Eighth Grade TAG Georgia History

Eighth Grade TAG Georgia History

Course Syllabus

Kristin Evans

Textbook: Georgia and the American Experience, Clairmont Press, 2006. Replacement Cost: $50.00

Course description: Students trace the history of Georgia in the context of the development of the entire United States. A chronological focus includes the foundations of Georgia in the 18th Century through the state’s development in the 20th Century. Students also examine the characteristics of state government, public issues, and citizen rights and responsibilities. In addition, they explore contemporary and historical comparisons of state and national political institutions.

The TAG curriculum is designed specifically to meet the needs of the gifted learner. Activities will differ from the traditional Georgia history curriculum in scope, depth, and pace. There will be increased opportunities for higher level thinking skills which include analysis, interpretation, and evaluation.

Contact Information: E-mail is the best way to reach me. My school e-mail address is:

Course Outline:

Unit One Our Special State

Unit TwoFrom Exploration Through Independence

Unit ThreeTesting a Nation

Unit FourA New Spirit

Unit FiveGeorgia in the Modern World

Unit SixMaking It All Work

Grading Policy

Fulton County Grading Scale: Students will be assessed according to the following:

A90-100Tests30%

B80-89Projects30%

C70-79Quizzes20%

F69 and BelowHomework 10%

Classwork10%

TAG Probation: TAG students who fall below an 80% in a TAG class may be put on probation. The grade must improve to an 80% or the student will be dropped from that TAG class. This does not mean that the student is removed from the TAG program, however.

Special Projects: Projects will be assigned throughout the year. They count for 30% of the final grade.

Homework: Homework will be assigned on an occasional basis and will be taken on the due date but may be accepted one day late for a deduction of eleven points. Additionally, zeros must be cleared up prior to the end of the grading period as stated in the school’s No Zero Policy.

Extra Credit: Will be offered at the discretion of the teacher. Students requesting extra credit must have all assignments completed to-date at the time of the request.

Help Sessions: Available in the mornings by appointment.

Provisions for Improving Grade: Recovery is an opportunity for students to recover from a failing grade or low (73 or below) cumulative grade in a particular subject. This is allowed for students who have completed all required work and have demonstrated effort and attended school, but have failed to achieve success. A student may request recovery work only once per course during each semester. Students should contact the teacher for recovery opportunities, and the teacher will establish a reasonable time period for the work to be completed. All recovery work must be completed prior to the last ten days of each semester. TAG students must maintain above an 80 to remain in the program.

Absence/Make Up Policy: FCBOE Policy – Upon returning to school following an absence, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the teachers to request make-up work. At TRMS, the student will be given the same amount of time to make up the work as the student was absent unless other arrangements are mutually agreed upon. The student will receive the actual grade on the make-up work if the absence was excused. Make-up work for unexcused absences may be reduced by ten points.

Honor Code:

One important aspect of a student’s education process is to learn honesty in all endeavors. This includes academic honesty. Academic dishonesty is defined as the giving or receiving of information among students when they are expected to be working individually, plagiarism (to take and use as one’s own the writings of someone else) and other related acts. At the beginning of the year, students will sign an Honor Code. Students who fail to meet the standards of this code will receive a written Honor Code Violation form to be signed by the parent and the student. Repeated violations of the code will result in a referral to an administrator.

The following situations would be examples of academic dishonesty:

Misrepresenting someone else’s work as one’s own

Giving answers to specific questions from a test to others between classes

Plagiarism (to take and use as one’s own the writings or ideas of someone else)

Purposefully looking at someone else’s paper during a test

Copying someone else’s homework

Giving someone else homework/class work to copy

Classroom expectations: I expect every student to demonstrate respect for themselves, each other and our classroom. I expect each student to demonstrate responsibility in academics and behavior.

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