1. Welcome to Social Studies
Class procedures and rationale

2. Fire Drill Procedure
We are required to conduct one fire drill per month
Exiting the building
We will exit the room one row at a time – this automatically forms a single-file line – you must stay together
We will exit by the restrooms and walk quickly and quietly to our designated assembly area
There is absolutely no talking during a fire drill
It is not necessary to stay on the sidewalk – the goal is to reach the assembly area as quickly as possible without running
The first person in line will hook the outer door so that it stays open for other classes and then catch up with the rest of us
I will do a head count when we reach the assembly area
Entering the building
We will walk quickly and quietly back to the classroom and take our seats

3. My Contact Information
I can typically be contacted by phone or by
Phone: (fastest, except during school)
School: (can leave a message)
I use the internet (a lot)
(one-way – this is not to contact me, it is just for me to put information out there)
Class blog: (the link to my site is on the right side of the homepage)

4. About Me Born and raised in Dallas
Graduated from Richardson High School
Served in the U.S. Army for six years
Hanau am Main, Germany
Fort Sill, Oklahoma
Dallas, Texas (active Reserve)

5. About Me Colleges: 20 years in Clint ISD
Dallas County Community Colleges (Richland Jr. College)
West Texas State University (now part of Texas A&M system)
University of Texas at El Paso
University of Phoenix (as both student and teacher)
Major: History (focus on U.S. and Modern Europe)
Minors: Political Science & Education
Additional Focuses: Paralegal Studies and Information Systems
Additional Studies: Philosophy, Economics
20 years in Clint ISD
Clint Jr. High, East Montana Middle, Horizon High School, Horizon Middle School

6. Hobbies and Other Things I Like to Do
Learn – history, philosophy, business and economics, science, linguistics … it’s all interesting, relevant and connected
Read – for information (learning) and for entertainment; both at once is great
Video Games
Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Assassin’s Creed, Civilization, Mass Effect, Bioshock … mostly games with a good story
Tinkering – figuring out how something works or figuring out how to make it work better

7. Quotes There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance
Socrates, as quoted by Diogenes Laertius
All men, by nature, desire to know.
Aristotle, Metaphysics
Leisure without study is death; it is a tomb for the living man.
Seneca, Epistle 82

8. My Approach to Social Studies
Social Studies is not names, dates and places; it is people and all of the things that they do
Every artifact tells you something about who made it
Every book or letter tells you something about the time in which it was written and the person writing it
Every picture or painting tells you something about the people and time in which it was made
The keys:
Seeing is different from looking
Listening is different from hearing
Reading is different from looking at the words

9. Your Approach
Because Social Studies is everything that people do, it includes a WIDE range of subjects
You need to understand a lot of things for Social Studies to make sense as anything other than memorizing facts
You cannot be like the Las Vegas commercials:
What happens in Math cannot stay in Math
What happens in ELAR cannot stay in ELAR
What happens in Science cannot stay in Science
All of it must come to Social Studies with you

10. Sooo…. Here are the Rules
Comply with all federal, state and district policies
Do not do anything that creates unsafe or unhealthy conditions in my classroom
Do not do anything that interferes with your learning
Do not do anything that interferes with anyone else’s learning
Do not let anyone else interfere with your learning

11. Procedures Time is a limited resource Time is a nonrenewable resource
There are only 24 hours in a day – no more
There are only 60 minutes in an hour – no more
There are only 49 minutes in a class period and there are only 180 class periods in a school year (less, actually)
Time is a nonrenewable resource
Once that minute is gone, it is not coming back
Because time is limited and nonrenewable, it must be used wisely
Classroom procedures are designed to efficiently use the time and other resources we have - if you think something can be done more efficiently, tell me

12. Daily Expectations Be in dress code before entering the classroom
No gum or food (this is district policy – I will enforce it)
Bring and use the proper materials at the proper time
Do not talk except when the activity requires it or when you have a question (raise your hand first).
Stay in your seat unless you have permission to do otherwise.
Do not do work from other classes unless you have permission
Listen carefully to instructions, execute them to the best of your ability, and ask if you do not understand them
Participate in the lesson by doing the correct activity at the correct time: listen, ask questions, discuss, read, write, research.

13. Tomorrow
We will look at the various fields or “strands” of Social Studies
Bring back the signed part of my class information
This is an easy 100 unless you don’t do it
Questions or concerns?