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American Civics: Parent’s Night Edition. Welcome to American Civics. “People should not be afraid of their government, government should be afraid of their people.” The ideas that really matter… …Are older than the United States… …Have been debated since the beginning of civilization.
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Welcome to American Civics • “People should not be afraid of their government, government should be afraid of their people.” • The ideas that really matter… • …Are older than the United States… • …Have been debated since the beginning of civilization. • You are not what you were born, you are what you have it in you to be.
What We Study • First Semester: World History & Government • Unit I: Age of the Lawgivers (Egypt, Mesopotamia) • Unit II: Age of Empires (Greece, Rome) • Unit III: Age of Kings (Byzantine Empire and Medieval Europe) • Unit IV: Toward a New Heaven and a New Earth (The Renaissance and the Enlightenment)
What We Study • Second Semester: The United States – Government and Early Development • Unit V: Brave New World (The Development of British America) • Unit VI: The War for Independence (The American Revolution) • Unit VII: We the People (The United States Constitution and American Government) • Unit VIII: Empire of Liberty (U.S. History to 1824) • Unit IX: Jacksonian Democracy and Manifest Destiny (U.S. History from 1824 to 1850)
How to Succeed in Civics Without Really Trying (Very Much) Necessary Materials • 2 (or 3) spiral college-ruled notebooks (1 per semester) • 1 Three-ring binder • Plenty of Pencils/Pens • High-lighters (Yellow, Green, Blue, Pink, Red) Breakdown of Grades • Homework = 25% • Tests = 25% • Classwork = 20% • Quizzes = 15% • Projects = 15%
Why Grades Add Up This Way • Homework and Tests equal 25% Each • A high homework grade WILL balance out a bad test grade (so bombing a test won’t kill you!) • You can afford to miss a few assignments if you need too…but they will add up • Classwork/Quizzes/Projects combined = 50% • If you do what’s expected of you it’s virtually IMPOSSIBLE to fail this class • But it has been done…if YOU chose to…
The Path to Success • Make checking the WikiSpace or Facebook part of the daily routine • Facebook.com/americancivicsclassroom • Contains copies of homework, links to fun websites, daily updates on our class • Class Archive (The Binders in the Back) • For students who do not have internet access • Parental Involvement • We love to have fun…stop in anytime! • Drop a line and email
Competition Never Hurts • To promote competition between my classes… • I will rank my classes just like • The Coaches Poll in NCAA Football or • The Associated Press (AP) Poll in NCAA Basketball • Each class has a team name that was chosen from history: • Military Squadrons of the Continental Army in the American Revolution
How It Works • You have 5 Days (Friday to Thursday) • By doing things like: • Entering class PROFESSIONALLY and SILENTLY • Getting started IMMEDIATELY on warmup • Participating POSITIVELY in class • Being PREPARED for class (with ALL MATERIALS) • Being RESPECTFUL, CIVIL, and POLITE (NOT talking out of turn, randomly screaming, or yelling, sitting professionally • You earn points toward your weekly (and yearly) total
Your Place in History • Defending Champions: The Cavaliers • Runner-up: The Patriots • The Historic Rivalries: • #1. Nationals vs. Eagles (the oldest and biggest) • #2. Cavaliers vs. Patriots (the newest ) • #3. Patriots vs. Eagles (just never liked each other)
A Final Thought • “The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be lit.” –Plutarch