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American Civics: An Introduction to the Empire of Dreams

American Civics: An Introduction to the Empire of Dreams. The Empire of Dreams. The Empire of Dreams: a place where excellence is mediocre and mediocre is excellence You are not what you were born, you are what you have it in you to be.

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American Civics: An Introduction to the Empire of Dreams

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  1. American Civics:An Introduction to the Empire of Dreams

  2. The Empire of Dreams • The Empire of Dreams: a place where excellence is mediocre and mediocre is excellence • You are not what you were born, you are what you have it in you to be. • Building an empire of dreams begins with how you present yourself every day. • Which of the following two gentlemen would you trust with the presidency of the United States?

  3. Professionalism

  4. First Impressions • The average person forms an impression about you based on your appearance and conduct in under 15 seconds • One of the best life skills you can learn now is how to present and conduct yourself professionally • This is how you build a culture of excellence

  5. A Culture of Excellence • Everyday you will be expected to bring the following • Your notebook • Your binder • Pencils/Pens • Highlighter (Colors of your choice) • Silent Independent Reading (SIR) Book • Failure to bring these materials will hurt your participation grade

  6. A Culture of Excellence • Stand outside my room in a silent, single-file, professional line • Do not riot, yell, or scream in the hallway outside my room • Do not tamper with, fall into, crash into, or otherwise destroy the bulletin board • Enter my room silently, professionally and go straight to seats • Wait until I invite you in • Do not simply bust into my room – YOU DO NOT OWN THIS SPACE, you are a guest in my empire • Set up your desk (I will train you)

  7. A Culture of Excellence • Place your SIR book on top of your textbook (or in theTOP, RIGHT HAND CORNERof your desk) • If you have not already turned in your homework, place your homework ON TOP of your SIR book

  8. How to Succeed in Civics Without Really Trying (Very Much) • Taking Notes: Note taking is a VERY important skill to practice • But knowing WHAT to write down is just as important • Mr. Staten (and this class) moves at ludicrous speed • If you see something that is underlined (after today’s class)…WRITE IT DOWN! • If it’s not underlined…you don’t have to write it down • COLOR WORDS are important vocabulary terms!

  9. Arm Yourself (Helpful Hints) • If I were you I’d make sure I have: • 2 (or 3) spiral college-ruled notebooks (1 per semester) • 1 Three-ring binder (or a section in your binder) • Plenty of Pencils/Pens • High-lighters (Yellow, Green, Blue, Pink, Red) • Do Your Homework – It’s important for grades! • Homework = 25% • Tests = 25% • Classwork = 20% • Quizzes = 15% • Projects = 15%

  10. 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…

  11. Strategies for Excelling • There is basically ONE surefire ways to guarantee that you will fail this class: • The Gambler’s Ruin Strategy: • You do ZERO Homework and GAMBLE EVERYTHING on the tests • I had a joker try this • He finished with a 34%...that I curved UP

  12. Homework Procedure • I will make a deal with you right now • I will push you hard Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday • In exchange, I will do my best to AVOID giving you homework on weekends…and see to it that you ALWAYS have an opportunity to start your homework in class • How much homework you have is contingent upon how you conduct yourself and how much we get done in class

  13. Homework Procedure • When I assign homework… • You have until close of school the next day to turn it in. (I give an assignment Monday, you have until 3:15 PM Tuesday to turn it in.) • You can turn it in anytime before this deadline • All you have to do is: • Go to the Homework Corner • Find the MAROON folder that has your class on it, place your homework in the folder and DONE! • Mr. Staten also accepts homework submitted by email

  14. The Deal Continued • Because you have the ability to turn your homework in at your convenience… • THERE ARE NO EXCUSES FOR NOT DOING YOUR HOMEWORK • UNEXCUSED, LATE HOMEWORK IS AN AUTOMATIC ZERO! (See school policy) • If you have a problem or need help and you come talk to me BEFORE LUNCHTIME, then we can work things out.

  15. The Classroom Archive • Each class in American Civics has its own unique binder • This is a living record of everything our class does • Once a day, someone will take that day’s handouts, notes, packet and place in the TOP, RIGHT CORNER: • The Day of the Week, the Month, Date, and Year • And then place the packet in the binder

  16. The Classroom Archive • Suppose you were sick and missed two days…(or you need an extra copy of that study guide! Or your internet/printer went bust!) • When you come back, you can: • Go to your classroom archive • Pick out the notes/handouts for the days you missed • Make copies • Return the notes/handouts to the archive in case anyone else needs them

  17. Classroom Technology • We are striving to create a virtual classroom that uses the resources of technology and the Internet to advance learning • Wikispace (Mr. Staten’s Page) • http://wlpcsmiddleschool.wikispaces.com/Staten • Facebook • facebook.com/AmericanCivicsClassroom • YouTube • Youtube.com/americancivicsclass • Icivics.org: • sign up and enter class code Rehnquist74816

  18. The Noise Meter • A quick, visual cue to demonstrate where we as a class are operating: • RED: SILENT…that means ABSOLUTELY NO TALKING • YELLOW: LIBRARY LEVEL…that means your voice should be at a WHISPER • This is a time for independent work, or quiet work with a close partner • GREEN: FANCY RESTAURANT…you may TALK QUIETLY

  19. Historical Terms • B.C. : Before Christ …used to describe events and years before the birth of Jesus Christ (obviously) • So 1769 BC is how many years before the birth of Christ? • A.D. : Anno Domini – In the Year of Our Lord…used to describe events after the birth of Jesus Christ • A.D. always comes before the year – AD 2013

  20. Historical Terms • B.C.E. – Before the Common Era (Similar to BC) • C.E. – Common Era (Similar to A.D.) • CE always appears AFTER the year (1992 CE) • Historians use both BC/BCE and AD/CE interchangeably, so either convention is acceptable. • Ca – circa (Latin for around) is used when we don’t know the exact date of an event, but we’re sure it happened…around that year!

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