Syllabus

Humanities 11: With Justice for All?

Security, Liberty and Equality in U.S. History

Contact Information: Ashley Carruth

Email:  ashley.carruth@animashighschool.com (This is the BEST way to reach me)

Website:  http://acarruth.blogspot.com/

Office Hours           

Thursdays, 3:30-5:00 or by appointment.  If you are planning to come to office hours, please be in my room by 3:30.  If there is no-one in my room by that time, I will most likely be on a trail, river or mountain-top.  

Course Description and Goals

The focus of 11th grade Humanities is U.S. History.  In this course, we will explore to what extent U.S. history has been one of “justice for all” as our nation’s pledge of allegiance promises.  However, in order to answer that question, we must first answer the question: What is Justice?

Justice, the philosopher John Rawls believed, is the first virtue of social institutions (such as governments and schools).  But justice is difficult to define and still more difficult to achieve. In this class, students will consider how three core ideals define most theories of justice: security, liberty and equality.  While the U.S. Constitution spells out the legal framework for the operation of these ideals, there is also a moral framework for these ideals.  Through a close study of literature, philosophy, film, historical texts and political media, students will develop a deeper understanding of Justice through both a moral and legal framework as we explore how the ideals of freedom, security and equality have played out in U.S. history.  We will examine how the United States’ story has been shaped by diverse perspectives and agendas as we deconstruct the story and ideals of this nation.

Ultimately, my hope is that my students will be able to formulate their own moral code for justice and apply it to daily life conflicts as well as broader national and global issues in order to actively contribute to a just democratic society.  Moreover, students will end this year with an ideological framework that will allow them to more clearly understand and analyze historical and current events they encounter in future humanities classes and in their involvement with political, social and economic  life.

A Note about Junior Year Expectations:

11th grade Humanities is designed to prepare you for the work you will do in college.  As such, you should expect to read, write, research and think rigorously and vigorously.   We will focus on developing skills that will help you succeed in the Humanities in college such as critical analysis, making and supporting sophisticated claims, internalizing your own writing/learning process, and managing your time in order to carry a robust workload.  As in college, a large part of your work will be done independently, and you will have to take a great deal of responsibility in managing that learning for yourself.  

Honors Option

You have the option of taking this course for Honors credit.  Honors students will engage in more challenging reading and writing assignments, take on leadership roles, and be expected to complete a higher volume of class work including some extra mini-projects.  If you sign up for Honors, you will not be able to opt out so please make the decision very intentionally and be prepared to follow through with the commitment!  If you would like opt-in, please sign and return the attached Honors Commitment sheet by Friday, September 7th.

Essential Questions for the Course

1. What is Justice? What is the role of the individual in creating a just society? What is the role of the State in creating a just society? To what extent has the U.S. government balanced security, liberty and equality in creating a just democratic society?  

2. How is the history “we” tell revealing of “our” truths?  To what extent is United States history subjective?  How does knowing and understanding the complexities of US history create a better understanding of today’s society and what it means to be “American?”  

3. How have the debates over race, gender and ethnicity changed throughout time in the United States and why?  How have the changing roles and opinions of different racial, gender and ethnic groups impacted the nation in various time periods of U.S. history? To what extent are issues surrounding race, gender and ethnicity still present in modern U.S. society and why?

Class Materials

Please bring the following materials to class EVERY DAY:

1. 3 ring binder with 5 dividers (at least 1.5” thick)
2. 1 folder (to place in 3 ring binder)
3. Lined paper
4. Pencils (I will NOT supply extra pencils or pens!)
5. Pens: Blue or Black
6. Highlighter or colored pens for marking texts
7. Daily Planner
8. An open-mind and positive attitude

*Optional:  8 ½ x 11 notebook for starters, free-writing prompts, note-taking (although you can create a section in your 3 ring binder for this as well)

When Assignments are Due

All assignments are due in the first minute of class, unless otherwise noted.  Class time is valuable, and I ask that you be considerate of our time together.  Please do not ask to print an assignment after class has started.  The answer will be no.  You will be responsible for printing your own assignments either from home or from one of the designated student print kiosks only.  Assignments not turned in at the beginning of class are considered late.  Plan ahead to print, backup your work in multiple places, and leave ample time to finish and print assignments.  

