Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Instructor: Matt Hughes
Room: H400
Of ice: Library second loor, near the top of the stairs
Free Periods: See schedule
Email: mhughes@sas.edu.sg
Course Description :
This course is a conceptual study of the human experience through the lenses of history, sociology,
economics, civics and literature, with a focus on skills development. Students will explore critical
issues, ideologies, individuals, texts and turning points in the histories of the world, considering
how these developed and shaped both past and contemporary issues. Students will be challenged to
think critically and to make thoughtful connections as they draw on a variety of resources to
understand the human experience. This interdisciplinary course will meet every day, and students
will earn both an English and a Social Studies credit for completing the course. Both the relevant C3
Social Studies standards and the Common Core English standards are covered in this course.
Writing – Students will develop their writing in a variety of genres (e.g. argumentative, informative,
narrative, re lective/blog), responding insightfully to both literature and social studies concepts.
They will pursue class‐related areas of interest for their projects. Language usage and mechanics
instruction will focus on the problems evident in the students’ writing. Students will also develop
their vocabulary using the individually levelled, online program, Membean.
Speaking and Listening – Students are expected to participate fully in class discussions (shared
inquiry, ishbowl, Socratic seminars etc), work in small groups, and make formal presentations, with
a focus on persuasive speaking skills.
Reading and Viewing – Students will critically read a variety of non iction (e.g. textbooks,
academic articles, primary source documents), iction (e.g. novels, short stories) and drama and
poetry re lecting the human experience. Students will be challenged to read closely and critically;
understanding literary structure and technique, and to ‘read like a historian’. Students will continue
to develop skills in visual literacy by viewing documentaries and ilms. Students will be encouraged
to read widely outside of class in order make connections.
Key Content ‐ Students will read from short stories, poetry, and core literary texts (like The
Merchant of Venice, Lord of the Flies, & The Ramayana). In addition they will also have a choice of
memoir, dystopian iction and non iction texts to read as part of literature circle groups. Social
Studies content will include the formation of identity, establishment of early civilizations and
subsequent power structures; trade networks; industrial, economic & political revolutions; patterns
of global change and realignment; and society and culture in the 21st century.
Units:
The above skills and content will be incorporated into four quarterly units with the following
concepts:
● Unit 1: Identity ‐ Do I control who I am? How have I been socialized?
● Unit 2: Power ‐ How do we gain and maintain power?
● Unit 3: Discovery and Networks ‐ How does trade change society?
● Unit 4: Revolutions ‐ How can we change the world?
At the beginning of each unit, students will receive a detailed overview identifying essential
questions, standards and summative assessments.
Formative and Summative Assessment:
Student work is comprised of formative and summative assessments. Formative assessments are
used to inform instruction and provide feedback to students; they occur before or after instruction.
Formative assessments can include practice, preparation or revision. Formative assessments will be
recorded in PowerSchool to track student progress. Some formatives will be scored place‐holders
for summatives until students have a summative score but they will not count towards the inal
grade for the course.
Summative assessments are used to evaluate or judge student achievement and occur after
instruction. Summative assessment can include checking correctness of understanding, application,
extension, and/or transfer. Summative assessments demonstrate student learning across the power
standards of the course and will determine the grade for the class.
Prior to each summative assessment, students will, receive extensive formative feedback on their
progress.
Semester Grade Breakdown:
In this course, summative assessments of knowledge and skills will be worth 80% of the Semester
grade and the Final Semester Assessments (in December and June) will be worth 20% of the
Semester grade. Students will develop skills in the following dimensions.
● Reading
● Writing
● Speaking & Listening
● Language & Core Content
● Inquiry, Research & Evidence
● Understanding & Applying Disciplinary Tools (History, Geography, Economics, Civics,
Psychology & Sociology)
In addition, Learning Behaviors will be assessed at least twice per semester using the H
S Learning
Behaviors Rubric .
Students will earn one grade for this course, ful illing credit for both English and Social Studies.
Scoring and Grading Scales:
Assessments will be scored using the 9‐point scale below. All assessments will utilize a
task‐speci ic rubric handed out to students prior to completion. Percentages will not be
used.
4: Exemplary: A/A+ level.
3: Meets Expectations: B/B+ level.
2: Approaching Expectations: C/C+ level.
1: Does not meet standard/insuf icient evidence: D+/D/F level.
Required Course Materials :
‐laptop and charger
‐binder (with dividers) or accordion folder for World Studies only
‐hard‐cover notebook
‐required reading material and/or texts
‐highlighters, pens, pencils, etc.
‐multi‐colored Post‐it tabs
‐earbuds or headphones
General Course Policies:
Participation is an essential part of this class! Students will need to share their thoughts, questions
and opinions, work effectively in group situations, teach and coach one another cooperatively, make
presentations and listen actively. Feeling con ident and comfortable to contribute in class is
important, therefore respect for others (both students and teachers) is essential at all times. Active,
thoughtful participation also involves appropriate laptop use.
Homework: Homework assignments are given to prepare students for the next period’s activities
and/or to reinforce and/or to extend classroom learning. Students must be aware of assignments
and due dates, checking the Schoology calendar daily for updated requirements. If there are
circumstances that will prevent students from meeting a deadline, it is the student’s responsibility
to talk to his or her teacher BEFORE the deadline. If there are consistent infractions, the teacher will
refer the student to supervised study.
Tech Integration: Students will be required to have and use laptops in class. They must remain
fully engaged and focused on classroom discussions, interactions and activities at all times. Refer to
the Technology Digital Citizenship Agreement (DCA) for further expectations. All homework
assignments will be posted on the Schoology Calendar, so students should expect to check it on a
daily basis. Course materials will be available in shared folders on Google Drive and/or Schoology.
