Thomas Jefferson High School

Federal Way Public Schools Course Syllabus2017-18

Class: IB Social and Cultural AnthropologyPeriod: 2 or 3

Teacher Name/Room Number: Mrs Robin Hall

Communication:Phone-253-945-5728

Course Summary/Goals:

Social and Cultural Anthropology is the comparative study of culture and human societies. In this course students will have an opportunity to observe and analyze a variety of cultures both through fascinating literature as well as live observation. Anthropology’s unique use of scientific process to study culture allows students to discuss issues of social change, family, money and systems of exchange, beliefs, ethnicity, power structure and globalization. At the end of the course all students will be prepared to take the International Baccalaureate standard level Social and Cultural Anthropology exam.

Instructional Materials/Textbooks Used: (Adjust based on individual class needs)

  • Your student needs pens and pencils, binder paper, and either a binder or folders to organize their work.
  • Your student does need a spiral notebook.
  • We do not use a textbook in Anthropology. I have created a reader which students can purchase for under 10 dollars. Students pay at the finance window and then bring me the receipt. We have copies to borrow and student do not need to purchase a reader. Other materials to be used:
  • Learning Capitalist Culture Second Edition Douglas Foley (ethnography)
  • The Spirit Catchers You and You Fall Down 1997 Anne Fadiman (ethnography)
  • The Trobrianders 1988 Annette Weiner (ethnography)
  • Video: The Split Horn (NR), The Gods Must Be Crazy (PG), Chicano! (NR)
  • Students have been issued a school planner. Please remind them to write their assignments in it daily and check it often. This book also has their bathroom passes and a copy of the student handbook for your reference.
  • Students must carry their ID card on campus at all time.
  • Students are recommended to carry a small amount of change, as printing in the school library costs ten cents.
  • Computers are available for student use. They must have their parent or guardian sign a technology permission form. Please do this as soon as possible. All student use on the computers is monitored.

Classroom Expectations:

Students at Thomas Jefferson High School will take pride in their efforts and will put these guidelines into action each day.

Expectations / KIND / RESPONSIBLE / SAFE
Arrival / If tardy, please enter quietly without interrupting. / Please be in class on time. / Please be in your seat when class begins with your bags tucked under your desk.
Individual Seatwork / Talking is kept to a minimum or not at all so everyone can concentrate. / Use your class time, limiting distractions from classmates or technology. / Minimize movements around the room.
Group Work / Share the responsibility and help each other succeed. / Keep yourself and others on task and focused. / Conversations and vocabulary should be appropriate to school so that everyone can feel included and comfortable.
Teacher Instruction / Refrain from speaking during instruction. / Listen carefully for directions. / Minimize movements around the room.
When You Finish Work / Allow others around you to finish by limiting distracting behavior and using free time to catch up on other work or read. / Double check that your full name and period is on your paper and that you turn your work into the basket on time. / Minimize movements around the room.

Please reference Classroom Procedures handout for more specific classroom expectations.

The International Baccalaureate:

Diploma Program (DP)

This is an IB Diploma Program class. We are confident that you are capable of handling the academic rigor of this class providing that you work hard and regularly attend class. IB DP classes are internationally moderated so there are specific requirements regarding the curriculum that must meet the international standard. Colleges are going to understand the skills that you take with you because of this set of standards and curriculum. You may earn college credit with successful IB testing scores. The FWPS pays the cost for all IB tests. If you have difficulties in the class, please ask for help from the classroom teacher and/or Ms. Carol Lee, IB DP coordinator as soon as possible so that we can help you accomplish what you are capable of. All students in any DP classes must sign an honor code that states that students will not have any incidences of academic malpractice. If your IB DP class is a testing level class, it is expected that all students in the class will sit for the exams and will try their best to succeed.

Anthropology in the IB

Social and Cultural Anthropology is one of the original subjects taught by the IB and currently has only 2,000 students world wide studying the subject!

The IB divides the course into three parts:

Part 1: What is Anthropology?

Vocabulary, core ideas and themes

The construction and use of ethnographies

Method and data collection

Part 2: Social and cultural organization

The eight themes – learned through reading ethnography

1. Individuals, groups and societies

2. Societies and cultures in contact

3. Kinship as an organizing principle

4. Political organization

5. Economic organization and the environment

6. Systems of knowledge

7. Belief systems and practices

8. Moral systems

Part 3: Observation and critique exercise

The Internal Assessment

Assessments:

YOUR INTERNATIONAL BACCALOREATE GRADE

IB grades the students on four objectives-

  1. Knowledge and understanding (25%)
  2. Application and interpretation (40%)
  3. Synthesis and evaluation (25%)
  4. Selection and use of a variety of skills appropriate to social and cultural anthropology (10%)

Your score on the four objectives will come from a combination of:

  1. The external assessment –

•IB Standard Level S and C Anthropology exam in May

•Paper one – read an unseen ethnographic selection and answer three short essays. One hour, 20 marks total, 30% of your final IB grade.

•Paper two – Ten essay questions in which the student choose and answer 2. Variety of questions based on the 8 themes, students must provide evidence from three ethnographies in their answers. 44 marks total, 50% of your total IB grade.

2. The internal assessment—

•Report of field work done by the student, internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB.

•Two parts – one hour observation in the first month followed up by a written report, and then a critique in March.

•20% of your total grade.