How To Turn-in Assignments Electronically

For more substantial writing assignments,  I may ask you to submit your assignment electronically.  To do this, you will use google documents and follow these two steps:

• Either write your assignment as a google document or upload your word document to your google docs on your student gmail account.
• Share your document with me (ashley.carruth@animashighschool.com)

Grading

20%     Process: Are you doing your work?

Can you turn work in on time?  Are you actively engaging in the work that is assigned?

1.       Activities (in class and homework)

2.       Essay drafts and revisions

3.       Project drafts and revisions

40%     Content: Are you learning the content?

Are you learning the concepts covered in class?  Can you discuss those concepts critically?

1.       Quizzes, tests, benchmark/formative assignments

40%     Application of Knowledge: Can you apply and communicate your knowledge?                

Are you creating beautiful and polished work?

1.       Essay Final Drafts

2.       Final Products

3.       Socratic Seminars

To encourage you to take ownership of your own grades, I ask that you please contact me directly with any questions about your assignments and grades.  Please do not have your parents contact me regarding your grades until you have asked the questions first, via email, speech, or writing.  If you or your parents still have questions after you have talked to me, I would be happy to address your/their concerns at that point!

Grading Scale

A– Excellent work that exceeds all standards                   90-100%

B– Good quality work that meets all standards                80-89%

C– Complete work that meets most standards                  70-79%

D– Incomplete and/or missing work, repeat course         69-60%

F– Failing, repeat course.                                                            < 60%

Please note: I do NOT give extra credit!  Don’t ask, and don’t expect to make up work at the end of the semester—the answer will be no, barring extraordinary circumstances.

Participation and Classroom Conduct

Participation and overall classroom conduct as an academic learner are key parts of this course.  Students will be evaluated based on contributions to classroom AND Edmodo discussion, in-class exercises and overall conduct as members of an active learning environment.  Evaluations on participation will count for approximately 10% of the student’s grade (half of the “Process” grade).  These scores are based on student self-evaluation, verbal and class participation points recorded by the instructor, and instructor review of a student’s conduct and engagement in course materials and during each class meeting.   The participation grade using the rubric (shown below) will only be given at the end of each semester so it is important for students to review the expectations and set their personal goals at the beginning of the term and keep these expectations in mind throughout the semester.  At the end of the semester, I will collect your Interactive Notebook (3-ring binder) and select a sampling of Starters, reflections and in-class assignments to more accurately assess the third category of the rubric.

