Mr.

Asher Molk 8th Grade Social Studies Gridley Middle School

Email: ashermolk@gmail.com

COURSE OVERVIEW: Students will actively engage in various important topics in United States and world history: the Holocaust, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, and the Civil Rights Era. Using primary and secondary documents, students will analyze the causes and effects of these events, relate them to current day and use their personal lives to reflect on the material. I believe it is my job to best prepare these students for the increased academic rigor of high school- thus, it will be reading and writing intensive. CLASSROOM PROCEDURE: I fully expect my students to come to class prepared. This means that by the time the bell rings, each student should be quiet in their assigned seats and should have their notebook and writing utensils out on their desks with their cell phones on silent and in their backpack or pocket. I will provide clear instructions on classroom activities and transitions, and I expect my students to follow my directions at all times. RULES AND EXPECTATIONS: Teachers and students both prefer a peaceful, well-run classroom. Here are my classroom rules to help ensure we have a successful learning environment: -Keep your hands, feet and other body parts to yourself. -Please be quiet when I am talking. -Be respectful of everyones voice and opinion in the classroom. -Stay in your seat unless instructed to move. -Arrive on time and be in your seat before the bell rings. -Keep cell phones on silent and in your backpack or pocket unless otherwise notified. -Stay in your seat and attentive until I tell you to pack up. Remember, the bell does not dismiss you- I do. -Use academic language in the classroom. WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF ME?

POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL CONSEQUENCES: I sincerely enjoy rewarding students for excellent behavior, effort, participation, and classwork. It gives me great pleasure to be able to report your success to you and your parents. Here are some ways in which you shall be rewarded for good behavior: -Verbal Praise -Call home to parents -Teachers assistant for a day (run errands, write notes on the board, pass out papers, etc.) -Get Out of Homework Free cards -Seating choice HOW ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE REWARDED?

NEGATIVE BEHAVIORAL CONSEQUENCES: Unfortunately, there must be consequences for breaking class rules and being disruptive or disrespectful in the classroom. I will stick to this progression of consequences: -Verbal warning. -Seating change. -Private meeting with me. -Calling of parents. -Referral to counselor. -Lunch detention. -After-School detention. -Referral to office. SEVERITY CLAUSE: I reserve to the right to jump to any level of the consequence progression depending on the level of your infraction.

ABSENCES, TARDIES AND CELL PHONES: Please refer to your Gridley Middle School Planner for the school policy on absences and tardies. HOMEWORK: Believe it or not, teachers dont see homework as an opportunity to punish or upset you. It is there to help you review what you learned and to get to things we did not have time to do in class. I do not give homework for no reason! Thus, you will be pink slipped every time you do not complete your homework on time. You will explain why you did not do it, and have a parent sign it. MAKE UP WORK: I will allow you as many days as you were absent to make up the work you missed. For example: if you were absent for two days, you have two days to make up the work you missed. After that, it becomes late work. LATE WORK: As part of preparing my students for high school, turning in late work is highly discouraged and penalized. An assignment may be turned in one day after the due date for half credit, and after two days it will not be accepted. GRADING: There will be no rounding of grades. Again, this is to best prepare you for your educational future in high school. 90-100%: A 80-89%: B 70-79%: C 60-69%: D 59% or below: F

SUBJECTS AND CURRICULUM: Here is an overview of what the students will be learning about in my classroom. This list is subject to change, and you will be notified if it does. Since we will be learning about sensitive material, some images and subject matter may be sensitive and disturbing. If you have a problem with your child engaging in such material, please contact me. The Holocaust: -The 1930s: beginning of Nazi oppression -Life in the ghetto and concentration camps -The Final Solution: death camps and gas chambers -The Diary of Anne Frank -Liberation and remembrance: life after the Holocaust The Cold War: -The Korean War -McCarthyism and fear of Communism -The arms race and the Cuban Missile Crisis -The race to the moon and beyond The Vietnam War: -The Domino Theory -Gulf of Tonkin Resolution -The war at home: unrest and protests -Combat in Vietnam: a different world -Music of the Vietnam War -The Vietnam War Memorial: how do we remember? The Civil Rights Era: -Jim Crowe laws -Jackie Robinson -A time for change: civil disobedience and protests -Desegregation: Brown vs Board and other events -The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965