Somerset Virtual Academy Somerset Academy High School Chapel Trail

Mrs. DamonteRoom 104

adamonte@aveteaching.comadamonte@somersetacademy.com

954-442-0233 ext.104754-333-1006

Thank you for considering Somerset Academy Chapel Trail and Somerset Virtual Academy. We are offering your child with a different type of education in which we are preparing them for the future job market in which they will work on the internet and computers most of the time and in far away locations.

Course Syllabus

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Course Name: World History

Introduction:

The content of the class is fully on-line but since they are in the classroom every other day, I will provide with innovative, engaging, and rigorous lessons to prepare them for the advanced curriculum that we also offer at Somerset.

Description:

Whether they lived 3,000 years ago or 100 years ago, people are always making history.  It does not matter if they lived in medieval Europe or ancient Egypt, the people who came before us are responsible for nearly all that we have today.  In this course, you will have the job of “curator” of the Windows of the World Museum. You will be learning about the many wings of the museum and will have the opportunity to speak with your Director about the exhibits.

World History gives students the opportunity to visit the past, connect with the present, and look to the future. Join others in the exploration of ancient and modern civilizations, their impact, and their contributions to today's global society. The purpose of this course is to enable students to understand their connections to the development of civilizations by examining the past to prepare for their future as participating members of a global community. Students will use knowledge pertaining to history, geography, economics, political processes, religion, ethics, diverse cultures, and humanities to solve problems in academic, civic, social, and employment settings.

Prerequisites: None

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Estimated Completion Time: 2 segments / 32-36 weeks

Starting date: 08/26/2013

Ending date: 06/06/2014

Major Topics and Concepts:

Segment 1:

Archaeology Prehistory Agriculture Stonehenge Ancient Civilizations Hammurabi's Code Ancient Egypt Ancient India Ancient China Five Themes of Geography Ancient Greece Ancient Rome World Religions Feudalism Manorialism People of the Middle Ages Middle East Conflict Human Migration Kingdoms of Africa Mesoamerica Japan in the Middle Ages The Renaissance The Reformation The Age of Exploration Shakespeare European Conflicts Holy Roman Empire

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Segment 2:

Evolution of modern Government Enlightenment French Revolution Scientific Revolution Political Philosophers Congress of Vienna Industrial Revolution Napoleon Imperialism Important Changes and People at the Turn of the

Century Modernism The Russian Revolution The Depression World War I World War II The Holocaust The Cold war International Organizations The Reconstruction of Europe and Japan The Decolonization of India The 1950's International Trade

Course Objectives:

The student will analyze the development of the different civilizations to the creation of modern day countries since.

Course Assessment and Participation Requirements (from the on-line content):

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Besides engaging students in challenging curriculum, the course guides students to reflect on their learning and to evaluate their progress through a variety of assessments. Assessments can be in the form of self-checks, practice lessons, multiple choice questions, writing assignments, projects, research papers, essays, labs, oral assessments, and discussions. Instructors evaluate progress and provide interventions through the variety of assessments built into a course, as well as through contact with the student in other venues.

The students will be graded in the following manner:

Pretest: this is worth only 1 point and it does not really affect their grade. The instructor wants to know what the students already know about the subject to be able to stress the areas that are needed the most.

The students have a DBA (Discussion Based Assessment) in which they have to call the teacher and discuss what they have learned in a particular module, what questions they have, how are they working in regards to the pace, and if they feel they need some help understanding the material. This is a little bit different this year because the students are with the instructor in the lab and therefore instead of calling, the instructor will give them a quiz and a grade.

Exams: those are at the end of each module and are done online. The system grades most of the questions and perhaps there is some short answers/essay type of questions the instructor has to grade separately.

Course Assessment and Participation Requirements (in the lab):

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To achieve success, students are expected to submit work weekly and work in the lab every time for the entirety of the time (90 minutes). Students are also required to:

Collaborate with other student, here and in the virtual world however each student is responsible for his or her own work and grades.

Student is required to take notes every time they are at the lab either from online content or lectures from Mrs. D.

Students are required to have their binders with paper and pen/pencil every time they are at the lab.

Students are required to have headphones. The online content has videos and audio embedded in the lesson.

Students are required to have a flash drive with them at all times. They needed to save their work if they do not finish in class.

Grading and Coursework (from online content):

The system grades the assignments and assessments and provides with its own weight for most assignments and assessment.

In some assignments the instructor might have to grade a short response or essay question but always according to the grading criteria of the online class and content.

If the students earn less than 70% they allowed one retry.

