TheMetroHighSchool

USGovernmentSyllabus
PatrickFraseEmailandCellPhoneNumber:

frase@themetroschool.org
,
3306206520
TaskStreamWebsiteforthisCourse

Government:CitizenshipandtheAmericanSystem

AboutThisCourse:
WelcometoGovernment!ThisclasswillexaminetheUnitedStatessystemofgovernment,activecitizenshipandeconomicsasit
relatestocurrentevents,recenthistory,andourselves.Thisexperienceisanindependent,studentdrivencourseinwhichstudents
activelyapplytheknowledgeandskillslearnedinpreviousgrades.Studentswillbeexpectedtodemonstrateskillsnecessaryfor
active,effectivecitizenship.Thecapstoneassessmentwillconsistofanissuebasedwhitepaper,whichwillserveasa
culminatingassignmentthataddressestheservice/internshippartnershipthestudentwillestablishandactivelyparticipateinduring
thissemester.Thereisastrongemphasisoncollegepreparation,civicparticipation,andintegrationwithscienceandtechnology.

WhatYouWillNeedforthisCourse:
1. MeadNotebook
justlike
theone
inthelink.
Youwillneedthisforyourlearningtargetsandyourfieldresearch.
2. Acamera(phonecamerasarefine)todocumentfieldexperiences.
3. Cellphonesforcommunicationwithteachersduringfieldexperiences,besuretoaddMr.Frasesphonenumbertoyour
contactlist(seenumberabove).
4. Accesstoprofessionalclothingthatisconsidereda
Level3,2,or1inthislink
.Thisdresscodewillbestrictlyadheredto
forfieldexperiences,studentswhodonotadheretotheprofessionaldresscodewillnotbepermittedtogoonfield
experiencesduringJTerm.
5. StudentsshouldcreateafolderonGoogleDrivelabeledCitizenshipandtheAmericanSystem.Allworkwillbe
organizedintosubfoldersinthismainfolder:5unitsandaWhitePaperfolder.Pleasecreatethesefolders
immediately!

CourseAssignments
1. LearningTargetPacket(mustbecompletedinfieldjournals)
2. MidTerm(multiplechoiceandshortanswer)January19th
3. FinalExam(multiplechoiceandshortanswer)February2nd
4. WhitePaperWebsiteandPresentation(GovernmentCapstone)TBD

LateAssignmentsandRemediation
Thecompletionoftheaboveassignmentsatmasteryisnecessaryformasteryintheclass.Examremediationwillbepermitted
oncethestudenthascompletedthelearningtargetsessentialforthegivenexam.WhitePaperremediationwillbepermittedbut
willbedealtwithbasedoneachindividual'sscoringonthewhitepaperrubric.Studentswillhaveoneweekfromtheduedateofa
givenassignmenttocompleteremediation,ifnecessary.

EssentialUnderstandingsofThisCourse:
*WhatdoesitmeantobeanAmericanCitizenwithduties,responsibilitiesandbenefits?
*Howcanyoupositivelyimpactyourcommunitythroughpolitics?
*Whatisthebalancebetweencivillibertiesandcivilorder?
*Towhatextentshouldthegovernmenthavearoleinacitizenslife?
*WhatisthestructureandroleofAmericanGovernmentasoutlinedintheU.S.Constitution?


AcademicIntegrity
1.Besuretogive
propercitations
forallworkthatisnotyourownorsourcesofinformation.
Plagiarismisaseriousoffense
.
Copyingwebsites,texts,oranotherstudentsworkorthegeneralideawithoutgivingcreditischeating.Tobeperfectlyclear:
ifanyphrase,partofasentence,quote,orevenparagraphstructureorflowofideascanbetracedtosomeoneelse,THATis
plagiarismandtheythrowpeopleoutofcollegeforit.Any
sending,accepting,copying,sharing
,oranyotherformsof
disseminationofotherstudents/peoplesnotesorotherworkisconsideredcheating.Ifproofofcheatingexists,youwillreceivea
0fortheassignmentandfurtherconsequencesmayexist.

