Course Syllabus 2020-2021

United States History & Geography

Capital High School
Santa Fe, New Mexico

Department: Social Studies

Course Length: Fall 2020
Delivery Method: Online – Open Access/Canvas
Prerequisites: None
Contact and Communication Information
Instructor Name: Debre W. Allen
Email: dallen@sfps.k12.nm.us
Contact Hours: Monday -Friday (via email)

SECTION I - Course Description and Essential Knowledge

Government and Economics are perhaps the most important subjects taught in high school.
Government directly impacts our lives in innumerable ways, from the laws that we have to the taxes
that we must pay, to the roads that we drive on. The principals of economics govern the everyday
decisions of individuals and businesses. Moreover, as a senior-level course, these topics are extremely
applicable as many students will soon become eligible to vote, and independently manage their
finances.

In this course we will use WICOR strategies in order to explore relevant historical themes and develop
critical historical thinking skills. This Syllabus details classroom expectations, grading policies, and
other relevant information to aid in the success of every student. Due to the fluid nature of our current
school experience this syllabus is subject to change and will be updated as necessary.

This will be a classroom where everyone can learn in a safe environment. The following will not be
tolerated in my classroom and will result in an office referral if the behavior persists: anyone putting
down another student, students wasting class time, students preventing other students from getting
work done, students showing disrespect towards myself or another student.

Textbooks
We will utilize 2 digital textbooks for this course. These are:
Young Voices – Available: https://youngvoicestext.org/
American Government – Available: http://www.ushistory.org/gov/

Units of Study:

Unit 1: Introduction to Government Unit 6: The Legislative Branch

Unit 2: Foundations of American Government Unit 7: The Executive Branch
Unit 3: The Constitution & Federalism Unit 8: The Judicial Branch
Unit 4: Political Parties & Ideology Unit 9: Civil Liberties
Unit 5: Campaigns and Elections
Unit 10: Foreign Policy and Comparative Unit 11: State & Local Government
Government

Goals of the Course

1. Students will acquire knowledge of Civics and American Government including specific
names, terms, and concepts.
2. Students will weave together the skills and content of civics, history, and geography and learn
how they affect each other.
3. Students will consider multiple perspectives, weigh evidence, and make sound judgments
about the contemporary world.
4. These processes build student confidence as critical thinkers.
5. Learners will leave prepared for advanced level courses in the social sciences and some of the
analytical tasks common to the 21st century work world.

SECTION II - The Online Classroom

Computer & Technical Requirements
You will be given access to the Canvas Learning Management system using your StudentID and
your individual password.
To participate in the course, you must have regular access to either a desktop or a laptop computer
with internet. While this course can be accessed by Smartphone or Tablet, assignments should be
submitted via desktop/laptop for increased security and reliability.

Suggested Materials: I suggest students have headphones, paper and something to write with.
(Notebooks are great for taking notes.)

Digital Classroom Expectations:

 Students are expected to be present for Synchronous learning where everyone is online
with the teacher at the same time using Google Meet. The link for classroom meetings
will be found in the Announcements section of your course.
 Please ask your questions in the chat column or the “parking lot” of Google Meet.
 Please mute your microphone before entering the “classroom” or our Google
meeting.

Online CourseAttendance:

Attendance will be submitted by Teacher into PowerSchool by 4:00pm DAILY. If a student has
been marked absent and they believe they should be marked present, the student must
notify me via Email within 24 hours and present their case.

Student Responsibilities
Attendance and Participation: Students are expected to sign into the course on a daily basis.
Canvas will record your log in date & time and how long you are signed in, along with what
assignments you complete. Three absences will result in a call home, and prolonged
absences may result in not passing the course. Students are expected to participate in all activities
and modules in order to receive a passing grade of 60 or above.

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Studying and Preparation: Students are expected to spend approximately 2-3 hours a week
studying and participating in activities, depending on student's understanding of the content.
Submitting Assignments: Assignments must be submitted on or before 11:59 pm on the due date
unless instructed otherwise because the assignment will close at that time. Follow the instruction
on the assignment on how to turn in each individual assignment.
Navigating your Course: In addition to the Home page and this Syllabus, the far left hand
links you will have access to include:
Announcements: Announcements will be used to post course updates including changes to due
dates, reminders, and general course information. Be sure to always check the announcement tool
as soon as you log into the course.
Modules: This tab will hold each individual Module that is to be completed. You must complete
all assignments in each module before you are able to move on to the next.
Chat/Course Messages: Use the course messages/chat tool to communicate with the teacher as
well as your peers. This should be your primary source of private communication between you
and your peers.
Assignment Submissions
You will use the assignment submission tool to submit various documents and deliverables to be
graded. Every module will incorporate at least one assignment for submission. Assignments
should be turned in via a desktop or laptop for increased security and stability.
Discussions
Weekly discussion boards will be used to interact with your classmates. Each week students will
be asked to show their knowledge and share their opinions about a given subject. Students will
also be required to give feedback on others postings as assigned. It is important to be thoughtful
and respectful when replying to your peers. Discussion boards will be utilized in all modules
except the last module for the Final Project.
Miscellaneous Online Course Information

 Questions and concerns will be addressed through:

o “Ask the Teacher” Discussion Board in Canvas (Fastest Option)
o Email, or
o Google Meet Chat
 If contacted after office hours, please allow appropriate time to receive a response (Within 24
hours on weekdays)
 When using email contact Please include your first and last name and period number in
the subject line (e.g. JaneSmithPeriod3)
 Feedback will be provided on graded assignments. Please allow one full week to receive a
grade in PowerSchool and feedback on weekly assignments.

SECTION III: - Additional Course Information

Grading Policies: 90%--100% =A ; 80%--90%= B ; 70%--80% = C ; 60%--70%= D ; 60% > F

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Grades will be awarded on a point system; the more points an assignment has, the more it is
worth! All grades are assigned at the discretion of the instructor and are final. It is strongly
encouraged that students discuss grades with me regularly. Students are expected to complete all
assigned coursework in a timely manner. Work turned in late will receive reduced priority and
will be graded at the teacher’s convenience. No late work will be accepted in the last week before
end of quarter dates. Grades will be updated weekly in PowerSchool.

The teacher reserves the right to consider the student’s progress and growth over the entire
school year when determining the final grade.
Unit Quizzes & Tests
Quizzes will be given to check for understanding and provide feedback. You should use these
quizzes to understand what concept you need to practice more. Students will be asked to
complete 1-2 quizzes in each module. Quizzes will include the following question types:

 Multiple Choice
 True/False
 Matching
 Short Answer

Revising & Resubmitting Assessments:

Retakes are an option designed to help students demonstrate mastery on major assessments. A
retake may be requested by a student. A retake may also be required by the teacher or a student’s
support team (e.g. the Individualized Education Plan team or a parent/student/teacher
partnership). When doing retakes, students will be expected to complete a new assessment,
not repeat the original. The student should also submit the original assignment with the retake if
it was returned to them by their teacher (to document learning over time).

Additional effort and retakes must be completed within the timeframe established by the teacher
to accommodate quarterly grade deadlines. Retakes will not be allowed in the last week of the
quarter. In support of mastery learning, the retake opportunity will be the grade recorded (unless
otherwise specified by the teacher).

Extra Credit: to be determined.

Need Extra Help?

I am available to give students extra help before school, after school, during lunch, and during my
prep (3rd period). Simply let me know when you would like to have a virtual meeting to discuss your
issues.

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