WORLD HISTORY
Mr. Dyrdahl
Email: [email protected] Phone: 320-629-4138
(A) COURSE DESCRIPTION
.Breaking News…Your friend shared a link…...
These phrases grab our attention for a moment before we move on to the next thing in our busy lives. However, each of these stories has a background that helps the current event make sense or explain why it matters to many of us.
Many stories with similar themes keep popping up in our news. They are driven by past stories that not only created current situations, but have also shaped our world.
As a result of this class, students will be exposed to memorable characters, dominant cultures, major events and mass movements that have an effect on our world today. Through group or individual investigation and reflection each student will develop an understanding of modern issues and their historic causes.
(B) COURSE SCHEDULE
(5) Where do our things come from? Topics: Africa, Rwanda, Colonization & Industrial Revolution
(6) Why can’t countries stop fighting? Topics: Eugenics, Self-Determination, Post-Colonization
(7) Where do we come from? Topics: Early movement, development & tools
(8) How do ancient cultures influence us today? Topics: Egypt, Greece & Rome
(C) RESOURCES
(D) MASTERY LEARNING APPROACH
Every unit of the World History course is connected to a Minnesota State Standard for History education. For World History, students will receive credit for work based on achieving at least a complete and basic level of understanding of content.
What understanding looks like will change based on the assignment, but students will always receive a rubric that has grading criteria and a chance to self-assess on their performance. Students will also receive a copy of their progress in each unit via email. The rubrics will use the terms MASTERY, PROFICIENCY, and DEVELOPING to describe student progress. To receive credit for an assignment students must achieve mastery or proficiency.
PROFICIENCY refers to a student demonstrating a complete and basic understanding of the subject. MASTERY means students have demonstrated a detailed and thorough understanding of the subject. DEVELOPING means students need to add more information or re-examine their answers in order to receive credit for the assignment. If an assignment is developing students will receive feedback to help them make progress. Students will have until the end of the unit to turn in developing work.
(E) MASTERY GRADING
Students will earn a grade for each unit. Student scores on each unit will be averaged to determine a semester grade. Each assignment students earn mastery on will boost their percentage. Student grades for each unit will be determined as follows:
1. Learning Opportunities
Will be daily classroom work that introduce students to the basic concepts of our topic. Learning opportunities will be introduced with notes and discussions. Learning opportunities will be completed both in groups and individually.
If students complete all learning opportunities for the unit at mastery or proficiency level they will receive a “D” for the unit.
*******************************************************************************************************************************************************
OTHER GRADING AREAS
2. Quizzes
Each topic will cover Minnesota State Standards for World History. Quizzes will be given to assess students base level knowledge related to standards. Students must complete all learning opportunities to take the quiz for the topic.
3. Reflections
Reflections will address issues related to class topics and current events. Students will be asked to explain their thinking with details in reflections.
4. Unit Project
Unit projects will ask students to apply what we have learned in a topic to answer common questions people have about issues happening in our world right now.
If students complete learning opportunities + 1 other area at mastery or proficiency level for the unit they will receive a “C” for the unit.
If students complete learning opportunities + 2 other areas at mastery or proficiency level for the unit they will receive a “B” for the unit.
If students complete learning opportunities + 3 other areas at mastery or proficiency level for the unit they will receive a “A” for the unit.
(F) MAKE-UP WORK QUESTIONS
Time will be provided in class to complete coursework If coursework is not completed in class due to absence or needing more time students need to know the following:
--Make-up work can be found at the front of our classroom on the bulletin board or on our online class calendar http://jareddyrdahl.weebly.com/
--Students have until the end of the unit to turn in coursework they have missed. If a student is absent right before the end of the unit they will have two days beyond the end of the topic to complete coursework.
--If you don’t turn in assignments on time you can fill out an “Extension Slip” that can be found at the front of the room by the make-up work. Fill it out and make sure Mr. Dyrdahl signs it. Then attach the slip to your work when you turn it in.
(G) CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 1…..2…….See you
Most students surveyed each year say they work best without distractions. If during class a student is interfering with another’s ability to learn they will receive two chances to change their behavior before they will be asked to leave the classroom. Consequences (detentions and behavior contracts) will be utilized if students are removed on multiple occasions. The exception to this rule is if a student is doing something to threaten other students physical, mental, or social well-being. During project time students will be asked to not distract themselves or others. Distracting others or completely misusing resources (including phones and computers) will result in the event being documented. Three documented events in one quarter will lead to removal from class. Each event beyond the third will result in removal from class.
