Fourth Grade
Social Studies Syllabus
Mrs. Jennifer Millard
E-mail:
Phone: (816)675-2217 Osborn Schools
Overview: Students in Mrs. Millard’s Fourth Grade Social Studies class will be learning about our state’s history and U.S. regional geography. Students will be encouraged to be fully engaged in the classroom and to develop the skills necessary to be successful in 5th grade and beyond.
Students will be learning about Missouri History from pre-Columbus to the present. We will also study our state’s geography, economy and more. We will be writing reports and doing projects on Native Americans, Lewis and Clark, Geography, Colonial Times, Pioneers, Trails to the West, Jefferson City, Famous Missourians and more. Students will also be learning the major cities and rivers in our state. We will also do an overview of the major regions in the United States.
Grading: Students will be graded according to the scale found in the Student Handbook. The assignments are weighted within each subject:
Social Studies: 40% Homework/Projects
30% Classwork/Participation
30% Test
Homework is an important component of the extended school day. Most of the homework in Missouri History will depend upon projects assigned or work not completed during the school day.
In Social Studies, we will be developing a notebook where we record notes, observations, reflections, charts, graphs, vocabulary, etc… This system is called “notebooking.” The notebooks are provided by me and we use them almost every day. Grades in the notebooks are divided between homework and classwork according to the work we are doing that day.
Latework will be graded according to the Student Handbook Policy. Students need to be encouraged to be prompt and to be organized. As per the handbook, “students who have missing work or incomplete work will be required to attend the Z.A.P. room” during seminar. ZAP stands for Zeroes Are Prohibited. If completed during Z.A.P., the student will be assessed at 60% credit of the grade. If the student does not complete the assignment during seminar time, they will be allowed to turn the missing assignment in first thing the next day, still at 60% credit of completed work. If the assignment is not completed, then the student will still have a Z.A.P. and will be sent to complete the work at seminar, and receive 0%. After the fourth incomplete assignment in a quarter, the student will then start the disciplinary procedure as stated in the handbook. This is total for all classes combined. At the new quarter, the count starts again.
Each student will receive a free pass for one missing assignment for the school year, to be used at the student’s discretion. The work will be due promptly the next day at no additional penalty. This pass may be used only once in the year… no matter the class/subject.
In addition, each student will receive 2 free hall passes to be used to go back to a classroom where work or materials have been forgotten per quarter.
Planners should be helpful to the students. Planners will be checked daily and will need to be completely filled out by the student. I will sign off on work that is completed at school; any highlighted boxes will mean homework. Each night a parent needs to check over the planner, make sure homework is complete and then sign the planner.
Discipline: Discipline in my classroom is very basic and straightforward. Any behavior that disrupts the learning of another student is not allowed.
First offense- verbal warning.
Second offense- name on the board, loss of 10 minutes of recess and
a private discussion with the student.
Third offense- check next to the name, loss of entire recess
and notification of the parent.
Next offense-Principal Referral
More serious or harmful offenses will follow the District Discipline Policy.
My classroom must be a place of safety and security for all students to learn. The students will be encouraged and fostered to become responsible and caring individuals.
We will also be following the school wide matrix and the Character Education policies in place in the handbook.
Also, the classroom is a “NO FLY ZONE.” Any use of a projectile will result in the loss of recess and a phone call home. “Safety First.”
Conferences: Please feel free to contact me personally or by phone during my plan time, which is Monday through Thursday 2:25-3:05, and Friday from 12:45-1:32. You can also reach me by e-mail. I want to help each student succeed. I also want to help you help your child be their very best.
I love history and am looking forward to sharing and inspiring this love in my students as well.