C) Grade Weights and Categories/ Grading Scale (percentage of overall grade/ adjustments may occur during the year-- for detailed assignment information, click the ‘Audio Assignment Descriptions’ link on the homepage)    
21*        Daily Work (Done in class: worksheets, notes, journal entries, etc.-- see E)
21*        Tests & Quizzes (Content knowledge: see H, I, & J-- tests are weighted 4 times quizzes)
21*        Assessments (Content understanding: welds, transfers, etc.-- see G for scoring information)
21*        Assignments (Skills/Comprehension: Fld Report(K), Pcard(L), Recital(P), Article Pair(R), Reaction(T), STTA))
11*        Teaching (Content exploration & skills development: see 'F')
5        Studio Habits (Engagement in learning: discussions, bellringers, etc-- see D.)
*Adjusted as of September 7th U.S. Update

Q1 Article Pair: (must be completed with a partner/ Person 2 is not required to be an 8B student 

Read and discuss an article approved by the teacher with a peer or adult—new articles will be e-mailed each quarter. 

On a single sheet of paper, respond to the following prompts with each person writing where required:

A) Student 1: Summarize the article. (5 + sentences)

B) Person 2: Describe the main idea/ lesson of the article. (3+ sentences)—What did you ‘learn/ understand’ about the topic?

C) Student 1: Use specific evidence from the article to explain whether the author is presenting facts only or facts and opinions. (3+ sentences)

D) Person 2:  Define two social studies terms that are used in or relate to the article. (2+ sentences)

E) Student 1: Explain why you think the teacher selected this article and whether it was a good choice. (3+ sentences)

F) Person 2: Create a picture with a caption that presents a main idea related to the article along with a description of why it is important. (image and 2+ sentences)

Scoring grid:

Important Optional 'Assessment' mostly for 'A' students who did poorly on 'Most Important DV Term' assessment.  By the end of the quarter, students will have at least three opportunities to earn points in the 'Assessments' category of the gradebook; however, there is currently only a single grade in that section.  Poor performance on the 'Assessments' will make it difficult to earn a high grade for the quarter.  After a conversation with a student last week, I decided that I would offer a bonus 'Assessment' based on the Cemetery Walk.  Students who do not do this activity will not be penalized; however, students who do make the effort to submit the work will have one more grade in the 'Assessments' category to offset a bad score.  The optional assignment requires that students submit a written explanation of how three of the Cemetery Walk characters connect to a Deja Vu History (not government)  Term by responding to the following prompts: a) summarize the character, b) summarize the DV History Term, c) Describe the connection.  Students were provided with paper copy lists of the terms and the information is also at: http://www.district87.org/staff/wetzelw/1112webmaterials/1112dejavuspiral.htm.
This assignment will be most beneficial to those students who did poorly on the 'Most Important DV Term' assessment who want to earn an "A" for the quarterly grade.  The assignment must be e-mailed or submitted to me (or any 8B teacher) by 8:00 on Wednesday morning-- this is an open source assessment, students are welcome to use their DV Spiral and web resources, but it must be completed as homework on Tuesday evening.

Night John Field Reports should include these steps:

1) For Night John, write a 5+ sentence summary of the movie.

2) Select something shown in the movie that can be looked up for related information in the textbook and check it for accuracy.  Write a response that uses the textbook information (list page numbers) to determine the accuracy of the video. (3+ sentences)

3) Describe something important you 'learned' from the video-- a description of a 'new understanding', not a restatement of notes. (3+ sentences)

4) Explain how the movie connects to two Deja vu terms.  (3+ sentences each-- tell me about the movie, tell me about the term, and tell me about the connection)

5) Create a picture along with a caption that presents an important scene/ idea related to the movie along with an explanation of why it is important. (picture and 2+ sentences)

Scoring grid:

S) Self-Manager Description -- automatic Passport and gym day approval

Field Reports:  Students are expected to select and view a movie about history/ government each quarter(Q1 = NightJohn, Q2 = soldiering, Q3 = civil rights, Q4 = government).  The movie may be a documentary or simply a film with American History content.  Students must submit a Field Report that includes these steps:
1) take notes while watching the video (at least 2/3 page)

2) Select a note that can be looked up for related information in the textbook and check it for accuracy.  Write a response that uses the textbook information (list page numbers) to determine the accuracy of the video note. (3+ sentences)

3) Describe something important you 'learned' from the video-- a description of a 'new understanding', not a restatement of notes. (3+ sentences)

4) Explain how the movie connects to two Deja vu terms.  (3+ sentences each)

5) Create a picture along with a caption that presents an important scene/ idea related to the movie along with an explanation of why it is important. (picture and 2+ sentences)

Scoring for Field Report will use the Description from 'G'.

Chapter 6 Assessment

1) Which is the most important section (p. 172: Natural Rights, List of Grievances, or Dissolving the Bonds) of the D of I?
a. Describe the main idea of the section.
b. Explain how a specific phrase from the section supports the main idea.
c. Explain how this section affected American History.

2) Why did the Americans win the American Revolution?
a. Explain one of the reasons we won the American Revolution.(p. 194)
b. Describe related information from another page in Chapter 6. (list the page #)
c. Explain how this helped us win the war.

Read the Lewis Death Link and describe what you think happened to Lewis.  Explain your theory. 

More to explore:  http://lewis-clark.org/

Chapter 12 Assessment
Select one of these people from Chapter 12 who was not in the section you presented to the class (section #, name, pages)-- you may use your section for half credit.
(1. Horace Mann, 417-9), )
(2, William Lloyd Garrison, 423)
(3, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, 428-9)
(4, Henry David Thoreau, 432-3)
A) Who is the person and what group in the chapter do they belong to?
B) Describe the meaning of a quote in the text from this person.
C) Compare and contrast the person with another individual in the group.
Advice: include details and clear evidence of text use to maximize credit.