CITIZENSHIP
Spring
Semester 2008
“As citizens of this democracy, you are the rulers and the
ruled, the lawgivers and the law-abiding, the beginning, and the end.”
~
Adlai Stevenson
Ms.
Johnston kjohnsto@bham.wednet.edu 676-6481
Ext. 5239
Welcome to Citizenship, a Social
Studies graduation requirement for Sehome High School Seniors. I happen to
think of it as a life requirement, as well.
What
is this “citizenship” thing?
Citizenship can be defined in
a couple of different ways:
·
Citizenship as legal status – If you were born in the
United States (jus soli), have parents that are/were United States
citizens (jus sanguinis), or became a citizen through our naturalization
process, you are considered a citizen and have all the rights and
responsibilities that come along with this legal status.
·
Citizenship as behavior – Citizens of ancient Greece
viewed citizenship as an obligation to the community; “to be truly human, one
had to be an active citizen.” I like this view. Today, active citizens engage
in work that betters the community and they contribute to discourse
on important issues. This engagement can take many forms, some of which you
personally will explore in this course. Engagement requires that you understand
something about the social, political, and economic systems in which you
operate, and you will certainly learn about those in this course.
While I firmly believe that
you will come out of this course having learned many, many things, I
trust you will learn the most important lesson: Your participation in
democracy, life, and this class MATTERS. If you don’t participate, you
can’t complain about the ills of the world or wrongs visited upon you. Stand
up and DO SOMETHING. It is your right and your responsibility.
With that in mind, be very aware
that your participation in the work of this class matters. This is NOT a “show
up and breathe” course that you can pass without doing the work. This is
certainly not a class you can pass if you do not show up. Just like real life,
you have to get here, be present in mind as well as body, and DO SOMETHING.
THE KEY QUESTIONS FOR THIS
COURSE ARE:
·
What is equality? What does it mean? What does it
look like? How do we achieve it?
·
What kind of democracy do you want?
·
What can you do to shape the world we live in?
So, to help you answer these
questions for yourself, this course will provide you with an opportunity and
forum to discuss complex social, cultural, political and economic issues facing
us today. You will learn how our government system functions, about
foundational documents and their use/effects today, and how we balance the
natural tension between individual and group rights and needs.
Course of Study
We
will cover the following topics over the course of the term:
Skills
Development
Skills developed through this
course include communication skills, recognizing bias and understanding multiple
perspectives, issues analysis and civic decision-making, and critical thinking.
You will be expected to communicate respectfully at all times. You will also be
expected to read, understand, and use texts on controversial topics to develop
understandings, analyze policies, and formulate your own positions.
Yes, this is a REQUIREMENT –
don’t do it, don’t pass. This is your foray into the world of active citizenship,
and it is very important that you sample the opportunities for
engagement in our community. See the
Community Events Calendar linked to my teacher web page. You have
several options to complete this requirement:
Option
1: Plan and host a forum on an issue you are concerned
about. The topic must be current and relevant to this course, and it also must
be pre-approved. This option is a group project option because the work
involved would be too much for one person.
Option
2: Attend two out-of-class events that relate to
government, current issues, or diversity issues. Possible events include:
·
City Council or County Council meetings
·
Courtroom observation
·
Whatcom Human Rights Task Force Human Rights Film Festival
·
WWU or WCC sponsored diversity events
·
Other pre-approved events that you bring to my attention
Option
3: Volunteer with an organization that seeks to improve the
lives of others via social or political action. To receive volunteer credit,
you must volunteer for at least five (5) hours over the course of the term.
Option
4: Combine one event from Option 2 with 2-3 hours of
volunteer time from Option 3.
Option
5: If your Culminating Project is ongoing (not
completed) and it is a project that deals with social, political, or economic
issues, you may be able to use your time on your Culminating Project in
combination with Option 2 as your Community Action &
Participation Requirement. To utilize this option, you must meet with me early
in the semester and get approval. If approval is not granted, you must complete
one of the other options to fulfill this course requirement.
To receive credit, you
MUST:
·
Choose your option
and inform me in writing of your choice no later than FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22.
·
Have proof of attendance (e.g., notes you took, handouts
and fliers, signature of organizer, etc.).
·
Write a 2-3 page reflection on what you observed or did
AND what you learned (new information, new thinking, re-evaluating your own
beliefs or values, impact on your life or education, etc.).
·
Complete the requirement and submit your reflections no
later than WEDNESDAY, June 4. This date is
carved in stone unless there are extenuating circumstances (e.g., snow days
extend the school year, etc.)
