.
Week 4(2) Unit 4: Articles of Confederation, Constitutional Convention, United States Constitution, Constitutional Principles
Unit 4: Test: On the above mentioned Week 4(2) information. Study guide will be handed out two days prior to test.
3 Journal Assignments: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Definitions, worksheets, and book work will be assigned per unit.
Week 5 Unit 5: A Flexible Constitution, Bill of Rights, Constitutional Amendments, Constitution Debate,
Unit 5 Test On the above mentioned Week 5 information. Study guide will be handed out two days prior to test.
3 Journal Assignments: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Definitions, worksheets, and book work will be assigned per unit.
Constitutional Amendments Quiz
Week 6 Unit 6: United States Congress, Powers of Congress, How Congress Works, How a Bill Becomes a Law,
Unit 6 Test On the above mentioned Week 6 information. Study guide will be handed out two days prior to test.
3 Journal Assignments: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Definitions, worksheets, and book work will be assigned per unit.
Week 7 Unit 7: President and Vice President, Roles of the President, Executive Offices, Executive Departments, Executive Departments (2),
Unit 7 Test: On the above mentioned Week 7 information. Study guide will be handed out two days prior to test.
3 Journal Assignments: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Definitions, worksheets, and book work will be assigned per unit.
Week 8 – Week 9 Unit 8: Independent Agencies, Federal Bureaucracy, Federal Court System, Lower Federal Court, U.S. Supreme Court, Supreme Court Cases 1 & 2
Unit 8 Test – On the above mentioned Week 8 – Week 9 information. This is a big test!
3 Daily Journal Assignments
Week 10 Unit 9: Political Parties, Political Parties in the U.S., Political Party Organization, Today’s Political Parties
Unit 9 Test – On the above mentioned Week 10 information. Study guide will be handed out two days prior to test.
3 Journal Assignments: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Definitions, worksheets, and book work will be assigned per unit.
Week 11Unit 10: Interest Groups, The Right to Vote, Election Campaigns, Election Day
Unit 10 Test – On the above mentioned Week 11 information. Study guide will be handed out two days prior to test.
3 Journal Assignments: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Definitions, worksheets, and book work will be assigned per unit.
Week 12 Unit 11: NC State Government, Local Governments, Community Concerns
Unit 11 Test – On the above mentioned Week 12 information. Study guide will be handed out two days prior to test.
3 Journal Assignments: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Definitions, worksheets, and book work will be assigned per unit.
Week 12 – Week 13Unit 12: Sources and Types of Law, Legal Rights in the United States, Civil and Criminal Cases, Criminal and Juvenile Court,
Unit 12 Test – On the above mentioned Week 12 – Week 13 information.Study guide will be handed out two days prior to test.
3 Journal Assignments: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Definitions, worksheets, and book work will be assigned per unit.
Week 14 Unit 13: Flow of Economic Activity, Basic Economics, Factors of Demand, Factors of Supply, Economic Terms, Economic Systems
Unit 13 Test - On the above mentioned Week 14 information. Study guide will be handed out two days prior to test.
3 Journal Assignments: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Definitions, worksheets, and book work will be assigned per unit.
Week 15 Unit 14: Types of Business, Economic Performance, Government and the Economy, Business and Labor Interests
Unit 14 Test – On the above mentioned Week 15 information. Study guide will be handed out two days prior to test.
3 Journal Assignments: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Definitions, worksheets, and book work will be assigned per unit.
Week 16 Unit 15: Government Revenue, Government Budgets, Personal Finance, Protecting Your Finances
Unit 15 Test – On the above mentioned Week 16 information. Study guide will be handed out two days prior to test.
3 Journal Assignments: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Definitions, worksheets, and book work will be assigned per unit.
Week 17 Unit 16: U.S. and the World (Catch-up time if necessary)
Unit 16 Test – On the above mentioned Week 17 information and in class discussions and activities.
3 Daily Journal Assignments
Week 18 Review and Final Exam
Projects: (Depending on Time Availability)
United States Constitution Rights in-class debate
Patriots VS. Loyalists in-class team debate
Supreme Court Cases team presentation
Political Parties team project
Economics & Finance classroom project
You will have no nightly homework other than to study and review the information that was covered from the work done in class. Aside from classwork, you may also need to complete projects outside of class time. We work hard in class from bell to bell and will have little to no downtime in class. I normally allow a small amount of time to study in class for tests, but do not wait until the last minute to study for a test or quiz; there is no guarantee you will receive time in class to study for a test or quiz you have advance notice of, so don’t wait until the last minute.
