Course Syllabus

You can download a copy here

Mr. Pruett’s U.S. History Class

Red Oak High School

2020-2021

bradon.pruett@redoakisd.org

 

Dear Parents and Students,

Welcome to a new school year! My name is Mr. Pruett and I will be your student’s U.S. History teacher this school year. This year is an important one for Social Studies as students will take the U.S. History EOC Test in May. I look forward to spending time and getting to know your student over the coming school year.

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course we will cover the history of the United States from reconstruction to the present with emphasis on domestic and foreign affairs, industrialization, westward movement, social and cultural development, and recognizing democratic principles and beliefs while exploring the role of the United States in World War I, World War II, and Vietnam.

 

CLASSROOM RULES

1. Do not do anything that prevents yourself/others from learning or me from teaching
   1. Ex: blurting out answers without raising hand, causing disruptions, talking while instruction is taking place, playing on electronic devices, etc.
2. Respect yourself, the teacher, your classmates, and the school.
3. Keep your hands, feet, and objects to yourself.

 

GRADING POLICY

Grades in this class are divided as such-

• Major Grades (Tests, Projects, Papers): 50%
• Assignments (In-class activities, participation activities, homework, quizzes): 50%

 

LATE WORK

If an assignment is not turned in by the assigned due date, it will be put in the gradebook as a 0. Each day the assignment is late, 10 points will be taken off the final grade of the assignment. After the second day the assignment is late, I will schedule a time the next day for the student to come up make it up, with the third day’s penalty. If it is not submitted after the third day, the assignment will receive a 0.

 

MAKE-UP WORK

Make-up work will need to be obtained the day that the student returns to school. I will not remind the student to pick up missed work, it will be the student’s responsibility to do so. If a student is absent the day of a test, they will schedule a time before or after school to take the test. A student that will be missing class due to an extracurricular activity will need to get anticipated missed work beforehand.

Test re-takes will be available to all students who make below 70 on any test. They will need to be scheduled for before or after school with Mr. Pruett within 5 days of receiving the grade. If a student misses their schedule re-test time, it will be marked late and deducted 25 points for 1 day, 50 points for 2 days, and will receive a 0 after 3 days.

 

REMIND TEXTS

Students should sign up for Remind texts, I will periodically send out reminders about due dates, upcoming tests, and other relevant information about class.

• Students – Text “@pruetthist” to 81010

Parents, please do not join this Remind Text. I have a limited amount of people that can join the remind text group, and I will barely have enough room for all students to join. If you do not want your student to join and would rather join yourself, that is fine. But please do not join if your student has already joined.

 

NEEDED SUPPLIES

• 1 pocket folder with brads
• 1 150 page spiral notebook
• Map Pencils
• 1 box facial tissues
• Pen/Pencils

 

EXTRA CREDIT

Extra credit on daily assignments and tests will be given at the discretion of Mr. Pruett.

 

ELECTRONIC DEVICE USE

Students who have chosen to attend school in-person are expected to bring their devices (laptop, Chromebook, etc.) every day to class. We will be using these basically every day during class.

Students should not be on their phones during instruction and should not have headphones/air pods/earbuds during instruction.

 

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Respect yourself and your work by not cheating or plagiarizing.*

*Plagiarism is the act of misrepresenting someone else’s ideas as your own. Copying ideas or text in any language from classmates, the internet, books, or published content will not be tolerated.

** Please note that if a student is caught sharing answers or giving a complete, graded, or returned assignment to another to be copied, or using any other method to cheat, all students involved could automatically receive a ZERO grade and further disciplinary measures may be taken.

 

TUTORIAL TIMES

Face-to-Face:

Monday – Wednesday & Friday

7:50AM – 8:15AM

Afternoon tutorials are available by appointment ONLY

 

Virtual:

Monday & Thursday

Zoom

4:15PM – 4:45PM

 

 

MASKS

Students will be expected and required to wear a mask/face covering at all times while at school. This includes in the hallways/common areas and in the classroom as well. Students should practice social distancing while in the hallways and common areas at all times. I know nobody wants to wear a mask all day, but it is required for all students to wear a mask at all times during class and while in the halls.

 

 

 

 

VIRTUAL STUDENT EXPECTATIONS

 

ATTENDANCE

Students are expected to either log on to one of the live Zoom sessions, complete the daily activity/assignment, or log onto the U.S. History class Canvas page every day and complete the lesson for that day in order to be counted present for attendance.

My suggestion is that students follow their schedule. For example, if your student has U.S. History 3^rd period, I would have them join the live Zoom session during 3^rd period in order to be counted present for that school day.

 

ZOOM MEETINGS

On the left hand side of this course, there should be a page just for "Zoom", it is in between the "Grades" and "Modules" option.

Students who want to join the live Zoom meetings during a class period, will need to be on time. Students will join a waiting room until I let them in at the beginning of the class period, and I will not let in any students after the class period has begun. If your student misses the cutoff time for joining a specific class period, don’t worry. They can join for any class period, they will just need join before the class period starts.

During the Zoom meeting, students are required to mute their audio and turn off their video. The only time students should show their video/unmute their audio is if they have a question. Even then, students should type in any questions they have into the chat and I will hopefully get to it during that meeting, if not I will answer the questions in an email.

 

ONLINE ASSIGNMENTS

Daily assignments should be submitted no later than 11:59 pm. If a teacher is extending work beyond the current day, s/he will specify when the work should be submitted.

• Example: If a student logs onto Canvas at 9 AM on Monday, and sees work with a Monday deadline, that work is due at 11:59 PM on Monday evening.

 

CANVAS MODULES

Please understand that this is a work in progress, and will probably change as we progress throughout the school year.

The name of each module will be the name of the unit we are currently on (Gilded Age, Progressive Era, etc.). Each module will be broken down into different weeks (Week 1, Week 2, etc.).

Students will be required to go in order of listed things to do. They will not be able to progress in the module until they have looked at/completed everything before it.

 

ONLINE TESTING

This is still a work in progress. Students will be taking tests online, either through Canvas or on Eduphoria.

 

GETTING IN CONTACT

If the student is having any problems, tech issues, etc., and needs to get in contact with me students can send a message on Remind, on Canvas, or can email me at bradon.pruett@redoakisd.org. I will try to respond quickly, but may not be able to after school hours. If there is a question after school hours, Remind is honestly the best way to get a hold of me.

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Pruett reserves the right to change the syllabus at any time. If any changes are made, the student and parent will be notified as soon as possible.