United States History II s2

Mr. Lugo’s Student Expectations for United States History II 2014-2015 School year

Extra Help: ______Email Address: [email protected]

Welcome to United States History II. During the course of this year we will be looking into major events that shaped American history throughout the twentieth century. Many of the events, people, or topics that we will discuss during the year will have occurred, lived, or happened while your grandparents or parents were alive. My goal in this class is to have you leave at the end of the year with a better understanding of the United States and how events in the past have shaped the current world that you live in better preparing you to be an active citizen and participant in the twenty-first century.

Some of the essential course questions that we will constantly be focusing on are listed below: 1. How does America’s involvement in both foreign conflicts and the resolutions of the 20th century have a lasting impact on modern America? 2. How does the confluence of government, business, technology and culture of the past 100 years affect the lives of Americans today? 3. To what extent is America the greatest country on earth? What has it done, or is doing, to help other peoples and nations of the world? What has it done, or is doing, to harm or hinder the growth of other peoples and nations of the world?

The year will progress in a chronological manner through the units of study listed below: Unit I - Modern America Emerges: World War I & the Roaring Twenties (1914-1929) Unit II – Boom & Bust: The Depression and World War II (1929-1945) Unit III – Post-World War II: The Cold War Begins (1945-1965) Unit IV – Challenging US Superiority: Civil Rights, Vietnam, Ending the Cold War (1965-1989) Unit V – Globalization (1989-Present)

The Grade 11 Writing Initiative is as follows: Through a structured, yearlong process, students will be expected to demonstrate proficiency in persuasive essay writing and the use of historical evidence to support their arguments. Application of this skill will culminate in an end of the year research paper that will be discussed and assigned towards the end of the year. The Grade 11 Geography Initiative is as follows: Geography skills and knowledge, of United States and world geography, will be integrated into every unit of study. Success in meeting these goals will be demonstrated through assessments throughout the course of the year. Visit the Social Studies department web site for detailed information on this initiative.

Class Preparations and Rules: By this time in your high school career it should be known what is expected of students in terms of being prepared for class each day and the behavior that is, and is not, allowed on a daily basis. It is expected that students will come to class with a writing utensil and materials, such as a college ruled notebook or three ring binder, which is dedicated to USII MATERIAL ONLY. This is to ensure that your materials are organized and easy to find.

Classroom rules will be discussed on the first day of class. These classroom rules follow ALL of the Montgomery High School rules and regulations. I will lead an organized and disciplined classroom at all times and I expect respect to be the top priority for all students. Listed below are some of the rules that are expected to be followed at all times:

1. I operate my classroom out of respect. Please respect your fellow students and myself throughout the year. 2. Be on time. When a student is late it can disrupt the classroom and the lesson at hand. IF one is late, please enter the classroom as quietly as possible. 3. Be in your seat when the bell rings and prepared for class with all appropriate materials ready. 4. Listen and read instructions carefully. 5. Raising your hand still applies. Please wait to be called on before speaking freely. 6. Bottled water is the only acceptable beverage allowed in my classroom unless noted through a medical issue. 7. No outside work will be done during class time. There will be consequences if a student is caught working on assignments from another class. 8. Plagiarism is a serious offense and must be avoided in all instances. If you are unsure of what plagiarism entails, please seek clarification from me or another teacher.

Grading Procedures: A straight points system will be used to determine your grade. Your grade will be dependent on the following:

Homework (Points dependent on the size of the assignment): Late homework is NOT ACCEPTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. Homework is due by the start of the class. No excuses will be accepted unless there is a discussion with me prior to the assignment being due. If there are any questions, please be in contact with me. Quizzes and Tests (Points dependent on the size of the quiz): Quizzes can, and will be, both announced and unannounced. Assigned reading materials, even if not discussed directly in class, CAN be used on an assessment. There will be approximately two tests per quarter (normally 100 to 120 points). Quizzes will vary depending on each unit and lesson.

Class Participation (20 points per quarter): Class participation is a very important part of making history exciting and interactive and relevant. Class participation is expected from all students in the form of questions, answers, debates, or any other action that I deem worthy of improving the atmosphere of the classroom. NO student will receive lower than a 60% on class participation. Each student begins with a 14/20 (70%) and can increase, or decrease, their grade based on their interactions each day during class.

Projects (50 to 200 points): A project will normally be assigned ONCE per quarter. Projects can range from essays and research papers to posters, powerpoints, or presentations. Projects follow the same guidelines as homework and will NOT be accepted late unless a valid reason is provided to me BEFORE the project is due.

Class Discussions (10 to 50 points): Class discussions will feature throughout the year for certain topics and units such as the Atomic Bomb, Race Relations, and possibly the end of the year project. Other class discussions can be added throughout the year and the list above are the only guaranteed classroom discussions to take place.

Class Procedures : As an instructor, I pride myself on an efficient and smooth running classroom. To achieve this I have established a few simple procedures. As a student, it is your responsibility to learn and perform these procedures. Through these procedures, I promise to you a more organized and effective learning experience.

Homework Checks: Homework checks are my way of ensuring that a student is reading and understanding the assigned material. These checks will either feature a guided worksheet from the textbook publisher or will be made by myself. Homework checks can range from matching terms to open ended questions and should be considered extensions of an assigned reading. These are not meant to hurt a student’s grade, but they can if the reading material assigned each class is not completed.

The Webpage: Any handouts that you will need on a given day will be handed out during class or found on my staff portal page. Please print out these readings or assignments before the following class.

Absences: Students are responsible for the work missed during an absence. This includes asking for the work they missed and completing it. Students are also responsible for making up all missed notes (copy them from another student outside of class or see my PowerPoint’s which will be posted on my staff portal page.). Zeros will be given if a student fails to make up work within the given time frame. Class cuts void all make-up privileges and will be punished by the Montgomery student handbook.

Make Up Tests: MAKE UP TESTS DO NOT MEAN RETESTS. There will be NO retests. If a student has an excused absence for a test day, he may make up the test during the first extra-help day following the test. It is that student’s responsibility to clarify and schedule a make up date to complete the missed assessment. These can be completed during after school help, on one of my prep periods, or during my study hall. A missed make-up test without notice will result in a zero.

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Student: Please sign below to indicate you understand what is expected of you in this class.

______Print Name Student Signature

Parent/Guardian: Please review the attached student expectations sheet so you know what is expected of your student. I hope we can work together to make sure that your student has a successful year. Accordingly please feel free to contact me with questions or concerns. The best way to reach me is by email ([email protected]).

In addition, please provide me with your email address:

______Parent Signature

______Parent/Guardian Name (please print) Parent/Guardian Email Address

Finally, please let me know on the back of the page if there is any additional information about your student that I should know as his/her teacher.

Best, Christian Lugo