Geography

Ms. Emily Broyles

Email: Emily_Broyles@dpsk12.org (preferred method of contact)

Phone: 720-424-1801

Office Hours: Wednesday 7:30am-7:55am in room 215

Meetings by appointment (please no drop-ins)

 

Course Overview

9th Grade Geography is a yearlong course that focuses on the distribution, processes, and effects of human populations on the planet. Our units focus around a constant consideration of the concepts of place and spatial relativity that emphasize the innerconnectedness of today’s globalized world. Topics include (but are not limited to) population & migration trends, cultural phenomena (including language, religion, ethnicity), political geography, and economic trends of industry, agriculture, and urban geography.

 

To help students better understand how geographic trends and phenomena play out in today’s society, we will discuss case study examples from around the globe. This provides students with a broad spectrum of new perspectives on the world and encourages them to compare these scenarios to both the United States and locally to Colorado.  Internet and interactive activities will be used to explore certain topics and to get students engaged in rigorous and meaningful discussion.

 

However, to ensure successful completion of the class, students will not only need to acquire a strong understanding of the aforementioned skills, but will also be expected to engage in rigorous discussions and coursework (inside and outside of the classroom) to take their geographic skills a step further.  DSA students have unique talents and leadership potential that is particularly important for geography and will be pushed to identify examples of geographic trends and phenomena that they find to have negative impacts, and will be asked to construct a well-founded method of attempting to counteract those negative influences.  This can include issues such as resource sustainability, gender roles, distribution of wealth, international economic competition, climate change and so much more. Overall, the course encourages students to not only comprehend the content, but also act as problem-solvers for some of the most significant geographic issues of our day.
 

Course Goals

• Use and think about maps and spatial data.

• Understand and interpret the implications of associations among phenomena in places.

• Recognize and interpret at different scales the relationships among patterns and practices.

• Define regions and evaluate the regionalization process.

• Characterize and analyze changing interconnections among places.

• Construct applicable methods of addressing geospatial/human geographic problems.

• Prepare students for future AP courses and eventually college.

 

 

Rules and Expectations:

• Students will act with respect and use respectful language towards the teacher, their fellow students, and all staff and visitors in our classroom.  In return, I will always treat you and your family with respect.

• Students will check my website daily and will self-advocate and ask for help/come to office hours when they need more support.

• No food or drink is allowed in the classroom, with the exception of water in a sealed container.

• Cameras and over recording devices are allowed only with prior approval.

• Students who ditch class on the day of a major assignment, test or presentation will NOT be allowed to make up what they missed.

• Cheating and sharing of work without explicit permission to do so will result in a zero for both the cheater and the student who allowed their work to be copied.

• Student will assume everyone’s positive intentions and will bring their materials and good attitude to class each day.

• CELL PHONE POLICY: If I see a cell phone out during class I will take it.  The first time this happens, I will lock it up and give it back to the student at the end of the school day.  Any additional instances, I will lock it up until a parent comes to get it from me.  Please do not call or text your student during class, call the front office and they will send a note to your student.  By signing this syllabus, parents and students are acknowledging this classroom policy.

 

 

 Materials:

Students will access their textbook, Cultural Landscapes: An Introduction to Human Geography, online in addition to having access to a class set during the school day.  Students will be issued a log-in and password to their online textbook account for free.  Please store this information in a safe place because the misplacement of log-in credentials will not be a valid excuse for missing work.  Due to the limited number of hard copies of textbooks, students will not be able to bring home a physical copy of the textbook.  Please note that if students do not have consistent internet access at home, they may use the internet in the school library, counseling office, public library, etc.  Students will be responsible for handling internet accessibility issues as lack of internet access will not be a valid excuse for missing work.  

Students will keep a standardized Geography notebook, which will be required in class every day.  There will be both announced and random graded notebook checks as a means for Ms. Broyles to review student warm ups, planning processes and organization.  All paper handouts from class will be housed in a student’s notebook.  Ms. Broyles will maintain a teacher exemplar notebook for students to check their own notebooks against.

 

The notebook must be a hardbound 3-hole punch binder dedicated only to Geography.  The front cover needs to clearly say your first and last name, class period and “Geography” (please no other items on the cover!) Please fill each section with loose leaf paper and label your dividers with the following tabs (in this order):

• Unit 1: General Geographic Skills

• Unit 2: Human-Environmental Interaction

• Unit 3: Global Population

• Unit 4: Rural and Urban Land Use

• Unit 5: Cultural Globalization

• Unit 6: Political Globalization

• Unit 7: Economic Globalization

• Study Guides & Review Material

 

Students will need a pencil and lined paper daily for class, in addition to their Geography student notebook.

 

Grading:

Grades will be made available to students and parents through Infinite Campus.  A student’s grade will consist of 40% for process assignments (homework, academic participation) and 60% for product assignments (tests, quizzes and projects) per quarter.  In accordance with district policy each quarter will be entered as a stand-alone grading period. Each quarter will count as 45% of the semester grade with the remaining 10% coming from the final semester assessment.

 

**Emailed assignments will not be accepted unless previous arranged with Ms. Broyles.  Please turn in all late and missing assignments to the late work folder in class.

 

Student Evaluations

I. Daily Classwork
Students are required to maintain an exclusive three ring binder for this class. Students are expected to keep all notes, homework, in class assignments, handouts, quizzes and exams organized throughout the semester. Bring your notebook, a writing utensil and paper to class every day. Binders will be collected and/or checked periodically for a process grade.