Instruction Methodology: Most instruction will be based on a written note structure that will be provided by the teacher when the class begins. Students will be expected to maintain these notes throughout the duration of the class. Notebook checks occur weekly as part of your grade, so don’t slack-off on the notes. Care should be taken to keep these notes in order. Students will be expected to also complete a short journal entry three times a week. Typically this will be on Monday, Wednesday and Friday after the testing is finished. Changes in the week’s schedule will affect this and the students will be notified so they are prepared. A topic will be posted on the board each of these days for you to write about in your journal. The journals are expected to be no less than 10 substantive sentences long. More will be accepted but is not required as long as you have fully completed the writing assignment. These, along with your other assignments will need to be turned in by the end of the week (typically Friday before class is over). Standard guidelines apply for all journal entries: Handwritten, at least 10 well-formed sentences, in your notebook, in your own words. Plagiarism is NEVER allowed. Do your own work, don’t try to take credit for someone else’s. I do check!
We use both “box notes” and a textbook reference in class, so be prepared to work. The box notes will be given to you at the beginning of the first class (provided you have the required notebook available to keep them in as described in the above supplies list). If you need to take a textbook home with you, you will need to sign it out and return it in a when you are finished with it or at least by the end of the semester at the latest. Failure to do so will result in your name being put onto the school debt list until the book is returned or the fee for having not returned the book is paid. Unpaid fees can result in your not being allowed to attend school functions such as prom and possibly graduation.
Should you miss a day or more and are unable to complete the notes at the original time, please ask a classmate if you can borrow their notes to catch-up. If all else fails, I will allow you to stay after school to get any missing work from me that you need. Please see me to get any missing class work for the days that you are out. It is not my responsibility to stay after you to see that you complete your work. It is your grade that is affected by not completing your classroom tasks, so it is your responsibility to see they are done. Any assignments that are not completed will receive a zero, unless you have already spoken to me about making time-appropriate arrangements to make up the task. If your absence is UNEXCUSED and not changed at a later time because you have brought in a medical note to Mrs. Mason, work done on those days receive an automatic zero and cannot be made up.
I also employee discussion during my class. Students will be encouraged and expected to participate in classroom discussions in a civilized and orderly manner. I welcome the chance to share thoughts and opinions freely in class within reason. Students will never be allowed to attack or belittle others because of their points of view. At no time will I tolerate intentional bigotry, racism or vulgarity. Violations of these rules will result in disciplinary actions needing to be taken. Healthy debate can be a wonderful and mind-opening thing, but it needs to remain civil.
Films and Videos: From time to time films, clips, or videos may be shown in the classroom to make or internalize historical points or concepts. Some may be rated G while others may be rated PG or PG-13. Beaufort County Schools Policy requires that to watch a PG-13 rated movie, video, or clip parental approval is required. Please sign the attached letter to reflect that your parent or guardian approves of you, the student watching class videos. Students that fail to return this approval will be allowed to leave the class while PG-13 clips or videos are shown. NO Rated-R movie will EVER be shown in its entirety, however a topic appropriate/rating approved clip may be used in class.
Classroom Rules/Behavior: All Beaufort County Schools and Northside High School rules apply in my classroom. In addition the following class rules will be enforced:
1) Be prepared (Students are expected to have required books and materials daily).
2) Be in your assigned seats when the bell rings (not before it finishes). You will be counted tardy otherwise.
3) Show respect (to other students, teachers, and the environment within the class).
4) No eating in class (this includes chewing gum). Only a clear, re-sealable bottle with water is acceptable.
6) No cell phone usage will be permitted in class unless given authorization by the teacher.
7) No sleeping in class. Class time is not naptime.
8) Keep your hands and feet to yourself.
Cell phones are NOT allowed in NHS classes. Once you are in my class, cell phones will need to be OFF (NOT on vibrate or ring) and in the bin provided for you at the front of the room. If we have time at the end of class, I will give you the opportunity to use it then; but only after I’ve ended instruction and work is finished – not until. If you are found in violation of this rule, you will be given an opportunity to turn the phone off and place it into the bin until the end of the school day not just the end of my class. Repeated failure to follow this rule will result in disciplinary action taken.
Class is over when the bell rings and not before. Please do not begin packing up minutes before the bell ESPECIALLY if I’ve not excused you. Doing this could mean that you miss valuable and important instruction for the next day because you are too focused on rushing out the door. I will not keep you longer than necessary, so please give me your attention 100% of the time you are in my class from start to finish.
You will be assigned the use of a Chromebook while in class. This computer is for your learning benefit while in class, not to play games on or watch non-class related videos with. DO NOT abuse them. When you are finished with them, you will need to place it back into its properly marked spot for housing and reattached to its charger before you leave. Failure to treat school property appropriately can result in your loss of use of the item for a period of time or the remainder of the semester. Destruction of property can lead to you being held financially liable for its replacement.
Make-Up Work: It is the responsibility of students to come to class with all previously assigned assignments completed. That having been said, I understand that from time to time emergencies do happen. For that reason students returning after an excused absence that has been reported to the attendance administrator (Ms. Mason, at the office window) may make up missed work or tests provided they complete the make-up work or schedule the make-up test within a week, (7 school days) of their return to school as per Beaufort County Schools Attendance Policy. Students may only make up two absences through ASD per class period.
Any questions, please feel free to ask me.
Ms. Boyd