test alert!

There will be a test for 6th grade on Wednesday and a test on Friday for 7th grade.  Both grades will have a review day in class, and students should consult their notes in order to study.

quiz/test signatures

You may be receiving a quiz or test for signature this week.  I encourage you to sign this, as I do not enter them into my gradebook until signed and returned.  If your child's quiz should be signed, you will receive an e-mail notifying you of this.

Yours in information,

Miss Fischer

big week and quiz alert

Things are ramping up this week in history class.  6th grade can expect most of the week to be dedicated to an intense study of Pre-Columbus era primary sources, and perhaps a pop-quiz.

7th grade can expect a test on Wednesday over the first four chapters of The Ancient Near Eastern World, then heavier reading assignments later this week.  Each day after a reading assignment, I will be giving a do-now that will have multiple-choice questions to help students know when they've done a good job reading closely.

Touchstones skills have been developing nicely.  Students have learned the hard way that talking all at once or whispering to a neighbor does not a productive discussion make.

I have also been having students eat lunch with me each day, as a way for us to get to know each other.  Lucky for them, I've been making my famous oatmeal-chocolate-chip cookies.

I'm looking forward to this week.  Let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.

Quizzically yours,
Miss Fischer

Touchstones: Orientation Class and Money Makes Worries

Today the students had their second Touchstones lesson.  This time we talked specifically about what is necessary for a good class discussion.  Most classes then moved on to a story from ancient China called "Money Makes Worries," which is about a poor man who suddenly becomes rich but ends up relinquishing the money in order to be happy.  Students really grappled with the positives and negatives of money.  Some students thought your personality determined your ability to handle money and still be happy, some students thought rich people were always happier than poor people, and some students thought poor people were always happier than rich people.  It was also interesting to see them try to figure out the best way to speak one at a time, even when they were excited about their ideas.  Overall, a good day!

You may receive (or have already received) e-mails from me about missing homework.  I am trying to help my students become accountable for their own work, so please encourage them to talk with me whenever possible.  My door is always (figuratively) open.

Yours in discussion,
Miss Fischer

First Day

Today we did our first Touchstones lesson from the year.  Exciting questions/comments included:

"Why do people choose to live instead of to die?"

and

"Why do people need virtues, even when no one else is around?".

In other news, if your student has one of my Touchstones readers, please send it back to school.  It looks like this:

Unless these is a published exception, these should never come home.

I had an excellent day; I am really looking forward to this school year.

Yours in happy beginnings,

Laurel Fischer

U. S. History Syllabus

Here is the 6th-grade American History syllabus:

U.S. History: 2012-2013 Syllabus

Hello; welcome to 6^th-grade American history, the story of our country.  Please read this syllabus, come to me with any questions, comments, or concerns, sign it, and bring it back to school on Monday.  A syllabus signed by you and a parent will be your entrance ticket to class.

Curriculum

Please note this is a general guideline; as the pacing is established and the prior knowledge of the students is assessed, it may change.  This year, we will study America, our country, from the Bering Land Bridge Theory to present day.  I believe history is most exciting and accurate when we read the words of the great persons involved, therefore, we will be using class time to digest the words woven into the fabric of our national identity.  This isn’t all, though.  Careful study of the textbook will help paint a comprehensive picture of events.  A firm grounding in the facts (capitals, names, dates) will render a richer reading of primary sources.

Discussion skills will be developed in this class as well, for which we will use the texts of the Touchstones Discussion Project.  There will be one class period a week set aside for building and practicing discussion skills.  This will help prepare students for Humane Letters in 9^th grade, foster critical thinking, and give students a common language for civilized discussion.

In the first quarter, we will look at the forces leading to America’s independence from Britain, and the forces leading to the establishment of our particular Constitution.  The second quarter will lead right up to the Civil War and will include time spent on Westward Expansion.  The third quarter will cover the Civil War through World War I.  The fourth quarter will cover the Great Depression, World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars, and everything else that rendered us the nation we currently are.

Objectives:

I. To develop habits of (1) intelligent, careful, critical reading;

                                     (2) rational, precise, courteous discussion; and

                                     (3) logical, fluent, textually-supported writing.

II. To become familiar with the key people, events, dates, causes, and effects in American history.

III. To foster a sense of wonder, a love of learning, and the pursuit and attainment of truth.

Behavioral and Academic Expectations

There is an essential difference between liberty and license.  True freedom of mind can only happen under limited conditions.  The distractions rendered by freedom of language and freedom of body are impediments to freedom of mind.  This philosophy has led me to the following policies.

Missing Homework

A student will not be admitted to class without his/her homework, unless he/she was absent the day prior.  The student with missing homework should still come to class, and then I will excuse him/her to another teacher’s classroom to complete his/her homework.  When the homework is done, he/she will come to class.  If the student misses more of class than simply the time we spend reviewing the homework, he/she will be responsible for making up any content or activities missed, likely resulting in an increased homework load for that night.  This alone should be enough of a deterrent, but I will also send a brief e-mail by the end of that school day to inform his/her parents that the student’s homework was missing.  Additionally, late homework will only be eligible for 50% credit.

Absences

The student is responsible within a time equivalent to the absence to make up any work.  Furthermore, that student is responsible for finding out what the homework, in-class assignments, and notes were for that day from a friend.  For instance, if a student is absent on a Tuesday, he/she will need to have the homework on Thursday when he/she enters class.

