Social Studies Syllabus
Ms. Fina M. Green
Johnson Wabash 6th Grade Center
Team C
Room 230
2022-2023
Contact Information:
Ms. F. Green
figreen@fergflor.org
(314) 524-0280 EXT. 1230
(314) 527-2088
Dear Parent(s):
Welcome to room 230, Team C-Social Studies. I hope this school year will be refreshing, exciting, and smooth sailing.
Here is some useful information about the expectations and procedures in RM. 230.
The Teacher:
I, Ms. Green, have been teaching and/or interacting with children well over 25 years. I am certified in the state of Missouri and thoroughly enjoy my career choice. I am a fast-paced teacher with high expectations. I believe that all of my students are capable of achieving, succeeding, and improving academically, socially, and emotionally. I expect my students to come to school daily (on time), work hard on all assignments (academics), exercise self-control at all times (behavior), and actively participate in our school culture in a positive manner. I am a proud graduate of the Ferguson Florissant School District. I feel that I have walked the same educational path that my students are presently walking.
My contact Information is:
Phone: (314) 524-0280 EXT. 230 Cell: (314) 914-1139
E-mail:(school) figreen@fergflor.org
Questions/Concerns/Problems, feel free to contact me. I am usually at the school by 6:45 AM, and may not leave until 3:00 PM.
STUDENT EXPECTATIONS:
- Be Kind & RESPECTFUL
- Complete and turn in ALL assignments on time
- Never Ever Ever Give Up (Persevere)
- Have your AVID notebook and planner EVERYDAY
- Wear your ID every day (in school).
- Write Objective(s) and homework assignment(s) in your planner DAILY.
- Be prepared to LEARN
- Be on time (school/class/online)
- Do your BEST (Growth Mindset)
Attendance: Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class period, whether in the classroom or online. Students should be in the classroom or online when the class period begins. Students who are late will be marked tardy. Please avoid being absent/tardy on a regular basis as this will impact your academic progress.
Absences and Make-up Work: Students who have been absent should contact the teacher when they return to school to find out about missed assignments. Students receive one week to make up missed assignments and assessments.
**My daily lessons are also in Canvas; therefore, students who are absent can ALWAYS keep up in class.
School Schedule:
Daily Schedule
Arrival/Breakfast - 7:10 - 7:20
Block 1 - 7:25 -8:30
Block 2 - 8:33 - 9:29
Block 3 - 9:32 - 10:27
Block 4 - 10:30 - 11:25
Block 5
Lunch #1 / Advisory #1 11:28 - 11:58
Lunch #2 / Advisory #2 12:05 - 12:35
Block 6 - 12:38 - 1:32
Block 7 - 1:35 - 2:30
Dismissal -2:30
After School Activities 2:45 - 3:45
Half Day Schedule
Arrival/Breakfast - 7:10 - 7:20
Block 1 - 7:25 -8:05
Block 2 - 8:08 - 8:49
Block 4 - 8:52 - 9:33
Block 5 - 9:36 - 10:17 (NOTE: Lunch will NOT be served)
(NOTE: There will be NO Advisory Class)
Block 6 - 10:20 - 11:00
Dismissal 10:56 - 11:00
ACADEMICS
Assignments:
**My students are usually engaged in academics from the time they walk into my classroom until dismissal time. I believe in academic rigor.
**There are some assignments/projects that may require 2 or more days to complete. Students will sometimes have time to work in class on these assignments/projects, BUT additional time will be needed at home in order to complete some assignments by the due date. **Homework will be necessary
–Rule: 10 minutes x grade level…6 grade x 10 min. = approximately 60 minutes devoted to homework per night
--The ultimate goal is for students to be responsible (complete and turn in all assignments) and use their time wisely to meet established deadlines.
This year, you will learn:
1st Quarter 2nd Quarter
Basic GEOGRAPHY SKILLS Beginning of Human Society (Cont’d)
BEGINNING OF HUMAN SOCIETY Fertile Crescent
FINAL EXAM Over 1st and 2nd Quarters
3rd Quarter 4th Quarter
ANCIENT Egypt ANCIENT India (cont’d)
Ancient India Ancient China
FINAL EXAM Over 3rd and 4th Quarters
Additional Content/Skills:
*Current Events *Reading Expository Text *Summarizing
*Writing about Informational Text *Listening/Speaking Skills
*Oral/Visual Presentations *Note-Taking **Organizational Skills
*Effectively Answering Constructed Response Questions (RAP/RACE)
*Actively Participating in Class Discussions *Critical Thinking
Daily Class Structure: This may be adjusted as needed.
Planner/DO NOW - 10 minutes
Class instruction with teacher - 20 minutes
Guided Practice/Supervised work - whole class, small group, or individual - 10 minutes
Self-directed learning (asynchronous) - 10 minutes
Exit/Check-out activity - 5 minutes.
Homework Policy:
**Homework is assigned DAILY. Homework is used to reinforce skills/concepts that are being taught in class. Homework provides extra practice of skills/concepts that have previously been taught or is currently being taught in class. Oftentimes, homework is the completion of an assignment that has been started during the school day, reading/rereading the textbook (online), taking Cornell Notes/Mind Map Notes, STUDYING for a quiz/test, working on a Project, or viewing a video.