If the students earn 70% or more that is their grade.

Grading and Coursework (from the lab activities, lectures, classwork, homework, and projects)

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Tests: 35% (Mid-Term & Final) Quizzes: 20% Homework: 10% Classwork: 10% READ (reading program): 5% Projects: 20% Total: 100% (of the lab grad to be combined with

the online content

Classwork in the lab 10%:

Every day student is required to work during 90 minutes in class in the lesson for the day.

It should be enough time to read the material and turn in an assignment.

Homework 10%:

Homework would be assigned based on the lessons learned in class and it will be posted on the board at the beginning of the week.

The students are responsible to copy it in their agendas.

Once a week I will update my website with the homework for the week.

Time allotted for homework will be specified but usually will be for the next day the student is at the lab.

If there is any questions regarding homework not addressed in the instructions please email me at the address provided and I will be happy to assist you.

Directions to access my website:

1. Go to www.somersetacademy.com2. On the right side select “Staff Directory”3. Scroll down the list and select my name “Mrs.

Avelina Damonte”

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4. Select your class period. Make sure to browse all my pages for announcements and attachments on my webpage and your specific class period.

5. Any questions, please email me at adamonte@somersetacademy.com or adamonte@aveteaching.com

Assessments-test: test 35% quizzes 20%

Students will be notified when they will have a quiz or test in the lab with a week in advanced depending their day for the lab.

For the assessments in the course platform on line, there is a pace chart to follow.

Test information for in-lab tests will be posted in my website a week in advance.

Quizzes may be given in class without prior notice, therefore students are expected to study notes, lessons, and the attentive in class at all times.

Absences & Tardies:

According to school policy, a student that reaches 5 or more unexcused absences within a 9-week semester will be issued a referral. Any student who reaches 5 or more unexcused tardies to ANY class (1st-7th periods) will also be referred. Students must have an EXCUSED pass from the office or from the teacher they are coming from if they are to be considered “excused”. If a student is late to 1st period, and they have a pass from the office that states that their tardy is unexcused, their tardy will be considered unexcused. If there are any other questions regarding the schools attendance policy or if you need to turn in a doctor’s note or other excuse, please contact OSanchez@somersetacademy.com (Oscar Sanchez) who is in charge of the Middle/High attendance.

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IN MY CLASS:

Make-up work and homework will be accepted for full credit for EXCUSED ABSENCES ONLY. It is the student’s responsibility to ask for assignments they have missed if they were absent. A student will have 2 class periods from the date absent to turn in make-up work. If a student does not seek make-up work, their grade will reflect this as a missing assignment until it is completed and turned in. Late work (after 2 class periods) will NOT be given full credit. Any work that is not turned in will result in a zero.

Restroom UseStudents must raise their hand and ask to use the restroom before leaving the room. Students must have the bathroom pass at all times from the time they leave the classroom to the time they returned from the restroom. Emergencies only!

Group Projects and Group Work

Students will be assigned a specific group that they will work with throughout the year. These groups will be established at the end of the first module. Students are expected to go to these groups any time there is a group assignment and work respectfully with every one in the group.

Media Center/Activities Office

Students are only allowed to go to the media center or activities office before or after school.

Textbook:

All the content material for the class is in their online

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class’ platform.

I will assigned two books: one for the first semester and one for the second semester and they will be able to download them from my website. If the student prefer they can purchase the book at any bookstore in the area and they will serve as the basis for the semester projects.

On occasion additional material will be assigned which will be posted in my website. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain the material.

Fire Drill/ Emergency Drills

Fire drills and emergency drills will be reviewed at the beginning of the year. For fire drills, we will exit using the double doors at the entrance of our building and line up on the teachers’ parking lot to the left of the central circle. For evacuation drills, classes will exit Somerset and be lined up on the baseball field of Rose Price Park across the street. For tornado drills or lockdowns, room will be locked, and students will not be allowed to exit the room.

Required Course Materials:

1. Pen/pencil blue or black ink only.2. College ruled loose leaf paper/3. Binder with dividers:

a. Outlinesb. Vocabularyc. Class notesd. Worksheets

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e. READf. Essaysg. Current Events

4. Flash drive to save work.

Virtual Lab Rules

1. Be respectful and courteous to your teachers and classmates. No foul or derogatory language will be tolerated.

2. Any type of food, candies, beverages, or chewing gum is absolutely prohibited. If you have them outside your backpack you will be asked to put it away or in the garbage.

