Mr. Jones’ Seventh Grade Social Studies Syllabus  

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Seventh Grade Social Studies!  I am the social studies teacher on the Samurai Team.  The rest of the Samurai team consists of Mrs. Broadstreet (Language Arts), Miss Huffman (Math), and Mr. Moon (Science).

This syllabus will provides an overview of the seventh grade social studies curriculum and also introduces you to classroom procedures and rules. 

Course Description and Objectives

This course is designed to teach the seventh grade North Carolina Essential Standards for social studies.

The Essential Standards for seventh grade are organized around five strands: history, geography and environmental literacy, economics and financial literacy, civics, governance and culture.”

“Students in seventh grade will continue to expand upon the knowledge, skills and understanding acquired in the sixth grade examination of early civilizations. Seventh graders study the world from the Age of Exploration to contemporary times in order to understand the implications of increased global interactions. The focus will remain on the discipline of geography by using the themes of location, place, movement, human-environmental interaction and region to understand modern societies and regions.

Social Studies Course Outline

The following topics will be examined during this school term.  Each topic will be based on the North Carolina Essential Standards.    

             1^st quarter
 Topic 1 – Geography Review

 Topic 2 – A Changing World

 Topic 3 – Age of Exploration

             2^nd quarter

 Topic 1 – Age of Enlightenment
 Topic 2 – Age of Revolutions

                       *Agricultural

                       *Political  

                       *Industrial 

                       *Scientific

           3^rd quarter

 Topic 1 - Age of Imperialism  
 Topic 2 - World War I

 Topic 3 - Interwar Years

 Topic  4 - World War II   

          4^th quarter

 Cold War Issues and New World Order                            

Classroom Procedure

The following classroom procedures are designed to promote an orderly learning environment:

1.  Stay on task - I expect all students to stay on task and follow the teacher's directions.

2. Class Work - I will use a variety of methods to conduct each class. You will work in groups, have teacher-guided lessons, have student-guided lessons, watch multimedia presentations, listen to guest speakers, perform demonstrations, as well as work independently.

3. Homework - Homework will be assigned at least twice a week. It will be posted in the classroom and on my school web page.

4. Absences/Late Assignments - I will deduct 10 points per day for late work. Upon returning from an absence, students must check the absentee book for any missed assignments. Work missed due to an absence is not considered late work. Students will have two days to make up work after an absence.

5. Projects - Each quarter, you will have at least one major project. Guidelines and rubrics will accompany each project.

6. Social Studies Notebook - You will be required to maintain an interactive social studies notebook. Your notebook will be used to for various assignments and other materials.

7. Grading Policy - Grades are computed on a 100-point system using a combination of exams/quizzes, projects, class work, and homework.  The following grading scale will be used for all assignments:

90% to 100% = A, 80% to 89% = B, 70% to 79% = C, 60% to 69% = D, and 59% and below = F

Homework - Counts as 1 grade                                                                                    

Classwork  - Counts as 1.5 grades                                                                                   

Quizzes     - Count as 2 grades                                                                                   

Tests         - Count as 3 grades                                                                                            

Projects    - Count as 3 grades                                                                 

8. Format for Assignments - All assignments should be neatly written in complete sentences, unless otherwise directed.  I will deduct points from class work or homework that is crumpled, sloppy, torn, or that is written on the wrong side of the paper.

9. Assignments Heading - All assignments are required to have your first and last name in the upper right hand corner of your paper. Under your name, you must place the date and period number.

10. Dismissal - Please remember that the teacher dismisses the class, not the bell. I will let you know when to prepare for dismissal.

 Classroom Rules

 The following rules are necessary to maintain an orderly and efficient classroom:

 1.  Quietly enter the classroom and begin working on warm-up

 2.  Always be polite and show respect to peers, teachers, and staff

 3 .  Adhere to all other TJMS and Samurai Team rules

 Journal Writing:

 At the end of each topic, students will write a personal reflection or opinion regarding the topic.

 After School Tutoring

After school tutoring for social studies, will be held on Wednesdays from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Progress Reports

Each student will receive a hard copy progress report every third Wednesday.  I will also provide weekly progress reports for all students with a D or F grade point average.  Parents should expect students to bring home their progress report in his/her team pack. Jefferson Middle School is also participating in an online resource that allows students and parents to keep track of all graded assignments.   I will assess and post all grades within one week after completion of an assignment.

Report Cards

A report card will be sent to the parents of each student at the end of each nine week reporting period.  

Parent Conferences

Parent and teacher collaboration is a vital and necessary component of a quality education. Parents are invited to visit with me during my planning period. To avoid conflict, I ask that you call or email me at least two days prior to your visit.