Mrs. Ruland's United States History Class
Grading Policy
STUDENT EVALUATION:
Grades will be given for each of the 4 quarters. It will be the student’s responsibility to see the teacher for work missed due to absence. MAKE-UP TESTS WILL BE ALL ESSAY.
Quarter grades are calculated by dividing the number of points earned by the total number of points possible. The number of points available is reflective of the number of times students will be asked to demonstrate competency. The total will vary according to class need. Opportunities for earning points will include: classroom drills and projects, homework assignments, quizzes, and tests. Participation in special projects and simulations may also be graded.
Do not, ever, give another student your papers! Do not “loan” another student your paper! If the assignment is to be done cooperatively, it will be very clear! Both students involved in copied work will be given a 0 on the assignment. Plagiarism is cheating, and cheating is WRONG!!
Social Studies students should have knowledge of our world and basic understanding of the events and trends that shape our world. Therefore, all students will be required to maintain a Weekly News Analysis Sheet.
GT students will be required to complete a variety of specialized assignments. They will read a historical essay and write a critical essay each semester. Additionally, over the course of the year GT students will write a report and give a presentation on a historical novel as well as present on a significant battle and a Supreme Court case. Since these assignments will be due when the class reaches the appropriate time period and that will span the whole year, these grades will be incorporated into the 4th quarter.
I will be using TeacherEase, so you will be able to check your grades on-line; grades will be posted weekly, usually on Sundays. The grading scale is as follows:
A - 89.5% & above B -79.5%-89.4% C - 69.5%-79.4% D -59.5%-694% E - Below 59.4%
GRADING STANDARDS
High School students should be able to meet certain standards of writing. All written work will be assessed for technical standards in addition to content. The mechanics to be assessed will include legibility, spelling, and grammar. Students are encouraged to use dictionaries in class (except when taking tests) and any resource available at home. Please remember that Spell Check will not correct words spelled correctly but used incorrectly (to rather than too). There is no substitute for proofreading.
All assignments must be either typed or neatly written in black or blue ink only. All papers, essays, and projects completed outside the class must be typed and submitted to Turnitin.com. They will not be graded if this requirement is not met.
Students will be given a grading rubric for all major assignments when the other assignment instructions are distributed. The rubric will state all grading categories that will be assessed, the criteria, and the respective point values for each. A general rubric for essays will be provided at the beginning of school and will be used whenever a specific rubric is not provided.
PLAGIARISM
Students are reminded that plagiarism is not permitted. Plagiarism is the attempt to pass someone else’s work as your own. Do not, ever, give another student your papers! Do not “loan” another student your paper! If the assignment is to be done cooperatively, it will be very clear! Both students involved in copied work will be given a 0 on the assignment. ANY student involved in plagiarism will receive a 0 on the assignment and will not be allowed to make up the assignment.
LATE WORK
All assignments must be handed in on time. No late work will be accepted. The following guideline applies: assignments turned in during the first 5 minutes of class on the due date are considered on time for full credit; assignments turned in after the first 5 minutes of class will be corrected, but will receive no points. Students who are absent for class, but who are at school at any time during the day a project is due, must submit that project on the due date.
ABSENCES
Students absent for legitimate reasons will be given an opportunity to make up any missed work; the time given will not be longer than the time the student was absent. It is the student’s responsibility to bring a note to the next class. Only excused absences/tardies may be made up. Assignments that were due on the day a student was absent must be submitted the first class the student returns to school. A student with an unexcused absence will receive a 0 for all work due on the day of the absence. Failure to make up work in a timely fashion will also result in a grade of 0. Students can determine what activities and assignments were missed by checking the Assignment Log section of my web page (http://home.comcast.net/~mruland/). It is the student’s responsibility to make any necessary arrangements. Additional time will not be granted to students absent in the midst of a long-term project unless the student makes specific arrangements with the instructor. Students who are absent for class, but who are at school at any time during the day a project is due, must submit that project on the due date. MAKE-UP TESTS WILL BE ALL ESSAY. Students are reminded that the Howard County policy allows for denial of credit after a student has been absent for 5% of the course dates (9 classes). Students should make every effort to attend classes.
BONUS CHALLENGES
There will be limited opportunities for students to earn bonus points. Students may report on a recent visit to a museum or historical place or on the accuracy of a historically based film. During the course of this year, questions will arise that are not easily or quickly answered. These questions provide an opportunity for “bonus challenges”. These challenges are not designed to be fast and easy, but students may earn additional credit for researching the question. However, bonus opportunities are not a substitute for regular assignments; therefore, bonus points may only be earned if all assignments have been submitted. In each quarter, a student may only use the number of bonus points equal to 10% of the number of points the student earned during the quarter. ALL BONUS MATERIAL MUST BE SUBMITTED AT LEAST ONE WEEK BEFORE THE END OF THE QUARTER!
