Advanced Placement
 AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

MR. CRAWFORD

ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS

Grading Policy:

  1. Grades will be based on a total point calculation system

    Diagnostic, formative and summative assessments will be used to measure your individual progress:

      1. Diagnostics and Checkpoints – will be recorded but not averaged into your grade
      2. Formative measurements – will be graded and recorded in the grade book and will be averaged into the semester/year grade; you will have the option to re-reassess all formative assessments within the unit timeframe.
      3. Summative assessments – cumulative unit assessments do not qualify for re-assessment
      4. The breakdown of your term and final grades is as follows:

     Benchmark assessments: 35%

     Summative assessments: 65%

  1. You are expected to turn in all work by the assigned deadline; if you miss a deadline you can expect a mandatory conference with the instructor and the possibility of a point penalty. 
  2. You are required to submit all written work to Turnitin.com
  3. You are expected to complete all assigned coursework
    1. Missing assignments will be identified in the grade book as NS (Not Submitted) and will temporarily affect your semester average until you turn in the missing work. 
    2. You will have 3 days to makeup any missing work after which a grade of Incomplete (I) will be posted on the end of the quarter report card if the work is not completed.  As per the handbook, students will have 7 days after the end of the marking period to complete the missing work or the incomplete semester grade will be replaced with an F.
    3. You may request and receive extensions of timelines within reason as deemed appropriate by the teacher.
  4. There is absolutely NO Extra credit.. 

Guidelines for Re-assessment:

ALL students who score below 70% on a formative assessment MUST reassess; ANY student may request an opportunity to reassess a formative assessment. However, ALL students are required to follow the same re-assessment procedure. You must:

  1. Meet with the teacher.
  2. Correct the original assessment.
  3. Complete a conceptual scavenger hunt on the material
  4. Create an active learning strategy to assist in internalizing the concepts (mnemonic devices, acronyms, acrostics, graphs, illustrations, flowcharts, songs, poems, etc.)
  5. Reassess the material in a format different from the original assessment.

The purpose of these reassessments is to give you the chance to demonstrate understanding of the material – not just to boost your grade.  If the reassessment is a lower grade than the original grade, the reassessment grade will stand and further review and reassessment will be required. 

Summative assessments include chapter, quarterly and term multiple choice/essay format exams.  These assessments are intended to determine your level of mastery of the content. In this course, ALL summative assessments will be CUMULATIVE and will use the AP FORMAT.

 

In addition to the above described assessments, a comprehensive final exam will be administered at the close of the semester.

This course will adhere to the AP course curriculum and requirements because a comprehensive final exam  in the format of an actual AP American Government Exam will be administered at the close of the semester.

You are responsible for any missed material! Make up tests need to be completed within 3 days from when the student returns to class. This is in line with the policy as stated in the student handbook.

Notebooks will be used on a daily basis. Your notebook is your source of information for this course, and your map for success!  If you are absent, you will be expected to consult another student, Blackboard, or Crawfordsworld.com to bring your map up to date.

You will be graded on the basis of your performance on quizzes, tests, homework assignments, simulations, and a final examination.  We will maintain a pace of roughly one chapter every week and a half in which you will be expected to complete the assigned problems and any other supplemental materials that are provided.  Tests will take place upon the completion of each chapter, and are designed to ensure that you have completed the assigned reading and understand the concepts.  It is imperative that you keep up with the readings.  There will be weekly quizzes, and a Final Exam at the end of the semester.

Your average is simply be the percentage derived from the points you have earned divided by the total points possible over the course of the mid-term and semester marking periods.

All of test and quiz scores will be reported to you, and therefore you are responsible for keeping track of your average in this course. You will be expected to have a complete written record of your grades based on returned tests and quizzes. It is inappropriate to use class time to discuss your average with me or your peers; please schedule an appointment with me or stop by during extra help to discuss your average with me in private.

Remember that you are not just responsible for keeping track of your grade in this course; you are responsible for your actual grade in this course.

YOU EARN YOUR GRADE; YOU OWN YOUR GRADE!

Course Schedule Classroom Rules Academic Honesty Policy