Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Teachers Names: Patrice McBean, Virginia McAnear, Mary Claire Gillis, Andrew Shively, Shane Petrillo
Blog Addresses: http://www.cobblearning.net/mcbean
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http://www.cobblearning.net/missmac
http://www.maryclairegillis.edublogs.org
http://www.cobblearning.net/ashively
The following are some of the essential questions we will cover during the year:
1 and 2nd Quarters: Why are people attracted to certain regions in which to live? How does the physical
geography of Southwest Asia (Middle East) contribute to its culture? How are the various cultural groups in
Southwest Asia (Middle East) similar and different? How do various economic systems answer the three basic
questions differently? What are the costs and benefits of free trade and trade barriers? How does investment
affect productivity and economic growth?
3rd and 4th Quarters: How are governments of Africa organized? Why are there various forms of
government? How does a governments stability influence the lives of its citizens? How did nations in
Southern and Eastern Asia gain their independence? How have various groups challenged governments for
control throughout Southern and Eastern Asia? Why has the United States been involved in Eastern Asia?
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Course Summary
Course
Description
Textbook
Understanding diversity is the cornerstone of this class which presents human groups
throughout Asia and Africa in a geographic format, focusing on geography, historical,
political, and economic themes. A variety of activities and projects will encourage the
advancement of problem-solving skills and cultural awareness. Technology will be used
throughout the course to reinforce research and organizational skills from the geographic
perspective.
There will be a class set of the textbook, Exploring Our World: People, Places, and
Cultures, for students to use in school; students will not be given assignments to take
home that require the use of the text book. Textbooks will not be issued to students this
year. Additional resources will be used extensively to supplement instruction.
Grading
System
(Evaluation process
and weights)
GRADING SCALE
A: 90-100
B: 80-89
C: 74-79
D: 70-73
F: 0-69
Beginning this year, East Cobb Middle School will be using standards-specific grading.
This change will provide students and parents with grades that reflect what the students
know and are able to do. For example, looking at grades in Synergy will reflect the
standard addressed in the assignment. This will allow parents, students, and teachers to
re-address the standards not mastered throughout the year. Seeing this kind of grade
should make it clear to parents that their child needs to study the location of geographical
features of the map to improve, not everything taught in the entire unit.
7th Grade
Summative Assessments:
Tests/Projects/DBQ
Formative Assessments:
Labs/Quiz/Essay/Performance
Tasks
Daily Work: Classwork
Homework/Practice:
TOD/Interactive Folders/Warmup
40%
25%
25%
10%
An important element in improving our children's learning is being clear about what
students are expected to learn. This change in grade reporting at East Cobb will better
inform parents of their student's progress in mastering each of the standards taught in the
subject area.
Some changes you will see as we transition into standards-based grading:
Late Work
Policy
Requirements
(Assignments,
Books, Reading,
Materials, etc.)
Assessments
and Help
Sessions
Students who do not reach mastery on final assessments will be allowed one
opportunity to retake such tests (except benchmarks). They will take the re-test
before or after school once they have completed an assigned reinforcement task.
On Fridays from 8:15 to 8:45am, students can attend a help session. Individual
teachers may offer additional office hours.
Any re-takes of assessments must be completed within 5 days of grade being
posted in Synergy.
Assignments given during a unit must be completed before the summative
assessment.
Please check Synergy to review grades. Synergy will be updated weekly. Zeroes in
Synergy are the result of assignments not being turned in, or assignments turned in
without a name.
All assignments are expected to be turned in on the due date. Assignments will be listed
daily on the blog for this class, along with important dates and announcements. Late
assignments will be accepted prior to the summative assessment with a penalty of 10% for
each school day.
Bring your notebook, student agenda, and supplies to class EVERY day. As literacy in
the content is part of the requirement in 7th grade, we will be incorporating reading of
different types, including novels that pertain to our curriculum. Students may wish to
purchase their own copy of the particular novel for individual use.
Summative assessments will be administered/due on Mondays or Tuesdays. There will be
help sessions available on Fridays from 8:15 8:45 for students who need extra assistance
in Social Studies.
Other
Information
(Policies,
procedures,
tutoring, extra help
sessions, etc.)
There will be ample opportunities provided for each student to master the standards.
Keeping a notebook will be an important part of this class, as many of the outside
resources will be used as class sets. Extra help will be available on Friday mornings at
8:15. Students will need to obtain a pass from their teacher prior to coming. The Cobb
Co. policy for turning in absent/make-up work is one day for every day absent. Students
are responsible for completing make-up assignments independently. Please check the
blog to see what activities/assignments were missed. When you return to school, you are
responsible for obtaining any hand-outs. Being absent does not exempt you from
doing the assignment.
This is a guide and is subject to change to accommodate the class and the
individual needs.
Please sign, cut, and return the below portion. Thank you!
Please sign below to acknowledge that you have read and understand the above
syllabus.
Student Name (Print): _______________________________________________
Student Signature:__________________________________________________
Parent Name (Print): ________________________________________________
Parent Signature: __________________________________________________
Parent Contact information (phone/email):
_______________________________________________________________
_
Homeroom Teacher: ________________________________________________