Course Syllabus
Mrs. Southern
Email: mikaela.southern@rentonschools.us
Office Hours: 6:50 - 7:15 am and 2:10 - 2:40 pm
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“History, as nearly no one seems to know, is not merely something to be read. And it does not refer merely, or even principally, to the past. On the contrary, the great force of history comes from the fact that we carry it within us, are unconsciously controlled by it in many ways, and history is literally present in all that we do. It could scarcely be otherwise, since it is to history that we owe our frames of reference, our identities, and our aspirations.” - James Baldwin, “White Man’s Guilt,” Ebony Magazine, 1965 |
WELCOME TO U.S. HISTORY
This course is group-based, discussion-based, and project-based.
My role is to facilitate conversations so that you and your classmates can develop educated opinions on topics that affected people in the past and shape our lives today.
Most of history involves humans disagreeing, and as students of history we must analyze issues to understand the actions and motives of those who lived in the past and present.
Some topics discussed in history are controversial, deal with morality and ethics, involve political views, and directly tackle racism, sexism, nativism (anti-immigrant), xenophobia (fear of the "other") and LGBTQ*-phobia. Examining history, therefore, means exploring a diversity of perspectives, with particular attention paid to those from historically marginalized communities.
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Everyone living within the boundaries of the United States and its territories today arrived in one (or two or three) ways:
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- Your family is indigenous, and/or
- You are descended from African people who were trafficked to - and enslaved in - the Americas, and/or
- You or your ancestors are immigrants.
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We will explore these three interconnected journeys (page before) through three units:
Unit 1: Legacy of slavery: Civil War and Reconstruction; Fight for civil rights; Why are people afraid of you learning US History?
Unit 2: Indigenous history and present: Tribal Sovereignty, history of US colonization, and conversations about US imperialism today.
Unit 3: Immigration: Understanding the socially constructed concepts of citizenship, national identity, and borders through major immigration policies from pre-colonial through the today.
Late work policy:
Late work will only be accepted for excused absences. Upon your return to school, you will have 24 hours to submit late work in order to receive 100% credit. After 24 hours, late work will be docked 10% per day late, up to 50%. You may turn late work in (as long as you were not absent for an unexcused reason) through the end of a Unit.
Late work submitted within the Unit will be accepted except if you were absent and it was unexcused or if you did not turn in something for a group project that screws over your group. Don’t do that! That’s just rude!
If you miss an in-class Debate or Socratic, you will not be able to make it up, but you will have the option of completing a make-up assignment IF your absence was excused.
If you miss a test or in class essay, you must make-up your assessment within 24 hours of being back on campus. Absences will not be treated as extensions for assessments for those who choose to skip class and not to be on campus.
PLEASE NOTE: If you don't turn in work, I will mark it as a "0". After you turn in late work, that "0" is probably going to remain in place for longer than you would like. This is because I need to prioritize moving on to grading more current projects, rather than prioritizing an assignment you've turned in weeks or months after the due date.
***Late policy subject to adjust for students with 504 plans and IEPs.
Cell phone and use of technology policy:
Every day, you must place your cell phone in your assigned cell phone pocket and use technology for class-related purposes only. No tetris on your computer, no clandestine sports watching, no airpods on while I’m talking to you and then, MANY MINUTES LATER, realize that you’ve heard nothing when you respond at decibel level one million with a,“HUH?”
- All students will participate in a technology study that requires them to keep their phones in their assigned pockets for the duration of class.
- This study will explore students' ability to engage with coursework, build community with teacher and peers, improve skills in growth areas, and achieve their desired grade in U.S. history.
- Technology project is worth 20% of your grade. Please make sure your families know this as well.
- Phone violation (notice there is no 's') or misusing your chromebook, airpods, etc. will result in the complete loss of these points. I won’t give warnings other than this one.
- If this happens, the only way to earn BACK these points is by attending class for 15 straight days with ZERO acts of electronic malfeasance (Phone, computer…anything more advanced than a sundial).
Laptop and charger policy:
Bring your chromebook and a charger every day. If you don't have your charger, you can sit at the front desks and use one of the four chargers in the extension port.
Grade logistics and Plagiarism:
If you submit work that has been plagiarized from a human, AI, or in partnership with robots of any kind, it will be entered into the gradebook as a 0% and remain a 0%. Your parent and/or guardian will be notified of your plagiarism and it will be recorded in your student profile on Skyward. This is not limited to work submitted specifically for U.S. History. If I observe you cheating for another class, I will notify your teacher and guardian of your misconduct. This is your warning.
For the most up-to-date information about your work, please check Canvas.
Skyward is a report card; IT IS NOT A DAILY PROGRESS REPORT.
If your parents/guardians would like to see your most up-to-date grade and work, please add them to your Canvas page using the directions linked on your Canvas homepage.
Attendance:
It is expected that you will attend this class every day, on time.
Because this class will require heavy reading, writing responses, and class discussions, your attendance is essential for you to be an active participant in your learning and feel more engaged and connected to the class and its content, rather than attempt to complete your work asynchronously at home or during your class periods throughout the day.
That being said, I know that things come up - illness, family, mental health needs, school trips, etc. I myself have a toddler in kindergarten and an 8th grader - sicknesses and other unexpected things happen! If you are planning to be absent for an excused reason, please do your best to let me know ahead of time so I can help you navigate the class better when you return.
School Information
If you are experiencing stress, anxiety, or thoughts of self-harm call Teen Link at 866-TEENLINK (866-833-6546) and ask to talk to a peer. The phone line is open 6 p.m.– 10 p.m. and chat is available 6 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. daily. https://www.teenlink.org