TECHNOLOGY
I have used technology in the classroom for many years. This year I have expanded into some new areas. One of the latest trends in education is the use of podcasts. Podcasts are an audio or video broadcast in a format that can be loaded onto an iPod or MP3 player; students can subscribe to them through iTunes and other services. I will be using podcasts to provide information for my students. Some of the topics will be common how-to topics that students may want to rehear; I will also post some of the lectures. Podcasts allow students to hear the information when it is convenient for them and as many times as they wish. Podcasts can be very useful when reviewing for the AP exam.
I am also exploring some of the virtual classroom technology. Much of this interactive technology has great potential for education. Collaborative projects can be wonderful if they are organized so that a few students are not carrying the burden; we can learn so much from each other. The new technologies, such as wikis, allow for even more effective collaborative work. The virtual classroom is password protected and only open to my students.
MATERIALS FOR CLASS:
∙ Assigned textbook - COVERED. Students are responsible for all lost, stolen, or damaged materials assigned to them.
∙ A loose-leaf notebook containing the following 4 dividers: Class Notes, Assignments, Textbook Notes, and News. You may use a single notebook for all courses if you desire.
∙ Paper in loose-leaf notebook must be standard-sized lined paper. If you use spiral-bound paper, the edges must be removed before submitting assignments.
∙ Pen (BLUE OR BLACK ONLY), a sharpened pencil with eraser and a selection of colored pencils.
∙ Assigned work.
∙ Any necessary eye wear; students must be able to see the board, the projector screen and the video monitor.
CLASSROOM PROCEDURES:
∙ All students will be expected to follow the three (3) rules of Glenelg High School:
1. Respect rights of others. (Don’t keep them from doing their work.)
2. Do your assigned work.
3. Follow your schedule. (Be here and be on time.)
∙ Students must follow the rules of the Social Studies Area:
1. Students are not to bring food, drink, candy or gum into the area.
2. Students are to sit in chairs - not on tables, carrels, bookcases, heaters, or floor.
3. Students are to leave area in the condition in which it was found.
4. Students are to use wastebaskets for their debris.
5. Students are not to interrupt the group with personal problems, including lateness, lack of supplies, or missing homework.
6. Students are not to leave the room without teacher permission.
7. Students are not to bring a iPod, MP3 player, or gameboy into the area.
∙ Students should remember Ruland’s Rule
LANGUAGE AND BEHAVIOR MUST BE APPROPRIATE FOR SCHOOL.
∙ Failure to live up to these rules will result in detention with Mrs. Ruland and parent notification. Continued violation will result in referral to the Administration.
SUGGESTIONS TO BE SUCCESSFUL:
∙ Study every school night, even if there is no assigned homework.
∙ Listen to both the teacher and your classmates. It is the best way to know what to study.
∙ Ask questions to clarify what you don’t understand.
∙ Do your homework, not just to get it done, but to learn from the assignment.
A Word about Computer Compatibility
Howard County Public School System has not embraced Windows Vista. In fact, the teacher computers as well as the Media Center computers are operating on Windows 2000 and Windows XP. There will be assignments that students will do electronically and will want or will be required to submit electronically. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that it is submitted in a form that can be accessed by Windows 2000 or Windows XP. If the file is simply saved when using a Windows Vista computer, I will not be able to open the file on my Windows XP machine, and I cannot grade it. If this is a Power Point for a presentation, then the presentation will have to be done without the Power Point. Please remember that if a student is going to work on a file at home and in the Media Center, the file MUST be saved in a Windows 2000/XP format.
http://home.comcast.net/~mruland/
mruland@comcast.net
THE GRADING POLICY MUST BE FILED IN YOUR NOTEBOOK (in the Notes section).
August 31, 2009
Dear Parent or Guardian,
You have read the information which outlines the general nature of my expectations for student success in my social studies class. Additionally, you are encouraged to read the Student Handbook which contains important information about the Howard County policies that are enforced in my classes.
Please return this letter with your signature where indicated. Also, please indicate your authorization for your student’s computer use with either yes or no in each of the areas. Since this is one of the first homework assignments, it is due next class, September 1, 2009.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at school at 410-313-5528. I can also be reached by e-mail at mruland@comcast.net.
Marcella L. Ruland
I have read and understand the requirements for success in my son’s/daughter’s social studies class. I understand this slip is due in the classroom on September 1, 2009.
Student’s Name ______________________________________________Date_________________
I authorize the following use of technology with my son/daughter.
Student picture (involved in classroom activity such as debates or simulations) can be posted in student gallery with only first name used. ____yes ____no
Student work can be posted in student gallery with only 1st name used ____yes ____no
Student may participate in independent Internet activities developed/assigned by Mrs. Ruland ____yes ____no
Student may participate in password protected virtual classroom only accessible to Mrs. Ruland’s students ____yes ____no
Parent’s/Guardian’s
Signature ________________________________________________________
Home Phone ________________________________
Work Phone __________________________
Parent’s/Guardian’s
Signature
________________________________________________________
Home Phone ________________________________
Work Phone __________________________
Last updated August 7, 2009
© Marcella Ruland 1998-2009, All rights reserved
