Welcome to Ms. Perry's Social Studies Classroom!
Hello!
My name is Ms. Perry, and I am your student’s Social Studies teacher for this school year. I wanted to reach out and explain how 8th grade Social Studies will look for your student and what to expect from the class. Fair warning… I apologize for all of the reading, but I want to make sure I answer any questions that may pop up for you!
Tests
We will take CFA and CFB tests consistently throughout the school year. A CFA is a basic standard assessment usually comprised of 3-4 standards from our content. A CFB is a unit test made up of all of the standards of the assigned unit. We will take our tests primarily on the computer unless there is an issue with the Wi-Fi, which in that case we will use paper. If your student has an accommodation, that need will be met! Students will never retake the same exact test; however, we do retest on lower standards. If your student did not do well on a standard the first time, then they will be tested again over that content, and I will update their grade to reflect the higher average.
Grading
The Social Studies department uses a modified grading scale to accommodate the standards-based grading that SMS uses. On our tests, students will have three questions per standard. The grading scale goes as follows:
The 8th grade curriculum contains 75 standards and 9 units of content. There will be a grade in the gradebook for every single standard. If for some reason your student has a zero in the gradebook for a standard, please let me know because I have made a mistake or there may have been an issue with their test.
The following link contains all of the 8th Grade Social Studies Standards that your students will be learning this school year https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/standards/ss/Social_Studies_Standards.pdf
Skyward
Grades in Skyward will show as 8.01 CFA or whatever the assigned standard may be. If a test had four standards, then your student will have four grades in the gradebook. I will always try to have grades in the day of or the day after a test for all parents to see. If your student is missing an assignment, I will have it flagged as missing so it will show that to you as well. If you need assistance with your Skyward login information, please email Ms. Natareno at [email protected].
Missing Work
If your student is missing an assignment, I am more than happy to take the late work. If they are missing a test, I will find the time to ensure they have the time to take the test at school.
Review
Students receive a paper study guide on the day we start a new unit. This study guide covers the entirety of the unit, so they only have to hold onto one paper. For students that lose their paper, I will always have extra copies in the classroom, and I have shown your student their location, so they never feel the pressure to ask. I also have a digital version of the study guide on Schoology so there is always a back up plan. On Schoology, I will also have a review game for every single unit for our students that learn better with games rather than with a study document.
Schoology
I will put every single assignment that we do for the entire school year on Schoology. This is a great resource for both parents and students. For my class, all copies of the PowerPoints are located as a PDF in the PowerPoints folder. Every single study guide and review game will be in the Study Resources folder. All digital copies of the homework will be in the Homework folder and labeled by unit. All unit vocabulary is found in the Unit Vocabulary folder for any students that may be missing those key definitions that truly help us understand the content we are learning. For any parents interested, I do have the Parent Access Codes for Schoology that are unique to each of your students. Please email me and let me know if you would like that code so you can personally access these resources for your child.
Homework
Students will receive the homework on the day we start the unit, and the homework is due on the day we take the unit test. I will always take late homework. If your student needs another copy, I have plenty. If you believe they need extra support to complete that assignment, please reach out and I will make it happen. Your students also have the opportunity to earn homework passes in class!
Projects
Towards the end of the year, I like to have my 8th graders complete individual projects. These projects contain, but are not limited to, newspapers, maps, posters, tri-folds, etc.
Communication
I will try to send out a monthly update about the state of grades and assignments. Please expect those through email. If an event occurs and there is more of a personal issue in the classroom, then I will send a one-on-one text message through the Talking Point app to your cell phone.
Office 365 Login
You can access your Office 356 account by clicking here. The username and password are the same as your computer login at school. If you do not have this information, please email me so that I may get that information for you. Please check your email daily! You could be missing important reminders if you are not.
Log in example username: [email protected]
**If a student has forgotten their password, they may click here to reset it.
A Personal Note From Ms. Perry
It is an honor to teach your student. I love what I do and I hope that reflects in the learning your student will encounter in my classroom. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have for your student. I am always available. I may not respond back right away but I will respond! I look forward to this year and watching your student succeed in this history classroom. Thank you for giving me the opportunity. Have a wonderful rest of your day!
