US History
Students in grade eight study the ideas, issues, and events from the framing of the Constitution up to World War I, with an emphasis on America’s role in the war. After reviewing the development of America’s democratic institutions founded on Greco-Roman ideals, Judeo-Christian heritage, English parliamentary traditions, Enlightenment philosophies particularly in the shaping of the Constitution, students trace the development of American politics, society, culture, and economy and relate them to the emergence of major regional differences. They learn about the challenges facing the new nation, with an emphasis on the causes, course, and consequences of the Civil War. They make connections between the rise of industrialization and contemporary social and economic conditions. Following that, there will be a brief discussion on the First World War and its lasting impact on the world.
U.S. History Extras:
East Coast Trip Galleries:
About San Benancio Middle School
San Benancio Middle School offers a rich array of programs, challenging and engaging instruction, and extracurricular activities, all of which encourage students to learn to reach their potential, whether it is through academics, sports, arts, music, or leadership. The school has a long and proud history of academic achievement, thanks to an experienced and dedicated teaching staff and a curriculum that aligns with the State’s Standards in all the content areas.
Students attending San Benancio experience challenging instruction that prepares them well for their high school experience. Graduates of San Benancio are academically successful and are often the student leaders in their high schools, whether in public or private settings. Students at the school perform exceptionally well on state tests and successfully compete in county academic competitions, such as the Spelling Bee and Math Counts. In addition to academics, students may participate in several instrumental groups, in performance and visual arts, the school’s yearbook, team sports, and community service activities.
Units of Study
August 9 to August 28, 2024
History of the North American continent from the early colonization of Spain and Portugal to the Seven Years’ War (French and Indian War).
August 29 to September 20, 2024
Unit concerning growing dissatisfaction with the British following the Seven Years’ War through to the end of the American War for Independence. Will discuss the causes and consequences of the war at length.
September 23 to November 6, 2024
Early American history following the Revolutionary War and the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. Will discuss the need for the new constitution and the crafting of the current US Constitution. Will also compare the American political system with others around the world (particularly those in Western Europe).
November 12 to December 20, 2024
History of the United States from the adoption of the Constitution through to the War of 1812. Will also discuss the impact of the French Revolution on the United States and how the War of 1812 impacted the British colonies in what is now Canada.
January 7 to January 31, 2025
History of the United States from the end of the War of 1812 to the end of the Mexican-American War. Will discuss the age of Jackson and the “Manifest Destiny” belief system. Will also look at the fragile state of Mexico leading up to the war.
February 13 to February 28, 2025
A look at the culture of the United States from around the 1820s through to the Civil War. This will include the early industrialization of the country.
March 3 to March 21, 2025
History of the divide between the northern and southern states followed by a close-up look at the causes and consequences of the American Civil War.
April 1 to April 8, 2025
American history in the immediate aftermath of the American Civil War: the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the presidencies of Andrew Johnson and Ulysses S. Grant, as well as the Reconstruction amendments to the constitution.
April 9 to May 9, 2025
History of the United States from the end of Reconstruction through to the Progressive Era of Theodore Roosevelt. Will discuss the American economy at the time, the Spanish-American War, and the Nineteenth Amendment.
May 12 to May 19, 2025
A look at the causes and consequences of the First World War and the American role in the conflict. Will discuss how the “Great War” set the stage for the world order we have today.
Student Evaluation
| Behavior & Participation: | 5% |
| Quizzes: | 10% |
| Classwork & Projects: | 20% |
| Readings & Checkpoints: | 20% |
| Writing Assignments: | 20% |
| Formal Assessments: | 25% |
| A: | 90% and Above |
| B: | 80-89% |
| C: | 70-79% |
| D: | 60-69% |
| F: | Below 59% |
Classroom Expectations
GOLDEN RULE: Never speak while someone else is speaking
Students must come to class on time
Assignments are turned in on time
Participate in class discussions
Have a positive attitude in class
Come to class ready to learn
Treat peers with respect
Use technology responsibly
Treat school property with respect
Behavior & Participation
Students are expected to get to class on time and participate in the planned activities for the day. At the beginning of each trimester, students will start with 100 points in the behavior & participation part of their grade. If the student meets the classroom expectations, then they will receive the full 100 points, if not, the grade in this category will go down. The percentage in this category will match up with each student’s running total on Class Dojo. For example, if a student has a 95% in Class Dojo, they will receive 95/100 in the behavior & participation category.
NOTE: While the behavior & participation portion of the grade is only 5%, it does factor in a great deal in the citizenship grade. For example, a student with below 80% in this category cannot earn an “O” in citizenship.
