JonesHistory.net Social Studies David Jones

In support of an important initiative to help our students get better organized, the following is required:

• At the start of each class, students will enter in their planners the day’s class work after the abbreviation “CW”. The lesson plan is always on the board, but there are many different tasks going on. Students usually enter here their goals for the class period if it’s a working period or just “TCHR PRES” if it’s a whole-class instruction.
• Homework is very rare, even in grade 9, but if there is any it will be entered after the initials “HW”. Some students assign themselves homework by necessity to meet the topic deadlines, so more often than not, if there is homework not all students have it and it could be different from student to student.

Just a reminder: if there is a homework assignment, it must be done without assistance from adults to be submitted for credit.

This is in addition to the regular planning meetings at the start of each topic where we fill in the due dates for the tasks.

There are two interconnecting plans for students in this class. This diagram outlines the obligations of each plan.

OLD POLICY

Students may not use class time to work on topics of study after the “end topic” day. Work must be done on past topics outside class time and there is a 15 point per day late fee.

NEW POLICY

Students may use class time to work on tasks associated with a topic after the “end topic” day. The late fee is reduced to 10 points per school day calculated starting the first day after the end day.

REASONS FOR CHANGE

There is a need for greater flexibility in time, particularly for students on basic proficiency plan.

OLD POLICY

Most Wednesdays there is a summary task homework in 9th grade. The purpose of the task is to advance students’ knowledge of our topic of study and, more importantly, to train them to do homework as preparation for grade 10. Research on homework is clear: students in high school who do homework score better on SATs and similar college entrance exams.

Until now, the policy was that the task be completed outside class and that it could not be completed late.

NEW POLICY

Tthe task may be done in class on the Wednesday it is assigned OR on the following Thursday IF there is working class time. However, if the task is done in class, the maximum score is 85. The reason for this is that doing the task outside class gives it more value — it shows responsibility. Being more valuable, it is worth more credit.

REASON FOR CHANGE

Some students are being released from doing homework because homework cannot be used to teach them (i.e., they don’t do it). Such students are required to do everything in class now and I make time for this to happen. Students who do homework might well complain that it is unfair to allow some to do the assignment in class — and they would be right to do so! Thus, there is the reason for the reduced maximum score.

9th Grade

Researched Thematic Essay topics for 2nd March are posted

See menu item for research above…

A new dimension to the writing rubrics from the Common Core State Standards are: use of domain- specific vocabulary, cohesive writing, and maintaining formal tone and style. These things have to be taught. These things take a long time to develop.

In the second half of the year, AIS lessons will include lessons in these three elements of writing as they apply to social studies.

The document-based essay rubric is now updated to reflect the Common Core State Standards for writing in grades 6-8 and 9-10.

The new rubric and frame can be found here on the rubrics page for this web site.

The thematic essay rubric has been upgraded to meet the Common Core State Standards for Social Studies.

It can be accessed here or at the rubrics page of this web site.

Homework is rare in my courses. When it is assigned, please be aware that unless special arrangements have been made students cannot get credit for something an adult helped them to do.

This includes the help of tutors, resource room teachers, and parents. Please check with me first before assisting a student with any task.

The midterm exam, now known as an “interim assessment”, will take place on 24th (25th for the 8C and 9H class sections) January 2012.

Study guides for 7th: 1. 7-8 Basic Proficiency Social Studies, 4. 7-8 Basic Proficiency Social Studies, 3. 7-8 Basic Proficiency Social Studies, 2. 7-8 Basic Proficiency Social Studies

Study guides for 8th: 12. 7-8 Basic Proficiency Social Studies, 13. 7-8 Basic Proficiency Social Studies, 14. 7-8 Basic Proficiency Social Studies, 15. 7-8 Basic Proficiency Social Studies

Study guides for 9th: 4 9 Basic Proficiency 2011, 2. 9 Basic Proficiency 2011, 3. 9 Basic Proficiency 2011, 1. 9 Basic Proficiency 2011, and everything EXCEPT Islam from this one: 8. Belief Systems Global regents

I announce this to encourage students to prepare, but in all fairness I would like to point out that this sort of test, covering material since the start of the year, is really a measure of what students have achieved over the course of the whole year. Sure, I welcome students to review and study, but such preparations only have a very small effect on how students do on this test. It is through regular, daily effort in class that students achieve, NOT through cramming for tests.

Success is NOT from effort outside class or homework. It is the right attention and effort IN class that matters.