**Homework is always due the following day or on a specific day.
NOTE: Daily Lesson in Canvas
Grading
Scale:
- 100%-90% A
- 89%-80% B
- 79%-70% C
- 69%-60% D
- 59%-0% F
Weight:
Items will be weighted in the gradebook as follows:
- Class Assignments/Map Projects: 30%
- Weekly Quizzes & Unit/Summative Tests: 50%
- Final Exam: 20%
**Rolling Grades: In middle school, students are expected to maintain grades throughout a semester as compared to a quarter in elementary school. This means you will receive quarterly grades, but they do not “reset”, instead, the grades will continue until the end of the semester (after two quarters).
**It is vital that students complete ALL assignments with quality and accuracy in a timely manner
Extra Credit: Students are encouraged to complete extra credit work if or when it is offered.
P.S. In an attempt to support our students, if a student receives a low score (60% or below) on an assignment or assessment, they may Redo the assignment with quality and resubmit the assignment to be graded; thereby, improving their academic grade.
BEHAVIOR
PBIS Reward Program
To help us with behavioral concerns, we are currently using the PBIS Reward Program that incorporates the principles of being Responsible, Safe, Cooperative, Kind, and being able to Persevere. We are also using the Growth Mindset in our practices this school year. Our students are able to earn points by simply exhibiting these principles. These points can later be “spent” in Teacher’s stores, or by being allowed to participate in monthly team activities or quarterly school activities.
**Please encourage your child to “do the right thing” and earn as many points as possible so that they are able to participate in all upcoming activities.
Discipline
I, like most teachers, prefer to spend my day engaged in activities that strengthen my students academically, socially, and emotionally. HOWEVER, many times I must use some of my time to address behavior issues. This year at Johnson Wabash, we will be using an universal hierarchy of consequences.
Most infractions will result in (3) gentle verbal warnings
Strike 1 Gentle Verbal Warning
Strike 2 Verbal Warning/intervention/Student/Teacher Conference & Possible Email Home
Strike 3 Assigned to a Buddy Room for a 10 minute Break/Parent Notified
Strike 4 Parent Notified Verbally
Strike 5 Referral Parent Notified
Discipline Continued….
If these options does NOT remedy the problem, or the problem is recurring, other steps will be taken:
Counselor and/or Social Worker intervention (Care Team)
Restorative Practices
Referrals (Principal’s Intervention)
ISS-In School Suspension
OSS-Out of School Suspension
Communication
I will communicate with parents via email, phone, voicemail, and text using Tyler and ParentLink.
Parents are notified regarding:
**Behavioral Concerns (Classroom incidents, referral being written, sent to Buddy Room)
**Academic Concerns (Failing grades, missing several assignments, opportunity to retake quizzes/tests)
**Referral to Care Team Intervention for academics and/or behavior concerns
**Feel free to reach out to me if YOU or Your child is having a problem in my class.
BIG TOPIC ISSUES:
Cell Phones:
We understand that most of our students have cell phones, BUT cell phones should be “OUT OF SIGHT” (vibrate/off) during class/school. If there is a need to contact your child, please call the main office.
–Students should NOT have their phones out in class, in the halls, restrooms, playground, cafeteria, etc. (Please help us enforce this school rule and keep our students FOCUSED)
--Students will be given gentle reminders to secure their cell phones in their bookbag.
--Following (3) reminders, the teacher may request the cell phone until the end of class or the end of the school day. (The cell phones will be returned)
--IF, by chance, the student fails to comply with the reasonable request, Principal/Asst. Principal may need to be informed and parents will be notified.
Mask Mandate: –Presently OPTIONAL
Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic that is presently plaguing our country/region, the Ferguson-Florissant School District is NOT requiring students and employees to wear a face covering/mask in their schools, UNLESS the numbers begin to increase in that school. Parents will be notified if/when mask mandates change
--Students must supply their own personal face covering/mask daily, BUT extra mask MAY BE available if a student needs a mask
Dress Code:
We understand that many students express their personality/individuality/style through their dress/clothes. The Ferguson Florissant School District has a student dress code that prohibits specific items of clothing that tend to be popular among students, such as:
**Hats (except on school related events) **Sweat Headbands
** Clothing that is very revealing or have Spaghetti string straps **Sagging pants
**Clothing with words/pictures that are inappropriate for school
**Clothing that does not pass the “Finger tip” test in length
**Items of clothing/fashion/items that are deemed distracting in the classroom (sunglasses, purses, jewelry, lip gloss, slap bracelets, toys, etc.)
–Students may secure personal items in a small non-see-through pouch that can be carried in their clear bookbag
--Students may wear hoodies, BUT they must NOT have the hood on their heads during class/school
--Students will be given gentle reminders to remove their hoods, hats, headbands, etc. or secure any distracting item of clothing
--If, by chance, the student fails to comply with the reasonable request, Principal/Asst. Principal may need to be informed and parents will be notified.