1. Mr. Merrill’s Georgia History
What we do and how we communicate!!

2. Focuses in Classroom Inquiry-Based Classroom
Social Studies Labs (Document-Based and Over-Arching Questions)
Essay Writing (RACER, Quick Writing, Milestones Assessments)
Reading Comprehension (MAX Strategies)
Social Studies Skills

3. Classroom vs. District on Milestones (2015 to 2017)

4. Median Growth Rate of Students

5. 8th Grade Social Studies Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide (2017-2018)
August 1st to 8th Class Introduction and Unit One: Connecting Themes & Enduring Understandings
August 9th to 18th Unit Two: Geography and Prehistoric Period of Georgia GSE Standards: SS8G1 and SS8H1a
August 21st to September 22nd Unit Three: Exploration, Colonization, and Revolution GSE Standards: SS8H1b&c, SS8H2, SS8H, and SS8CG1a&b
September 25th to October 18th Unit Four: Early Statehood of Georgia and Indian Removal GSE Standards: SS8H4 and SS8E2c
October 19th to November 17th Unit Five: Georgia during the Civil War and Reconstruction GSE Standards: SS8H5 and SS8H6
November 27th to December 13th Unit Six: The New South Era GSE Standards: SS8H7 and SS8E2
December 14th and 15th Semester Exams
January 4th to January 24th Unit Seven: World War I, FDR and the New Deal, and World War II GSE Standards: SS8H8 and SS8H9
January 25th to February 16th Unit Eight: Modern Georgia and the Civil Rights Movement GSE Standards: SS8H10, SS8H11, SS8H12, SS8E1 and SS8E2
February 26th to March 14th Unit Nine: State and Local Governments GSE Standards: SS8CG1, SS8CG2, SS8CG3, and SS8CG6
March 15th to March 23rd Unit Ten: The Adult and Juvenile Justice Systems GSE Standards: SS8CG4 and SS8CG5
April 2nd to April 6th Unit Eleven: Personal Finance GSE Standard: SS8E3
April 9th to April 27th 2018 Milestone Exams and Review
April 30th to May 23rd 2018 Georgia History Enrichment
May 24th and 25th 2018 Semester Exams

6. Sign up for important updates from Mr. Merrill.
Pick a way to receive messages for Merrill Georgia History :
A-- If you have a smartphone, get push notifications.
On your iPhone or Android phone, open your web browser and go to the following link: rmd.at/merrillgeo
Follow the instructions to sign up for Remind. You’ll be prompted to download the mobile app.
B-- If you don’t have a smartphone, get text notifications.
Text the to the number
If you’re having trouble with 81010, try to (478) To Message
C--Don’t have a mobile phone? Go to rmd.at/merrillgeo on a desktop computer to sign up for notifications.

7. How to Join in Class Dojo
In order for this new initiative to work in the most effective and efficient manner, you will need to your student's homeroom teacher so that they are able to obtain your correct address. To complete this task, please follow the steps below:
Ask your student for the name of their homeroom teacher.
Go to the Bibb County Board of Education website at
Click on Our Schools at the top of the screen.
Select Howard Middle School from the dropdown menu. This selection will take you to the HMS webpage.
At the top of the HMS webpage click Faculty/Staff.
Find your student's homeroom teacher and click on their name.
Once on the teacher's page find their address and that teacher.

8. How else can you communicate with me?
Howard Middle School phone #
School web page:
Teacher/Parent Conferences can be scheduled every Monday, and Fridays from 9:30 to 10:30am
Every student who enters my class can and will learn, and every student that leaves my class is ready for high school!”