Hybrid & Distance Learning
In 2020-2021, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, school was closed and we had to transition to an online environment. While that will hopefully not be the case this year, I am fully prepared for online education if it proves to be necessary. If a full or partial school closure occurs, students will be expected to check Google Classroom on a daily basis and/or watch the daily instruction videos. In the event of a full school closure, I will also start holding online office hours on a daily basis as well as sending weekly updates to all parents concerning missing assignments.
Homework
I rarely assign homework—generally speaking, all assignments are given with more than enough time to complete in class. If a student does not complete an assignment in class then it is likely that it must then be completed at home. If a student is absent, then they will be expected to finish missed classwork at home—everything done will always be posted on Google Classroom. In the event of a hybrid learning environment, there will be more homework than usual to make up for the time in class that is lost.
Late Work
If a student has an excused absence, then late work will be accepted between two days to one week after the student returns to school (depending on the length of the excused absence). For students turning in assignment late because of an unexcused absence or another reason, the individual will lose a predetermined amount of points depending on the type of assignment. For writing assignments, students will lose 10% off of their grade for every day late. If a writing assignment is turned in more that five days late, the student will receive half credit. For all other assignments, they will be accepted late for half credit. Late work must be turned in over the course of the relevant unit or five days after the assignment was due if the due date was during the final week of the unit. Assignments turned in after this time will not be accepted. All assignments have the ability to be turned in online.
NOTE: If an online assignment is completed, but not properly “turned in” through Google Classroom, then the late work policy will be applied until the assignment is properly submitted. All paper assignments will also have a “turn in” button on Google Classroom, but it is not required that students submit those assignments online unless specifically asked to do so.
Technology Use
My classroom is a blended environment, meaning, Chromebook devices will be used with regularity and all assignments are posted online on Google Classroom. If students are unable to work efficiently online then it is possible that their Chrome device (whether it is owned by the school or by the the student) may be locked down or the student may have to do all assignments on paper. These are extreme measures that are rarely used, but I do reserve the right to use them if students do not use their devices responsibly.
Online Grades
I will post grades online as soon as I am able to finish grading the assignment for each and every student in the class. Grades will likely be posted first on Google Classroom and then transferred over to SchoolWise.
Cheating and Plagiarism
Zero Tolerance: There is a zero tolerance for cheating. Students caught cheating will be given an automatic zero on the assignment, project, quiz or test and receive a detention. Parents will be notified and other teachers at San Benancio will be alerted. The student will also receive a “U” in citizenship for the trimester and be ineligible for the honor roll. Cheating includes, but is not limited to, copying someone else’s work, “lending” your workbook, notes and homework to another student, and “lending” knowledge of a test/quiz to another student. Plagiarism includes the copying of another person’s work without proper citation. Don’t risk your grade and integrity for a few points. Please see Mr. Hogan if you have any questions regarding this policy.
Historical Movies
There may be movies shown throughout the year that have various ratings (none will be rated “R”) and all of those shown will be related to the unit that we are covering. A permission slip will not be sent out for each movie. Please indicate if your son/daughter has permission to view these movies in class.
2025 East Coast Trip
During Spring Break, San Benancio Middle School will be traveling to Washington, DC and New York City and all eighth grade students are invited to attend. If there are any questions related to the trip, please contact me for more information. If paying for the trip is a concern, there are many opportunities for fundraising and scholarships so please do not hesitate to reach out if there is any interest in going on the trip. To sign up for the trip, visit www.AppleStudentTours.org and click on the “REGISTER FOR A TOUR” button. Enter your Tour Code: WSTM6K and click CONTINUE where you will enter your traveler’s information and click PROCEED TO PAYMENT. You will then be taken to the payment page where you will need to submit a $250 non-refundable deposit via credit card in order to complete your registration. Click Here to view the tentative itinerary and registration packet.
For regular field trips, students should have received a field trip permission form in their homeroom class. If we are going on a field trip, then one of your child’s teachers will likely send out an email via ParentSquare looking for volunteers to chaperone.
School Activities and Athletics
As the ASB Director, I will be actively monitoring grades for all students that wish to participate in any of the extra activities (that require a certain GPA) at San Benancio. The same is true for Athletics and other electives like Yearbook, Choir, and Band. Do not let grades get in the way of being able to participate in school activities!
Contacting Me
It is my goal to respond to all messages from parents within 24 hours of receiving them—often, I will respond within minutes. That said, my email inbox often gets inundated with a number of messages ranging from Google Classroom alerts to junk mail from whatever retailer I recently bought something at. Because of this, if I do not respond within 24 hours, please do not hesitate send me another message. ParentSquare is the preferred method of contact; please do not try contacting me through SchoolWise.