Harrells Christian Academy Course Syllabus
Course Title Honors Civics
Credit Hours 1 unit
Grade Level 9 th
Description
We are going to have a very special year for Civics. As you know, the presidential campaigns are in full force and the elections are in November! I am going to try and incorporate the election as much as possible. We will also look at what it means to be a citizen and the requirements for citizenship. We will study the National, State, and Local Governments. We will also study the law. My father is a defense attorney and I plan to take a field trip to court when we study the law. We will finish up studying economy and the differences between the United States’ economy and other countries’ economy. Here is a list of chapters we will cover.
- The American People
- Roots of American Democracy
- The Constitution
- The Bill of Rights
- Citizenship and Government in a Democracy
- The Legislative Branch
- The Executive Branch
- The Judicial Branch
- Political Parties and Politics
- Voting and Elections
- Influencing Government
- State Government
- Local Government
- Dealing With Community Issues
- Legal Rights and Responsibilities
- Civil and Criminal Law
- Citizenship and the Internet
- What is Economics?
- The American Economy
- Personal Finance and Economics
- Demand and Supply
- Business and Labor
- Government and the Economy
- Money and Banking
- Government Finances
- Comparing Economic Systems
- An Interdependent World
Textbook Civics Today
Instructor Clayton Hall
(910) 289-5158 Cell (No calls between 10pm-7am)
chall@harrellsca.org
Required Materials
- Spiral Notebook (1 subject)
- 3-Ring Binder
- Pens and Pencils (Pens must be black or blue)
Class Rules
- As soon as you walk in the classroom, locate your seat and get your things ready for class.
- Respect school property as it was your own.
- Respect your other classmates.
- Absolutely no food. (Gum is acceptable until I find it on the floor or desks.)
- No cell phones or ipods. (They will be confiscated if seen.)
- Come to class with a great attitude and ready to learn!
(All General School Rules apply)
Warning System
- 1 st warning- verbal.
- 2 nd warning- held after class
- 3 rd warning- Friday School
6 Weeks Grades
The process for determining grades is a simple process. At the end of every six weeks I will use a three step process to determine each student’s grade.
1 st step: I will average the homework grades and take that average
grade and count it as a quiz grade.
2 nd step: I will average all the quizzes together (including the
averaged homework grade) and take that average grade
and count it as a test grade.
3 rd step: I will then average the tests grades together (including the
averaged quiz grade) to achieve the six weeks grade.
Grading Scale
- 100-93 A
- 92-85 B
- 84-77 C
- 76- 70 D
- 69-Below F
Homework Policy
I cannot stress enough how important homework is. As the old saying goes, “practice makes perfect.” I will give homework anywhere from three to four nights a week. You are now in high school therefore, you can expect homework over the weekend.
Homework- There will be two types of homework assignments.
- The first type of homework assignment is called completed homework. I will only check this homework for completion. Students can receive three grades for completed homework: a check (100), check minus (80), or minus (60). A check constitutes that the student completed all of the assignment. A check minus is given when the assignment is more than halfway completed. A minus suggests that the student either did not even attempt to complete the assignment or he/she did not complete at least half of the assigned work.
- The secondtype of homework assignment is called graded homework. This homework will be graded on accuracy.
*Reminder: Class participation will affect your homework grade.
Quizzes
Quizzes will be given at least once a week. Some will be announced and some will not be announced.
Tests
There will be at least two tests each grading period.
Papers
This is an HONORS class thus; there will be a lot of writing. Each six weeks there will be a paper due on a topic to be determined. The paper must be at least three pages long with two valuable resources. The paper will count as a test grade. I will give you at least one weeks notice before the paper is due
Midterm and Final Exams
The midterm and final will each count for 25% of your final grade.
Major Course Objectives
North Carolina Standard Course of Study Goals
Goal 1: The learner will investigate the foundation of the American political system and explore basic values and principle of American democracy.
Goal 2: The learner will analyze how the government established by the Unites States Constitution embodies the purposes, values, and principles of American democracy.
Goal 3: The learner will analyze how state and local government is established by the North Carolina Constitution.
Goal 4: The learner will explore active roles as a citizen at the local, state, and national levels of government.
Goal 5: The learner will explain how the political and legal systems provide means to balance competing interests and resolve conflicts.
Goal 6: The learner will explain why laws are needed and how they are implemented, enforced at the national, state, and local levels.
Goal 7: The learner will investigate how and why individuals and groups make economic choices.
Goal 8: The learner will analyze features of the economic system of the United States.
Goal 9: The learner will develop, defend, and evaluate positions on issues regarding the personal responsibilities of citizens in the American Constitutional democracy.