ClassroomPolicy
1.PleasenotethatallMetroHighSchoolpoliciesarefollowedinthisclass,aswellasclassnormsandexpectations,whichcanbe
foundontheSocialSciencesDepartmentwebpage.
2.Metro'stworuleswillbeadherentinourclass:

1.Donotdoanythingtodisruptyoureducationalenvironment

2.Donotdoanythingtodisrupttheeducationalenvironmentofothers
Morespecifically,whenitcomestoothers,ourclassroomwillbetolerantofeachotherandeachothersviewpoints.Weallcome
fromdifferentbackgrounds.Wedonotdiscriminatebecauseofrace,color,nationalorigin,religion,sex,sexualorientationor
handicapwithregardstotreatment.Harassmentandhurtfulcommentswillnotbetolerated!
3.Ifastudenthasbeenabsentforanyreason,heorshewillconferencewiththeteacherthedayheorshegetsbacktoschool.
Thiswillnothappenduringclasstime.
4.Itisthestudentsresponsibilitytoinquireastomissedworkandobtaindirections,rubricsetc.asneeded.Itis
NOT
the
teachersresponsibilitytomakesurethatthestudenthastheirassignments.
5.Besuretokeepthelinesofcommunicationopen!Ifyouneedspecialassistance,lettheteacherknowimmediately.Letsplan
aheadifextrahelporextendedtimeisneededoncertainassignments.
6.Parents/guardiansareencouragedtocontactmeafterschoolhoursregardingtheirchildsprogress,whichcanalsobeviewed
throughthePowerSchoolorTaskStreamwebsites.
7.Ifastudent'scellphoneisvisibleduringschoolhours,Iwilltakeitforthedurationoftheclassuntilaparenthasbeennotified
oftheoffense.

TheSocialScienceGoalsforeachStudentthroughtheMetroHabits:
1.
EngagedLearnerandCriticalThinker
Allstudentsanalyzeacurrentlocalissue,determinehowtoaffectchangeand
implementsuchchange
2.
InquiringLearner
Studentsdevelophabitsofmindassociatedwithsocialstudies.Thesehabitsofmindincludeperspective
consciousness,abilitytowarrantconclusions,andrecognitionofrelatedness/interdependence.
3.
EffectiveCommunicatorandCollaborator
Studentsdevelopanunderstandingofthedutiesrequiredofandrewardsof
beingeffectivecitizensinademocracy.Thisisdonethroughaclassroomrequiringactivestudentparticipation,honorsstudent
voice,andreinforcestheMetroHabitsofMind.
4.
ActiveandResponsibleDecisionMaker
Studentslearnpersonalskillsandtoolstobecomemoreeffectivedecisionmakers
andresponsiblemanagersoftheirowneducation.

Ourclassroomwillbetolerantofeachotherandeachothersviewpoints.Weallcomefromdifferentbackgrounds.Wedonot
discriminatebecauseofrace,color,nationalorigin,religion,sex,orhandicapwithregardstotreatment.Fortherecord,
sexualorientationisincludedunderthisstatement.Harassmentandhurtfulcommentswillnotbetolerated!

MetroEarlyCollegeHighSchool
StudentContract

Thiscontractisacondensedversionofthesyllabusandisimplementedtomakesurethatbothstudentsandparents
haveaclearideaofthegoalsandexpectationsofthiscourse.

1.Ihavereadthesyllabus

2.IunderstandthatduringthissemesterIhavetheopportunitytoearn1credithourinSocialSciencecourse.

3.IunderstandthatifIdonotmasterthiscourseImustattendarecoverycourseattheendoftheterm.

4.Iunderstandthat
noemail
submissionsareaccepted.

5.Iunderstandhowtofindtheclasswebpageandtocheckassignmentduedates,dailyclassactivities,unitoverviews,
andthestatusofsubmittedassignments.IfIdoNOTunderstandhowtousetaskstream,Iwillcomeinduringoffice
hourssoMr.Frasecanshowmehowtonavigatethissite.

6.Iunderstandtheassignmentsthatarerequiredandtheirscoreswillcountaspartofmyfinalgrade.Ialsounderstand
thatImustcompletethelearningtargetsatmasteryorIcannotattemptclassexams.

7.Iunderstandourclassslateworkpolicy.

8.IunderstandwhatplagiarismmeansandthatifIplagiarizeworkIwillearnazeroontheassignmentwithno
opportunitytoresubmit.

9.IunderstandthatIamtobeontimetoclass,andwillspendclasstimeinaproductive
NOT
disruptivemanner.

10.IunderstandthatmySocialStudiesteacherswillhelpme,butImustbeproactiveinseekingassistancebycomingto
officehoursorsettingupothertimestomeet.

11.IunderstandthatifIdonotturninthiscontract,noneofmyworkwillbescoredonpowerschool.

ParentName(PleasePrint)_________________________________Date:________

ParentSignature:_______________________________________Date:__________

StudentName(PleasePrint)________________________________Date:________

StudentSignature:______________________________________Date:___________