Welcome, Students!

US History

Welcome to US History

• I will introduce you to the class and class expectations of the Viking Way• If you have any questions during my presentation, please raise your hand and wait to be called on

All About Me

• My background

– I grew up in Chicago– I attended Greene Elementary, Kelly

High School, and University of Chicago• My experience

– I’ve been teaching forever– I have taught freshman geography, all

history classes, law, psychology, and anthropology in high school

My Family

• My husband’s name is Errole Ross who taught at psychology and history at Harlan High School on the South Side, but he’s retired now

• My daughter Alaine is 24 and a professional student

• We have 1¾ cats, Purry Mason and Purrot. Purrot has only three legs and a white moustache, but still loves to perch on high ground.

My Goals

• To give you the academic and social skills you need to progress through the class successfully

• To provide a supportive and fun classroom environment

• To help you make new friends and discover new interests

• To demonstrate how smart you really are

United States History

Mrs. Ross

Class Subjects

• The subjects we cover during the year:

– Reading and writing at the college level– Analytical thought process– Incorporation of each of the other classes

your undertakings – Social studies beyond history– Preparation for success in examinations

and assessments–Use of technology is many forms and for

many uses

Reading

• We will finish the syllabus

• You will receive documents to read and analyze

• We will practice reading skills at and above grade level using standards to prepare for exams now and forever

Writing

• Document-based questions and essays will be covered, practiced, and improved

• Formatting a six-paragraph historical essay using pre-writing techniques are skills needed for this class and you will become expert on doing

• Documenting research projects using the Chicago style is part of the process of doing well in class

Graphics

Describing and interpreting a variety of graphics are part of the curriculum

MapsChartsGraphs

Political CartoonsPhotographsWorks of Art

Analytical Thinking Process

• Origin is more than the who, what, where, and why, but the circumstances and perspective helps solve the mystery of the event

• Purpose is the motive of the author(s)/ character(s) and expectations of the event on the audience or clients

• Content is what’s in the document and the facts or point-of-view it offers to the reader, viewer or listener

• Value to the study of an event or topic gives the worthiness of the evidence in answering the question

• Limitation to you, the historian, is based on the source as a piece of evidence and why it’s specifically objectionable

Social Studies

Beyond just the historical, we’ll examine

Politics Global Interactions

Social Aspects Environmental Concerns

Economic Influences Psychological Affects

Geographic Relationships

Cross-Curricular Aspects

Perspectives and Changes are covered in

Art and MusicLiterature and PhilosophyMathematics and Science

Physical Well-BeingLanguage and Culture

Our Classroom Community

Mrs. Ross USH History

• Summative Assessments=50% of your grade– Exams– Binder– Project Products

• Formative Tasks=35% of your grade– Homework– In-class Work– Group Work

• Work Habits=15% of your grade– Social Skills and Collaboration– On-time Compliance of tasks and class– Engagement in class the entire period

Grading Policy

Class Rules

• Our classroom is a community: in our community, we have rules to help us get along with each other.

• Our class rules are:

–Be respectful and responsible.–Be organized and follow directions.–Be on time.–Be prepared.–Be a learner and a teacher

Homework

• I will assign a homework folders. This includes the reading of the chapters it uses.

• Your homework packet is due on specific dates on the tabs of your BLUE homework folder. Bring a RED pen to class with you. We will correct it together in class.

• Do the work on your own.

• Definitions require that you DO NOT use the word/term in any form.

• Late folders lose points each day and are not accepted after the content is tested.

Tardiness/Passes and Such

• If you aren’t in the classroom by the time the second bell rings, you are late. You will lose Work Habits points for the day. After three minutes, you lose all of them. In any case, you MUST have a tardy pass.

• You will be issued a pass only for emergencies and never the first or last 10 minutes.

• Take care of things before class. Not bringing your materials or having your uniform and/or ID is not an emergency. Passes, like tardy time, warrant loss of Work Habits points and a log to 128.

Papers/Projects

• Each four-week block requires an individual research assessment

• All work must be documented (cited) and original

• Part of each is a presentation and/or class/group editing and discussion

• The rubric for Knowledge, Investigating, Critical Thinking, and Communication is used

• A binder is used for organization and study guides

• Dividers are used to separate each section

–Grading–Class Notes–Handouts–Visuals/Documents–Unit Work Study Guide (Evidence

File)

Portfolio Binder

Let’s Have a Great Year!