(H) HONOR POLICY
Cheating has become a major concern at Pine City High School. Students taking this course are expected to abide by an academic honor code. A copy of the honor code is attached to the syllabus below. Violation of the honor code will trigger a notification of parents, the guidance counselor and principal. Consequences will result in at least a “0” for a unit, if not failure & repeat of the entire course.
Honor Code
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY is integral to the educational process in order for students to strive to make the most of their educational opportunities and for teachers to trust that work completed and evaluated represents the efforts of the student in question. Consequences are harsh in college for students caught plagiarizing. Often times the students is expelled.
To comply with the Honor Code, the student will avoid academic dishonesty and refrain from cheating or plagiarizing in all forms including these:
Copying the work of another student.
Allowing one’s work to be copied by another student.
Using unauthorized materials on a test or project.
Using unauthorized electronic devices on a test.
Obtaining unauthorized copies of materials, information, or knowledge prior to taking a test or completing a project.
Claiming credit on a group project for contributions that were nonexistent or below requirements.
Falsifying, being paid for, or forging any academic document.
Failing to list sources used.
Failing to indicate that material in a paper came from one of the sources.
Following the wording on the original source too closely when paraphrasing.
Using the ideas of another without proper citation.
Changing some of the author’s words by retaining his/her ideas and/or sentence structure without citing.
The student will furthermore report to the instructor any incidence of another student in class violating the Honor Code.
(I) TECHNOLOGY POLICY
Today technology is a major part of our lives and its use in school has changed over the last few years. Unfortunately the negatives have outweighed the positives in many situations. During normal class time students will be asked to keep all technology stored away. If students have technology out or use it inappropriately they will have it taken away. After the first incident, students will receive increasing detentions and have their phone or device given to the office.
On class work days or when necessary for assignments students will be allowed to use technology so long as it is not a distraction toward their academic progress in the eyes of the course instructor.
**If a student has an emergency situation in which they need to keep their device on them and respond they should communicate this so necessary arrangements can be made.
(J) QUESTIONS?!?!?!
If you have questions or concerns about the course or need some part of the syllabus clarified please contact me at [email protected], send a note, give a call or have your student ask me.
Mr. Dyrdahl
Email: [email protected] Phone: 320-629-4138
(A) COURSE DESCRIPTION
.Breaking News…Your friend shared a link…...
These phrases grab our attention for a moment before we move on to the next thing in our busy lives. However, each of these stories has a background that helps the current event make sense or explain why it matters to many of us.
Many stories with similar themes keep popping up in our news. They are driven by past stories that not only created current situations, but have also shaped our world.
As a result of this class, students will be exposed to memorable characters, dominant cultures, major events and mass movements that have an effect on our world today. Through group or individual investigation and reflection each student will develop an understanding of modern issues and their historic causes.
(B) COURSE SCHEDULE
- What inspires radical Islamic Terrorism? Topics: The Middle East, 9/11, Iran & Israel vs. Palestine
- What is Islam? Topics: SW Asia, ISIS, The Islamic Faith & The Crusades
- Does Communism work? Topics: SE Asia, Soviet Living, Chinese Reforms, Karl Marx
- Why are we afraid of Russia? Topics: Korea, Cuba, Afghanistan & Syria
(5) Where do our things come from? Topics: Africa, Rwanda, Colonization & Industrial Revolution
(6) Why can’t countries stop fighting? Topics: Eugenics, Self-Determination, Post-Colonization
(7) Where do we come from? Topics: Early movement, development & tools
(8) How do ancient cultures influence us today? Topics: Egypt, Greece & Rome
(C) RESOURCES
- Mazour & Peoples. World History: People and Nations. Orlando: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1990.
- Films: 102 Minutes that Changed America & Hotel Rwanda
- Web and print articles concerning various topics in World History
- Teacher generated handouts and assignments
- Discovery Learning, YouTube, and other multimedia video clips from the web
(D) MASTERY LEARNING APPROACH
Every unit of the World History course is connected to a Minnesota State Standard for History education. For World History, students will receive credit for work based on achieving at least a complete and basic level of understanding of content.
What understanding looks like will change based on the assignment, but students will always receive a rubric that has grading criteria and a chance to self-assess on their performance. Students will also receive a copy of their progress in each unit via email. The rubrics will use the terms MASTERY, PROFICIENCY, and DEVELOPING to describe student progress. To receive credit for an assignment students must achieve mastery or proficiency.
PROFICIENCY refers to a student demonstrating a complete and basic understanding of the subject. MASTERY means students have demonstrated a detailed and thorough understanding of the subject. DEVELOPING means students need to add more information or re-examine their answers in order to receive credit for the assignment. If an assignment is developing students will receive feedback to help them make progress. Students will have until the end of the unit to turn in developing work.