Grading
and Class Expectations
Grading:
Grading will be based on your cumulative, or total points, earned in the
course. Points will be earned via in-class work and participation, homework,
essays, tests, projects, and the Community Action & Participation
Requirement.
Homework: You
should expect to have 20-30 minutes of nightly homework in this class. Homework
may include reading, writing/reflecting, researching, etc. You will have a
weekly current event assignment that is due the first class meeting of the week
(usually Monday) unless I announce otherwise. Current event forms can be found
in the file drawer in the classroom and can also be downloaded from my teacher
web page.
Late Work & Attendance: I
will only accept late work for half credit within a week of its due
date, unless you have a scheduled absence or other excused absence that
requires a further extension. If you have an excused absence, you may have one
additional day for each excused day missed. If you know ahead of time that you
will miss a test or essay/project due date, you are expected to make
arrangements ahead of time to make up the missed work. You will not be
allowed to make up work or tests from unexcused absences; work missed as a
result of an unexcused absence will be entered in the grade book as a zero. You
are expected to attend daily and arrive ON TIME. <Senioritis does not an excused
absence make!>
Grading
Scale: I use the following standard grading scale ~
93 = A 87
= B+ 77 = C+ 67 = D+ below 60 = F
90 = A- 83
= B 73 = C 63 = D
80 = B- 70
= C- 60 = D-
Participation:
Your prepared participation is essential for the success of
this class. You are expected to engage
in or lead several organized seminar discussions and to participate on a daily
basis. All students are expected to take an active part in class on a daily
basis. Come to class prepared to think, ask questions and make comments.
Students who exhibit exemplary participation over the course of the semester
may be eligible for a grade increase in the event that their grade falls within
a percentage point of the next higher grade. For example, a student with an
87.5% (B+) at the end of the term may receive an A- for high quality and
consistent participation.
Behavior: Because this class deals with
difficult and controversial issues, and requires that students share their
thoughts and opinions, you are expected to
You absolutely cannot
show respect for people or fully LISTEN to what others have to say if you are
busy playing with or listening to an electronic device. And this is not just me
being “old school.” It is, indeed, disrespectful of others and disrupts the
learning environment. Therefore, THIS IS AN IPOD/MP3 PLAYER AND CELL
PHONE-FREE ZONE. If I have to remind you to put away your device(s), you
risk having them confiscated.
Teacher Web Page: I utilize my teacher web page
on the Sehome High School website. Homework assignments, important links, and
information about daily class activities can be found on the web page. A calendar of Community Events is also
linked to my page. My page is updated regularly. To access it:
·
Go to the Sehome High School webpage <wwwshs.bham.wednet.edu>
·
Click on Teacher Pages
·
Click on Ms. Johnston
·
Click on Citizenship Homework, Current Events Links, or
Community Events Calendar
Parent Connect: I will be using the Zangle Parent Connect website
to keep important things, like grades, up-to-date. Class news may be posted
there from time to time, as well. PLEASE don’t expect that I will be
able to input things into the computer as soon as I grade them. For that
reason, you or your parents/guardians may notice that you have some scores
missing and your grade isn’t where it should be, so remember: If there is a blank in an assignment category,
that usually means I have created the assignment, but have not yet put in the
score. Please also look for notes in Parent Connect that
will indicate if work was returned for a redo, was turned in late, or was
excused.
I hope that, through
this course, you will develop a keen interest in our government/political,
social, and economic systems, and how we function within them. I personally
find it all fascinating, and believe that knowledge of politics is a powerful
tool that helps us to learn a great deal about the society in which we live. I
think that who take the time to truly understand our political system cannot
resist the creeping passion to participate in it, and maybe to watch reruns of The
West Wing. I hope you will find yourself doing both! J
FINALLY: Please,
please, come to me if you have questions or concerns about an assignment or
this class. If you need help, you need to SPEAK UP for three reasons:
1) If you are having
difficulty, it is infinitely better to get help sooner rather than later.
2) I am not psychic.
3) It is your
responsibility to take action if you hope to see things get better, either in
class or
in the real world.
CITIZENSHIP
Sehome
High School
Ms.
Johnston kjohnsto@bham.wednet.edu 676-6481
Ext. 5239
PLEASE
SIGN AND RETURN BY MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2008.
Student:
·
I
verify that I have read the course outline and class rules and understand the
expectations for this course.
·
I understand that, to complete and pass this course, I must complete
the Community Action & Participation
Requirement.
·
If
I have questions or concerns about an assignment or the class, I will contact
Ms. Johnston as soon as possible.
·
I
understand that help is available during lunch and after school most days, and
that it is my responsibility to come get help when I need it.