PARTICIPATION RUBRIC

Score	Advanced (90-100%)	Solid (85%)	Approaching the standard (75%)	Not Yet (<70%)
Verbal Class/Edmodo Participation Score *5 SCORE: /	I participate substantially in class almost every day through multiple verbal contributions to the class discussions and/or substantial written responses on Edmodo 2-3 times a week that prompt other students’ thinking.	I participate substantially in class 2 to 3 times per week through verbal contributions to the class discussions, but multiple times at least once during those days. I contribute to Edmodo once a week but in a substantial way.	I participate substantially in class once or twice a week through verbal contributions to the class discussions, and usually only contribute one time during those days. I contribute to Edmodo once a week but my comments are superficial and brief.	I rarely participate in class.  In fact, I may have only contributed substantially to class discussion once or twice over several weeks and rarely contribute to Edmodo.  In fact, what was my password again?
Group/Independent Work Participation Score *5 SCORE:	During group or independent work, I am almost always focused on the task given, I often take a leadership role (when appropriate) in completing the task given and always present professional and thoughtful work.  I almost never participate in side conversations during these  work times.	During group or independent work, I am mostly focused on the task given, I contribute as a team member (when appropriate) in completing the task  and present professional and thoughtful work most of the time. I am mostly focused during this time and rarely participate in side conversations.	During group or independent work, I am sometimes focused on the task given, I contribute only a little to the team (when appropriate) in completing the task given and, while complete, my work is not always professional and thoughtful.  I often participate in side conversations or “zone out”.	During group or independent work, I’m not really focused on the task or  don’t do the task, I don’t contribute to the team (when appropriate) in completing the task given and my contributions don’t reflect professional and thoughtful work and are often incomplete. I often “zone out” and/or participate in side conversations.
Engaged Learner/Academic Conduct Participation Score *5 SCORE	I almost always: have my notebook turned to the starter section of my notebook when class begins; act respectful when presenting my ideas or when listening to the ideas of others; avoid side conversations; am prepared for class; follow  the expectations set out in the syllabus.	I usually: have my notebook turned to the starter section of my notebook when class begins; act respectful when presenting my ideas or when listening to the ideas of others; avoid side conversations; am prepared for class; follow  the expectations set out in the syllabus.	I rarely:  have my notebook turned to the starter section of my notebook when class begins; act respectful when presenting my ideas or when listening to the ideas of others; avoid side conversations; am prepared for class; follow  the expectations set out in the syllabus.	I almost never: have my notebook turned to the starter section of my notebook when class begins; act respectful when presenting my ideas or when listening to the ideas of others; avoid side conversations; am prepared for class; follow  the expectations set out in the syllabus.

Additional Class Requirements

This year, all humanities teachers at Animas are requiring the following from each student:

1. Library Card:  You must have a library card by Friday, September 7th.  This will count as part of your process grade.  We will be taking field trips to the library as well as accessing the online library research database for our research this year and I expect you to use it outside of class time for your research needs.

2. Gmail Account:  Your assignment by Tuesday, September 4th is to create a gmail account.  The reason for this is three-fold.  First, I want you to have professional email usernames for contacting prospective LINK mentors and college admissions officers.  Secondly, it makes it easier for me to send group emails.  Third, I will be using google documents to assign readings, project work, etc... and expect you to use google documents to submit work.  You cannot access google documents without your own gmail account.   

→ Use the following format for your username:  firstname.lastname.14@gmail.com

Example:  ashley.carruth.14@gmail.com

3. Two-Sided Printing: Please set your printer default to “two-sided” printing and ALWAYS print two-sided unless otherwise directed.  This helps save trees!

4.  Book Checkout and Fees:  By signing this syllabus, you agree to take good care of all class texts and to return books that have been checked out to you in similar condition as you received them.  If you do not, you will be expected to pay for the cost of the book.  Also, you may receive an incomplete in the class until text is replaced or the cost of the text has been covered.

Late Work

If you are absent from school, it is your responsibility as a student to contact me for missed assignments.  The first step upon return is to check the “Missed Work” trays in my classroom.  That is where I will put extra copies of all in-class assignments for the week.  I suggest emailing me, or getting in touch with me as soon as you are back at school.  For excused absences, you will be given the same amount of time to complete the assignment as the rest of the class had.  Whenever possible, try to plan ahead when you know you are going to be absent.  Late work will receive a 50% automatic penalty, and will not be accepted more than two school days after you return to class.

Email Etiquette: How to effectively communicate with teachers

Subject: E-mail Format

Dear Students,

E-mail is a useful mode of communication, particularly during the school day when teachers tend to be busy and might forget information transmitted orally during the course of the day. E-mails should be used when you have important information that you need to communicate to one of us.  For example, you should use email to communicate any of the following types of information: future excused absences, late work excuses, requests for extensions on projects, to schedule a meeting with a teacher, to ask questions you might have that have not been addressed during class, etc… Email should always include a clearly stated purpose, necessary background information, a recommendation or action plan and clear and concise writing.

While email is a very convenient form of communication, please keep in mind that you are communicating with a teacher in writing about your work.  That means you should read over what you wrote before you send it out and correct any typos or errors.  Do not use text message abbreviations or emoticons.  I “m not ur bff,” so do not send me emails that read like text messages you would send to a friend.  ALWAYS begin your email with a respectful greeting (Dear Ashley,  Good morning Ashley, Hello Ashley, etc...) and conclude your email with an appropriate closing such as Sincerely/Respectfully/Best Regards, Your Name).  Following these guidelines will help you make good impressions not only on your beloved Animas teachers, but also with prospective employers and college professors.

