7th Grade Humanities Syllabus

Jason Lee Middle School 2010/2011

Mr. William Reiser

Room 2805
253-571-7725
wreiser@tacoma.k12.wa.us

Jason Lee is an AVID school because we believe all students need to be given the opportunity to
prepare for college by taking academically rigorous classes.

What AVID is...

Ø AVID is an acronym that stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination.

Ø AVID is an in-school academic support program for grades 4-12 that prepares
students for college eligibility and success.
Ø AVID places academically average students in advanced classes.
Ø AVID levels the playing field for minority, rural, low-income and other students
without a college-going tradition in their families.
Ø AVID is for all students, but it targets those in the academic middle.
Ø AVID is implemented schoolwide.

Texts
History of Our World: The Early Ages (Prentice-Hall)

During the first quarter of the year, we will be examining the civics, economics, geography, and
history of the following topics:

The Rise of Ancient Greece (3000 B.C.-350 B.C.)

The Rise of Greek Civilization

Religion, Philosophy, and the Arts

The Glory of Ancient Greece (700 B.C. – 146 B.C.)

Daily Life in Athens

Athens and Sparta

The Spread of Greek Culture

Relevance
Students will recognize how civilizations change within and across eras of time. Students will
enhance their geographic skills and foster an understanding of other cultures. Students will
recognize how the past influences their lives today. Students will continue to develop their
reading, writing, and critical thinking skills that will prepare them for the next grade level and
provide value in other academic disciplines.
Parents as Partners
As partners working together, I encourage reviewing assignments with your parents each night or
reading books/magazines/short stories together. Share stories with your families about what you
learned at school. Even better, teach what you learned.
Standards Based Grading and Reporting
Supports learning, improves communication, provides credibility to grades, and creates a true
picture of what students are able to do. This form of grading removes non-academic indicators
from the grading process and focuses on academic achievement alone. This type of grading
provides alignment to the state standards, and allows for multiple opportunities for students to
demonstrate proficiency. The power behind standards based grading is a student’s ability to
accurately articulate their level of understanding on the learning continuum.
As a school, we use the standards based classroom to help students’ progress toward meeting the
Grade Level Expectations. Grades will look a little different to what you’re used to seeing if
you’re new to Jason Lee.

Traditional Equivalent Standards-Based

A EX means exceeding

B M means meeting

C AP means approaching

D BEG means beginning

E/F F means failing

Classroom Expectations
Our Classroom follows the Jason Lee Schoolwide Expectations. These following common sense
expectations apply to all students:
« Be safe.
« Be polite and respectful to others.
« Be “on time” to each class.
« Be prepared. (Have your school stuff!)
« Keep our school and campus clean and in good condition.
« Follow directions of all teachers and staff members the first time they are given.