Ms. Radavich

Government

In this course, we will talk about the structure of our federal government; including the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. This course will involve a lot of discussions of current events that relate to our government today. In this course you will be doing a lot of reading, writing, projects, and discussion. I expect that you come to work everyday. I look forward to a great semester with you.

Expectations: Respect, Responsibility, Readiness, Remembering

• I expect a lot from my students.
• I expect that you will come everyday prepare to class. This includes your binder, textbook, planner, something to write with, and paper.
• I expect that you will respect your classmates, yourself, and myself while conducting yourself in my classroom.
• I expect you to take responsibility for YOU!
• I expect you to turn your assignments in on time.
• I expect that you have an open-mind, positive attitude, and willingness to work with others that you don’t normally work with.
• I expect that you will not say negative comments about your classmates, which will result in direct removal from the class. We will respect one another!
• I expect that you will be on time and ready to go everyday, your participation counts and is vital to our class success!
• I expect that you will follow all school rules, including dress code and wearing your ID.

Procedures:

1. You are expected to come to class everyday, sit in your assigned seat and begin working on your Bellwork question, which will be posted on the board. This assignment will be due within the first few minutes of class. Each week you will be given a Bellwork sheet to complete for the week and I will collect it on Friday. Failure to do Bellworks will hurt your binder and participation grade.
2. Class dismissal-you are to stay in your seat until Ms. Radavich dismisses you. The bell does not dismiss you if we are in the middle of something. Remain in your seats until you are dismissed.
1. You MUST stay in a SEAT at all times!!!!
3. Late assignments will NOT be accepted.

4. Be on time for class, if you are tardy (this is in the handbook as well):
1. 1^st or 2^nd tardy-verbal warning
2. 3^rd tardy-parents contacted, and a one hour detention assigned
3. 4^th tardy-referral to the dean, 2 hour assigned
4. 5^th tardy-referral to the dean, Saturday assignment
5. 6 or more tardies, you may be dropped from the class
5. Unexcused Absences-If you skip my class or are not called in you will receive a ZERO for all work that was due that day or work that we did that day. You will not receive extra time on projects if you have unexcused absence.
6. If you are absent, there will be work for you to pick up in an absent folder. It is YOUR responsibility to ask someone in class what the Bellwork assignments were for the days that you missed. Please talk to me at appropriate times to receive directions on missed work. I would be happy to help you get caught up before school.
1. Students who have missed assignments due to illness or EXCUSED absences will have 2 days to make up work after they return to complete any given assignments
2. Again, UNEXCUSED absences will become ZEROS!!!
7. The bathroom is expected to be taken care of BEFORE class starts. DO NOT abuse your bathroom privilege if one is given to you.
8. Cheating will not be tolerated. Any suspicion of cheating will result in a phone call home and a zero on any assignments. Repeat offenses will result in dismissal from the course.
9. Behavior: I do not tolerate disruptions in my classroom. If you feel that you can not contain yourself here is the procedure:
1. 1^st offense: warning, removal from situation
2. 2^nd offense: call home, teacher detention
3. 3^rd offense: Dean’s referral
4. Continued offenses will lead to removal from my class permanently

**In the event that you are disrespectful, vulgar, or extremely out of line, you will be immediately sent down to the dean or removed from my class

10. Extra Credit: There will be no “extra credit assignments” parse; however in class there will be times when extra credit might be offered. Also, putting extra effort into assignments will be grounds for extra credit at times when I feel necessary.

Grading:

Your grade will be based on the following: (There may be other things that come up, this is not set in stone, it is just to give you a good idea)

1. Binder (1 ½ inch)
1. You will be expected to keep a binder in class
2. Your binder is to help keep yourself organized, study for tests, and also anything you keep in your binder you will be able to use on quizzes
3. You will keep everything we do in class in this binder
4. You will organize your binder into sections
5. The binder will be checked every time we have a test/quiz
6. Binder Checks will include bellworks and worksheets done for the particular chapter we are working on.
2. Homework
1. There will be homework assignments
2. Some homework will be collected, others will be put in your binder for grading in the Binder Check or use on quizzes.
3. Projects
1. There will be projects in this class that you will complete by yourself and others that you do in groups
2. Projects include things like: presentations, essays, research, speeches, debates, group work, magazines, papers, posters, cartoons, etc.
3. These assignments will be worth a significant chunk of your grade because you will receive a lot of time to complete them
4. You will receive a detailed rubric for each project (list of expectations and their point values)
5. We will also be doing the Election Project which is worth ~ 375 points
4. Quizzes
1. You will have quizzes from week to week in class to make sure that you are keeping up with your class work
2. For most quizzes, you will be allowed to use any notes that you might have from the chapter we are covering (binder!)
3. My quizzes are not to hurt you, but to make sure that you are keeping up with the work and understanding
4. Not having your binder organized will also hurt your quiz grade!
5. Tests
1. There will be tests in this course
2. For each test, you will get receive a study guide, if you complete the study guide you will receive 5 points extra credit towards your test
3. Tests will consists of a variety of sections
4. If you need help studying, please see me.
5. You will have to take 2 tests to graduate in this course: The U.S. Constitution Test (must pass with 70%) and IL Constitution Test (you must pass with a 60%)

6. Participation/Effort
1. Much of my class stems from classroom participation, therefore participation will be part of your grade
2. Each six weeks, I will give you a participation assessment (~50 points) based on class discussion, group participation, attitude, preparedness, and behavior.
3. Sleeping and poor behavior will hurt this part of your grade significantly.
4. I will not tolerate students doing nothing in class.

Grading Scale:

100-90% =A

89-80%=B

79-70=C

69-60=D

59 or below=F

Remember you have to pass this class to graduate. Seniors, this semester will go by fast, don’t fall behind! I want each of you to succeed; never hesitate to ask questions, all I need is a little cooperation from each and every one of your.

I look forward to a great year!

Ms. RadavichJ

“ Challenges are what make life interesting, overcoming them is what makes life meaningful”

Please look over this and read with your parents/guardian. Sign and return to me. Any questions throughout the year, please call 815-577-5884 or e-mail: kradavic@learningcommunity202.org

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Student Signature / Date Print Student Name

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Parent/Guardian Signature / Date Print Parent Name