Thank you for your attention and respect to this important professional life skills.

Sincerely,

Ashley Carruth

The Rules

The following are in place to ensure a respectful learning environment:

1.       Cell phone use is forbidden at all times.  Any usage of cell phones will result in the confiscation of the phone until the end of the school day. You may use your phones before school, on breaks, at lunch, and after school.

2.       Avoid swearing.  Everyone slips up from time to time, but avoid it as a general rule.

3.       No gum.  It’s sticky, and inevitably ends up under the tables despite your best intentions.

4.       Follow the AHS Fashion Guide.   

5.       Listening to music without instructor permission is forbidden.  Don’t wear headphones around your neck, either.

6.       Don’t threaten the sprinkler heads!  No swinging sticks, leaping wildly, throwing things, etc.

7. Food/Drinks: Research has linked nutrition with cognitive outcomes.  In other words, what you eat affects how you think (Schoenthaler and Steiner).  Healthy foods fuel healthy minds.  Thus, you may only eat fruits and vegetables in my classroom and drink water unless otherwise noted.

Absences & Tardies

When you are absent it is your responsibility to determine what you missed and make arrangements to make it up in a timely manner. The first step upon return is to check the “Missed Work” folders in my classroom.  That is where I will put extra copies of all in-class assignments for the week.   When the absence is excused you will have as many days as you were absent to make up the work. If the absence is unexcused the missed work may not be made up for credit.

You are considered tardy if you are not in the classroom working on the starter when class has begun.  The new school-wide tardy policy is as follows:  3 unexcused tardies (total between all your classes) per semester = 1 In-School Suspension.  Class time is precious and I work hard to start class on time and use it as efficiently as possible to maximize YOUR learning experience.  Take full advantage of that and be on time.  

The SUPER Important Rules

History is particularly intriguing to me because it encompasses so many diverging beliefs and controversial time periods.  Although I attempt to the best of my ability to present a history that is unbiased and not reflective of my own personal philosophies, it is the nature of this course to discuss topics that students may feel strongly about.  I by no means require students to accept all or any of the thoughts and ideas presented in class, through readings, by myself or by other students.  However, I do require students to at least consider other ways of viewing historical events or topics. With this in mind, please follow these three rules:

Respect:  For yourself, for others, and for the learning process.  Acknowledge that all people with whom you come into contact are in fact people, human beings who deserve to be treated as such.  Treat others as you wish to be treated.

Open-Mindedness:  We will treat each student with an open-mind and tolerance regardless of his or her religion, race, culture, sexual orientation, or ability.  We will strive to not only respect one another, but to accept and celebrate our differences, for diversity is at the heart of this class.  For this reason, any and all discriminatory and/or hurtful language is prohibited (such as “that’s so retarded” or “this is gay”).    Similarly, I ask you to have an open-mind to new learning experiences and perspectives.  

Challenge: Challenge yourself this year.  Junior year will be the most challenging year of your schooling experience thus far.  Rather than live in denial of that reality or shy away from it, go for it!  Challenge yourself to step outside your comfort zones, grow as a scholar and as a young-adult.  Take risks.  Push yourself.  I also want you to (respectfully) challenge IDEAS in this class, whether they are your own, those of an author we read, your classmates or mine.  Seek to understand bias and insist on evidence.

Project Outline

*Warning:  Syllabus subject to change!