(E) MASTERY GRADING
Students will earn a grade for each unit. Student scores on each unit will be averaged to determine a semester grade. Each assignment students earn mastery on will boost their percentage. Student grades for each unit will be determined as follows:
1. Learning Opportunities
Will be daily classroom work that introduce students to the basic concepts of our topic. Learning opportunities will be introduced with notes and discussions. Learning opportunities will be completed both in groups and individually.
If students complete all learning opportunities for the unit at mastery or proficiency level they will receive a “D” for the unit.
*******************************************************************************************************************************************************
OTHER GRADING AREAS
2. Quizzes
Each topic will cover Minnesota State Standards for World History. Quizzes will be given to assess students base level knowledge related to standards. Students must complete all learning opportunities to take the quiz for the topic.
3. Reflections
Reflections will address issues related to class topics and current events. Students will be asked to explain their thinking with details in reflections.
4. Unit Project
Unit projects will ask students to apply what we have learned in a topic to answer common questions people have about issues happening in our world right now.
If students complete learning opportunities + 1 other area at mastery or proficiency level for the unit they will receive a “C” for the unit.
If students complete learning opportunities + 2 other areas at mastery or proficiency level for the unit they will receive a “B” for the unit.
If students complete learning opportunities + 3 other areas at mastery or proficiency level for the unit they will receive a “A” for the unit.
(F) MAKE-UP WORK QUESTIONS
Time will be provided in class to complete coursework If coursework is not completed in class due to absence or needing more time students need to know the following:
--Make-up work can be found at the front of our classroom on the bulletin board or on our online class calendar http://jareddyrdahl.weebly.com/
--Students have until the end of the unit to turn in coursework they have missed. If a student is absent right before the end of the unit they will have two days beyond the end of the topic to complete coursework.
--If you don’t turn in assignments on time you can fill out an “Extension Slip” that can be found at the front of the room by the make-up work. Fill it out and make sure Mr. Dyrdahl signs it. Then attach the slip to your work when you turn it in.
(G) CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 1…..2…….See you
Most students surveyed each year say they work best without distractions. If during class a student is interfering with another’s ability to learn they will receive two chances to change their behavior before they will be asked to leave the classroom. Consequences (detentions and behavior contracts) will be utilized if students are removed on multiple occasions. The exception to this rule is if a student is doing something to threaten other students physical, mental, or social well-being. During project time students will be asked to not distract themselves or others. Distracting others or completely misusing resources (including phones and computers) will result in the event being documented. Three documented events in one quarter will lead to removal from class. Each event beyond the third will result in removal from class.
(H) HONOR POLICY
Cheating has become a major concern at Pine City High School. Students taking this course are expected to abide by an academic honor code. A copy of the honor code is attached to the syllabus below. Violation of the honor code will trigger a notification of parents, the guidance counselor and principal. Consequences will result in at least a “0” for a unit, if not failure & repeat of the entire course.
Honor Code
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY is integral to the educational process in order for students to strive to make the most of their educational opportunities and for teachers to trust that work completed and evaluated represents the efforts of the student in question. Consequences are harsh in college for students caught plagiarizing. Often times the students is expelled.
To comply with the Honor Code, the student will avoid academic dishonesty and refrain from cheating or plagiarizing in all forms including these:
Copying the work of another student.
Allowing one’s work to be copied by another student.
Using unauthorized materials on a test or project.
Using unauthorized electronic devices on a test.
Obtaining unauthorized copies of materials, information, or knowledge prior to taking a test or completing a project.
Claiming credit on a group project for contributions that were nonexistent or below requirements.
Falsifying, being paid for, or forging any academic document.
Failing to list sources used.
Failing to indicate that material in a paper came from one of the sources.
Following the wording on the original source too closely when paraphrasing.
Using the ideas of another without proper citation.
Changing some of the author’s words by retaining his/her ideas and/or sentence structure without citing.
The student will furthermore report to the instructor any incidence of another student in class violating the Honor Code.
(I) TECHNOLOGY POLICY
Today technology is a major part of our lives and its use in school has changed over the last few years. Unfortunately the negatives have outweighed the positives in many situations. During normal class time students will be asked to keep all technology stored away. If students have technology out or use it inappropriately they will have it taken away. After the first incident, students will receive increasing detentions and have their phone or device given to the office.
On class work days or when necessary for assignments students will be allowed to use technology so long as it is not a distraction toward their academic progress in the eyes of the course instructor.
**If a student has an emergency situation in which they need to keep their device on them and respond they should communicate this so necessary arrangements can be made.
(J) QUESTIONS?!?!?!
If you have questions or concerns about the course or need some part of the syllabus clarified please contact me at [email protected], send a note, give a call or have your student ask me.