• 2022-2023 School Year 

    Bjorn Gray Shirley Simmons Middle School

    8th Grade Social Studies

    Course Syllabus 

    8th Grade Social Studies is a full year course that will give students a general understanding of the major events in our nation's history from 1492-1877 and how they have affected and led to the world we live in today.

    There will be 10 Units of study. Each unit will last about 3-4 weeks. Daily assignments and quizzes will be given regularly. There will be weekly exams and a unit test at the end of each unit.

    Units of Study

    1 Age of Exploration

    2 Fight for America [France vs Britain]

    3 American Revolution

    4 Our First Government

    5 The Constitution

    6 Westward Expansion

    7 Industrial Revolution

    8 The Road to Civil War

    9 The Civil War

    10 Reconstruction

    Assignments will be made available online [via MCSD Teacher Website, CANVAS, and direct emails to students/ parents] for students who choose to not physically attend school.

    All assignments are required work. 

    It is important that ALL students pay attention to due dates and submit assignments on time. Online assignments may be locked after a certain time and students may not be able to submit late work.

    Term and Semester Grades will be calculated and assigned using the Madison County Public Schools Grading Formula and Scale [see MCSD Website].

    Students who do not have access to technology can check out Chromebooks from the school [see MCSD website for details] or pick up hard copies of the assignments from the school and return it when completed. 

    Assignments will be graded weekly and grades will be posted and updated each week online.  

    I look forward to working with you [students and parents] and I am very thankful for your flexible response in this time of many unknowns. Feel free to contact me at bjorn.gray@madison-schools.com if you have any questions or concerns, or need assistance with assignments. 

    Together we will have a safe and successful year.

    Additional Information

    Classroom Rule[s] and Expectation

    1  No matter the situation, Stay Calm.

    Attendance

    Attendance will be taken daily, every class period.

    Fire Drill

    In the event of a fire or fire drill, students will exit the classroom using the closet exit to the classroom in a quiet, single file line. Once outside, attendance will be taken.

    Tornado Drill

    In the event of a tornado or tornado drill, students will line up in the hall in standard tornado drill position.

    Substitute Teacher

    In the event students have a substitute teacher, they should do whatever the substitute asks them to do, whether they want to or not.  

    Textbooks

    Copies of the textbooks that we will use for Traditional Learning and Virtual Learning are available on my MCSD Teacher Webpage and CANVAS.

     

    Students who physically attend class may use both books for studying if needed.

     

    Classroom/ Traditional Learning Textbook

    https://mcs.instructure.com/courses/24473/files/folder/Textbook%20for%20Classroom

     

     

    Online/ Virtual Learning Textbook

    https://mcs.instructure.com/courses/24473/files/folder/Textbook%20for%20Virtual%20Learning