II. Writing
Students will be assigned various writing assignments throughout the year that focus on the use of academic argumentation while using accurate geographic evidence to support their claims. Often times this will come in the form of a Short Constructed Response (1 paragraph; 7-9 sentences), but we will also focus on academic research writing to better prepare students for skills needed in the 21st century and in college.

III. Individual & Collaborative Projects
Most (although not all) units will have a series of collaborative and/or individual projects assigned with it. Students will be expected to learn how to effectively work with a team to complete tasks and objectives similar to those of geographic professions. Explicit rubrics will communicate expectations for these projects and a portion of these grades are based upon private peer evaluations of one another to ensure team accountability. In addition, students may be expected to integrate their artistic skills into these projects.

IV. Mini Quizzes
Will be administered over previously covered materials and case studies found in readings and/or in-class lessons. Students should come to class prepared for a quiz at any point within a unit.

V. Unit Tests
Unit tests are intended to measure student understanding of content, as well as their geographic and academic skills. Therefore, unit tests are intended to give students different ways to demonstrate their mastery.

-Multiple Choice (30%): 20-40 questions, options A-D, aligned to NY Regents Exam
-Constructed Responses (30 %): 3-5 questions requiring 8-10 written sentences on major concepts, terms and models
-Socratic Seminar (40%): Collaborative discussion/debate over controversial and important concepts and trends

VI. Homework
Students will have weekly homework. These assignments may vary in terms of the amount of time invested and usually consist of students accessing online resources and completing an assigned written, creative or reading activity. All assignments are aligned to the skillsets outlined in the course skills rubric. Students who consistently fail to turn in assignments, or those who turn assignments in partially completed, will lose points for the Work Ethic section of the rubric and will likely be assigned tutoring hours to ensure that progress is being made. Under these circumstances, I ask that parents support students in their growth to improve their turn-in rate and the quality of work that they submit.

VII. Participation & Preparation
Students’ active and meaningful participation is the single most important element of the learning process.  Without full engagement at all times in this course, students not only run the risk of failing the course but also risk falling behind in the skills and expectations for future high school classes.  Full attention and participation is expected, without excuse. Students will be evaluated daily on their contributions to classroom discussions and activities and will be reflected in weekly grades. This also includes coming to class prepared by completing homework and/or readings from the night before.

DPS District Grading Rubric:

93-100% = A, 90-92% = A-, 87-89% = B+, 83-86% = B, 80-82% = B-

77-79% = C+, 73-76% = C, 70-72% = C-, 60-69% = D, 0-59% = F  

 

Honors:

All students in Ms. Broyles’ Geography class are invited to take this class for honors.  Students who take this course as honors will be challenged through additional readings and assignments to explore the unit themes in greater depth.  It will include additional homework and intensive reading and writing.   For fall semester students will conduct an in-depth research country study which will analyze course themes in a global context.  More information about second semester honors projects will be announced in January when students elect to take Honors for the spring semester.  In return, students who pass Honors Geography will receive weighted credit for this class in their G.P.A.  If a student receives an F in Honors Geography at the semester, they will not be allowed to take this course for honors during second semester.  Students will be asked to sign an Honors Contract with Ms. Broyles during the first 2 weeks of school to indicate if they will take Honors Geography.  Once a student is committed to taking an honors course they cannot reverse their decision until the end of the semester.  All students and their parents should consider the student’s strengths, needs, and prior schedules this year before committing to taking any honors course.

 

Absences and Make-Up Work:

DSA policy states that students will not be academically penalized for their first 5 excused and/or unexcused absences for the whole school year.  After these first 5 absences, students must present appropriate documentation in order for additional absences to be excused and to have the ability to complete make up work.  Students with unexcused absences after the first 5 absences will not have the ability to complete make up work and will receive a “0” for any missed work.  Students have 48 hours to turn in any make-up work (see page 20 of the DSA Student Handbook).  If a student misses this 48 hour window, but turns the assignment in within one week of their original absence, they will receive half credit for the assignment. 

 

Important: If students are considered present at DSA, but are not in class (particularly for pull-outs, midday rehearsal/performances and/or field trips) it is their responsibility to contact me in reference to work and tests they may miss as early as possible (at least 1 class period in advance). Unless previously discussed, all work for these days will be due on the original due date.
 

Late Work:
Homework and other “process” work will be accepted late for one calendar week for 50% credit.  After one week the student will receive a zero.  Major assignments, papers, and other “product” work will be docked 10% for each day it is late for one calendar week.  After one week the student will receive a zero.

 

 

Academic Integrity:

Academic honesty is a fundamental principal of learning; therefore, written or other work which students submit must be their own and must follow proper citation guidelines. Please become familiar with the citation formats that will be used in this class. Presenting someone else’s work as your own, no matter where it originated, is cheating. If you choose to cheat on an assignment you will earn no credit for the assignment and a referral will be sent the Dean’s Office. 

 

 

 Students and parents, please a take moment to become familiar with this syllabus and sign below before September 2nd.  Please note that I reserve the right to make modifications to the course outline as necessary to best meet the needs of our class.  I look forward to learning together this year!

 

 

***The best way to contact me is (circle one):                          phone                                     email

 

The phone number or email address Ms. Broyles should use is:­­­­­­­­­­______________________________________________________

 

 

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(student signature)                                                                  (date)

 

 

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(parent signature)                                                                    (date)