Dear Parents,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to my 10th Grade Virginia and United States History Class here
at Richmond High School. I wanted to take the opportunity to introduce myself and let you know that it
is my privilege to be working with your son or daughter this year. We have a great deal of material to
cover and I hope you know that it is my mission to make sure each student in my class will be well
prepared for SOL’s and their continued education here at Midlothian. I ask for your assistance and
support this year in helping me aid your student in reaching their full potential. Please feel free to contact
me with any questions or concerns you may have.

Sincerely,

Mr. Schwab

Richmond High School

History Department

Room 123

Office Phone: 804-555-1234

10th Grade Virginia and U.S. History – Age of Exploration to Present

Richmond High School

Instructor: Mr. Schwab

Room: 123
School Phone: 804-555-1234
Email: adam.schwab@comcast.net
Office Hours: 2:00-2:30pm

Textbook: Garcia, Jesus. Creating America: A History of the United States. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006.

Classroom Expectations:
 Students are expected to arrive to class on time and prepared with the proper materials
needed for class. At the beginning of each class period homework will be collected and a
daily question will be posted on the front chalk board for students to answer. Attendance
will be taken at the beginning of each class. During instruction students must act in
accordance with the student handbook issued by Chesterfield County Public Schools. I
expect students and the teacher to act respectfully at all times which means: no talking
while someone else is talking, raising your hand to speak, following directions, listening,
eye contact, no touching other people or their property, saying please and thank you, no
put downs or name calling.
*If a student violates any classroom or school policy it will be documented and
depending of the severity of the infraction the student will: first offense - receives a
warning, second offense – a phone call home, Third offense – a referral to
administration.

Beverages in plastic containers are permitted in class.

Absolutely NO food is allowed, unless health condition is cited by doctor’s note.
Students may use the restrooms at anytime during class without disrupting instruction.
Bathroom pass is located on shelf near doorway and the time must be noted. Excessive
use of bathroom privileges may result in disciplinary action, unless health condition is
cited by doctor’s note.

Substitutes: Disrupting class while a substitute is present will not be tolerated. If

students disrupt class the student first gets a verbal warning, upon a second warning the
substitute will fill out a referral slip to be shown to the student. If the student requires a
third warning the student will be sent to the office with the referral.

Materials: Three ring binder with loose leaf paper, black or blue ink pen and textbook.

Grading Procedure: 50% Unit Tests, Quizzes

25% Critical Thinking Essays
20% Daily Class Work and Homework
5% Participation

Scale: 90-100 - A
 80-89 - B
70-79 - C
60-69 - D
59 and Below – F
Make up and late work policy – Make up work will be accepted within one week of an
excused absents and no later. Unexcused absents will be required to turn in make up
work by the following class period and no later. Late assignments may be turned in the
following class period at the reduction of one letter grade from the final score and no
later. Copies of worksheets, assignments and handouts from the previous week can be
found on the front book shelf closest to the door in the folders labeled by class period;
contents will be taken out a filed each week.
Academic honesty – Violations include the following:
*Cheating: This includes seeking or giving unauthorized help on tests, papers, homework
and other academic assignments.
*Plagiarism: Defined as using another’s words or ideas and representing them as one’s
own either knowingly or unknowing. In other words, by not documenting ideas or putting
quotations around exact phrasing and documenting the source, one is committing
plagiarism.
Misconduct in the area of academic honesty is subject to disciplinary action that can
include, but is not limited to, parent conference, failure for the assignment and referral to
the administration for disciplinary action.
Course Outline
Overview - The standards for Virginia and United States History include the historical
development of American ideas and institutions from the Age of Exploration to the
present. While focusing on political and economic history, the standards provide students
with a basic knowledge of American culture through a chronological survey of major
issues, movements, people, and events in United States and Virginia history. Students
should use historical and geographical analysis skills to explore in depth the events,
people, and ideas that fostered our national identity and led to our country’s prominence
in world affairs. The study of history must emphasize the intellectual skills required for
responsible citizenship. Students practice these skills as they extend their understanding
of the essential knowledge defined by all of the standards for history and social
science.(www.doe.virginia.gov/go/Sols/home.shtml)

1st Quarter - Unit 1 - Early America: Early Claims, Early Conflicts

Unit 2 - Revolution and the New Nation
 2nd Quarter - Unit 3 - Expansion and Reform: 1801 to 1860
Unit 4 - Civil War and Reconstruction: 1860 to 1877

3rd Quarter - Unit 5 - Reshaping the Nation and the Emergence of Modern America:
1877 to 1930s
Unit 6 - Conflict: The World at War: 1939 to 1945

4th Quarter - Unit 7 - The United States since World War II

Assignments
Tests – One per unit
Quizzes – One per unit
Homework and Daily Activities – worksheets, group work and reading
assignments
Critical Thinking Essays – One per semester. The student will choose from a list
of discussion questions pertaining to topics discussed during the semester and
write a minimum five page essay utilizing knowledge gained from lectures, texts,
handouts and other classroom sources. All writing assignments are required to
be double spaced; 12 point font; New Times Roman with one inch margins
and all sources must be cited.

Emergency Plan
Students will be instructed on fire drill protocol on the first day of class along with
hurricane, intruders and other emergencies as required by the state, county and school
regulations found in the student hand book. A map with the emergency route is posted at
the door of the classroom and we will exit the building as a class. Attendance will be
taken daily and in case of emergency, attendance will be taken after exiting and upon re-
entry to the class.