World History
Students in grade seven study the social, cultural, and technological changes that occurred in Europe, Africa, and Asia in the years 500–1789 CE. After reviewing the ancient world and the ways in which archaeologists and historians uncover the past, students study the history and geography of great civilizations that were developing concurrently throughout the world during medieval and early modern times. They examine the growing economic interaction among civilizations as well as the exchange of ideas, beliefs, technologies, and commodities. They learn about the resulting growth of Enlightenment philosophy and the new examination of the concepts of reason and authority, the natural rights of human beings and the divine right of kings, experimentalism in science, and the dogma of belief. Finally, students assess the political forces let loose by the Enlightenment, particularly the rise of democratic ideas, and they learn about the continuing influence of these ideas in the world today.
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 11 to September 6, 2023
History of Europe from the fall of the Roman Republic and rise of the Roman Empire to the fall of the west in 476 CE.
September 7 to October 5, 2023
History of Europe from the fall of the Western Roman Empire through to the reign of Charlemagne. Also, the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire will be discussed as well as the feudal system.
October 10 to November 3, 2023
History of Europe and the Middle East from around the mid-800s CE to the late 1200s. Includes the Norman Conquest of England and Hundred Years’ War. The Rise of Islam will also be discussed including conflicts like the Crusades.
November 9 to December 20, 2023
History of the Western African empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. Will tie in the region’s history with Islam as well as other cultures namely: Egypt, the Maghreb, Aksum/Ethiopia, the Swahili Coast, Zimbabwe, and Kongo.
January 9 to January 26, 2024
History of the Indian subcontinent from the ancient era up to the dominance of the Gupta. Will include India’s relationship with Islam and the neighboring Turkic peoples. Also, there will be a discussion concerning India (and China’s) impact on Southeast Asia.
January 29 to March 5, 2024
History of China from the beginning of the Qin Dynasty through to the Ming Dynasty. Will focus on the country’s cultural impact on the world as well as its various dynasties through the centuries.
March 6 to April 3, 2024
History of Japan from the beginnings of the country to the Perry Expedition which opened Japan up to the world. As part of a separate subunit, there will be a discussion concerning Korea during the medieval period up through the nineteenth century.
April 4 to April 25, 2024
History of the native peoples of the Americas from prehistory to the point of European colonization. Will focus on the native civilizations of Mesoamerica, Andes, and the modern-day United States and Canada.
April 26 to May 14, 2024
History of Europe from the Black Death and Renaissance to the beginnings of global exploration and colonialism. Will also cover the Spanish, Portuguese, French, and English colonies of North and South America.
May 15 to May 21, 2024
History of Europe during the Age of Absolutism and Enlightenment. Will discuss figures like Louis XIV, John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Voltaire, and Baron de Montesquieu.
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.
Field Trips
Throughout the school year, there may be opportunities for the class to go out and learn in the community through a field trip. Each student should be receiving a field trip permission form from their homeroom teacher.
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.