YOUR THOMAS JEFFERSON GRADE

All students are expected to sign the Thomas Jefferson IB Honor Code

Your assignments will be:

Anthropology journal – checking every few weeks for completion

Classroom assignments

Graded discussion

Quizzes

Internal Assessment

Homework Procedures/Expectations:

  • Students will be provided a schedule for reading. They must keep up with the schedule to succeed in class. A pacing guide is provided to help them plan.

Grading Procedures:

The Federal Way Grading System:

  • Each course has a set of learning standards (priority standards). These can be accessed on the FWPS website (
  • Individual assignments are linked to one or more priority standards, and the score for that assignment will be averaged with all other assignment scores in that priority standard, resulting in an overall score for that standard.
  • The class grade is the result of the average of all priority standard scores.
  • Please check your child’s grade frequently using the district app or ParentVue.
  • You may need to contact the counseling office to get the password for your student ()

Thomas Jefferson High School Grading System

1-4 BAME Scale

In the grade book, students will be graded on a 1-4. 1 = Below Standard, 2=Approaching Standard, 3 = Meeting Standard and 4 = Exceeding Standard. As there is no “0” score available, a “1” will also be given to students who do not turn in an assignment. Class grade barriers are as follows: A = 4.0-3.5, B = 3.5-3.0, C= 3.0-2.3, F= below 2.3

Teaches will make an effort to note in the grade book if an assignment is missing to help parents and students keep track of what is missing.

Due dates and meeting due dates are an important part of student learning. The teacher will provide students with due dates well in advance of work to be submitted.

There are situations beyond a student’s control that prevent them from meeting the deadlines provided. Students will be provided with two late passes to use during the semester. These do not need to be used for excused absences. Students who have an excused absence are expected to make up missing work in a timely fashion and are responsible for connecting with the instructor to see what was missed.

Reassessment Policy:TJHS students will have multiple opportunities to achieve mastery of a Priority Standard. This includes re-taking portions of tests (Policy 2420P), recognizing that students learn at different rates and times.

  • Students are guaranteed at least two attempts for each priority standard. In some courses, multiple attempts are offered in class. In other courses, the second attempt takes the form of a retake.In this course, the multiple opportunities format is utilized.

Reassessments fall into two categories: Multiple Opportunities or Retakes.

Multiple Opportunities: Teachers will communicate when a particular standard will be assessed again as part of the curriculum. These “multiple opportunities”, as defined by the teacher, are offered to all students as part of the designed curriculum. Students need to show no extra readiness to participate.

Retake Policy:

  • Retakes will be worth the same score as the original assessment or assignment. Any assignment given for practice or completion will not be used to determine a student’s grade, but can be entered into the grade book for communication.
  • Specifics for this class: Some assessments will be available for retakes, but a majority of assessments fall into the multiple opportunities category as explained above.

Formula for Success:

  1. Arrive on time and prepared for class
  2. Utilize the goals of the IB Learner Profile - Approach your classes with a growth mindset. The learning is the most important element. Take pride in your own work, acknowledge when you have fallen short of your capabilities, and learn from your errors.
  3. Students take responsibility for their learning by:
  • Bring Planner to class daily
  • Complete daily work on time
  • Check in on ManageBac regularly
  • Communicate with teacher and parents about class information and needs
  • Check grades regularly on StudentVue (Grades will be updated at least every 3 weeks)

Attendance and Tardies:

Showing up for school has a huge impact on a student’s academic success. We realize some absences are unavoidable due to health problems or other circumstances. When students miss too much school— regardless of the reason – it can cause them to fall behind academically.

Attendance is key to student success. Your child is less likely to succeed if he/she is chronically absent or late (excused or unexcused). Chronic absence is defined as more than 8 absences a year. Please ensure that your child attends school every day and arrives on time. Students are expected to be in class when the bell rings. After an absence, students must follow up with the teacher about missed work. The daily standards, expectations and Do-Now review are shared at the beginning of the period. Students arriving late to class may miss out on the tools they need to be successful in class.

How to get help:

The Library at TJ will be open after school Mondays through Thursdays from 2:15 to 4:00 for students to work on homework or projects. Tutors and staff are available during this time. An activity bus is available to take students home at 4:00 on these afternoons.

Academic Integrity:

At TJ, academic integrity is a guiding principle in all classes. Students must be diligent in protecting their academic reputation and avoiding all forms of plagiarism, academic misconduct, collusion, and cheating.

Discipline:

District policies apply. Each student is accountable for his/her own actions. To be successful, each student must treat others in a respectful manner. When a student does not uphold the rules, there will be a fair and clear process to resolve the situation. The student, teacher, administrator and parent will work together to resolve situations and assign consequences as needed.

Details on policy can be found in the student planner and the Rights and Responsibilities handbook.

12th grade discipline is handled by Athletic Director Mike Grady and Vice-Principal Chris Storm. 11th grade discipline is handled by Dean of Students Keith Wright and Vice Principal Laurie Bender.

Revised August, 2017

TJHS Family/Staff

Academic Plan 2017-2018

Signature & Communication Form

Class:Period: ______

Teacher:

Please return this page with the following information to the teacher listed above:

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COMMUNICATION:

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INTERNET ACCESS

Does your student have daily and reliable Internet access for schoolwork purposes (checking assignments, doing research, accessing online textbooks)? Please circle one.

YES / LIMITED / NO

We have read and understand this invitation to learn as described in the attached Academic Plan. Our signatures show that we are setting a course for success in this class.

Student Name (please print) ______Date ______

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Please keep the Course Syllabus for future reference and return this page to the teacher.