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Welcome!
My name is Mrs. Bullard-Duke, and I am the 6th grade Social Studies department lead. I am a graduate of Texas A&M University's main campus in College Station Texas and have a bachelor's degree in English Literature. I am a military "brat" and have traveled to over 25 countries, some as close as Canada, and as far away as Japan. I have been teaching at Cedar Creek Intermediate School since 2013, and previously worked in private aviation.
This year we will be learning so many new and exciting things about cultures and regions all over the world! I love teaching students this unique subject and believe that my life experiences provide unique insights into the lives of people from other cultures. Below you will find the complete syllabus for this class that will be followed by all 6th grade Social Studies teachers.
Social Studies Class Supplies:
Students will need to bring the following supplies every day to class (replace as needed):
· 1 subject spiral (they can leave this in the classroom)
· 1 composition notebook
· Pencils
· colored pencils
· notebook paper
· 1 black pen for labeling maps
· scissors
· glue sticks
Remind: ALL parents will be required to sign up for Remind, which will be used for communication purposes. Please visit the Remind website, for full details.
Pencil Rule:
All work will be done in pencil unless otherwise specified. Any work that is done in pen, without permission, will not be accepted. An erasable pen will not be considered as a pencil.
Thursday Yellow Folder
Every student will bring home a Yellow Folder every Thursday. I will be writing your student’s current grade average, and any concerns or achievements, in the folder for you to check over that evening. The Yellow Folder needs to be signed and returned to school the next day. Failure to sign and return the Yellow Folder will result in a loss of Payday (recess time on Friday), and a phone call home.
Grades:
Students will have a minimum of three major grades and nine daily grades per nine-week grading period. Daily Grades are worth 40% of your student’s grade, and Major Grades are worth 60% of the overall nine-week average. Students will have one opportunity to recover a failed daily and major grade for a maximum grade of a 70. These corrections are due before the end of the day, the Monday following your notification in the “Thursday Yellow Folder”. All Graded work will be sent home through the yellow folder.
Quizzes/Tests/Projects:
Students will have advanced notice of most Quizzes and all Test and Projects. If your student is absent on the day of a test, they will be required to take the test the day they come back to school unless prior arrangements have been made. If your student is absent on the day a project is due, they will have one extra day to turn the assignment in.
Homework and Classwork:
Any assignment turned in late, with the exception of an absence, will receive a reduction of 10 points per day with a maximum reduction of 40 points. For Example: If a student turns in work one day late, and the grade they would have earned if turned in on time is an 87, the student will receive a 77, because 87-10=77. My expectation for all students is for all work to be of high quality and turned in on the due date.
**All daily assignments are due before the grading period (progress report/report card) comes to a close. Assignments from before progress reports will not be accepted after progress reports, and no work from a previous 9 weeks will be accepted.
Warm-Ups:
Every day the students will complete a warm up to get their minds in gear for the day. These warm-ups will count as a random daily grade from time to time.
Spiral:
Students will create an interactive notebook for their notes, unit organizers, important assignments, and any other materials needed in a unit. I may periodically check the spiral for materials, and grade these to verify that students are keeping up with their spiral. If your student loses their spiral it needs to be replaced by the following week, and they will need to come in before school to make up the notes that they have lost.
What to expect this year:
1st Nine Weeks
o Classroom Procedures
o Unit 1 – The World’s Geographic Patterns
o Unit 2 – Freedom Week
o Unit 3 – The United States and Canada
2nd Nine Weeks
o Unit 4 – Latin America
o Unit 5 – Europe
o Mid-Year Final (Academic Target)
3rd Nine Weeks
o Unit 6 – Russia and the Eurasian Republics
o Unit 7 – Southwest Asia (the Middle East) and North Africa
o Unit 8 – Sub-Saharan Africa
4th Nine Weeks
o Unit 9 – South Asia
o Unit 10 – East and South East Asia
o Unit 11 – Pacific Realm
o End of Year Final (Academic Target)
I am looking forward to an exciting year with your student! Please contact me at any time during the school year with questions or concerns that you may have!