Assessment

Students will occasionally be required to get a test or quiz signed.  This could be as a result of low performance, high performance, or for some other reason.  If the student does not come back with it signed the next day, he/she will receive a lunch detention on that day.  If it remains unsigned on subsequent days, I will continue to assign detentions until it is signed.

Communication

I want the student and his/her parents to feel comfortable communicating with me.  For students, the easiest way will be to talk with me during my tutoring hour: Tuesday morning at 7:30am.  I am also available by appointment.

For parents, the easiest way will be to e-mail me: lfischer@northphoenixprep.org

I also maintain a blog to inform and excite:  http://www.npphistory.blogspot.com/

Leaving Class

Due to safety concerns, students will not be able to leave class in order to use the bathroom.  If it is an absolute emergency, I will call Headmaster Topper and he will come and escort the student to the bathroom.  Students will have plenty of time to take care of bathroom concerns during the day, so hopefully he will not have to be inconvenienced.

Grading Policy

The Great Hearts approach to assessment necessitates that we treat each student as an individual.  We write evaluations because we do not believe students can be wholly represented by numbers.  Roughly speaking, I will give:

30% to tests and quizzes

20% to homework

30% to participation

20% to essays and projects

Signing this indicates you have read and agree to this course’s general content and policies:

______________________                                         ________________________

Student’s name                                                                     Parent’s name

______________________                                         ________________________

Student’s signature                                                               Parent’s signature

Ancient History Syllabus

Here is the 7th-grade Ancient History syllabus:

Ancient History: 2012-2013 Syllabus

Hello; welcome to 7^th-grade Ancient history, the beginning of the story of the Western Tradition.  Please read this syllabus, come to me with any questions, comments, or concerns, sign it, and bring it back to school on Monday.  A syllabus signed by you and a parent will be your entrance ticket to class.

Curriculum

Please note this is a general guideline; as the pacing is established and the prior knowledge of the students is assessed, it may change.  This year, we will study Ancient History, focusing on the Near East, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and mythology.  I believe history is most exciting and accurate when we read the words of the great persons involved, therefore, we will be using class time to digest primary sources.  This isn’t all, though.  Careful study of the textbooks will help paint a comprehensive picture of events.  A firm grounding in the facts (capitals, names, dates) will render a richer reading of primary sources.

Discussion skills will be developed in this class as well, for which we will use the texts of the Touchstones Discussion Project.  There will be one class period a week set aside for building and practicing discussion skills.  This will help prepare students for Humane Letters in 9^th grade, foster critical thinking, and give students a common language for civilized discussion.

In the first quarter, we will focus on the Near East.  The second quarter’s focus will be Egypt.  In the third quarter, we will look at Greece and also begin mythology.  The fourth quarter will be about Rome and the rest of mythology.

Objectives:

I. To develop habits of (1) intelligent, careful, critical reading;

                                     (2) rational, precise, courteous discussion; and

                                     (3) logical, fluent, textually-supported writing.

II. To become familiar with the key people, events, dates, causes, and effects in Ancient history.

III. To foster a sense of wonder, a love of learning, and the pursuit and attainment of truth.

Behavioral and Academic Expectations

There is an essential difference between liberty and license.  True freedom of mind can only happen under limited conditions.  The distractions rendered by freedom of language and freedom of body are impediments to freedom of mind.  This philosophy has led me to the following policies.

Missing Homework

A student will not be admitted to class without his/her homework, unless he/she was absent the day prior.  The student with missing homework should still come to class, and then I will excuse him/her to another teacher’s classroom to complete his/her homework.  When the homework is done, he/she will come to class.  If the student misses more of class than simply the time we spend reviewing the homework, he/she will be responsible for making up any content or activities missed, likely resulting in an increased homework load for that night.  This alone should be enough of a deterrent, but I will also send a brief e-mail by the end of that school day to inform his/her parents that the student’s homework was missing.  Additionally, late homework will only be eligible for 50% credit.

Absences

The student is responsible within a time equivalent to the absence to make up any work.  Furthermore, that student is responsible for finding out what the homework, in-class assignments, and notes were for that day from a friend.  For instance, if a student is absent on a Tuesday, he/she will need to have the homework on Thursday when he/she enters class.

Assessment

Students will occasionally be required to get a test or quiz signed.  This could be as a result of low performance, high performance, or for some other reason.  If the student does not come back with it signed the next day, he/she will receive a lunch detention on that day.  If it remains unsigned on subsequent days, I will continue to assign detentions until it is signed.

Communication

I want the student and his/her parents to feel comfortable communicating with me.  For students, the easiest way will be to talk with me during my tutoring hour: Tuesday morning at 7:30am.  I am also available by appointment.

For parents, the easiest way will be to e-mail me: lfischer@northphoenixprep.org

I also maintain a blog to inform and excite:  http://www.npphistory.blogspot.com/

Leaving Class

Due to safety concerns, students will not be able to leave class in order to use the bathroom.  If it is an absolute emergency, I will call Headmaster Topper and he will come and escort the student to the bathroom.  Students will have plenty of time to take care of bathroom concerns during the day, so hopefully he will not have to be inconvenienced.

Grading Policy

The Great Hearts approach to assessment necessitates that we treat each student as an individual.  We write evaluations because we do not believe students can be wholly represented by numbers.  Roughly speaking, I will give:

30% to tests and quizzes

20% to homework

30% to participation

20% to essays and projects

Signing this indicates you have read and agree to this course’s general content and policies:

______________________                                         ________________________

Student’s name                                                                     Parent’s name

______________________                                         ________________________

Student’s signature                                                               Parent’s signature