7^th Grade World Geography & Recent World History

Mr. David McGovern, M. Ed.

2011-2012

 

Dear Parents/Guardians and Students:

 

            Welcome to the Seventh Grade! The title given to our Social Studies class is World Geography and Recent World History.  Some of the topics we will cover include physical geography, global economics, world governments, settlement patterns and twentieth century world history.  This course will focus on nations outside of North America allowing each student to better understand the world they live in.  This course is designed to provide the background information required in future Social Studies courses.  Below I have outlined the particulars of this course. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions. 

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

 

            By the end of this course, all students will be able to:

                        (I)   practice geographic skills.

                        (II)  evaluate locations to determine their suitability for settlement.

                        (III) determine how historical events impact the world today.

                        (IV)  apply economic principals to real world situations.

 

CLASS VALUES:

 

☻ Respect all people and property in the classroom                     ☻  Be prepared for class

☻ Be a great teammate!                                                                              ☻  Never quit!

 

GRADING:

 

            The primary goal for all of my students is that they are successful.  In my class, the grade that each child receives will demonstrate what he/she has learned.  Other areas of concern such as effort, conduct, and homework completion will be reported using teacher comments on assessments and Aspen Reports, student-led conferences, and supplementary report cards at the end of the term.

            Students will be graded on “learning goals” that will be provided to the students.  These goals are derived from the district’s curriculum frameworks, district initiatives, building initiatives, and expected competencies.  Every student’s progress towards each learning goal will be evaluated using a rubric that will be provided to each student when we start work on a specific learning goal.  Each student’s grade will be determined by calculating the average scores of the individual learning goals addressed during the given marking period. 

            Unlike traditional grading practices, you will see your progress towards learning goals on grade reports not lists of individual assignment grades.  If a child struggles on an assessment, then their initial grade will be recorded and when they perform better on a future assessment this grade will then be replaced.  This is a two way street; in the event a student performs poorly on the next assignment, the most recent grade prevails as we need to ensure students are retaining what has been taught.  Once the class gets to the final assessment on a learning goal, they are expected to redo that assessment until they reach proficiency.  On many assessments, student will earn more than one grade as they may cover more than one learning goal.  Each part of the assessment will be clearly labeled. 

           

 

EXTRA HELP:

 

            Students are always welcome to stay for extra help.  I request students notify me in advance when they plan to stay so that I may be prepared for them.  Students are also welcome to come for extra help during H period. 

 

FIRE DRILL PROCEDURE:

           

            If the building's fire alarm should sound, students will line up silently at the door and exit to the left upon the direction of the teacher.  They will continue straight out of the building exiting through the doors by the auditorium.   Students will line up on the sports practice field adjacent to the football field where they will wait silently for attendance and teacher direction.  In the event that the alarm should sound between periods, students will follow the directions of staff members to the nearest exit and they will line up on the football field by homeroom.    

 

CONTACT INFORMATION:

 

            I will notify both the student and his or her parents/guardians regarding any academic or non-academic concerns.   I firmly believe that schools work best when there is open communication between students, parents/guardians and school staff.  For smaller issues, I will use the schools email system; however, I usually prefer to call home as this tends to lead to a more fruitful dialogue.  If you feel the need to speak with me please do not hesitate to call me at 508-541-6230 X 2854 or email me at mcgovernd@franklin.k12.ma.us.    The cluster would also be happy to arrange a meeting with parents/guardians during the school day if necessary.  Students are also encouraged to stay up to date on their child’s performance using the school’s online grading program. 

 

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Mr. David McGovern, M. Ed.