3. The use of any type of electronic device such a phone, MP3 player or book readers are absolutely prohibited. If found with any electronic device in use, the device will be confiscated and the parent/guardian will need to pick it up from either lab coaches.

4. Treat all lab equipment with care and respect. If you break the equipment you might be found liable and incur financial obligations up to the full replacement price of computer and workstation.

5. Only educational websites are allowed. If caught on other non-instructional related sites such as gaming, movies, music videos or any other site that the coaches consider non educational, the student will be subject to referrals and detentions.

Any student suspected of violating any of the above rules will be subject to disciplinary actions according to the School and District’s Disciplinary Matrix

Virtual Lab Procedures:

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1. Enter the Virtual Lab in an orderly fashion. Proceed to your assigned seat quietly and begin your work. Remain quiet for the remainder of your period. Should you need technical assistance or permission to get up, please raise your hand and wait for the lab coach.

2. Upon entering the lab and before turning on your desktop station, make sure that the monitor and keyboard are in perfect condition. If not, notify the lab coaches immediately. If you don’t, you might be found liable and incur financial obligations up to the full replacement price of computer and workstation.

3. Listen quietly for your name during attendance. If the lab coach does not hear and see your hand raised after repeating your name twice you will be marked absent.

4. Log off from AVE/SVA/MAESTRO and shut the computer completely off before leaving the room. This is to prevent anybody from accessing your information. The computer will automatically reset after it is turned off and on again.

5. The bell does not dismiss the class, the coaches/teachers do. Wait for your section to be dismissed. That will not happen until your chair is under your desk and there is no garbage anywhere around the students.

6. Nobody is allowed to go to the bathroom the first and last fifteen minutes into the period as well as when you come back from lunch.

Any student suspected of violating any of the above rules will be subject to disciplinary actions according to School and District’s Discipline Matrix

Infraction and Procedure (Please refer to the parent

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handbook for more detailed information)

1st Consequence-Verbal Warning2nd Consequence-Parent contact3rd Consequence-Mandatory 1 hour detention with the teacher or Dean of Discipline4th Consequence according to the Broward County and Somerset Academy Discipline Matrix.

School ID’s and Uniform Policy

Once students have taken their school pictures, they will be given a student ID. This ID must be worn on a lanyard around their necks AT ALL TIMES for safety purposes. If a student does not wear their ID to class, they will be sent to the office to receive their infraction notice. If a student is not wearing the appropriate uniform as described in the Student/Parent handbook, the student will also be sent to the office to receive their infraction notice. No cargo shorts, open toed shoes, hats, bandanas, and all uniform parts MUST have the Somerset Academy embroidery logo sewn onto them. Also, although a student may have a dance or P.E. class as an elective before or after a core class, they must always change out of their elective uniform and change back into appropriate school attire while not in their elective classes.

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PLEASE PRINT, SIGN, AND RETURN THE PARENT CONTACT INFORMATION SHEET BELOW BY Monday, August 26th.

PARENT CONTACT FORM

Student’s Name: _________________________________________Period: ________

Course: World History

School Year: 2013-2014

Teacher/Lead Academic Lab Coach: Mrs. Avelina Damonte

Email: adamonte@somersetacademy.com or adamonte@aveteaching.com

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I have read and understand Mrs. Damonte’s syllabus and her rules/procedures. I accept responsibility for my work and actions in the classroom. I will respect my peers and my teacher. I will work hard and strive for excellence at all times. I know I am capable of succeeding and will try my best to do so and in the process becoming a better human being and citizen of the world.

Student’s Signature:_____________________________________________

Date:_________________

Parent

Signature: ________________________________________________Date: _________

Parent/Guardian Contact Information- Parents PLEASE PRINT NEATLY. Thank you!

Name(s)_______________________________________________________________

Email address(es)_______________________________________________________

Please circle the best number(s) to reach you:

Home phone #________________________________

Work phone #_________________________________

Cell phone #__________________________________

Please circle the best way to contact you: EMAIL or

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PHONE

Do you have a home computer with internet access? Circle either YES or NO

Do you have a printer at home? Circle either YES or NO

***The BEST and FASTEST way to contact me is through email at adamonte@somersetacademy.com or adamonte@aveteaching.com; please allow 24-48 hours for a response***The students enrolled in the Virtual classes can also reach me at 754-333-1006 Monday through Friday from 5:00 to 8:00 PM Saturdays by appointment only.

I am committed to providing every student with a safe and consistent learning environment where all students will be held to high expectations. I look forward to an amazing 2013-2014 school year!Sincerely,Mrs. Damonte

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