Alexander Graham Bell Middle School

8^th Grade U.S. HISTORY 2008-2009 School Year

Teacher: Mrs. Mappala, Room:B18 Phone: 619.479.7111, x3018 email: mmappala@sandi.net

Education: University of San Diego: Bachelor of Arts in History (1993)

Professional Clear Single Subject Credential, Secondary (Social Science)

Supplementary Clear Single Subject Credential, (Spanish)

National University: Master’s Degree in Bilingual Cross-cultural Language and Academic Development (1998)

Certification in Gifted and Talented Education

Course Description: This class will focus on events that occurred in the United States from pre-colonial period to the early 20^th century. Important documents will also be examined to see how they have influenced the U.S. government.

Course Expectations: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to do the following:

• Gain an understanding of geography, including reading and interpreting maps

• Understand the causes and effects of important events from different points of view

• Evaluate specific events of certain time periods

• Recall important dates, people, places, and events

• Analyze how the past influences the present

• Develop an appreciation of the democratic laws and the structure of the U.S. government

Course Topics:

•Standard 8.1 Pre-colonial and Colonial Period

• Standard 8.2 The Declaration of Independence and American Revolution Period

• Standard 8.3 The U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights

• Standard 8.4 The Shaping of the U.S. in the early 19^th Century (Economy and Government)

• Standard 8.5 Early U.S. Foreign Policy (The Louisiana Purchase and the War of 1812)

• Standard 8.6 The Abolitionist and Suffrage Movements

• Standard 8.7 The Differences between the North and the South

• Standard 8.8 The American Frontier and Manifest Destiny (Lewis and Clark, Jacksonian Era)

• Standard 8.9 The Pre-Civil War Period (Slavery, Underground Railroad, Compromise of 1850)

• Standard 8.10 The Causes and Effects of the U.S. Civil War

• Standard 8.11 The Reconstruction Period (The “Jim Crow” Laws and the civil rights amendments)

• Standard 8.12 The Industrial Revolution (Urbanization, Immigration, and Economy)

Homework Policy: Homework assignments are usually given on Monday to Thursday nights. If there is a special project, homework will be assigned on weekends. A way to check if there is homework is in the student planner. It is the student’s responsibility to copy the homework in their planners.

Required Materials:

•Spiral notebook Required Textbook: United States History: Independence to 1914 (Note:

•Scissors Students only bring it to school when told to do so ahead of time; student is

•Glue stick responsible for reminding themselves by writing in planner)

•Red/blue pens

•Colored pencils

Description of work:

•Students will be required to keep an interactive notebook for most of their assignments.

•Students will be required to participate in class discussions.

•Students will be required to do an essay for each history unit.

•Students will be required to read their textbook and other resources.

•Students will be required to do group work and presentations.

Class Expectations/Rules:

1. Follow directions of the teacher.
2. Be on time (inside the class and in their seat before the tardy bell).
3. Be prepared to work (have the required materials and the right attitude).
4. No food, gum, or drinks in class (except for water).
5. Show respect to teacher, classmates, and visitors (no putdowns or harassments)

Consequences: Positive consequences will be given such as a extra credit points or a positive call home. Negative consequences include the following:

1. Verbal warning/ behavior recorded in behavior log
2. Phone call to parent or guardian/10 min. detention
3. Phone call to parent/ 20 min. detention
4. Referral to the office

In extreme cases such as defiance, cheating on a test, or fighting, student will receive an automatic referral to the office. During detention, a student might be assigned to do additional work, related to the violation. For example, if a student was chewing gum, they will scrap gum off of desks and floors during detention.

Grading System:

0-59% =F 60-69%=D-/D+ 70-79%=C-/C+ 80-89%=B-/B+ 90-100%=A-/A

Grade Distribution: 30% Class Participation, 30% Quizzes/ Tests, 40% Written Assignments

Grade Notification:

Students as well as parents will be able to see cumulative grades on the District’s Zangle website as soon as a student ID number and password are given to them. Before that, students will bring home grade printouts about two weeks before the end of each grading period. This is to ensure that parents are aware what their child’s grade is ahead of time. I as the teacher will give updates as to when I will be giving printouts. Parents who give me their email addresses have a better chance of getting updates sooner.

Make-up Policy: It is the student’s responsibility to find out and make up any work or tests missed during an absence. That means the student makes the initiative and asks me (the teacher) for the missed work. Students can only redo a quiz or test if the grade is a “D” or lower. Work can only be made up for the progress report period in which it is assigned. No makeup work can be done for a report period that has passed.

Tutoring: Students who need additional help can come after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Additional time needs to be arranged beforehand with me (the teacher).

Academic Integrity: Some assignments in this class will require students to do research using different resources such as the Internet. Students passing off other written or published work as their own are committing plagiarism, which is against Bell’s Academic Honesty Policy. Students are strongly encouraged to either paraphrase information using their own words and/or cite works as they are being used as part of their assignments. Consequences will be given to students who violate this policy (See student planner section, “Academic Ethics”).