“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work,
and learning from failure.” - Colin Powell
American History – Grade 8
Course Overview
Hall Memorial School
THEME: CONFLICT IN HISTORY
PEDAGOGY: Problem Based Learning
FORMAT: Claim, Evidence, Reasoning
SKILLS: The student will be able to learn, practice, and apply the following
skills:
- COLLABORATING
- QUESTIONING
- UNDERSTANDING
- PLANNING
- RESEARCHING
- NOTETAKING
- ORGANIZING
- WRITING
- EDITING AND REVISING
- DEBRIEFING
GRADING SYSTEM: All grades are recorded as points. For example, a test may
equal 125 points and a take home assignment 10 points. I compute a student's
grade by totaling his or her earned points and dividing these points by the
cumulative points of every assignment, quiz, test, rubric, and project from
that marking period.
HOMEWORK: You should spend at least five minutes every night reviewing your
class lecture notes. In addition, each week you will have to read and take
notes from a short reading assignment that I assign in class. I also expect
you to study the day before every quiz and Chapter Test Review and then again
the evening before the Chapter Test. You will have a Chapter Review packet
to guide your studying.
FLASH-CARDS: I highly recommend that students make and use flash-cards (index-
cards) on a daily basis as part of their homework. Important words such as
names, dates, events, and places should appear on the blank side of index
cards. Use the other side (lined) of index cards to write a short definition
or clue concerning the important word. The flash-card technique reinforces
important facts and concepts that we have just studied. It also allows the
students as well as the parents to have a tangible tool to help prepare and
study for the tests.
TESTS: All tests will be announced at least two days in advance. On the day
before the test, there will be a "pre-test review." This means that all
students will know exactly what is on the test.
CLASS EXPECTATIONS
1. Be Prepared! You must have a sharpened pencil, three ring binder with
paper, textbook, assignment book, and completed homework. Be prepared at the
very beginning of class.
2. Class activities begin immediately and end only when I dismiss the
class. Remain in your seat until I dismiss you.
3. Homework/Assignments must be handed in on time (at the beginning of
class!). No late homework is accepted unless student has an excused
absence. Any homework assignment missed, because of an unexcused absence or
reason, will be valued as zero points. It is your responsibility to find
out exactly what you have missed because of an excused absence. You receive
one day to make up your work for every day off because of an excused
absence. Daily class work or homework is posted in the classroom and also
online at:
http://teacherweb.com/CT/HallMemorialSchool/MrHamiltonsAmericanHistory/h3.aspx
4. Only one person per pass at a time, no exceptions!
5. Cheating of all types is an automatic failure (zero points) of the
assignment or test and notification of your parents.
6. All assignments and tests must include your name, date, and class period.
Excellent class behavior will allow me to make sure all objectives have been
met. This in turn will let you have more time for fun activities, more
interesting class discussions, and less assigned homework! I ask of each of
you only three important expectations:
1. DO WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO
2. TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR WORK
3. TREAT EVERYONE WITH RESPECT
If we together can do these three things, we will ALL (student, teacher, and
parent)have a very good and enjoyable school year!