Semester 1: Security and Liberty

The Morality and Politics of Justice: (September + October)

Questions:

1. What is Justice? What roles do the ideals of security, liberty and equality play in creating a just society?

2. What is the relationship between Law and Justice?

3. Is human nature mostly individualistic and competitive or collective and collaborative?

4. What should the roles of the state AND individual be in promoting Justice?

Readings:

1. Montana, 1948 by Larry Watson

2. Excerpts from a variety of philosophers and psychologists (including Plato, Thomas Hobbes, John Stewart Mills, Emanuel Kant, John Rawls, Bernard Williams, John Locke, Carol Gilligan and Lawrence Kohlberg)

3. Excerpts from key documents in the formation of the U.S. government system including The U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence and “The Federalist Papers”.

4.  Assigned chapters from A Young People's History of the United States or A People's History of the United States (Honors students).

Final Products:

1.  Moral Development Interview Essay

2.  Socratic Seminars

3.  Coffee House Exhibition: Student-led community dialogues on the "Morality of Justice on Contemporary Political Issues"

Korematsu vs. United States (1944)- (November + December)

Questions:

1. How should the U.S. government balance national security and individual liberty in times of war?

2. How have the changing roles and opinions of different racial and ethnic groups impacted the nation in various time periods of U.S. history?

Readings:

1. Supreme Court Case studies

2.  Snow Falling on Cedars, by David Guterson

3. Selected Chapters from Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States, and current events articles.

4. Thomas Paine’s Common Sense

5.  More to come!

Final Product

1.  Japanese Internment/World War II Survivor Interview

2.  Korematsu v. United States case summary + analyses

3.  Mock Trial- reenactment of Korematsu v. United States (1944)

Semester 2:  Equality

Civil Rights- (January + February)

Questions:

1.  To what extent have civil rights movements provided equal rights for all citizens?

2.  How have the debates over race, gender and ethnicity changed throughout time in the United States and why?  How have the changing roles and opinions of different racial, gender and ethnic groups impacted the nation in various time periods of U.S. history? To what extent are issues surrounding race, gender and ethnicity still present in modern U.S. society and why?

3. What impact has the legacy of slavery and Reconstruction had on race relations today?

Readings:  

Under Construction!

Final Products

1. Research Paper on Civil Rights Movement of students’ choice

2. Curate a Museum Exhibit

LINK Internship- (March)

Environmental Justice- (April + May)

Under Construction!  This will be an interdisciplinary project with Steve Smith’s Chemistry class and the concept of Energy. The final product will be a series of student-led debates on the topic of Energy and Environmental Justice.  

Student and Parent Signature

I have read and understand all of the expectations stated above.  I agree that if the student loses or damages any assigned class books, he/she will be held financially responsible for that book.

_________________________________________ ________________

(Student’s Signature)    (Date)

_________________________________________ ________________

(Parent Signature)      (Date)

11th grade Humanities Honors Enrollment Form

11th grade Humanities students have the option to take classes for Honors credit.  Honors credit means that the class will show up as Honors on student transcripts, which is often a selling point for college admissions.  To succeed in 11th grade Humanities Honors, students will be required to read more challenging texts and complete a higher volume of work.  In addition, projects and composition assignments will carry higher expectations for Honors students.

Honors students may be expected to obtain their own copies of the more rigorous course texts. While students not enrolled in Honors will use A Young People’s History of the United States (Howard Zinn) as a core text, Honors students will be required to read the original more difficult version, A People’s History.  It is available for free online at www.historyisaweapon.org,.  You may print chapters for free or obtain your own copy of the book.  You will also required to obtain a copy of Beloved, by Toni Morrison, as well as some choice novels along the way.  If obtaining these books is a problem financially, please don’t let this be a reason to not sign up for Honors!  Speak to me and we will work something out.

September 7, 2012 is the deadline to enroll in or drop Honors.  If you have not signed up by this date, you will not be able to opt in later.  Likewise, if you sign up and decide that you no longer want to be in Honors, you cannot opt out again until the semester is over, so please make the decision very intentionally and be ready to follow through with the commitment!

Honors students, please sign and have a parent or guardian sign this form and return it to me ASAP to confirm that you understand the expectations and deadlines for Honors enrollment.

Student Signature ________________________________

Student Name  ___________________________________

Parent Signature _________________________________

Parent Name    ____________________________________

Date ______________________________________________