Scofield Magnet Middle School

Welcome to Mrs. Norton's Home Page

White Team,

Sixth Grade Social Studies

Ancient Civilizations and the Middle Ages!

 

       

HOW TO CONTACT MRS. NORTON

BY PHONE: Leave me a message with, YOUR NAME, YOUR CHILD'S NAME, A PHONE NUMBER and BEST TIME TO RETURN YOUR CALL, at the main office, 977-2750. I will get back to you at my earliest convenience.

BY EMAIL: Click on this link: MRS. NORTON I will return emails promptly.

IN PERSON: Please call or email me in advance and I will be happy to try to meet with you at a mutually agreed upon time and place.

CLASSROOM POLICIES & PROCEDURES

(This document was distributed during the first week of school.)

WELCOME! This provides an overview of the social studies course for the sixth grade. This year, we will be exploring the ancient world, from early humans to the Mayans, as well as Medieval Times.

I. Course outline

The purpose of studying ancient and medieval civilizations is to trace the origins of many great discoveries, inventions and philosophies that have shaped the world we live in today. Current events, technology, and outside resources, such as speakers and field trips, will be used to enliven and broaden our study. During this exploration you will develop the following skills:

  • Researching (using various sources including the Internet) note-taking
  • Summarizing and organizing information
  • Written and oral presenting
  • Planning and goal-setting
  • Assessment/reflection

In addition, you will build good group-work habits such as delegating tasks, prioritizing and communicating effectively within a team to achieve a common goal.

II. Discipline

I would like you to be aware of the discipline system that I will be using in my classroom. I believe every child in the classroom should have the safest, most conducive learning environment possible. Therefore, I will not tolerate any student whose actions prevent me from teaching or hinders another student's learning in any way.

The following three-step plan will be used:

  • 1st consequence Verbal warning
  • 2nd consequence Recess conference with me to problem-solve and make up any work. (I will not take up class time arguing or negotiating.)
  • 3rd consequence Phone call home to set up a parent/student/teacher conference to problem-solve together. Any of the above may also come with a school detention.

Severe behavior problems will be sent directly to the guidance office and/or Dr. Fine.

III. Attendance

I am very firmly supportive of the school's policy on attendance. The work we do in this classroom is important for many reasons; it prepares you for nightly homework assignments, long-term assignments and tests. In addition, we often work in pairs or small groups. In this case, your absence can have a great impact on those with whom you are working. Please make every effort to be in class, on time, every day.

If you know in advance that you will be missing class, please notify me IN WRITING. Regardless of why you may miss class, (illness, extracurricular, etc.) YOU are responsible for any missed work and must SEE ME as soon as possible to catch up on the work you missed.

IV. Homework

Nightly homework is assigned two to three times per week. Keep in mind that during long-term assignments your "homework" will be determined by how much you accomplish in class. It will be your responsibility to decide how much work you still need to do at home in order to hand in your assignment by the deadline. During long-term assignments, your nightly assignment may just be a reminder from me that a deadline is approaching and you should have certain items completed. If you know that you have not completed those items, then that means…you've got homework!

V. Grading

All assignments are due by their due dates, except in case of absence or emergency. In these cases, you must see me as soon as possible for the missed assignment(s) and complete it within an agreed-upon period of time. Late work will be accepted for partial credit, unless it is turned in significantly later than assigned, in which case no credit will be given.

If you are absent the day a test or long-term assignment is due, you are expected to take the test or hand the assignment in on the day you return, unless you have a doctor's note to explain your absence.

I grade on a point system. This means that when you get assignments you will be told how many points each is worth. (Usually you will get a rubric, which specifies what you need to do to earn all of the points possible.) When the assignment is handed back to you there will be a number score on the top which tells you how many points out of the total that you earned. You can figure your percent grade by dividing the number of points your earned by the number of points possible.

For example, I might give a test worth 30 points total. You missed two answers and received 28 points. If you divide 28 by 30 (and multiply by 100), your score would be 93%, which is an 'A'. The marking period grade will be determined by how many points you earned on all assignments divided by the total points which were possible to earn on those assignments.

I do not offer 'extra credit' assignments. I expect students to be responsible for the work that is assigned. I am always available to help you with assignments big and small. But, I am not a mind-reader. You need to be mature enough to come to me, before the work is due to request my help. I genuinely want you to experience success, but you have to meet me half-way!

VI. Working together

You will be working with your peers on a variety of activities both in and out of class. How you work with others is just as important to your grade as the work you complete. I will assign you to groups for many activities. In some cases, this will present you with the challenge of working with students whom you don't know very well, or with whom you may not be friends. Make the effort to focus on the work and what you need to do to accomplish your group's goal. This is a skill, which you must develop regardless of what type of career you choose. As the saying goes, "No man [person] is an island."

VII. Expectations

Finally, there are some basics, which we as a class must understand and abide by in order to get the most out of our time together. 1. Give others the respect and consideration you would like in return. 2. Come to class prepared mentally and physically. 3. Be on task. Class begins when YOU enter the room, so get to your seat and begin your work. 4. Take responsibility for yourself and your actions. Just like in life, there are consequences (pleasant and unpleasant) for every action you take. Think before you act.

I hope that you are as excited as I am for the year ahead! Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. See the section of this website called, "Contact Information" if you need to contact me.

CURRICULUM OVERVIEW...

WHAT'S IN STORE FOR YOU?

This provides an overview of the social studies curriculum for the sixth grade. The year begins with studies about world geography, archaeology and early humans. This will provide a foundation for the study of how civilizations developed, and how the remains of those civilizations help us to learn about them today. A basic understanding of the origins of society will lead into an exploration of ancient cultures that have influenced the modern world, such as Egypt, Greece, Rome, China and Mesoamerica. In addition, a brief study into the Middle Ages of Europe will allow students to pre-view how ancient civilizations may or may not have survived into modern times.

During this exploration we will address some overarching concepts such as:

* How geographic location affects a people's way of life.Students will discover this relationship as they research the people of each civilization and how each developed skills, tools and techniques to better utilize their resources, allowing them to become so prosperous.

* How and why people develop organizational structures to govern themselves. Students will understand how the governmental structures evolved in each society, where they received their authority, how they enforced that authority and the results of challenge to that authority.

* The development of belief systems by people in order to interpret and structure the world around them. Students will study the myths, legends, artifacts, languages, rituals and religions of these ancient peoples in order to understand how these people defined themselves and what they valued in their societies.

These studies will be augmented, whenever possible, by videos, fieldtrips, guest speakers, etc.

Our purpose in studying ancient civilizations is to trace the origins of many great discoveries, inventions and philosophies that shape the world we live in today. As often as possible, current events and technology will be used to demonstrate the evolution of these contributions from ancient to modern times.

I look forward to working with your children and with you to enrich and enliven the social studies curriculum! Your input is important and any resources you can provide or direct me to will be helpful in making this year an exciting one for us all.