Back to School Night September 13 2018
"The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” - Winston Churchill
Introduction to Parent’s
I am privileged to work as a social studies teacher at Torrington Middle School. I have lived in Torrington virtually my entire life and my family’s history in Torrington goes back nearly one hundred years. As a student of history I have a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the Torrington community and how it has changed and evolved through the years. I believe that Torrington has much to offer people of all ages and that it is a great place to begin one’s education.
This will be my tenth year of teaching Social Studies at Torrington Middle School. I am very passionate about social studies and history. In our class we will focus on the people, ideas, events, and dates that shaped American history from the Constitutional Convention to Reconstruction. It is important that students understand the history of our country and how life, expectations, and beliefs have changed over time. However, this class will not be just rote memorization of facts, people, and dates. We will use our study of American history to learn how to evaluate texts, think critically, and develop the skills necessary to make informed decisions about the world.
Although my enthusiasm for social studies is important, it cannot stand-alone. Active parental involvement is nearly always crucial to a middle school student’s success. I look forward to working with you to help your child succeed in 8th grade U.S. History. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about the class and your student.
Cordially,
Tom Ethier
Course Description
This American History course will begin with the drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence and move chronologically through Civil War Reconstruction. We will examine the people, events, and ideas that shaped the United States and brought us to where we are today. The course will consider major themes in American history such as: democracy, nationalism, expansionism, and sectionalism. These ideas will help us understand the growth and development of the nation and how they have shaped the country we have today. In addition to the Constitution, some of the key topics we will study include: the early days of the republic, the birth of early political parties in America, the War of 1812 and its causes and effects, the first industrial revolution, Jacksonian democracy and westward expansion. From here we will look at reform movements, including abolitionism, with an eye to the divisions between North and South in the period leading up to the Civil War. Lastly, we will examine the Civil War and its aftermath, ending at the election of 1876.
Course Overview & Expectations
Students will be expected to complete the work assigned to the best of their abilities. Assignments will include reading the textbook, reading and interacting with websites, watching videos, classwork, note-taking, homework, and class projects. Students will also have a current event summary that is due every other week. There will be a variety of class projects that will include presentations and written essays. There will also be tests (usually one every two chapters) and quizzes. Below is a breakdown of the individual categories for a semester grade.
Grading
A student’s grade for the marking period will be determined by the grades achieved in the following areas:
There are three resources that you and your child should rely upon to ensure success in 8th grade U.S. History.
Homework and Projects
Textbooks (The American Nation, Prentice Hall)
I am privileged to work as a social studies teacher at Torrington Middle School. I have lived in Torrington virtually my entire life and my family’s history in Torrington goes back nearly one hundred years. As a student of history I have a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the Torrington community and how it has changed and evolved through the years. I believe that Torrington has much to offer people of all ages and that it is a great place to begin one’s education.
This will be my tenth year of teaching Social Studies at Torrington Middle School. I am very passionate about social studies and history. In our class we will focus on the people, ideas, events, and dates that shaped American history from the Constitutional Convention to Reconstruction. It is important that students understand the history of our country and how life, expectations, and beliefs have changed over time. However, this class will not be just rote memorization of facts, people, and dates. We will use our study of American history to learn how to evaluate texts, think critically, and develop the skills necessary to make informed decisions about the world.
Although my enthusiasm for social studies is important, it cannot stand-alone. Active parental involvement is nearly always crucial to a middle school student’s success. I look forward to working with you to help your child succeed in 8th grade U.S. History. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about the class and your student.
Cordially,
Tom Ethier
Course Description
This American History course will begin with the drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence and move chronologically through Civil War Reconstruction. We will examine the people, events, and ideas that shaped the United States and brought us to where we are today. The course will consider major themes in American history such as: democracy, nationalism, expansionism, and sectionalism. These ideas will help us understand the growth and development of the nation and how they have shaped the country we have today. In addition to the Constitution, some of the key topics we will study include: the early days of the republic, the birth of early political parties in America, the War of 1812 and its causes and effects, the first industrial revolution, Jacksonian democracy and westward expansion. From here we will look at reform movements, including abolitionism, with an eye to the divisions between North and South in the period leading up to the Civil War. Lastly, we will examine the Civil War and its aftermath, ending at the election of 1876.
Course Overview & Expectations
Students will be expected to complete the work assigned to the best of their abilities. Assignments will include reading the textbook, reading and interacting with websites, watching videos, classwork, note-taking, homework, and class projects. Students will also have a current event summary that is due every other week. There will be a variety of class projects that will include presentations and written essays. There will also be tests (usually one every two chapters) and quizzes. Below is a breakdown of the individual categories for a semester grade.
Grading
A student’s grade for the marking period will be determined by the grades achieved in the following areas:
- Tests – 25%
- Quizzes – 20%
- Homework - 10%
- Class work – 20%
- Projects – 25%
There are three resources that you and your child should rely upon to ensure success in 8th grade U.S. History.
- Use the Parent Portal available at http://www.torrington.org/ to stay informed of your child’s progress. I put the grades into the Power School grade book at the end of each week – usually by Saturday night. A zero almost always signifies that the assignment is missing and should be made up and submitted. I have also found, especially in 8th grade, that both the student and parent should access and review grades on the parent portal on a regular basis.
- Use my website. The address is: www.mrethierus.weebly.com. On the website you will find overviews of each chapter, class blogs, worksheets, assignments, chapter self-tests and a wealth of Internet resources to help prepare and study for the class. I update the website on a weekly basis with a plan for the upcoming week. Please take advantage of this important resource.
- If you want to check on your student’s progress throughout the year please e-mail me at [email protected]. You may also call me at 496-4050 ext. 3124. The best time to reach me is between 7:15 AM and 7:45 AM and between 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM. If you need to leave me a message, please leave a call back number and the best time to reach you. I will almost always respond to an e-mail or telephone message within 24 hours, usually much sooner.
Homework and Projects
- We generally have homework on most night.
- Hand in homework when it is due; due dates will be posted.
- Homework is listed on the website under QOD & Homework
- Late assignments are accepted but at a reduced point value; once we finish the unit late work cannot be made up unless it is because of absences.
- There will be a major project every marking period. Projects are worth 25% the grade. Not handing in a project will significantly impact a student’s grade – it is the number one reason that students have failed in the past.
Textbooks (The American Nation, Prentice Hall)
- This year you will not be assigned your own textbook due to a shortage or useable books. We will have a classroom set of books that will be used in class, frequently, and there will also be a set of books in each study hall room that may be used as needed to complete assignments.
- If necessary, you may sign out a textbook to take home. Any book signed out must be returned the following morning. If you need the book for longer than one night – you should make arrangements with me. If you lose the book, you will be responsible for replacing it.
- You may purchase a used textbook from Amazon to keep at home. Two ISBN numbers for the textbook are: 0-13-052953-2 or 0-13-434907-5. They are generally less than $15 on Amazon.