Absences: If students know about an absence in advance, it is their responsibility, prior to their
absence, to make arrangements for completing the work. Grace periods for work will vary based
upon the length of absence, circumstances and the assignment. After an excused absence, students
are responsible for checking Schoology for assigned work and completing the work.
Submission of assessments:
Formative assessment is timely and integral to skills development. Late or incomplete formative
work means a lost opportunity to fully participate in class and is detrimental to learning and skills
development. It will be re lected in Powerschool.
Summative assessments must be submitted at the start of class (or electronically as speci ied) on
the due date. Extensions will be granted in consultation with the teacher, before the due date and
with good reason.
If students do not complete the summative assessment by the agreed upon deadline, the teacher
may structure a student’s time until the the teacher feels he/she has enough evidence to report a
grade. Examples of structuring a student’s time may include spending free periods in the teacher’s
classroom to complete the assessment or placement in supervised study. Failure to complete the
summative assessment within two weeks of the agreed upon deadline will result in NC (No Credit),
which calculates as a 0 on the 9‐point scale. Full credit is possible if completed within two weeks of
the original deadline.
Not enough evidence to determine a grade (i.e. any missing summative assessments) will result in
an “Incomplete” for the course. If the student fails to submit missing summative work for two
academic weeks after the course ends, the incomplete will change to an “F.”
Re‐Assessment or Mastery Policy :
Because formative assessments offer multiple opportunities to master learning targets prior to
summative assessments, reassessment will not be an automatic option in this course.
Re‐assessment of summative assessments will be at the discretion of the PLC and teacher.
Teachers and the PLC will use formative assessments to provide students opportunities to master
learning targets. Re‐teaching will occur when the teacher or PLC determines that student(s) are not
meeting learning goals.
a. Re‐assessments may range from an individual student to the entire class.
b. When tasks/assignments are re‐assessed, they may be reassessed partially,
entirely, or in a different format, as determined by the PLC team.
c. When reassessment is offered, students must have met the following
requirements:
i. fully complete the formative work, original task or assessment
ii. complete required assignments, and
iii. complete re‐teaching/re‐learning activities as determined by the PLC
d. Reassessment grade replaces the original grade.
e. The following measures of learning may not be reassessed: end of
course/semester exams, inal research papers, or culminating
projects/performances.
Extra credit is not given. Instead, PLC teams may determine opportunities for alternative or deeper
evidence of learning. These opportunities will be articulated to students in advance and would
require students to demonstrate evidence of learning (formally or informally) post experience.
Academic Integrity:
Students will have many opportunities to collaborate with peers. Assistance from peers, adults, and
outside sources is encouraged; however, they will be held accountable for completing and
submitting their own original work and assessed on their own learning and within the parameters
established by the teacher/PLC. Academic dishonesty does not allow the teacher to clearly assess
the student’s learning.
Academic dishonesty may include plagiarism, accessing online materials that are prohibited,
submitting work previously completed for another course or teacher without irst informing your
current teacher, knowingly providing assessment materials to outside organizations for
distribution, copying assignments or allowing assignments to be copied, or seeking assessment
details or answers from peers. Any form of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and may
result in a “No Credit” for that assignment. Academic dishonesty scores will calculate as 0 in the
inal grade.
Plagiarism is the act of presenting another’s words and ideas as one’s own without crediting
the source. Building from the ideas and words of others is not wrong, but not citing those
words and ideas is academic dishonesty. A
ll writers and researchers are responsible for
documenting the use of ideas and words that are not their own.
Plagiarism includes more than the intentional misusing of reference sources. While an
obvious form of plagiarism is copying a direct quotation without providing quotation marks
and crediting the source, a more subtle form of plagiarism includes paraphrasing material or
using an original idea that is not properly introduced, rephrased, and documented. As
aforementioned, students are also guilty of plagiarism when they allow their assignment to
be copied and submitted as the work of another.
Students can avoid plagiarism by acknowledging the source of materials, using quotation
marks, or revising all paraphrased material so that it is presented in one’s own style and
language. When in doubt, ask a teacher or a librarian for clari ication; they are always
willing to help students navigate these important skills. Purdue University’s Online Writing
Lab (OWL) is an excellent online resource that can also help students with the writing
process, research and acknowledgement of sources.
Additional consequences are at the discretion of the administration. Depending on the
severity of the offense, any incident may skip to a more serious consequence.
● 1st offense : Reported to the of ice to be added to student discipline log;
teacher/PLC team decides consequences and contacts parent. Student will meet
with administrator, noting next offense will result in Saturday Suspension.
● 2nd offense : Reported to the of ice to be added to student discipline log;
teacher/PLC team decides consequences in collaboration with an administrator, this
may include loss of credit; student will serve one day of Saturday Suspension.
Student and parents will meet with administrator to sign academic honesty contract,
noting next offense will result in Out of School Suspension (OSS).
● 3rd offense : Reported to of ice to be added to student discipline log; teacher/PLC
team decides consequences in collaboration with an administrator, this may include
loss of credit; two day OSS; loss of travel during Interim Semester; student and
parents meet with Superintendent and HS administration for pre‐expulsion hearing.
● 4th offense : Report to of ice and student is recommended for expulsion.
There are consequences for academic dishonesty even when it occurs outside of a course.
Students are expected to conduct themselves with academic integrity as they participate in
all school activities, including extracurriculars.