·
I
understand that there are computers available in Ms. Johnston’s room for my use
before and after school, and at lunch.
·
I
understand that Ms. Johnston has a teacher web page, which I know how to locate
and use to find information about homework, daily class work, and a community
events calendar.
Student Signature Date
Parent/Guardian:
·
I
verify that I have read the course outline and class rules and understand the
expectations for this course.
·
I understand that I may need to help my student attend or complete
the Community Action & Participation
Requirement, which is needed to pass this course.
·
If
I have questions or concerns about an assignment or the class, I will contact
Ms. Johnston as soon as possible.
·
I
understand that help is available during lunch and after school most days, and
that it my student’s responsibility to come get help when he/she needs it.
·
I
understand that there are computers available in Ms. Johnston’s room for my
student’s use before and after school, and at lunch.
·
I
understand that Ms. Johnston has a teacher web page, and I know that I can use
it to find information about homework, daily class work, and a community events
calendar.
Parent/Guardian Signature Date
CITIZENSHIP
Ms. Johnston kjohnsto@bham.wednet.edu 676-6481 Ext. 5239
Teacher
Web Page: I
utilize my teacher web page on the Sehome High School website. Homework
assignments, important links, and information about daily class activities can
be found on the web page. A calendar
of Community Events is also linked to my page. My page is updated
regularly. To access it:
·
Go
to the Sehome High School webpage <wwwshs.bham.wednet.edu>
·
Click
on Teacher Pages
·
Click
on Ms. Johnston
·
Click
on Citizenship Homework or Current Events Links
Parent Connect: I will be using the Zangle Parent Connect website
to keep important things, like grades, up-to-date. Class news may be posted
there from time to time, as well. PLEASE don’t expect that I will be
able to input things into the computer as soon as I grade them. For that
reason, you or your parents/guardians may notice that you have some scores
missing and your grade isn’t where it should be, so remember: If there is a blank in an assignment category,
that usually means I have created the assignment, but have not yet put in the
score. Please also look for notes in Parent Connect that
will indicate if work was returned for a redo, was turned in late, or was
excused.
Late Work & Attendance: I
will only accept late work for half credit within a week of its due date,
unless you have a scheduled absence or other excused absence that requires a
further extension. If you have an excused absence, you may have one additional
day for each excused day missed. If you know ahead of time that you will miss a
test or essay/project due date, you are expected to make arrangements ahead
of time to make up the missed work. You will not be allowed to make up work
or tests from unexcused absences; work missed as a result of an unexcused
absence will be entered in the grade book as a zero. You are expected to
attend daily and arrive ON TIME.
Community Action & Participation
Requirement
Yes, this is a REQUIREMENT –
don’t do it, don’t pass. This is your foray into the world of active citizenship,
and it is very important that you sample the opportunities for engagement in
our community. See the Community
Events Calendar linked to my teacher web page. You have several options
to complete this requirement:
Option
1: Plan and host a forum on an issue you are concerned
about. The topic must be current and relevant to this course, and it also must
be pre-approved. This option is a group project option because the work
involved would be too much for one person.
Option
2: Attend two out-of-class events that relate to
government, current issues, or diversity issues. Possible events include:
·
City Council or County Council meetings
·
Courtroom observation
·
Whatcom Human Rights Task Force Human Rights Film
Festival
·
WWU or WCC sponsored diversity events
·
Other pre-approved events that you bring to my attention
Option
3: Volunteer with an organization that seeks to improve the
lives of others via social or political action. To receive volunteer credit,
you must volunteer for at least five (5) hours over the course of the term.
Option
4: Combine one event from Option 2 with 2-3 hours of
volunteer time from Option 3.
Option
5: If your Culminating Project is ongoing (not
completed) and it is a project that deals with social, political, or economic
issues, you may be able to use your time on your Culminating Project in
combination with Option 2 as your Community Action & Participation
Requirement. To utilize this option, you must meet with me early in the
semester and get approval. If approval is not granted, you must complete one of
the other options to fulfill this course requirement.
To receive credit, you
MUST:
·
Choose your
option and inform me in writing of your choice no later than FRIDAY,
FEBRUARY 22.
·
Have proof of attendance (e.g., notes you took, handouts
and fliers, signature of organizer, etc.).
·
Write a 2-3 page reflection on what you observed or did
AND what you learned (new information, new thinking, re-evaluating your own
beliefs or values, impact on your life or education, etc.).
·
Complete the requirement and submit your reflections no
later than WEDNESDAY, June 4. This date is carved in stone unless
there are extenuating circumstances (e.g., snow days extend the school year,
etc.)