8th Grade Social Studies - Introduction to Government and Citizenship Mrs. Day

Bring the following to class EVERY DAY:

Your textbook, a three ring binder (best option!) or folder, paper, planner and pen/pencil (your choice), and completed assignments

And most importantly- Bring a positive attitude, an open mind, a willingness to learn and respect for others. Everyone has the right to learn without disruptions. Consequences will be assigned to anyone who disrupts instruction and/or the learning of other students.

Tardiness TARDINESS TO CLASS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED because it disrupts learning!

You must be IN your assigned seat when the bell finishes ringing working on the daily bell work. Running to your seat is potentially dangerous and therefore, an automatic detention with consequences.
The first time you are tardy, I will remind you of the policy.

Subsequent (#2, 3…) tardies will automatically earn a DETENTION (with teacher or office)

Passes

Students must have their own planner to receive a pass. (Write your name in ink on the front page)

Students must sign in/out of the room on the clipboard near the door. Passes to the bathroom will be given on a limited basis, do not abuse this. Passes to the Nurse are given as needed, do not abuse this.

No locker passes are given, come prepared to class each day

Grades A = 90 – 100% B = 80 – 89% C = 70 – 79% D = 60 – 69% F = below 60%

Textbook

Each student will be provided with a textbook – Civics Today: Citizenship, Economics, &You.

Students are responsible for bring the textbook to class each day.

Students are responsible for returning the textbook in good condition at the end of the trimester. Failure to do so will result in consequences including fines.

An online version of the texts books is available-

Log on information -

On the internet go to http://www.glencoe.com/ose/

Type in the Access Code F00BA8406F (the 0 is the number zero)

Don’t cheat….It’s easy; only turn in work that is 100% your own!

Cheating (on daily work/tests/research tasks) includes, but is not limited to the following:

Taking answers/information from another student/person/source

Giving answers/information to another student, unless it is defined by the teacher as a Cooperative Learning activity

Plagiarism: copying or imitating the language, ideas and/or thoughts of another person and passing them off

as your own original work Source: Dictionary.com

Consequences for cheating - a score of zero for the task (assignment, activity, test)

Student Responsibilities Be respectful of EVERYONE/EVERYTHING in the class

Being respectful looks like…

Being prepared (bringing all materials) and on time to class

Appropriate participation in all class activities

Keeping our shared space clean

Not eating in class (candy, pop, etc)

No phones, makeup, mirrors, combs, calculators or other distracting items out during class

Not packing up early…dismissal from class is by the teacher, not the bell

Assignments
AIM High, Challenge yourself! Only turn in assignments that represent your BEST work!

All assignments are due on the assigned Due Date at the beginning of class

Since the primary goal of all assignments is to learn – assignments must be complete to be accepted for credit

Incomplete and unexcused late assignments will not be accepted for credit.

(See “If you are absent …” section for excused late work policy)

Completed assignments turned in AFTER the due date will earn points as follows-

Time will be provided in class throughout the trimester to “Catch Up”. Assignments that are completed

and turned in by the end of “Catch Up” that day will earn up to 50% credit. “Catch Up” days will be

announced. (Students who have all of their assignments completed will work on enrichment activities)

NOTE - Students who are absent on “Catch Up” day must turn in completed assignments their

first day back in class – NO additional time will be given to earn 50% credit due to absence

Students will receive one OOPS coupon at the beginning of the trimester. Lost OOPS will not be

replaced. The OOPS may be used to turn in one completed assignment, one day late, for a maximum of

75% credit. The OOPS may not be used on certain assignments/tasks –when this is the case, an announcement will be made in class.

Students who turn in assignments without an “OOPS” or after “Catch Up” will have until approximately two weeks before the end of the trimester turn in assignments which will earn a score of “1”. THE EXACT DATE WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN CLASS AND ON THE WEB PAGE. Completion of all assigned work will be taken into consideration when final trimester grades are assigned.

If you lose an assignment, it is your responsibility to get a new copy.

Copies of assignments may be found on my web page. Go to the school web page www.district279.org/sec/mgjh; choose Teacher Web Pages from the menu, choose Mrs. Day,

and go to the Assignment section. Assignments are attached to the description of each day’s activities.

If you do not have internet access at home, use the MGJH Media Center’s computers (before or after school)

Students who turn in ALL of their assignments completed and ON TIME will have ______bonus points added to their grade at the end of the trimester

If you are absent… (Unexcused absences = a zero for all collected and assigned work; including quizzes/tests)

Check the clipboard and record the agenda/assignments/important news in your planner.

You are responsible for planner information always - especially if you are absent!

Check the assignment folder for the day you were absent. If there were assignments or handouts for the day you were absent; there will be a copy for you in the folder.

Excused absence make up formula – one day extended due date for each day you were absent.

Example: Absent one day = one day extension, absent three days = three days extension

Longer extensions may be given for certain assignments and circumstances.

NOTE: An assignment that is due on the day of your absence must be turned in at the beginning of class on the day that you return to school. If not turned in at that time, it will be considered an unexcused late assignment.

Fieldtrips (IN and OUT of school ex. band or choir combined practices): Students who are absent from class for a fieldtrip, must turn in the all assigned work on the original due date (turn in before school to Mrs. Day or in the class basket in C207). You are responsible for getting any assignment given during your absence for a fieldtrip and completing it on time - the original due date

If you are not in class the day of a test, you need to arrange a time to make it up as soon as possible.

Test RE-DO Policy NOTE: There are no RE-DOs for quizzes or the trimester final test

Students who score a 69% or lower on a test may RE-DO the test.

Test RE-DOs are scheduled for one specific day – this is typically within one week of the original test.

Students must attend either the a.m. (7:15) or p.m. (2:50) test REDO session on the scheduled date and be on time. The date is announced in class and on the web page.

Scoring for the Test RE-DO:

Students who have completed the test review assignment and turned it in on the original test date, will earn the higher score of the two test scores (original and RE-DO). Students who did not complete or did not turn in the test review assignment on the original test date, must complete the test review assignment and turn it at the time of the REDO test and then, he/she will earn the average score for their two tests (original and RE-DO)

If you have questions, at any time this trimester, please talk with me as soon as possible.

Together, we can come up with a solution!

I want you to be as successful as possible this trimester!

I am looking forward to this trimester and hope that you are also! Mrs. Day